It ain't fun anymore... Antique Trucks will be my savior

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

I lament that pickup trucks have become 'classics' and are getting out of my reach $$ wise.

Mind you I don't want anything shiny... a $1500 beat up used work truck would work just fine for my occasional runs to Home depot.

Yeah they are. Gone are the 1500 dollar runners.

[sugarwood]

There are many of marques that foster a massive tuner and modder scene.
Porsche just isn't one of them.

Pick any other car.
They are cheap, plentiful, and have a huge modding culture around them.

Many of these cars are even cheaper than your $6400 (in 2017 dollars) 911 you bought in 2003.

Miata
Subaru BRZ/FRS
Subaru WRX
Camaro
Mustang
VW GTI
Acura

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

There are many of marques that foster a massive tuner and modder scene.
Porsche just isn't one of them.

Pick any other car.
They are cheap, plentiful, and have a huge modding culture around them.

Many of these cars are even cheaper than your $6400 (in 2017 dollars) 911 you bought in 2003.

Miata
Subaru BRZ/FRS
Subaru WRX
Camaro
Mustang
VW GTI
Acura

Please quit mentioning Mustangs. It upsets speeder and motion.

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

That is way bueno, Craig.

Thanks SeaHawk!

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Craig, that's way nicer than the one I looked at for you. It turned out fantastic.

Thanks Matt (BTW...Your payment for the PPI in Avocados will be there before Christmas. Should be ripe for New Year guacamole ).

The body and paint was done nicely by previous owner. I gutted the interior...New seat foam and skins, new sound insulation and carpeting, etc. The dash, steering wheel, and gauges are all original and in excellent condition....even the 8-track works.

I had to replace most of the suspension and brakes, installed Vintage Air A/C, and a new radiator. Now she's good as new.

She's working hard for me already

[gsxrken]

Craig I had no idea- no idea at all- that I wanted an old pickup truck until this thread. You suck.

To the OP, it’s like the Joe Walsh lyric- “everybody’s so different, I haven’t changed”. Which of course isn’t 100% accurate. Both have. 15 years is a long time; it’s ok to move in new directions and break new ground. Even into entirely non-automotive pursuits. Enthusiasm is an elusive drug!

[RANDY P]

They're fun for awhile, but if you like the Porsche because you drove the porsche, you'll find a truck (especially one you won't get dirty) as just something to waste your money on- and nothing else.

Mine.

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by RANDY P

They're fun for awhile, but if you like the Porsche because you drove the porsche, you'll find a truck (especially one you won't get dirty) as just something to waste your money on- and nothing else.

Mine.

Can't disagree there ^^^ They ride rough, get BAD gas mileage, take up a lot of space, and break like all old cars. But, fixing them is far easier and FAR cheaper than Porsches. Plus, I can't get gas in the truck without people coming up and asking question or giving compliments. That's rare in a Porsche.

I need a truck, so it's a more practical project for me, but I'm glad I have the money into a classic as opposed to the same money in a rapidly depreciating 2007 Toyota Tundra.

[Drbraunsr]

I'm doing things back-asswards, as usual.
Built two. 56 Jimmy wrap around window.(took off the monolith grill and replaced with a Chevy) with 389 Pontiac with tri-power. Try racing that beast with drum brakes.
Never said I was smart !
55 small window, sea foam green with ivory roof and white tonneau - what a beauty.
Now building a wide body hot rod SC turbo.

I'd post pics but the trucks were built before the I-phone era. No pics. I date myself....

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Craig T

Can't disagree there ^^^ They ride rough, get BAD gas mileage, take up a lot of space, and break like all old cars. But, fixing them is far easier and FAR cheaper than Porsches. Plus, I can't get gas in the truck without people coming up and asking question or giving compliments. That's rare in a Porsche.

I need a truck, so it's a more practical project for me, but I'm glad I have the money into a classic as opposed to the same money in a rapidly depreciating 2007 Toyota Tundra.

Craig, that truck doesn't break. I had one when I was in college. It was purchased from my neighbor's parents, a 72 GMC 1 ton, Camper Special. I restored it, painted it in my friend's backyard (he had a part time job at Earl Sheib) and the bed was wood so I milled it in my shop. Then construction got busy and the truck was needed. My workmen helped destroy it. I changed the distributor to a GM electronic one, a hot intake, 4 barrel carb and a rebuilt Turbo 400 tranny. Tell you the truth, I love the way it drove. That v8 torque can be felt. It was very direct similar to my 93 old school 12vCummins. Which I need to sell, says my supreme commander.

[Rawknees'Turbo]

Originally Posted by RKDinOKC

My cars are just that cars. Are they nice? Yes. Would I be miffed if one got messed up driving, yes. Will I stop driving the cars I have that i like because there are idiots out there. NO.

