Plus, you could sit on the hood or lean against it without putting dents in it or scratching the paint!

 

To be honest, other than a mid 80s Nissan pick up, I have no experience with an older truck. I did have 2 sports cars of the same make and model, manufactured 35 years apart, and IMHO I found the older one really cool, but if I were just going out for a ride I much preferred the newer one.

The Nissan had 200k miles and I really enjoyed beating the crap out of it until I parked it in the trunk of a Town Car.

 

Yea you know something is seriously wrong you when you trust a 98 Dodge 1 ton with 1.36 million miles on it more than a 02 F150 with 136K miles or a 06 Dodge with an automatic and 116,000 miles (that just blew a pressure link in the fuel system), or a 04 Chevy Trailblazer with 134,000 miles (and a failing fuel pump), or even a 99 Cherokee with 137,000 miles on it.

Here's what I think the worst part is...except fo the F150, all of those vehicles have I6's in them.

 

I wonder if in 50 years there will be a thread (or whatever they will call it) on this subject...I can almost guarantee that there will be very few trucks from today around then but there may be a few trucks of yesterday around still?

The old trucks did it all with very little hp, no 4 wd, no air conditioning or any amenities at all really...and that wasn't too long ago, it goes to show you how fast technology progresses. Don't get me wrong, I love the new trucks but wonder where it will all end.

Heck, you can buy cars off the shelf now that park themselves and trucks that can do everything and then some...

 

i love the older f100s, my dad bought a 75 f100 custom back in 75 new off the lot. hauled firewood, towed a trailer 2000 miles, went hunting every year till 03. 240k miles and its finally mine, she fires right up and has a life of ease now, never in the rain and is never used as a work truck. i hope to restore it back to its dealership new days when i have the time. i do love the newer trucks, but you can never beat a pre 80s f100.

 

....remember when they used to have names on them like "Explorer or Ranger..."

Good for all of you to give life back to these old gals and keep them alive..

I personally love the '46 and '56 Ford F100's....I am seriously considering getting out of motorcycling and getting into one of them...

 

Yall sure are YOUNG. I got my drivers license at 13, no learners permit then. Drove the cow truck to school. A 1952 International 3/4 ton, straight 6, 4sp. with a pipe cage on the bed for hauling cattle. It also had a gun rack in the back window and always had a 12ga shotgun or 22 rifle in it. Even at school. Try that now. Of course all the other guys drove the same thing to school. I knew of no one that drove a car. No such thing as going to the dealer to get any thing fixed. Did that at home. I never saw a truck with factory A/C until the early 70s. Good ole days, maybe, but I sure like all the comforts of my FX2

 

I know I'm young. In some states you can still get your license at that age, its called an ag license and restricts you to below a class 4, has to have farm plates, no interstate, no night time...ect.

Truck technologies are getting much better but remember this, heat and vibration are the number one killers of electronics. Most people get a new computer every 4 to 6 years. Your lucky if an ECU that hasn't been made in 4 years lasts for 8 years.

Great example of how electronics don't last, I've had 5 iPhones in the past 2 years. The first one lasted from December of 2009 to June of 2010. I got rear ended by my friend. Since we had to clear out her cobra for her parents to come pick it up, all of us had our phones sitting on the tail gate...all of us had to get new ones the next day due to them all overheating. To give you an idea, I was laying down on the tailgate without a shirt without an issue but when I got in the truck an hour later I received a 1st degree burn from the seat belt buckle. The others have all failed due to similar electronic failure...never from exterior damage or abuse.

 

I wasn't alive in the 60's and 70's but I have many fond memories of my friend's dad 84 and 85 F150's that he would drive us up to the cottage in. Four speed manual trans, 300 i6 and 2wd. Those trucks rusted out terribly but they ran strong all the time.

My friend's dad now goes through cars and trucks every year because he can't find something that suits him as well as his older ford trucks.

 

Agreed