When PU's were work trucks

[D2Cat]

 

[GreensvilleJay]

funny. dropped my '97 F150 off for new exhaust and saw a new PU (4wd,4door) and his JD rider JUST fit into the box !!!
used my '73 CJ-5 to disc and grade a few acres one summer,used snowplow to grade a driveway.
Always wanted to find and install the PHD for my Willys PU.

 

[Sidekick]

In 1976 bought my first new vehicle. A 1976 C20/350 4 speed for $4400.00 cash. 100,000 trouble free miles and it was always pushed to the limits and overloaded. Only upgrade was the fm radio option. Too bad the cab disintegrated from rust or I probably would still be driving it.

 

[Botamon]

My Dad's first new truck was a 1963 F250 4x4. He then traded for the one in the below pic - 70s model but I'm not sure exactly what year it was made. Also F250 4x4. Both had high sides on the back because they were used to haul cattle...and sawdust...and shavings (bedding) and anything else that needed hauling. Never used for plowing but they pulled many a loaded hay and silage wagon. Here my Mom has a platform up on the high sides that she's using to pick apples from in our orchard. The tree was so overloaded with fruit that the branches were breaking...the David Brown tractor is holding up a sagging branch.

 

[ken erickson]

70s model but I'm not sure exactly what year it was made.

being a bump side no later than 1972. Nice truck and neat photo!

Judging by the grill on my (back in the day) 1972 F250 Hi boy I would say your dad's is also a 1972.

Mine was a work truck during the winters in southeast Wisconsin when I would hang the Western plow on and make extra spending money. It then became my "play" truck the rest of the year.

I just turned 18 when I purchased this truck used, my Dad thought I had completely lost my marbles. He could not understand a pickup truck as a daily driver and a one and only vehicle. Of course he never complained when I would stop over and plow his driveway in the winter or haul lumber or stone for him on occasion, LOL.

 

[RCW]

On the farm our pickups were C60 Chevies with 16 foot (?) cattle boxes. Worked well for milk cans, feed, and even cows on occasion.

After farming, Dad bought a couple Jeep pickups. Snowplowing, skidding and hauling firewood. Real beasts. Last real work truck was a '78 F250 with plow.

I remember the early '90's (?) when a new GMC Work Truck was on the lot. Standard cab and 8' box.

$11K was painted on the windshield. Don't recall half or 3/4 ton, but all I could think was "how is a working guy going to be able to afford $11,000?!??!

I readily admit I don't need a pickup every day, but I need a pickup on a regular basis.

These "Cowboy Cadillacs" are getting way out of reach.

That said, I was trying to figure out repair of my truck's A/C.

I had to come the reality that I drove many vehicles without A/C, and lived to talk about it...

 

[BAP]

Actually, that’s a pretty fancy pickup for it’s time with 2 tone paint, chrome bumpers, chrome mirrors and sliding rear window.

 

[skeets]

Yes Sir. my J10 with a 360 and quadra track, hauled more fire wood, rock, dirt ,cow pies and, pushed miles of snow, and house coal than I could have ever hauled with these new ones. And when she moved on I have no idea how many miles were on it, the clock stopped working at 180K, and the kid I gave it to ran the snot out of it for another 2 or 3 years

 

[nondem]

The new trucks cost a lot more but generally they are also more reliable, haul/tow more, have more power, are much more comfortable, tend to last for more miles and get better fuel mileage. When I was a kid, 100,000 miles was LOT of miles...now not so much. I love the vintage trucks but they don't hold a candle to todays trucks.

 

[Oliver]

1971 F150 ad.

 

[mcmxi]

View attachment 132801

It doesn't really matter how big of an engine you have or the gear ratio if you can't get traction. Do you think that the photo was a marketing gimmick more than anything given the tires?

 

[mcmxi]

The new trucks cost a lot more but generally they are also more reliable, haul/tow more, have more power, are much more comfortable, tend to last for more miles and get better fuel mileage. When I was a kid, 100,000 miles was LOT of miles...now not so much. I love the vintage trucks but they don't hold a candle to todays trucks.

I have to agree. I have an '02 F250 7.3L and it does really well with a chip and programmer but I'd love to have more power. I have 175k miles on it now and plan on keeping it till the end, but do plan on buying a new (used) late model F350/F450/F550 with the 6.7L engine in a couple of years. Something with a flatbed and gooseneck receiver would be ideal.

 

[Flintknapper]

My Dad's first new truck was a 1963 F250 4x4. He then traded for the one in the below pic - 70s model but I'm not sure exactly what year it was made. Also F250 4x4. Both had high sides on the back because they were used to haul cattle...and sawdust...and shavings (bedding) and anything else that needed hauling. Never used for plowing but they pulled many a loaded hay and silage wagon. Here my Mom has a platform up on the high sides that she's using to pick apples from in our orchard. The tree was so overloaded with fruit that the branches were breaking...the David Brown tractor is holding up a sagging branch.

View attachment 132812

Looks like a 71-72 model high boy (divorced T-case). A REAL truck.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I'm from the po side of the country. I vaguely remember a black '40s Ford, but the first one I drove was a '61 Chevy my dad traded for. 6 cyl (no oil filter), 3 on the column, man. choke, no radio, one mirror (outside left), one taillight (no turn signals). But the guy had put overload springs and 8-ply mud grips on it, I hauled a ton of feed many times. Gave it power steering.

 

[WFM]

1971 F150 ad.

And Fords kept it's same dedication since this 1971 ad as they could still run it for 2025
"Works Like A Truck, Rides Like A Car"


View attachment 132931

 

[Oliver]

I think all of them anymore. It wasn't always the case, I can remember old heavy duty 3/4 ton trucks with heavy live axles and leaf springs F&R. They rode like an old wagon.

 

[mcmxi]

I think all of them anymore. It wasn't always the case, I can remember old heavy duty 3/4 ton trucks with heavy live axles and leaf springs F&R. They rode like an old wagon.

My '02 F250 Super Duty Lariat has live axles and leaf springs front and rear, but it certainly doesn't ride like an old wagon.

I wouldn't buy a truck that has independent suspension unless I used it on a race track on the weekends. I'll take a live, solid axle up front with coil springs, and a live, solid axle in the rear with leaf springs for any serious work, preferably with front and rear E-lockers.

 

[Oliver]

I had no idea they still use a solid front axle and leaf springs? Other than maybe a dump truck I wouldn't want anything but independent suspension, at least on the front.

 

[jyoutz]

My '02 F250 Super Duty Lariat has live axles and leaf springs front and rear, but it certainly doesn't ride like an old wagon.

I wouldn't buy a truck that has independent suspension unless I used it on a race track on the weekends. I'll take a live, solid axle up front with coil springs, and a live, solid axle in the rear with leaf springs for any serious work, preferably with front and rear E-lockers.

There are no trucks built with a solid live axle anymore. My Jeep Wrangler is the only vehicle I’m aware of that is still offered like that.

 

[chim]

My first real pickup was a 1972 Dodge Power Wagon in 1973. Standard cab, 318, PS and a sliding rear window. It rode like the axles were welded right to the frame.

After that the company provided trucks and SUV's, But I did have a few things of my own to tinker with. Before going with nicer-equipped trucks they gave me a 1978 Ford 1/2 ton that was bare bones. Three on the tree, it didn't even have a radio or power steering. With manual steering the old Twin I Beam made the steering terribly hard to get around in parking lots. I must say that the 300 six cylinder ran better than some of the V8's.