Art & Inspiration Do any of you use your classic truck for work?

He's using a half ton truck now, a half ton truck is a half ton truck whether it was made in '49 or 2015. If his current half ton truck is getting the job done an older half ton truck will still get the job done.

 

Two years ago when I was doing a cylinder head swap on my DD Colorado, I hauled mulch and pavers from the local big box store since my wife wanted to landscape our backyard. My GMC handled it, no problem! I had no problem with it since my bed wood is all jacked up.

 

I am currently looking for a 60-66 Chevy or GMC 1/2 ton to be a work truck since I don't even have a truck that runs right now. I have had several daily driver 67-72 Chevys, a few earlier Chevys and Fords and some later model trucks too. I hauled lots of junk, pulled my car trailer, etc. with pretty much all of them. For a daily driver, affordable, work pickup, you can't hardly beat the 60-72 Chevys if you ask me (although I could be biased...).

Not quite HAMB friendly, but here was one of my work trucks leaving Ark City Kansas in 1995...

 

I was just thinking about this over the weekend as I loaded the ol' F100 full of crap to do a little on site work!!

 

Brenda likes to use the pickup at her flower shop around the holidays..this past Christmas. HRP

 

There is not better reason to buy a truck, then a wish to use it!




I know that why we got one. ️

 

That's a Chevy task force truck 1955-1959, real truck! That is the successor of the famous Advance design 1949-1955

Both damn fine trucks. Would be a good truck.

The last one is a Dodge, is related to the Power wagon, just a civilian truck. Works great too!

 

I don't have pics of it loaded up, but use my COE for a lot of tasks hauling stuff. Probably the biggest load was 24 railroad ties, all in same load. You know how heavy the railroad ties are! Also have had a lot of loads with car parts and other stuff on the flatbed. My COE is on a later 74 GM 1-ton chassis. Occasionally use it to tow a trailer, but since it does not have brake controller, usually just the single axle utility trailer. Not safe with car trailer and with the trailer loaded up.

 

Since our trucks only have liability insurance, that's not a problem. Old trucks that are suitable for using as work trucks, generally aren't worth a lot of money.

 

What good is a truck if you don't work it?

 

My f1 has seen a lot of heavy work in the past 6 years and 120,000 miles. I upgraged the axles and made it 4x4. The bed is 6.5' but you can find an f2 or f3 with an 8 foot bed.

 

I use my hot rod 25 T truck like a truck. Often times you will see it stacked up to that tall t roof and strapped down. If something is long (like lumber or full steel plates) I'll either hook it up to my trailer or Ill take my modern F150. Just depends on if something is blocking my trailer or whatnot.

 

Pre 60 chevy trucks

31/32 1/2 ton
36 3/4 ton
38 1 ton
40 1.5 ton

Add 00 before 58

 

Yup, that's awesome! Tell all, show all!
What is it, what is in it, what's on it and what do you do with it?

 

A Toyota

 

Sometimes...

 

The tool box on my 64 is full of residential air conditioning tools. I had it in the mud yesterday on a job, hauled a loader bucket of black garden soil a month ago. Cars in my avitar are the only transportation I have, just the way I want it!

 

Haul trash, building supplies, welding tanks and metal, furniture...

 

Unloading the good ol' Iron Duke.

 

I never thought to take pictures of me using my trucks.

When the 1931 pickup was on the road it hauled stuff daily. Nothing crazy heavy. but lots of times more than could fit in a car bodied model A. It will again soon.

For anything heavy the 1979 F250 does the job. It's 4 years older than I am and will haul just about anything i throw at it.

 

Don't always use the truck...

 

Daily driver only vehicle, yes, I use it for everything. '49 Chevy 1/2 ton, overdrive Saginaw/Borg-Warner 3sp+od.

 

My 41 had "7300 GVW" painted on the door. That's a 4000 lb payload on the truck. I don't know because I never tried it but the springs as well as factory overloads and huge rear end could definitely support that kind of weight. I lightened it up back there. Most later model trucks I have used seem to have a 1500lb comfort range at best on the highway without upgrades.

