I grew up in Square body Chevy's because my Dad and my Uncle had lifted 4X4's and they were really sweet. They were both 8 foot beds with 350 V8's. I always admired those 70's Fords from a distance and thought they were maybe even the better looking truck of that era? Dad's buddy had a black, lifted 76 Ford 4x4 that was really sharp. And of course Dodge had a good looking truck in the 70's as well. What do you like best?
Saw an original looking mid 70's Ford Highboy the other day that sure lit me up. Had all the old man gear including a huge bumper and winch. Very cool.
Early 70’s Chevy hands down but couldn’t afford them around here. My senior year I Had a 78 Chevy Scottsdale 4x4 in Hawaiian Blue with light blur top. 350 4 speed with 4:10 gears. It had dual tanks for a reason. My wife says that is the only reason she went out with me.
Early 70’s Chevy hands down but couldn’t afford them around here. My senior year I Had a 78 Chevy Scottsdale 4x4 in Hawaiian Blue with light blur top. 350 4 speed with 4:10 gears. It had dual tanks for a reason. My wife says that is the only reason she went out with me.
The only pick I have readly available but coon dog(black & tan) 86 is sitting in the same spot as I type. Notice black dog, a retired 84, but with good stories, in the backgound.
I had a 1970 Chevy C-10. The swing arm coil spring rear suspension sucked.
Coil springs, city truck.
They were also available with leaf springs, you bought wrong.
Mine had leaf helper springs that pressed on the swingarms between the frame and rear axle. Real dumb idea. Loaded it heavy with green firewood one day, hit a bump and folded the swingarm. I didn't have alot of choices in trucks at the time as I was a high school kid with limited funds and fresh out of rich parents. Had to buy what I could afford. Sold that POS Chevy a year later and got a real truck from Dodge.
I had a 1970 Chevy C-10. The swing arm coil spring rear suspension sucked.
Coil springs, city truck.
They were also available with leaf springs, you bought wrong.
Mine had leaf helper springs that pressed on the swingarms between the frame and rear axle. Real dumb idea. Loaded it heavy with green firewood one day, hit a bump and folded the swingarm. I didn't have alot of choices in trucks at the time as I was a high school kid with limited funds and fresh out of rich parents. Had to buy what I could afford. Sold that POS Chevy a year later and got a real truck from Dodge.
Bought all you could afford, used would be easy to assume. Loaded it "heavy" how heavy is a good question, & broke it. Traded it for another brand.
I had a 1970 Chevy C-10. The swing arm coil spring rear suspension sucked.
Coil springs, city truck.
They were also available with leaf springs, you bought wrong.
Mine had leaf helper springs that pressed on the swingarms between the frame and rear axle. Real dumb idea. Loaded it heavy with green firewood one day, hit a bump and folded the swingarm. I didn't have alot of choices in trucks at the time as I was a high school kid with limited funds and fresh out of rich parents. Had to buy what I could afford. Sold that POS Chevy a year later and got a real truck from Dodge.
Bought all you could afford, used would be easy to assume. Loaded it "heavy" how heavy is a good question, & broke it. Traded it for another brand.
Always a perfect way to judge.
Chevy's have always been good if you don't mind fixing something every other week. I gave up on them for good 20 some years ago and will never own another. My last one was an s-10 Blazer. Biggest POS I've ever owned in my life.
68 -72 ford and Chevy is a toss up for looks ..dodge was the ugliest thing made...I learned to drive in dads 70 ford f 150 ..My first truck was a 65 Chevy I skipped the 68-72 body and got a 79 then 83 then 93.. Which I still have... On my second squair body blazer first was a 91 I drove over 300 k and sold it to my sister in law who drove it 5 more years then sold it..currently have a restored 89 and a restored 84 3/4 ton camper special both painted to match..
My preference Ford High Boy! Best looking truck of the seventies. The Chevy 67 to 72 if they are short box. Dodge hasn't made a good looking truck since 58!
The 1978 4x4 F-150 is, imo, the best looking truck ever made.
