death of regular cab pickups

[charlessenf]

Local dealer said they couldn't get parts for it as it is considered...OBSOLETE

Try Havana

 

[Jstpssng]

Ho ya regular cab short box look so good its crazy but most people want a working truck that can fit things in the bed that means long box

That extra 16 inches really makes a big difference. When I used to have long bed trucks the first thing I’d do is put a tool box in back… which left me less room than my 6 1/2 foot bed.
I’m not sure what anybody is building that only uses plywood anyways, anything I’ve ever done needs 12&16 foot 2x4s or 2x6s. I don’t find it a big deal to rest a few sheets on the closed tailgate anyways. If I need more I put that same tailgate down, put the plywood in, and studs go on the rack above them. I once had a couple of 20 foot long, 3x12 inch tamarack planks sawn. I hauled them home on my Ranger one at a time… it would have been a bit too heavy with 2 on. The hardest part was getting them on the racks, green lumber is heavy.

 

[Jstpssng]

What I don’t understand is why would someone want to sacrifice bed space for more cab space. It seems like this new generation looks at trucks as driving a fancy SUV rather than driving a truck.

Because I carry a lot of items which I prefer not to have in the back of the truck in the rain and snow. Because I like coming out of the grocery store and still own everything I had when I went in there. Because I like having room in the back seat for my dog, along with equipment, safety gear, boxes of flagging, paperwork, laptop and everything else which I need over the course of a day.
Because I don’t like having things slide underneath my snowsled as I’m going down the road.

Because I like having someplace to put my outer clothes and not have them cold or soaked before I even start my day. It’s also nice to have a dry change of clothes at the end of the day, instead of a bag of wet gear in the back of the truck.

Because my life is different than yours, so my needs are different.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

What I don’t understand is why would someone want to sacrifice bed space for more cab space. It seems like this new generation looks at trucks as driving a fancy SUV rather than driving a truck.

I’m not the new generation, I’m 61 years old, but with our 1 ton crew cab 6 1/2 foot box I can haul everything I need to haul in the box and still pull a big trailer to go for wheeling with 4 atv’s and haul three other people in the vehicle with me to ride the four wheelers.

Everybody has their own opinion that’s why we buy what we want. I don’t get worrying about what other people buy or why they want what they want, I don’t care it’s not my money.

 

[ddavis317]

I agree, I like the extended cab with 8 ft. bed, fits my needs. Hard to find, they are not making these any longer. The quality of the new trucks has gone down hill so I opted to buy an older truck with these features, which are getting harder to find. Actually bought crew cab with 8 ft. bed, really dont need the 4 doors but wanted the 8 ft. bed, couldnt find just the extended cab.

 

[Rockbadchild]

That extra 16 inches really makes a big difference. When I used to have long bed trucks the first thing I’d do is put a tool box in back… which left me less room than my 6 1/2 foot bed.
I’m not sure what anybody is building that only uses plywood anyways, anything I’ve ever done needs 12&16 foot 2x4s or 2x6s. I don’t find it a big deal to rest a few sheets on the closed tailgate anyways. If I need more I put that same tailgate down, put the plywood in, and studs go on the rack above them. I once had a couple of 20 foot long, 3x12 inch tamarack planks sawn. I hauled them home on my Ranger one at a time… it would have been a bit too heavy with 2 on. The hardest part was getting them on the racks, green lumber is heavy.

I hear ya, but open tailgate and gravel road don't go well together. Most of my truck use is for hauling toys ... my sled stick out in the back like 4 feet it look like its going to fall off. Tailgate open is a must with my dirt bike or quad in the back... with a 8' box I could put my quad in and have room for coolers generator and gas can in the back and keep the tailgate close... with a 6' box I need to put lots of stuff inside or haul a trailer... Then capacity in general like hauling firewood.

 

[Big Barn]

What I don’t understand is why would someone want to sacrifice bed space for more cab space. It seems like this new generation looks at trucks as driving a fancy SUV rather than driving a truck.

my dealer says the proliferation of 4 door pickups has cut into the original SUV market.

in some cases it’s a lot to do with work/play and business write offs

 

[NoTrespassing]

After extended cabs came on the market, I don't understand why anyone would want a regular cab. Everyone needs secure, dry storage of the stuff they carry around, like tools, etc. You're so limited with a regular cab and, especially, if 2 people are in the truck. My first pick-up was a '95 Chevy Cheyenne K2500. [Yes, Chevy had 2 lines of PUs back then.] It was an extended cab with a long bed and I bought it off the lot. Nowadays, you can't find a long bed on the lot. So, I had my '07 and '20 Chevy Silverado 2500s built to get exactly what I wanted: Extended cab, long bed, 4X4, etc.

Because I want an 8 ft. bed and still want to be able to park it in a normal space.

 

[OzarkChris]

What I don’t understand is why would someone want to sacrifice bed space for more cab space. It seems like this new generation looks at trucks as driving a fancy SUV rather than driving a truck.

I believe you are correct to a point about this. Although I have a regular cab & 8' bed (and wouldn't think of getting rid of it), many folks 'round here - me included - have fuel tanks or tool boxes that take up some of that precious space. I used to be able to get a good number of sheets of plywood, etc in the back, now I only have room for about 5 (under the toolbox).

That said, most of us have trailers for larger things (or larger quantities). The big city folks, what I call 'em anyway, have to have the biggest, baddest, most expensive trucks, tractors, side by sides etc so they can show them off to their "buddies" or prove to their neighbors how much money they (dont) have. We have several of those kinds here, we call them "weekenders" because it's to far away to commute to the city.

 

[sunandsand]

Think outside the bed . . .

How about a cab-forward truck with two rows of seats (front and rear) and then a bed that could take a 4 by 8 sheet of plywood/wallboard/whatever lying flat? Some 60s vintage Econolines, some B100 series Dodge trucks and the really old VW tranporters were built like that, but only with single cabs. (There are a very few double cab VW transporters, some are even 4wd.)

Issues would be front end safety (no crush zones except the driver) and poor engine access (which we already have).

Now suppose it was (heresy!) electric. That would take care of the weight distribution problem (nose-heavy, rear too light, moving the battery towards the rear of the vehicle solves that) and the 2wd/4wd question (add more motors, or leave them out). Not having the standard "engine in front" layout of the trucks we can buy now allows much more flexibility in the layout of the vehicle.

Losing the three, four, five feet of front hood and gas/diesel engine shortens the overall length of the vehicle, and allows the cargo bed to increase to a useful size. You wind up with a more useful vehicle in the same size footprint as a standard (say) F150. Easy to park, easy to drive, good visibility, useful, you can add a cap for security (which we already do), AND it can have a built-in inverter so you can plug in your power tools out in the boonies.

Then of course, there's this . . .

Best Regards,

Mike/Florida