Trucks today

[BobSacomano]

The vehicle that will always stick out in my mind and people still talk about is the "lil red express". That thing was so amazing and if you owned one back then you couldn't drive it anywhere without people wanting to talk to you about in. It was fast and the dual exhaust stacks that's how you made a truck.

Boy, do I remember that. I was like 10 years old, and there was a guy in my Grandpa's neighborhood who had one... I remember my dad talking about it in derogatory fashion, most likely because he was jealous and/or a Chevy guy, but I thought it was the coolest truck I'd ever seen. Knowing now that there were less than ten thousand of them ever produced, I'm surprised someone in my small town in the upper midwest even had one.

Wouldn't it be cool if FCA decided to revive the Lil Red Express?

 

[Runaround]

My first pickup was a 1967 Chevy short bed. Other than the vinyl bench seat I don't think there was anything but steel in the cab.
Loved the sound of the gas sloshing around during cornering from the tank behind the seat.
Yes that was safe.
3 on the tree, no synchro into first. LOL Eventually I got tired of crawling underneath to un jam the linkage so I put in an "Indy shifter". Along with adding an electric overdrive unit on the back of the tranny. Anyone remember either of those?
LOL

I remember those good old tough trucks. I think you might be correct about the all steel. I do remember the OD units, never had one and definitely remember the three on the tree that always hung up.

 

[jawzs2]

Boy, do I remember that. I was like 10 years old, and there was a guy in my Grandpa's neighborhood who had one... I remember my dad talking about it in derogatory fashion, most likely because he was jealous and/or a Chevy guy, but I thought it was the coolest truck I'd ever seen. Knowing now that there were less than ten thousand of them ever produced, I'm surprised someone in my small town in the upper midwest even had one.

Wouldn't it be cool if FCA decided to revive the Lil Red Express?

LOL,he was probably a Chevy guy, if I remember correctly, it was actually faster the the Vette.

 

[1stindoor]

My first pickup was a 1967 Chevy short bed. Other than the vinyl bench seat I don't think there was anything but steel in the cab.
Loved the sound of the gas sloshing around during cornering from the tank behind the seat.
Yes that was safe.
3 on the tree, no synchro into first. LOL Eventually I got tired of crawling underneath to un jam the linkage so I put in an "Indy shifter". Along with adding an electric overdrive unit on the back of the tranny. Anyone remember either of those?
LOL

My first truck (and first vehicle) was a 1964 Chevy C-10. 250 straight six, 3 on the tree. Good times. I miss that truck. Though I truly enjoy the creature comforts of my Laramie.

 

[Flatblack79]

Todays work trucks are what loaded models were 20 years ago.

I just wish i could get a tradesman with the alpine stereo.

 

[Docwagon1776]

My first truck (and first vehicle) was a 1964 Chevy C-10. 250 straight six, 3 on the tree. Good times. I miss that truck. Though I truly enjoy the creature comforts of my Laramie.

I test drove a 1960 Ford pickup. Manual everything. That thing was a gym on wheels. Armstrong steering for the upper body, unassisted clutch and brakes for the lower body.

 

[1stindoor]

I would absolutely buy another one if I found one...just for generally tinkering with and for some nostalgia.

 

[Marshall]

Seems like an insult to the pre-electronic, pre-computer Power Wagons of the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, where the manufacturer concentrated on designing and building the truck to be a workhorse instead of a mall crawling, family toting, fuel efficient, Pansy Wagon.

Well , if you go any dealer and ask them what sells, it is the loaded to the nuts trucks.
I do drive one and like all the stuff, But I don't use it to play in the sand like a lot here, it is a damn work truck to me. even at 77

 

[Jessica Smith]

This is the exact reason I avoid the Cowboy / Cowgirl Cadillac 1500’s...

Cowboy isn't my style, but I have to say I'm impressed with the execution:

 

[Marshall]

.

I'm so glad to find this thread. My 2019 1500 spent it's first 11k miles as a work truck for someone. Vinyl seats, manual mirrors, seats, windows, & locks, & rubber floor mat. It does have a couple options - chrome bumpers, aluminum wheels, limited slip diff and 3.55:1 gears. I had the dealer add carpet. I'm single with no kids or dogs and only need to haul my motorcycle occasionally. A regular cab/long bed is perfect. It's just a truck. I have a sedan for everything else.

I do respect the older trucks & cars when I go through the car wash and the sheet metal on the sides and roof of the '19 RAM flex when going through the dryer jets. Sheet metal and window glass ain't what they once were. This coming from a former owner of a '68 and a '70 GTO; those things were built like an MRAP.

