Best 3 trucks you've ever owned.

[jjeff]

I'm noticing a trend with manual transmissions.

Unfortunately they are now non existent on newer trucks? maybe it's like the steering wheel "club" no one but a few want them or still can drive them, I can confidently leave my 16 ye old asian import 4 cylinder 5 speed winter beater car unlocked in a metro area cause the door locks don't work anymore and it's still there a day later lol.

 

[jjeff]

Manual transmissions are a lot less complicated than autos, have been around since the automobile. Simple, reliable, tough, pleasure to drive imo. Never had problems with a manual, besides an occasional clutch replacement ill blame on previous owners lol.

 

[Paystar]

Unfortunately they are now non existent on newer trucks? maybe it's like the steering wheel "club" no one but a few want them or still can drive them, I can confidently leave my 16 ye old asian import 4 cylinder 5 speed winter beater car unlocked in a metro area cause the door locks don't work anymore and it's still there a day later lol.

Getting to be non-existent on new class 8 trucks too. And I believe part of the problem with these new drivers on the road. You used to have to have some form of skill to be able to drive a big rig. Now they are making them like cars so now anybody can jump behind the wheel and do their telemarketing as they drive down the highway.

 

[Egon]

96 Doge extended cab, 4x4, 12 valve cumins. Bought new. Still have it. 270,000 Kil. It has about 200,000 K of towing at or above it’s limit Much on secondary roads. Transmission rebuilt last year. More clutches and bigger torque converter.

There were three other trucks, 52 International, 1975 Dodge 2500, 1978 GMC 2500. These were all old and well past thier day when purchased.

 

[jjeff]

Getting to be non-existent on new class 8 trucks too. And I believe part of the problem with these new drivers on the road. You used to have to have some form of skill to be able to drive a big rig. Now they are making them like cars so now anybody can jump behind the wheel and do their telemarketing as they drive down the highway.

When I worked for the county plowing snow some of the new employees were in disbelief that you could plow the interstate controlling the plows including the wing plow 8-9' off the side, shift with a manual transmission with splitter and control the salter. I purposely picked the oldest truck in the inventory it was an international had a piece of cardboard over the rusted out floor boards, probably overlooked when all the other old trucks were sent to auction. At that time I smoked smoked cigs like a chimney no one cared in that truck. Foolishly boasting anyone can drive new automatic tandems plowing but it took skill to drive that truck LoL.

 

[jyoutz]

Yeah, I guess. Seems like the foreign purchasers of American companies know better what their American buyers want!
The fit & finish in my Ram is outstanding. Rock solid. No rattles (except the Cummins ) tons of features, more room and storage than a working man could ask for. Outlets everywhere. Good ride for a medium duty truck.

The guys living in the past that still think Rams are made by Dodge? They’ll catch up sooner or later (maybe). Only been like 10 years now.
Uhhhhh, what’s thayt??? A Dawdge CumminGs???

Who knows what’ll happen in the near future? Maybe one brand will have a break through. I stand ready and open minded to change. No brand loyalty here. Shop all brands when buying. That way you get the best.

My 2007 Dodge with 5.9 Cummins is rock solid. It’s been very reliable and no regrets. It’s a Dodge, not a Ram.

 

[jjeff]

I agree the old 7.3’s with a manual were good trucks. I also like the older DAWDGE CUMMINGS with the manual. sorry, last time, I’m done-but hey, there were Dodges back then!

Both have a following and they were simple & rugged. I’d take one. Especially the 5.9’s with the NV transmission.

Another "unicorn" to put on my list of desirable 1ton dump trucks still in decent shape.