I bought a new 1977 F-150 4X4. Nice truck, but the 400 C.I. engine got less than 10 MPG. Traded it in on a new 1979 F-150 4X4, 300 inline 6, 4 speed. Nice looking truck, but worst Ford I've ever owned. Kept it over 20 years, and went through 3 engines and about a 100 rear U-joints.
My father liked GM trucks, I loved a 72 stepside he bought off auction and painted red with white spoke wheels. The only Chevy I've ever owned was a rusty 76 K5 white over red. Worked real good on the beach. If somebody were to steal it I could find it by following the bits of rust falling off it.
Learned to drive in dad's 69 Chevy 1/2 ton, 307, 3 on the tree.
My first truck was a 72 K5 Blazer, blue with blue interior, 350 4 speed. A case of returnables would fit just perfect between the seats. Ended up getting it painted black with flames, big tires and wheels, and chrome side pipes.
So I lean towards the 67-72 body styles as my favorites, with the early 60's close behind.
Those that followed:
Sold the 72 and bought a new 78 black K5 Blazer, 350 auto. which transitioned to a 4" lift, 35" tires, Holley, Edelbrock, headers, etc. Gas mileage could dip to mid single digits.
Sold that and bought a new 85 1/2 ton 4x4, regular cab 8' box.
Then an black 88 1/2 ton 4x4, regular cab, 8' box.
Then a black 04 1/2 ton 4x4 extended cab, 6 1/2' box.
Then a black 14 GMC Sierra 1/2 ton regular cab, short box.
Just bought a used white 14 1/2 ton regular cab short box 4x2 for a run around beater.
I drifted a good bit off the thread last night with the 81-87 Chevys, but since they are only slightly modified 79's I lump them pretty much together.
Best looking? that might be opinion based, & popular & best looking are not the same thing, but they usually go hand in hand.
With that in mind; the most popular, most sought after, restored, collected & shown for years are the 70-72 Chevys. (yes, I know 67-69's are basically the same, just keeping with the thread title this time)
Had a 77 F250 4x4, bought it new. It was a workhorse and good in deep snow, but definitely underpowered with the 351. Got 15 mpg (imperial gallons) and cruising over 60 it was really winding up. The small single gas tank behind the seat was maybe not the best idea ever either. Not a bad truck, but nothing outstanding either. Went through a couple clutches and needed some front end work before I sold it, with 80K on it. I always thought the early 70s chev 4x4 was the better looking truck and the small block chevs were definitely a better motor.
I had a 1971 "paleo" surburban with the three doors. 350. Best truck I ever had til I rolled it one night! I thought it was a good looking truck
My Dad had '72 suburban when i was a kid - our first 'hunting rig' and what I learned to drive on. That's what sparked my interest in that series Chevys...
Me also! Had a '72 Cheyenne SB 4x4 with 350/auto in dark green with 3.73 rearend. That was a super hunting rig. Sure wished I still had it. Ring and pinion was bad when I bought it. Didn't notice in test drive but showed up with a nice whine about 100 miles down the road from Fairview, MT where I was working at the time to northwest SD. Got some money back on the "100% sound" guarantee and drove it for a bit over 1yr then didn't want to stick a grand in it to fix it right so traded for a '75 2WD long box w/454 like an idiot!!!!!
I’m a diehard Ford guy, 4th generation. But I don’t think there’s ever been a better looking pickup on the road than the 67-72 Chevys, especially SWB 4X4s.
Of the 70’s Fords I think the 78-79s are the best looking and they had the good brakes and steering setup by then. Have a 79 in the driveway that I’ll never sell. I wish they’d have kept the Highboy frame and spring setup past 77 1/2 as the stance and ability to clear 35s stock was great. But the drum brakes, sorry power assist steering, and the 360 2bbl as the only V8 in 4X4s sucked.
Had some of the little 1st gen Broncos and they’re a hoot. But they aren’t really great for anything but kicking around the hills or Sunday cruising. Our last one was a 74’ with a 200 six, 3 on the tree, and 4:56 gears. Too underpowered for any off-roading unless you were in Low Range and had a top speed on the road of about 70. Sounded like it was about to sling a rod through the block it was wound so tight and the manual drums took a while to shut it down if you ran that fast anyway. Cool looking little rig though. A 76 or 77 with an auto, power steering and disc brakes, and a 302 would be much better I’m betting.
