A 4.3L Vortec V6, crank windows, rubber floor mats, bench seat, tough as nails. This is in honor of my truck, my 1996 Chevrolet C1500.
For the countless moves this truck has provided to my friends and family, the rock solid reliability any time and every time I summoned the Vortec V6 to duty and for the catalyst of adventure the eight foot bed has provided, I think it’s time this truck received a little credit.
“I will work harder.”
–Boxer
Never does it take more than one crank of the starter, from -50F winter morning cold starts to 110F summer days, to ignite the mini small block engine. The plastic grille and glass headlights make the truck look ten years older than what the actual build year really is. The dirt tan color of the paint can go years unwashed and still look somewhat presentable.
One oxygen sensor, six spark plugs, a distributor cap, brakes and regular fluid changes. This has been the only maintenance required in our six years and counting of ownership.
I found this truck for sale during my last two years in college. It was the winter of 2009. I wanted something able to deal with unplowed streets in the winter and the massive potholes the next season brings. I was looking for something simple and durable.
This truck was for sale at a small independent used car dealer in my hometown. I was initially there to take a look at a Grand Marquis but I noticed this truck hidden in the back corner of the lot. For some reason it caught my interest so I decided to take a look. The price for the truck was $3,500. What surprised me the most was the odometer. This work truck, built in 1996, only had 67,000 miles on it.
This was the no nonsense sledgehammer type vehicle I was looking for. The only problem I had was my limited income because of the expense of college. But I was able to convince my dad to purchase the truck due to the following reasons: My older brother would be graduating and moving in spring. I would be moving to another house near campus in fall. My younger sister would be graduating high school in spring and going to college in fall. And this was just the next year. I also mentioned how many times he has needed to borrow a truck to help with his never ending landscaping projects around the house.
I gave my dad a glimpse of his future. And his future was showing he would be moving his kids a lot. My convincing worked. January 2009, my family bought its first truck. We were now, undeniably, true Midwesterners. After the purchase and researching more about the 1996 C1500, I realized what a decent find this was.
As a 1996 model year, the truck has OBDII, more thorough galvanization of the bodywork, and equipped with the updated Vortec V6 which makes roughly the same power as the old five liter V8. This model year is also before passenger airbags were implemented so there is a nifty storage space where the airbag would be.
It feels so right driving a truck in Indiana. Bounding up and down lumpy tar packed roads in-between the endless patchworked sea of corn and soybean fields. The high upright one way adjustable bench seat position and jittery ride over bumps. This is such an honest truck. No tricks or illusions to feel more ‘car like’. You haul stuff with it, get the job done and go home.
In every season this truck feels right. Winter, spring, summer, fall, I feel this truck could be placed in any Midwest scenery and look right at home, anywhere anytime of the year. A necessary complement to any country background.
One time I let my friend and his wife borrow the truck to move their stuff out of an apartment and into their new home. The wife was from a small farming community with deep multi-generation family roots in that town. So a lot of her friends and family helped them move. Of all the farmers from that community who drove their trucks to help with the move, all of the crew cab Silverados, 4×4 lifted F-150s and anything with ‘2500’ on the door, my truck was the only one with an eight foot bed. So my truck, the one with the base V6, was the one that hauled the largest stuff. The couches, the bed, the desk, anything the puny 6.5 ft. beds on the other trucks couldn’t handle. ‘Jim’s truck’, ‘the ford’, ‘the red truck’, each truck was delegated a nickname for fast reference to help with the chaos of moving. The nickname the farmers gave to mine? ‘The real truck’
I’m not sure of the previous owner(s) or their history but I did find an old registration tag and a receipt from a tire shop in the glove box. From what I can gather the previous owner actually lived in the town where I was attending school. I am pretty sure this truck has spent its entire life in Indiana. This C1500 was born at the GM assembly plant in Ft. Wayne, which is less than 100 miles from my parents’ house where the truck resides today. This truck is a purebred Indiana truck.
The vehicle I spent most of my early childhood in was a 1987 Chevrolet Astro which had the same 4.3L engine the truck has. For whatever reason we were the type of family who didn’t fly, we always drove. We packed the van full and drove to vacation, to see extended family and everything else a family does with their van. This was our primary hauler and it served us faithfully for over 200,000 miles until an unfortunate head gasket issue seized the motor.