 

I use mine 7 months out of the year. Wouldn't trade it for a brand new one.

 

We are currently helping a friend build a '53 GMC. Started as a 3/4 ton pickup, but we put the cab on a '78 dually frame, 2wd and added a period flatbed. Almost done and it's a kick- and it will tow or haul anything that the '78 one ton did. Actually, it is a pretty simple swap and was cheap to boot- $400 for the original '53 and the '78 was free for the taking. We are in farm country so there are lots of parts trucks cheap or free.

 

Use my 69 F-100 everyday ol six runs great

 

My 60 Chevy does just fine as a parts hauler. It just takes the winter off due to the lack of 4 wheel drive

 

There are lots of old classic trucks still working. I suspect you are looking for something between the mid 70s & the mid 80s. Older trucks work fine, but all will be missing the driver & passenger comforts you are accustomed to. Most trucks before the 70s were manual steering, manual transmissions, non AC, had poor heating & defrosters, rode rough, and got 6-8 mpg on good days. In those days, trucks were intended to be work trucks, and held little regard for driver comfort. By the mid-late 60s things started changing, but it took until sometime in the 70s before everyone caught on. They have been refining the driver comfort ever since then, until we got to where we are today.

I am not considering the small import, S10 or Ranger trucks in this as a separate truck size because most are very light duty subcompact trucks designed for the guy that thinks he might need a truck.

As far as truck capacity, a 1/2 ton is a light to medium duty hauler, or a basic need to occasionally haul something or haul or tow something usually light. Most are little more the station wagon capacity in an easier to load form. 1/2 ton pickups are generally the lowest number or identification of a truck series. 1, 100, 1500, size trucks.

The next bump up would a 3/4 ton. Most 3/4 tons have heaver suspension, more springs, bigger brakes, bigger tires and higher hauling capacity. They ride rougher, are generally geared lower, and have a higher towing capacity. These are generally the 2, 200, 2500 size trucks.

Most manufacturers make a truck between the 1/2 ton and a 3/4 ton they call a heavy duty 1/2 ton. These would be a beefed up 1/2 ton truck.

The next step up is a 1 ton. These are usually the big pickups, and most have very heavy suspension, springs and brakes. One tons are generally about the highest capacity sold to individuals. Most have dual rear wheels and have a pretty high load and towing capacity. Being heavy duty trucks makes upkeep & maintenance more expensive then the 3/4 ton and 1/2 ton counterparts. These trucks are generally 3, 300, 3500 size trucks. Most auto insurance companies star looking at you funny if you try to insure a 1 ton for individual use, and once you pass the 1 ton mark, many insurance companies will only cover them under business policies ($$$$$$).

Truck sizes keep going up from here. the next on up would be a 1 1/2 ton (4, 400, 4500) and are the large straight trucks used by many larger delivery type businesses. After the 1 1/2 ton is the 2 ton, then 3 ton, all the way up to the semi tractors.

Be realistic on what you want the truck to do, and keep in mind what you will be using it for. You may want to consider putting an older cab on a newer chassis. though not an easy project most of the time, they do have their place, and then the driver comforts can be added.

I can show you pictures of my old truck doing everything I ever wanted it to do, but if you don't like dealing with a carb on cold days, don't like 8mpg every day, don't like a cold ride in the winter, or a hot ride in the summer, fogged up windows, a rough ride, and a host of other issues associated with old trucks, why waste the time printing pictures? The reality was, after driving it for over 12 years, the day it got wrecked was almost a relief. I was able to get something I could be comfortable driving that actually got better mileage.

Now 3 years later, I'm thinking about building another old truck. It is an addiction. Gene

 

It has a hitch but I sold it a year back. The truck, not the hitch.

Toy Hauler! I went down to a local toy store and bought enough toys to fill the bed for "Toys for Tots". Does that count?

 

An old dual rear truck with a utility bed would get you the big bed you need.
Getting the cab as big as modern truck is entirely different animal!