I like the size of pick-ups from that era. My Grandfather had a pristine 69 Chevy long bed,..orange with a white top,...pretty pick-up. I was a middle school aged teen,..but I could reach over the side and put my bicycle in the back.
The pick-up I have now isn't very new,..a 2005 F-150 long bed. But the sides are so high that it's hard to reach over and get something out of the bed.
I guess people like bigger trucks. But the early 2000's Dodge Dakota is about the right size for me. I haven't done any measurements, but it looks to be about the same size as the '64 chevy pick up we had when I was a kid,..and at the time it was considered a full size half ton pick-up.
The 67-72 chevy hands down best looking. This range of trucks has increased in value considerably in the last few years.
My '68, need to get some fresh pics of it.
When I was 15 I bought a 68 chevy with money I'd saved. My dad and I replaced one fender-well and fender, both rocker panels, sanded, primered, and painted it (inside and out), put a new floor liner in it, put new decals on the tailgate, put the original mirrors back on it, put on a frame mounted receiver hitch, put in trailer brakes, put in a seat belt for the middle seat so my younger brother and sister could ride to school with me. I had a local shop re-upholster the seats. I drove it through high school and pulled a 2 horse trailer with it a lot. The 3 speed straight 6 and low gears were good enough for how I used it.
Gas mileage was terrible.....sold it when I graduated and put the $ towards a Nissan Sentra because I was going off to college and it was the "smart" thing to do.....ranks as one of the "stupidest" things I've ever done.....
1970 to 1972 Chevy or GM. Had a short box, stepside, Chev which I really liked. The cab was a bit crowded but I liked the truck. If they built the same truck today, I would buy one but they wouldn't build it. GD
The last full size pick up I owned was a '98 F-150 short bed. I really liked that truck. It was just a base model, V6 stick. But it would pull my 18' Crownline boat just fine. (Launching a boat with a stick shift can get tricky, however) It never seemed to be all that big of a pick-up. But the 2005 long bed that I have now seems huge in comparison, although I think most of the difference is the length of the bed.
A long bed as opposed to a short bed makes a big difference in the perceived size of a pick up. I never felt any need to make allowances when parking the '98 short bed. But I have to pay attention when pulling the 2005 long bed into a parking space. That extra couple of feet in length makes more difference than it seems like it should.
All the 70s-the late 80s were nasty looking in my eyes. I had a few of them Dodge, Ford, and Chev., but they were butt ugly. I like the Chev 63-68 style and I liked my 66 F100 SW 352 custom cab. If I were to do another custom it would be a 67 or 68 SW Chev.
Poorer than usual pics for me but this is about all I've got. Mt first 4x4
A 70 that was bone stock w/307 2 bbl. & 3 on the tree. It was replaced with rebuilt 300 hp 327 out of a 64 Impala. The 36" tires were huge in the day, common now.
That Hugger Orange 70 Chev is very nice - and no doubt in my mind that the 67 to 72 Chev trucks were the best and best looking. Things went downhill after 72 - and for all makes - started using plastic components, smog stuff and other cheapening maneuvers. I have a bunch of 67 to 72 Chevs and enjoy them immensely. If I had to choose a very favorite year it would be 1971 for Chev - had all the same advancements of the 72 but still wore steel inside door panels, etc. My 1969 K20 4wd is lifted and has a 383 stroker with Muncie 4 speed - and a nasty exhaust note. The G'kids most like to ride in that one. The remaining yellow 72 Blazer (once had three) was my hunting truck for more than 25 years, but that use is ended and I'm probably going to clean it up and paint it. The 68 4d Suburban looks kinda restored and I reworked the 327 - very nice machine. I could go on about the several others - but am certain that my fascination is boring to other folks.
CCCC, you're spot on - the '72s seem to get all the love due to the last year of that body style. Give me a '71 before they went plastic door panels any day! My '71 K5 Blazer though needing cancer treatment, blows away my red '72 SWB...