Agreed - I don't understand the Unicorn status that some apply to these cars just because they've gone up in value, and I certainly don't give two sharts if someone thinks I shouldn't be modding it because of that (or any other reason). Each to their own, however.

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

What exactly isn't fun anymore?

Ha ha - exactly.

[Wayne 962]

Here's mine!

[unclebilly]

^^^ that is cool!

[onewhippedpuppy]

When Wayne gets a truck, he doesn’t mess around!

[oldE]

I can understand the attraction to old reliable iron trucks. As pointed out they are still available, easy to mod and you can put them to work and not feel guilty about "using it up".

Having said that, looking at images of Craig's '70 brings back memories of a '68 Chev stepside, short wheel base, 6 cylinder with three on the tree:
Worst seats in Christendom. Well, maybe not, but I would rate them at one hour. If I was ever to have to drive a late '60s, early '70s Chev again for any amount of distance, there would be a set of Recarros bolted in after throwing the bench seat as far as I could.
Tough. Trying to navigate across a blueberry field one summer, I wasn't able to get the two wheel drive over the edge of a fire break. My Dad advised:" Hit it a bit faster!". I did. The battery hold down was one of those clamps which pinched the base of the battery. It let go and the battery was bounced out of its spot and a cable was pulled off. No real damage, but that all coil spring suspension was amazing.
Different horses for different courses. I remember looking at that huge gas guage one day as I was proceeding down the highway at shall we say somewhat above the posted limit and noting I could watch the gas guage needle moving left as the engine was pushing close to valve float. Not a highway cruiser in that configuration.
When I first got my old '69 E on the road, I marvelled that it had been built, back when I was tooling around in my father's '68 Chev. But it had been built for a different purpose, at about three times the cost.

I think it's great that we have all these iconic vehicles from our pasts from which to choose as we go through stages of our lives. We get to play with or dream about muscle cars, pick-up trucks, Alfas, 2002s, 911s, 240Zs, BMW Rs, Twin cam Mercedes or what have you. They're out there, and you don't have to be stuck with just one.

Happy restoring, Guys!
Best
Les

[Dantilla]

Like Craig, after playing with Porsches its quite the shock how plentiful and inexpensive parts are for old trucks.

Awfully fun to be loading up stuff at Home Depot and have guys in their $50,000 Silverados and F250s tell me what a cool truck I have.

Mine is not a museum piece. Good, solid truck that's still used as..... a truck!
Small-Block 350, 4-speed manual tranny.

[onewhippedpuppy]

One overarching theme that I see in all of the old car and truck threads is simplicity. We all seek something that we can tinker with, and provides a more “honest” driving experience than today’s computerized and numb cars and trucks. My old Silverado was a POS but it was a truck, and had no pretense to it. In a weird way I respect that singularity of purpose.

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by Dantilla

Like Craig, after playing with Porsches its quite the shock how plentiful and inexpensive parts are for old trucks.

Awfully fun to be loading up stuff at Home Depot and have guys in their $50,000 Silverados and F250s tell me what a cool truck I have.

Mine is not a museum piece. Good, solid truck that's still used as..... a truck!
Small-Block 350, 4-speed manual tranny.

AWESOME TRUCK! Go Hugger Orange! I prefer that color combo to my all-orange, white top. That the combo Matt looked at for me.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by Craig T

Can't disagree there ^^^ They ride rough, get BAD gas mileage, take up a lot of space, and break like all old cars. But, fixing them is far easier and FAR cheaper than Porsches. Plus, I can't get gas in the truck without people coming up and asking question or giving compliments. That's rare in a Porsche.

I need a truck, so it's a more practical project for me, but I'm glad I have the money into a classic as opposed to the same money in a rapidly depreciating 2007 Toyota Tundra.

30K miles since I swapped the engine with a factory GM long block, and so far I've gotten NEW leaks in both valve covers, gone thru 2 AC compressors - both from Autozone, but those Chinese clones are basically the only game in town, and now the Idle Air Control valve failed- again. within 20K miles. 300K on the chassis, and squeaks everywhere but that's expected.


Now I remember why I ignore domestics when shopping for new rigs.

PS I can literally rip the entire HVAC out and put it back in under 3 hours, no joke. Caveman simple to work on.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Craig T

AWESOME TRUCK! Go Hugger Orange! I prefer that color combo to my all-orange, white top. That the combo Matt looked at for me.

Easy enough to fix, mask it off, spray it and stick the trim piece on above it. Look how nice the tailgate turned out.

Thom or Von with the 'mog for the win! Sorry Wayne, firetruck is a different category, though yours is pretty sweet, with the dinky little two barrel sitting on that big ole motor.

[Jim Bremner]

Craig T and Dantilla! nice pick-ups I would be proud to own one!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/682686-your-favorite-type-year-old-new-school-pickups.html