What Happened to the Affordable Pickup Truck?

#51
#51
There isn't enough profit in the super basic small pickup, so they don't build enough of them.

I keep thinking if someone could ever build a small one big enough to haul garbage, a load of stuff from Home Depot, maybe a load of mulch, pull a small lawn mower trailer, etc, etc....and sell it for 15-18k they'd sell plenty.
 
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#52
#52
WallyBalls said:
There isn't enough profit in the super basic small pickup, so they don't build enough of them.

I keep thinking if someone could ever build a small one big enough to haul garbage, a load of stuff from Home Depot, maybe a load of mulch, pull a small lawn mower trailer, etc, etc....and sell it for 15-18k they'd sell plenty.
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All I really wanted from my S-10 was to get firewood up my driveway and carry some furniture. Couldn't pull up in 1st with a rick of wood. Couldn't back up. However, the guy who delivers firewood now has a little beat up little Toyota.
 
#53
#53
I would never buy a new truck. I work them too hard on the farm and would not do some of the things I need to with a shiny $60k truck. I have a z71 as a daily driver and I am finishing up a 1978 Dodge Power Wagon as a driver /toy. I have a couple of other farm trucks for daily chores and such.

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Bone stock 78 Dodge Power Wagon (old Military truck). 74k miles, Slant-six, 4spd. Runs great.. no rust and the interior is done. New wheels and larger off-road tires on the way. In the spring it will get prepped and a good paint job. I will have about $4k in this truck when it is finished.

The truck would resale for about $7k, so I will have $3k equity and no payments. Not to mention I get to drive a cool as hell old Power Wagon.


Make good choices...

CH_V
 
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#54
#54
CopperHead_Vol said:
I would never buy a new truck. I work them too hard on the farm and would not do some of the things I need to with a shiny $60k truck. I have a z71 as a daily driver and I am finishing up a 1978 Dodge Power Wagon as a driver /toy. I have a couple of other farm trucks for daily chores and such.

View attachment 127579

Bone stock 78 Dodge Power Wagon (old Military truck). 74k miles, Slant-six, 4spd. Runs great.. no rust and the interior is done. New wheels and larger off-road tires on the way. In the spring it will get prepped and a good paint job. I will have about $4k in this truck when it is finished.

The truck would resale for about $7k, so I will have $3k equity and no payments. Not to mention I get to drive a cool as hell old Power Wagon.


Make good choices...

CH_V
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That truck is AWESOME :rock:
 
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#55
#55
CopperHead_Vol said:
I would never buy a new truck. I work them too hard on the farm and would not do some of the things I need to with a shiny $60k truck. I have a z71 as a daily driver and I am finishing up a 1978 Dodge Power Wagon as a driver /toy. I have a couple of other farm trucks for daily chores and such.

View attachment 127579

Bone stock 78 Dodge Power Wagon (old Military truck). 74k miles, Slant-six, 4spd. Runs great.. no rust and the interior is done. New wheels and larger off-road tires on the way. In the spring it will get prepped and a good paint job. I will have about $4k in this truck when it is finished.

The truck would resale for about $7k, so I will have $3k equity and no payments. Not to mention I get to drive a cool as hell old Power Wagon.


Make good choices...

CH_V
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That is a great looking truck. Are you keeping the slant 6? Pretty cool if you do, too many people yank them.

I bet you could sell it for more than $7k if you got it in front of the right people. My dad recently bought a couple of early 80s SWB GMCs to clean up and sell and he's got people lined up wanting them.
 
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#56
#56
This question is a little off topic but, what does a basic paint job cost these days ?

I have a 2000 chevy Silverado 2500 that has low mileage, but has some paint issues. I would like to get it painted due to I will keep this truck for several years.
 
#57
#57
goldenvol said:
This question is a little off topic but, what does a basic paint job cost these days ?

I have a 2000 chevy Silverado 2500 that has low mileage, but has some paint issues. I would like to get it painted due to I will keep this truck for several years.
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Probably 3 or 4k to have it done well, with any minor body work or whatnot it needs. You could go to Maaco or what not but keep in mind that you're getting what you pay for.
 