Oh - the Blazer is a CST in hugger orange/white...
My favorite would be the 1978 Chevy k15 4x4 trucks mainly because that was my first new truck, I ordered from the factory with each option I wanted and waited around 9 weeks. It was Buckskin and Santa Fe Tan side inserts, 350 4 barrel, dual exhaust with a 4 speed truck transmission and Chevy's hauling package that made it's GVWR the same as the stock 3/4 4x4 but it rode a lot better.
Second choice would be a 1974 F250 Ford high body, my oldest brother bought one new in a Limestone Green Metallic (also called Medium Lime Metallic later on). Always like that truck until I bought my 78.
The infamous intro jump was made in a 1980 GMC. They used mostly 1982's with the dual headlights after the show got going for the pretty shots. But used them as old 1977 for stunts. If you go back and watch all the episodes it's crazy how many different GMC's they used. (yes, I have the full dvd set along with Walker Texas Ranger and Dukes of Hazzard)
The knee buster windshield went away in 64 and the style of the body changed in 68.
I have a 63 but sure would like to find a 64-67.
I've had a pile of trucks but for no practical reason at all I think my favorite was a 1966 3/4 ton Chev panel two door with barn doors at the back, windows all around. 327 two barrel. lol gears were 4:46-1 and it was a 4x4 In low range that old tank could about climb a tree I had scads of fun in that old truck.
I grew up in Square body Chevy's because my Dad and my Uncle had lifted 4X4's and they were really sweet. They were both 8 foot beds with 350 V8's. I always admired those 70's Fords from a distance and thought they were maybe even the better looking truck of that era? Dad's buddy had a black, lifted 76 Ford 4x4 that was really sharp. And of course Dodge had a good looking truck in the 70's as well. What do you like best?
I really like my old 71 GMC K20 4WD....good patina and runs great.
Dodges from 70something to 90something all look about alike.
Ugly.
This one was bad azz though!
I want a blower with a toggle switch on the dash like that. Or Mad Max’s 2 speed shifter that magically turns the crank pulley on to activate the blower.
Dodges from 70something to 90something all look about alike.
Ugly.
This one was bad azz though!
I want a blower with a toggle switch on the dash like that. Or Mad Max’s 2 speed shifter that magically turns the crank pulley on to activate the blower.
Good old Hollywood you mean you didn't know superchargers had clutches like air conditioners?
Dodges from 70something to 90something all look about alike.
Ugly.
This one was bad azz though!
Most times we get a truck or a tractor stuck, we generally mention how we could get it out if we only had a can of Pearl to pour over our heads before we put the pedal down and hollered........
Good looking GMC ! I bet you had to scour the earth to find a loaded regular cab short bed like that unless you ordered it.
Thanks....
Actually found it on the lot. My only requirements were GMC, black, Z-71, short box, and regular cab. Damned if I didn't find one 250 miles from home, a leftover, no less, so there were big rebates to be had as well.
Made a tentative trade over the phone after sending them a bunch of pics, and they upped the offer by $500 after seeing it in person, plus I took the topper off and got another 5 bills for that on Craigslist. They didn't care, as they weren't giving me anything for it anyway.
Just rolled over 17K on it, most all from hunting out west......
I nearly forgot about that one.. I had a '78 Courier modified into a 4X4 by Dave Cory Ford in Chicago (at the time).. Loved that truck. The other was my '77 F-250 4X4 with the 400 engine - just dumped off the crap 2bbl carb that Ford used, put an Edelbrock intake on it topped with a small Holley 4bbl - then changed the exhaust to headers and side pipes... MPG went from 8 (factory) to 13+ after the mods and it had seemingly double the power..
can't say I'd want one but I remember when the Dodge Ram was redesigned in the mid 90's - like maybe '95 and it looked like a Freight Liner - then Walker Texas Ranger started driving one which added to its popularity. They should have come out with a Chuck Norris edition.....