I remember as a child the countless long nights driving back from whatever event we were doing that day. The drone of the highway as the miles passed, lulling me to sleep. I would always wake up as we were getting off the highway. The change in vibration from the constant highway hum to a near silent idle at stoplights was enough disruption to rouse me. Usually this was late at night, the family weary, ready to get back home and crawl into bed for a sound sleep. But a few stop lights were still in the way. The Astro burbling along from stop light to stop light with a confidant hum, all of us staring out the windows in distant directions with weary eyes ready to sleep. This was a very dreamy feeling, just barely conscious, the Astro’s captain chair cradling me to sleep. A comforting feeling, like a newborn baby cradled by a firefighter. Or the classic image of a cowboy atop his horse, dozing off to sleep. His head down and shoulders hunched low, his body passively oscillating from the slow pace of the horse, continuing along steady, keeping the rider on a safe path.
When I am in this truck and the day has been long. A day full of moving appliances, furniture, lumber, dirt…everything heavy, every muscle sore. My face crusted with dried sweat, sunscreen and dirt, my hands cracked and raw, dirt under my fingernails, calluses swollen and feet sore, driving home, the sun long gone. I get that same fatigued yet comforted feeling I did when I was a child in my parents’ Astro.
The truck’s V6 burbling along as solid and faithful as ever, the darkness of night and the empty roads surround me. My eyes bleary, my body completely exhausted, ready for sleep, ready to end the day.
The truck simply thinks, “What’s next?”
Mark,
Great story. One of the first manual-equipped vehicles I ever drove was an ’87 C10 pickup with the 4.3 (non-Vortec) V-6 and granny 4-speed. That thing was hard to drive smoothly but once I learned to not put it in low gear every time I started off, I got the hang of it.
Do you use the truck as your winter car when you’re unable to drive the Volvo?
The Volvo does winter service. I just make sure to be vigilant with rust prevention. The truck gets passed between my parents for their short commutes unless one of the siblings is using it because their primary car is under the knife. Or they need it to move, again.
Perfect. That IS a “real truck.” I’d love to have one just like it.
A real pickup, indeed.
This generation of W/T was always been my favorite as the black plastic grille eliminates any pretense of fanciness and pretty much screams it is built for work. And work they do as I’ve seen these with well over 200,000 miles of hard use and still ticking along like new.
It reminds me of a ’96 W/T I test drove in ’99 or ’00 – I should have bought it!
Hopefully there could be hefty incentives.
My dad is still driving around in a 2000 F-150, the only car he ever bought new, that he came out of the dealership with after dropping $12,000 cash, transaction concluded. HEAVY discount, I think because it was a year-before generation. The “feminine” F-150, which actually looks just fine.
It has the V6, the manual transmission, rubber floors, crank windows, air conditioning-he bought it just to do work and it’s a great and surprisingly fast truck.
I would like to follow that example with my next car, though it doesn’t need to be a truck. I have my eyes on last-gen Impalas sitting around fleet lots, rarely, some of them are equipped with the 300-hp direct-injection V6. Current perfect roadtrip vehicle.
Out of curiosity I went to Chevy’s website to see if it were even possible to buy something like this new. A 2014 Silverado spec’d out as closely as possible to this truck comes to $27,290 before any incentives. Regular cab, long bed, 4.3L, base W/T package. The only option I added was the chrome bumper package ($230) since the featured ’96 W/T has a chrome front bumper.
Automatic, a/c, power locks, cruise/tilt, touch screen stereo and a split bench seat are all standard on even the most basic “stripper” 2014 Silverado. Hey, at least it still has a rubber floor and crank windows!
A better angle….
You made me curious. A comparable Ford is $27,880; adding chrome bumpers also rooks one into a $1300 upgrade for power windows, locks, and some other items.
A couple years ago I went looking for a new F-150 around this time of year. I never uttered a dollar amount, and the salesman came down $12,000 immediately. The sticker price is a likely a guideline on some models.
Cruise Control is nice to have.
In Big Country with flat, straight highways, I’m sure it is. I’ve had it on a couple of vehicles over here, and I’ve always tried it for the entertainment value, but NZ roads are way too bendy for it too work, and the motorways are way too packed with traffic.
I like the 96 better. But in TX I would want the AC, and power locks are pretty harmless. Interesting that nonsplit bench seats are extinct even in light duty pickups.
+1… hundred!
Have owned several of these; my first truck was equipped identically (save for colors). Seems to me that they’re among the best examples of a basic, solid, get-it-done truck you’ll find.