You know some days I miss rubber mats, when winter is here, I use to use a 2000psi commercial pressure washer to clean the old trucks, inside and out, just stay away from the dash; I don't think that would be a good idea with all the crap in the new ones, The dog has been gone 10 yrs now, and still have her hair in the wife's 2008 CRV.
When you had vacuum wiper motors, you just had to time the wipe with your foot, just lift off the gas for a stroke or two, 47 and 49 dodge truck like that, 53, I forget. The 49 was a 2 ton and had a vacuum shift 2 speed rear axle, Dad drove that one up from the factory 4 or 5 day trip . Those 40's, early 50's stuff, we would stand on the roof to change lights in the shop , when we got power.

 

[rvance]

Boy, do I remember that. I was like 10 years old, and there was a guy in my Grandpa's neighborhood who had one... I remember my dad talking about it in derogatory fashion, most likely because he was jealous and/or a Chevy guy, but I thought it was the coolest truck I'd ever seen. Knowing now that there were less than ten thousand of them ever produced, I'm surprised someone in my small town in the upper midwest even had one.

Wouldn't it be cool if FCA decided to revive the Lil Red Express?

I always wanted one, but they were always too much. I got close with my 13 short bed. I considered building a set of rails for it, but I needed a bed cover so that went.

 

[rvance]

I had a 73 F150 and I could fix everything on it. 360, 3 on the tree. Power steering and brakes but manual everything else. I put in a 390 GTA cam and heads and an Offenhauser intake with a 650 double pumper. Never had any problems with the column shifter in the truck or the other vehicles I had. The Ford would run off from the 454 SS Chevy trucks. I think that my V6 Ram would beat either.

 

[David F]

Well, i would say that most of my trucks are that way. Seatbelts were only used in airplanes i think when my 1941 half ton was made. , and then, i guess they did come equipped in my 1959 Dodge D100 half ton, and my 1960 W200 Power Wagon. No emergncy flashers though in any of them.

 

[1stindoor]

Well , if you go any dealer and ask them what sells, it is the loaded to the nuts trucks.
I do drive one and like all the stuff, But I don't use it to play in the sand like a lot here, it is a damn work truck to me. even at 77

Same here...drives my wife up the wall. It's a 2500 so it's a workhorse, I'll fill the bed with gravel or topsoil or lumbar, or sod. I usually wash it about every 3 or 4 months.

 

[Marshall]

I've owned many cars over the years; 67 Charger, 74 Charger, 74 Satellite, 92 Dakota, 92 Caravan. And that's just the mopars. Plenty of Fords, Audi's, Chevy's too.

This old man is very pleased to drive, haul and tow with my Cowgirl Cadillac '15 1500 Laramie. Can you say heated steering wheel?! I did spruce up the rear springs though. You can have your rubber floor and manual windows.

Yes I wish we would have had heated steering wheels is some of the old machinery I drove, no heater at -30 or so, I have a hell of a time if I drive wife's honda(when I can crawl into it), I forget to turn the light on some times, as my 14 sport does all that, even the wipers, Which I did not know I had till the first rain, WTH. If the computer goes****
But, loads, LOL, I had mid 70's Datsun 1/4 ton, long box and that would haul more dirt and crap than the Ram 1/2 It was a great little truck as long as you had rubber boots on when it rained, as the floorboards where rusted out, as they all did
I have seen 2 lil red express running around this area, one I have not seen for a bit. The son wanted one, but he had no money , so bought him a 70 duster 340 4sp that was all done up. Scary car.

 

[Jendsley06]

When i was young my Dad & Grandpa owned a Dodge dealership. Where able to ride in all the new cars that came out. Couple things that stick out were for sure that gas tank in behind the passengers and hearing it slosh around. In the back of your head you though that can't be very safe but you just kept on going cuz safety was not a big thing back then. When power windows came out that was such an amazing thing but you didn't want to get your fingers caught in the 1st ones cuz they were coming off...lol. The vehicle that will always stick out in my mind and people still talk about is the "lil red express". That thing was so amazing and if you owned one back then you couldn't drive it anywhere without people wanting to talk to you about in. It was fast and the dual exhaust stacks that's how you made a truck.

Always loved the Lil Red Express. When I was college age, there was one in the small town I lived in. Only saw it parked, but awesome looking truck for sure. Always said they should have made them again after the Dakota became a thing. Two versions, one in the Ram and one in the Dakota. I could just picture the commercials. Especially dropping one of each from above camera view to show how "tough" they were.

 

[hotkarl]

Hate "new" trucks. Meaning, anything newer than like 1992 or 93.
I ordered my 2018 as old as possible and I still hate it. Well, I like it, but I really want an older truck, the right older truck. I'm patiently looking. One day, hopefully soon, I'll find it. Then it's goodbye computer controlled epa government nonsense garbage truck.