A friend of mine had one of those little red express trucks - or something close to it, I want to say his was black. We were dukes of hazarding it up one day in it, rolled and totaled the thing out.
can't say I'd want one but I remember when the Dodge Ram was redesigned in the mid 90's - like maybe '95 and it looked like a Freight Liner - then Walker Texas Ranger started driving one which added to its popularity. They should have come out with a Chuck Norris edition.....
can't say I'd want one but I remember when the Dodge Ram was redesigned in the mid 90's - like maybe '95 and it looked like a Freight Liner - then Walker Texas Ranger started driving one which added to its popularity. They should have come out with a Chuck Norris edition.....
A friend of mine had one of those little red express trucks - or something close to it, I want to say his was black. We were dukes of hazarding it up one day in it, rolled and totaled the thing out.
can't say I'd want one but I remember when the Dodge Ram was redesigned in the mid 90's - like maybe '95 and it looked like a Freight Liner - then Walker Texas Ranger started driving one which added to its popularity. They should have come out with a Chuck Norris edition.....
A friend of mine had one of those little red express trucks - or something close to it, I want to say his was black. We were dukes of hazarding it up one day in it, rolled and totaled the thing out.
probably a Warlock
that was it. Never knew it was called a Warlock. Good looking truck for its time
This one gets my vote. I had a 1973 D100 4X4 that I ran for over 300,000 miles and still running strong when I got rid of it. It was noisy when I locked the hubs, but it never failed me. Someday I hope to get another one. 4 speed transmission is a must also.
I like the size of pick-ups from that era. My Grandfather had a pristine 69 Chevy long bed,..orange with a white top,...pretty pick-up. I was a middle school aged teen,..but I could reach over the side and put my bicycle in the back.
The pick-up I have now isn't very new,..a 2005 F-150 long bed. But the sides are so high that it's hard to reach over and get something out of the bed.
I guess people like bigger trucks. But the early 2000's Dodge Dakota is about the right size for me. I haven't done any measurements, but it looks to be about the same size as the '64 chevy pick up we had when I was a kid,..and at the time it was considered a full size half ton pick-up.
Preach it, bother. FIL left behind a 1989 F150 4x4 on small street tires. Only slightly larger external dimensions than my 2013 Nissan Frontier mid-size.
I like a lot of the trucks from back then. I kind of organize the ones I like under descriptive names.
Best Old Man Who Still Gets It Done Truck F100 2wd long bed. Set low enough to the ground, old man can reach to the center of the bed for his tools and not lose his footing. If he's smart & frugal, he got the I-6 and manual transmission. If a little older, the automatic.
Best Looking Truck That Means Business 1970 Chevy 3/4 ton long bed. Looking good going down the highway with the bed loaded out or towing a trailer. Went for the more powerful motor, so we're talking either small block or big block V-8.
Best Four Wheel Drive Bad@zzery Dodge Powerwagon. Nuff said.
More Practical 4WD Ford Highboy.
===============
I really liked the Ford motors, as they generally went longer before burning oil. But the Twin I-beam stank for heavy loads. The Chevys had the nice suspensionsbut smoked after 100k on hte motor.. Dodge, not much experience with them, but they seemed to build more extended cabs than Ford or Chevy.
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/y8MW7r68/IMG-0451.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/LETziay.jpg)
[/quote]![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/Mxp4jth.jpg)
[/quote][/quote]
![[Linked Image from i617.photobucket.com]](https://s617.photobucket.com/user/jackpine44/media/ford1978302auto%20001_zpstxomsxrb.jpg.html)
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/6qLddnXM/Bronco.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/lAiRJqJ.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.ytimg.com]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AXvAMZLT_j4/maxresdefault.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/MpGs5JN8/IMG-0802.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/Dzp36cBx/IMG-0803.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/T396LxmM/IMG-0804.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/H7rIpPI.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/8yJtWzh.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/zJNUn2t.jpg)
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/d8k5kWF.jpg)
In low range that old tank could about climb a tree I had scads of fun in that old truck.
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/a0OVauH.jpg)
![[Linked Image from americancarcollector.com]](https://www.americancarcollector.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/6fe1c589e796bff64c81da223cb0c48f.jpg)