pickup truck size

   / pickup truck size #411  
Miss my ‘81 F150 single cab 2 wheel drive, 300 ci 6, Longbed; vinyl bench seat, crank windows, blk. vinyl floor, that I bought used in ‘85 for $2500 bucks & had for almost 18 years. That was one tough,no frills work truck !!! Ended up selling it for $1000 bucks.
What a ripoff ! ;)

Even allowing for time-value-of-money, I don't think I could buy a hamburger/week today for your In/Out $ on that truck....

Drove a slightly earlier version of that truck on my friend's farm, 3inTree. Tough truck, that was beat on just about every day. That engine is still today, one of my favourite work-truck engines.

Rgds, D.
 
   / pickup truck size #412  
We don't remember the gadgets, frills, and do-dads but we do remember and miss trucks that offered great dependability and easy-to-use simplicity.
 
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   / pickup truck size #413  
I went from a ‘84 reg cab long box to a ‘94 reg long to a ‘04 crew cab short. (6.5’) Ordered my next truck in May, expected delivery in 2023. The next one will be smaller, ext cab 6’ box. The amount of times I need the load capacity or the larger bed size is limited, it would be cheaper to run a smaller truck and use my trailer when needed.
 
   / pickup truck size #414  
The truck I miss the most is the second truck I owned, a 1966 Chevrolet 3/4 ton with a 292 ci and 4 speed with granny gear and 4:10 rear. It wasn't fast but it was STOUT, I have regretted selling it everyday since.
 
   / pickup truck size #415  
Miss my ‘81 F150 single cab 2 wheel drive, 300 ci 6, Longbed; vinyl bench seat, crank windows, blk. vinyl floor, that I bought used in ‘85 for $2500 bucks & had for almost 18 years. That was one tough,no frills work truck !!! Ended up selling it for $1000 bucks.

..Drove a slightly earlier version of that truck on my friend's farm, 3inTree. Tough truck, that was beat on just about every day. That engine is still today, one of my favourite work-truck engines.

Rgds, D.

I was going to post, GM made a similar engine in durability and fuel efficiency that few knew/know of, but John0829 already did. Many people aren't as familiar with GM's version because it was shadowed by the GM350 which had the most popularity by far.
The truck I miss the most is the second truck I owned, a 1966 Chevrolet 3/4 ton with a 292 ci and 4 speed with granny gear and 4:10 rear. It wasn't fast but it was STOUT, I have regretted selling it everyday since.
 
   / pickup truck size #416  
I was going to post, GM made a similar engine in durability and fuel efficiency that few knew/know of, but John0829 already did. Many people aren't as familiar with GM's version because it was shadowed by the GM350 which had the most popularity by far.
In 1979 my brother bought a new F150 base truck, i.e. 300 cu in in line 6 with manual transmission for use on the farm and pulling a cattle trailer. It was cheap but within a year it had lots of issues so my brother traded it for a slightly used 1980 Chevy 1500 with the inline 6 and an automatic transmission at that proved to be very durable. I think he only put about 88,000 on it in the approximately 10 years he had it but they were hard miles - a lot of pasture driving, short trips, pulling tractors and semi-trucks to start them (we had some of those hard starting 30 series JDs). If it did leave the farm for more than to run to town to get parts it was probably pulling a 35 ft trailer loaded with cattle.

The point is that even though they seemed like almost the same truck the way they were equipped, they were totally different in capabilities and durability.
 
   / pickup truck size #417  
We had a 87(?) f-150 with the fuel body injected 302 V8. It had 2 fuel tanks because, well, you need them since mileage was so bad. I swear you can see the fuel gauge going down. So little power, I thought we couldn't get up the hills we have here. Not at all comfortable to drive and sit on its bench seat that we wouldn't drive it to the nearest city 100 miles away. It was 2 wheel drive so we only used it in the summer but when they forecasted snow, it would start to spin when it heard that.

Glad to see it gone. You couldn't pull our 2019 ranger from our cold, stiff fingers with its 260+hp. Oh and it gets twice the fuel mileage... :unsure:
 
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   / pickup truck size #418  
Miss my ‘81 F150 single cab 2 wheel drive, 300 ci 6, Longbed; vinyl bench seat, crank windows, blk. vinyl floor, that I bought used in ‘85 for $2500 bucks & had for almost 18 years. That was one tough,no frills work truck !!! Ended up selling it for $1000 bucks.
I had a '79 that I bought used for only a little more used in '82, pretty much the same truck as yours except mine had the 302/3 in the tree. Decent enough truck though it was geared a little higher than I'd like. Sold it for $1500 in '98, other than some rust in the bed still in good shape.

Not something I drove everyday, and it tended to be hard to start if it sat for more than a week or two.
 
   / pickup truck size #419  
I was going to post, GM made a similar engine in durability and fuel efficiency that few knew/know of, but John0829 already did. Many people aren't as familiar with GM's version because it was shadowed by the GM350 which had the most popularity by far.
Trucks and cars, that's one thing I miss today.... inline 6's. If all you looked at was peak HP, they might not catch your eye..... if you wanted a long-running work engine (y) .

Chev Stove-bolt 6. My Dad had several, and I still have one.

Rgds, D.
 
   / pickup truck size #420  
In 1979 my brother bought a new F150 base truck, i.e. 300 cu in in line 6 with manual transmission for use on the farm and pulling a cattle trailer. It was cheap but within a year it had lots of issues so my brother traded it for a slightly used 1980 Chevy 1500 with the inline 6 and an automatic transmission at that proved to be very durable. I think he only put about 88,000 on it in the approximately 10 years he had it but they were hard miles - a lot of pasture driving, short trips, pulling tractors and semi-trucks to start them (we had some of those hard starting 30 series JDs). If it did leave the farm for more than to run to town to get parts it was probably pulling a 35 ft trailer loaded with cattle.

The point is that even though they seemed like almost the same truck the way they were equipped, they were totally different in capabilities and durability.
Well that is one of the few Ford 300's that had problems. Several Farmers around us including my uncle had them but in 3/4 tons pulling hay wagons and gooseneck stock trailers. I believe my Uncle's was a 79 or 80. It didn't pull heavy wagons or stock trailers quiet as fast or as well as the GM 350's did but it wasn't out ran that much. His upside was when empty he said he was getting 17-18mpg while the 350's only got 12-14. We eventually got a 83 Chevy 3/4, 350, manual and 3.73 gears, It was a stout pulling truck but Dad hated the 13mpg empty or trailering even though I told him that wasn't bad since we lived on a very hilly gravel road and it rarely was on the highway more than 10 miles and we were using it to pull and haul way more than we ever could with the 305/350V8 1/2 tons he was used to. Oh well, what does a teenager know. :)
 
 
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