 

[BadDecisions]

Funny enough, my current three favs are the ones I currently own -

#1 - 1959 International Harvester B-162 - 18KGVWR, manual everything, 5 speed completely unsynchronized trans with the 2 speed rear. Just you, a motor, manual transmission and a flatbed..the way the universe intended a truck to be. None of that fluffy foo-foo stuff like a radio, or a heater. Also handy for when "friends" want to borrow the truck - "sure..if you can get it through all 10 shifts up AND down without stopping, you can take it!" I'd daily drive this beast if it was even remotely practical to do so. But alas, a 130HP motor in a truck this size means it's slow to accelerate, taps out around 55mph with any kind of load on it, and regular maintenace parts are starting to get tougher to find. But then the available dimensions of space are such that it's difficult to cram a modern drivetrain in it...so it's kind of a stuck between a rock and a hard place situation.

#2 - 1996 Chevy K2500 ext cab with the 6.5 turbo diesel. - Just that perfect balance between comfort and utility. It's not a powerhouse of a drivetrain, and GM never positioned it to be from what I remember back then anyways. Was great for that long road trip to go pick up that gannon box a week ago, or to shuttle cars around on a trailer...but try to put a "real" load in the bed or on the hitch, and it's gonna cry for mercy pretty quick. Dash is basic but still gives you all the info you need without all the distractions you don't need. Superbly comfortable to sit in for long periods of time, even 28 years and 220K miles later. About the only more comfortable rides I've had are the '04 Caddy STS or my best ever - '96 Volvo 850.

#3 - 1990 Ford F350 7.3 Diesel Dually Crew Cab long bed 4x4 - the "heavy hauler" of sorts for me. Well....was, until I over boosted it, lifted a head, and blew out a head gasket. It's been parked for a few years now since. Has the "bulletproof" 7.3 IDI motor (ha! guess not so bulletproof after all! ), Banks Sidewinder turbo kit, and a 5 speed manual trans. I've had 20K pounds behind this truck before, and it didn't care. It doesn't have a jake or exhaust brake, but being able to force it down to lower gears without a trans computer saying nuh-uh! worked well enough most times. Sure, maybe I was in the right lane with the semis at 5mph pulling a grade sometimes, and I don't have pansy bragging rights that my light duty pickup has umpteen hundred HP with "just a tune!", but it just kept pulling, and that's what really matters. Interior is basic, maybe just a touch TOO modern for my tastes though. If you don't stand a chance of knocking out all your teeth in a crash, is it REALLY a truck? . Has the old school solid front axle with the manual lockout hubs & manual floor shifter. You shift that puppy, and you KNOW it's in 4WD, ready to do it's assigned duty through whatever section of hell on earth you just pointed it at without having to fiddle with the dash buttons for 15 minutes then playing that forward/reverse dance to get it back out of 4WD later. I really should get around to fixing this old boy...

 

[Jstpssng]

Only owned one good truck, which was a 1974 Ford Econoline Supervan. It had a 302 and the three speed manual transmission shift on the steering.. Original engine wore out at 314 thousand miles. Got a newish engine for 750 dollars, total installed. I put another 100 thousand and 75 miles on it. Then sold it for two hundred dollars to a trades man. This was a huge mistake. I should have kept that van, as it is a classic now. And you will not see this in Jay Leno's collection, for some reason. It was, and still is, a great vehicle. Cause you can fix it. I took this van, 12 times across North America. And I could always fix it, even in the most remote of places. Try to do that with your new car.

About the time that I worry about fixing them it's time to trade.

 

[BadDecisions]

I always laugh a bit when I hear something along the lines of "you can't fix that NEW car!!" You know what never crosses my mind concerning my new cars? Having to fix them! My 2000s era Suzukis are about as close to maintenance free as one can get in an ICE car, and I wouldn't hesitate to drive any of them across the country tomorrow without thinking twice. My '59 International on the other hand...needs a steady diet of tune-up parts, much of which can't always be found out in the middle of nowhere.

Oddly enough..the people most steadfast in the "old cars/trucks were built better better!" and "you can always fix an old car with a screwdriver and pliers!" camps are virtually never the ones actually driving the old cars...just lamenting their prior sales of said cars...