#58
#58
Toujours Pret said:
Probably 3 or 4k to have it done well, with any minor body work or whatnot it needs. You could go to Maaco or what not but keep in mind that you're getting what you pay for.
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Thanks for the info. This is what I was thinking it would cost but wasn't sure
 
#59
#59
First truck: 1969 Ford F100 with a 240ci six-cylinder engine and three-on-the-tree. I bought it used in 1978. I'd already owned a '67 VW bus and a '67 VW bug in that order. The truck was the third vehicle I acquired. Wound up driving it across the country, to Oregon and back via the southern route.

And, for the record, I did play with Dirt before she sprouted grass and Mother Nature shipped her off to boarding school.

Old is as old does. Do you still jump out of airplanes? Ride bicycles across Iowa? Hmm?
 
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#60
#60
Yankee_Vol said:
That truck is AWESOME :rock:
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Thanks, I keep going back and forth between putting a expensive paint job on it or prepping and laying a satin Olive green paint and doing the flat black hood and roof. Like the original 70's power Wagons. Maybe even a real nice well done camo. Not sure yet....

Be Safe,

CH_V
 
#61
#61
WallyBalls said:
That is a great looking truck. Are you keeping the slant 6? Pretty cool if you do, too many people yank them.

I bet you could sell it for more than $7k if you got it in front of the right people. My dad recently bought a couple of early 80s SWB GMCs to clean up and sell and he's got people lined up wanting them.
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Yep, I am keeping the slant six. It has plenty of low end power. Going to slap a set of 32/11.5/15 AT or MT tires on it so gearing will not change much. With the low geared 4spd it will do what I need.

I may replace the 2bbl Carter carb with a Holley 350cfm. The Carter's idle tubes have always been an issue. They catch debris and clog up all the time. The drive train is rock solid.

Your right it may be worth a lot more. This is the same body style as the Warlock and the "Little Red" trucks that are so collectable. I will most likely keep it. I have been looking for a stepside PW for years. It is the same truck I had back in high school many, many moons ago... lol

Take care,

CH_V
 
#63
#63
OJ said:
First car was a 66 rambler.
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01e93c3919c335495076c63fc72a6c37.jpg

One of these?
 
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#64
#64
CopperHead_Vol said:
Yep, I am keeping the slant six. It has plenty of low end power. Going to slap a set of 32/11.5/15 AT or MT tires on it so gearing will not change much. With the low geared 4spd it will do what I need.

I may replace the 2bbl Carter carb with a Holley 350cfm. The Carter's idle tubes have always been an issue. They catch debris and clog up all the time. The drive train is rock solid.

Your right it may be worth a lot more. This is the same body style as the Warlock and the "Little Red" trucks that are so collectable. I will most likely keep it. I have been looking for a stepside PW for years. It is the same truck I had back in high school many, many moons ago... lol

Take care,

CH_V
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Keep it and have fun with it. That Holley should be exactly what you need. Not too much, not too little.

Its a hard thing to find now and people will get a kick out of seeing it.
 
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#65
#65
CopperHead_Vol said:
Thanks, I keep going back and forth between putting a expensive paint job on it or prepping and laying a satin Olive green paint and doing the flat black hood and roof. Like the original 70's power Wagons. Maybe even a real nice well done camo. Not sure yet....

Be Safe,

CH_V
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The first option would look great
 
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#66
#66
Orangedogsrule said:
Bought an '88 S-10 in summer of 2000 liked it ok. Fall came and I couldn't get up my driveway with a rick of firewood. That was that. Instead of getting another truck I got a used Expedition which, at that time, was pretty much a tricked out F150 with a built on camper top, and a Coleman camper. Wore them both out, rebuilt and did it again. Good times. Get the wood delivered. Never did get a utility trailer, but it's really cheap to just rent one or a UHaul for the few times I ever needed that kind of space. I like the SUV better than a truck. Load up the fam, hook on a boat or camper and :) :) :)
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mine spun out on Clinch Mountain,during a snow fall a couple of years back,didn't have my load of cinder blocks in the back :)
 
#67
#67
CopperHead_Vol said:
Yep, I am keeping the slant six. It has plenty of low end power. Going to slap a set of 32/11.5/15 AT or MT tires on it so gearing will not change much. With the low geared 4spd it will do what I need.