Their propensity for rusting in the cab corners, rockers, and rear wheel arches – along with the above-average likelihood of abusive operators – are the only things contributing to their ever-accelerating demise around here. Looks like you got yours at the right time.
For all the clean, straight examples out there in need of a good home, I’d be happy to start a bowtie adoption center anytime 🙂
Great story, Mark! The story of your truck bears an uncanny resemblance to mine, other than me and it being in SoCal rather than Indiana.
One of my hobbies is buying and flipping classic cars. I soon realized that for hauling some 4,500 lb. Detroit behemoth and another 1,000 lbs worth of spare parts up the Grapevine in scorching desert heat, a 1/2 ton six cylinder just wasn’t going to cut it. Between that, and its inability to pass smog due to its insatiable appetite for oil, I reluctantly retired the Chevy in 2009 in favor of a 2002 Ford F250 Super Duty, base-model XL, with the extended cab, eight foot bed, and 7.3 liter Powerstroke diesel power under the hood.
I still have the Chevy. It’s currently languishing at my parents’ house waiting for either a new engine or an interested buyer.
Here’s a pic of my old ’90 Chevy:
That would be a good vehicle to buy on the cheap and take it to a non-song state.
I love these trucks, but it is a bummer GM waited so long to install two airbags. I am glad I moved out West where these trucks do not rust to death (or have to pass emissions everywhere) because these trucks in every variety are so common out here and I usually do not bother photographing them. I think I see more pre-2000 GM pickups than Fords and definitely more than Dodges.
Its too practical; no one will take you seriously. You need something higher, with four doors and a menacing prow to convey a true masculine image
Can’t beat ’em.
These are great trucks. Company I worked for had the GMC version as a survey vehicle. It survived tons of abuse from multiple drivers. (But, it rarely hauled anything heavy.) Everybody loved it and enjoyed driving it. After maybe 10 years of use the owners son wrecked it Sad.
I have high hopes that the upcoming Chevy Colorado will offer a version along these lines.
You can buy a base model regular cab truck from any of the big 3 for under $20k these days, sometimes well under. I’ve seen advertised specials around $18k without a bunch of small print either. I keep reading so many comments on various sites about the need for simple cheap trucks and I don’t really get it… We have them already. If I could live with a regular cab I’d get one in a heartbeat. A Chevy with power windows and locks seems like the best deal right now, under $20k and it will last 20 years easy. My problem is I need something I can bring the dogs in, and no, not in the bed. Adding the extra cab space adds dramatically to the price. What ticks me off is I know that doesn’t add real cost, it’s just that they know most everyone wants the extra seating capacity so they add a lot of profit into the price. But for all these guys clamoring for a return to the trucks of the 70s and 80s, all we got was regular cabs back then so here you go, they are a bargain. And I bet a 2014 full size with a v6 gets about the same mileage as most of the small trucks of the 80s.
They exist, but they are difficult to find on a dealer’s lot. Unless it’s a big store with a dedicated fleet department, many dealers only keep a small number on hand as loss leaders. Advertise the W/T at $18,999 and then steer the prospect toward a loaded up extended cab.
A coworker of mine recently bought a used 2013 Silverado W/T. Regular cab, short bed, 5.3, limited slip and trailer package with 20K on the clock. The thing still has all the stuff I listed as standard on the 2014, except for a basic AM/FM/CD in place of the touch screen on the ’14. The first night he drove it to work he commented on just how hard it was to find a regular cab, let alone one with base trim. He’s not a brand loyalist (he traded a well-worn early ’90s F-150 for the Silverado) and found the same situation at Chevy, Ford and Dodge dealers.
Maybe it’s where you live or where your shopping. The dealers around here in the semi rural areas have rows and rows of work trucks… Regular cab with long beds. What Chevy dealer doesn’t have a big fleet business anyway?? It’s actually harder to find the really fancy trucks, but it is nearly impossible to find a short bed. I prefer the look of the short beds and I don’t really need the length, but I realize the traditional work truck buyer needs the extra capacity.
A quick check of inventory for a 2014 regular cab 2WD V6 long bed Silverado WT turned up 39 of similar configuration (some variance in options such as chrome bumpers, posi rear end, or the trailer package) in the St. Louis metro. The vast majority (25) were from one dealer in Creve Coeur with a very large fleet department (with its own office) or their branch location here on the Illinois side. The other dealers had only a handful.
Our local dealer has two out of the seemingly dozens of Silverados I see as I drive past their lot each day.
Agreed in volumes. Granted I live in Nebraska, so finding a dealer within throwing distance with a couple dozen base model trucks is almost trivial.