I may replace the 2bbl Carter carb with a Holley 350cfm. The Carter's idle tubes have always been an issue. They catch debris and clog up all the time. The drive train is rock solid.

Your right it may be worth a lot more. This is the same body style as the Warlock and the "Little Red" trucks that are so collectable. I will most likely keep it. I have been looking for a stepside PW for years. It is the same truck I had back in high school many, many moons ago... lol

Take care,

CH_V
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You won't regret that Holley. That's my next purchase. I've got an Edelbrock 600 and it just doesn't compare to a 650 double pumper.

This has been my winter project.
 

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#68
#68
kentucky sucks said:
You won't regret that Holley. That's my next purchase. I've got an Edelbrock 600 and it just doesn't compare to a 650 double pumper.

This has been my winter project.
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Sweet, Love the early Mustangs. I have an associate who has a 66 fastback his dad bought new.

Back in the day, I use to build and race Mopar muscle cars. Mostly A-body + E-body 65-72 (Cuda, Challenger, Duster and Dart). I had a 69 Cuda fastback, big block car that would make you find religion when you hit 2nd gear.

I am giving the Carter one more chance. I pulled the tank and cleaned it out. Replaced lines, fuel pump and filters last week. I added a fuel filter between the tank and fuel pump. If I have issues now, it's toast.

Be Safe,

CH_V
 
#69
#69
vol_in_ar said:
The first option would look great
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Thanks, Yep I am leaning that way. I am set up to paint it if I want to. This PW is a old Military truck. Still has the DOD and base stickers on the front bumper from 1990. It was painted silver, but the desert tan camo paint job is peeking through on the hood and roof.

The wife keeps pushing me to take it somewhere and get a high dollar paint job on it. But that is not really my style or this truck's. I told her this truck is an old "warpig" and putting a fancy paint job on it would be like putting pearls on a pig... just don't fit.

Be safe,

CH_V
 
#70
#70
CopperHead_Vol said:
Sweet, Love the early Mustangs. I have an associate who has a 66 fastback his dad bought new.

Back in the day, I use to build and race Mopar muscle cars. Mostly A-body + E-body 65-72 (Cuda, Challenger, Duster and Dart). I had a 69 Cuda fastback, big block car that would make you find religion when you hit 2nd gear.

I am giving the Carter one more chance. I pulled the tank and cleaned it out. Replaced lines, fuel pump and filters last week. I added a fuel filter between the tank and fuel pump. If I have issues now, it's toast.

Be Safe,

CH_V
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Been there and done that. New tank, lines, pump and filter and cleaned and rebuilt the carb and I'm still not happy. It stutters a bit when you step on it. It's got a 289 with a big cam and a tremec T-5. 3.80 rear end. It will haul the mail.
 
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#71
#71
WallyBalls said:
Keep it and have fun with it. That Holley should be exactly what you need. Not too much, not too little.

Its a hard thing to find now and people will get a kick out of seeing it.
Click to expand...

I think I will keep it. I was smiling like a mule eating briars when I picked it up from the old man that had it.

I took off this past Tuesday and I told the wife early in the day that I was going out to work on the PW. Instead, I loaded up the dogs in the back and was shooting rooster tails out in the front hayfield in a wet area where the spring runs off. About 10 minutes in, I get a call on my cell phone. It was the wife... She said I am like the kid she never wanted.... lol

CH_V
 
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#72
#72
kentucky sucks said:
Been there and done that. New tank, lines, pump and filter and cleaned and rebuilt the carb and I'm still not happy. It stutters a bit when you step on it. It's got a 289 with a big cam and a tremec T-5. 3.80 rear end. It will haul the mail.
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Nice setup. I have had issues with the 600cfm vacuum secondary carb in the past. I agree about looking for a Holley 650 double pumper.

CH_V
 
#74
#74
I admit that I didn't read the whole thread so apologies if this is redundant but I've read that the Ford Ranger and a Jeep pickup should both be available within the next 1-2 years.
 
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