True work truck here , So. Cal. is littered with these and our large Municipal Fleet was made of them for a long time .
Trucks like yours are $1,500 anywhere in So. Cal. with AC , I looked at them hard before buying my old rig .
I prefer the short beds but then I never haul anything longer than an old Motocycle and going over The Grape Vine slower with the 6 cylinder doesn’t bother me atall .
Good as an Old Man’s daily transport too , reliable , economical and cheap to operate and maintain .
Obviously I’m a Bowtie Guy .
-Nate
I bought my first new Work Truck in late 1989. A Dodge D-100, V-6 Auto, regular cab, 8′ box. $8500. Kept it 9 years and 247,000 miles.
Bought my second new Work Truck in 1999. A Dodge Ram 1500, V-6 Auto, regular cab, 8′ box. $11,000. Kept it 8 years and 179,000 miles.
Now on my third new Work Truck. Bought in 2007. Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 4X4, V-8 Auto, regular cab, 8′ box. $15,500. 80,000 miles to date. I hope to keep it another 7 – 10 years.
For me a truck isn’t a truck unless it has an 8 foot bed. One bitterly cold day last winter I watched 2 guys struggling for ten minutes to tie a couch that was hanging half way out of their short bed. With my regular cab Sierra I could just push it in, slam the gate and drive off in a minute.
A real utility vehicle, I like the single cabs with practical cargo beds.
I wonder, does this size of trucks ever come with a flatbed and removable side boards ?
Say like the old Volkswagen pickups. Or is that “not done” and only for their bigger family members, mostly the ones with dual rear tires.
The half-tons, such as this one, always come from the factory with a bed as shown. There are those who will remove the bed and add an aftermarket flatbed, yet that is often years and usually after rust has taken over. The payload capacity on these would be easy to exceed with a stout flatbed and a load of whatever.
If you move up to a 3/4 ton (single rear wheels), you can opt to purchase just a cab and chassis if desired and then install an aftermarket bed. It’s the same for the one tons (with or without dual rear wheels). The aftermarket beds can get quite pricey, although some people fabricate their own, especially on the older pickups.
There is little physical difference between the 1/2 and 3/4 tons from Dodge/Ram and Chevrolet; the difference is in a higher capacity suspension and axles. Ford does have a physical difference in appearance between the 1/2 ton and the larger 3/4 and 1 ton units.
OK, thanks. I just searched the web a bit and I came across this one, looks really good. It’s aluminum, so it must be quite pricey as you say. But it’s in an entirely different weight class too obviously. (Photo: Alfab)
The only “conventional” looking pick-ups we’ve got here (apart from the grey import US brands) are Toyotas, Nissans, Mitsubishis and Volkswagens. For the rest it’s all flatbeds with removable side boards, even the smallest trucks imaginable.
Dropsiders are eminently more usefull than wellsides, often factory fitted on Jap cab chassis light trucks, Mazda Bongo Brawny pictured.
Dropsider, I must remember that word. Better than “a flatbed with removable side boards”.
The Bongo Brawny. Possibly only capped by Bongo Friendee as the worst vehicle name ever.
We got these (well, 2500s with automatics) at work in ’89. They added a few more in the ’90s; my favorite truck of all. Reliable and durable, they drove smoothly for a 3/4 ton, and…you could actually reach over the bed rails even on the one with a 7500lb GVWR! The F-250s that replaced these are solid trucks, but are unnecessarily brutish.
BTW, don’t spill any coffee on the passenger side of the dashboard where those cup wells are…..the coffee might find it’s way to the engine computer. Ask me how I know!
These were great trucks.
Mark, nice article and what a great find that low mileage truck was. And cool that your Dad bought it for the family.
Here’s my Dad’s Indiana work truck (ironic because he was a Ford man) from about 60 years earlier. He briefly worked for the Indiana State Highway Commission in the early 50’s. I’ve always loved the crudely stenciled insignia on the door – real basic, as I’m sure was the rest of the truck. These Chevy (and GMC) trucks, in official and private use, were all over Indiana back in the day.
First off, +1 for the “Animal Farm” reference.
I loved base C1500s when I sold Chevys in 1997. Anytime someone came in looking for a “real work truck,” this is where we ended up – and while the more loaded-up Silverados had more money in them, these basic and honest W/Ts were easy sales to a very specific kind of honest and no-nonsense buyer.
Always loved These “true” trucks. This is a picture of me with my 76 “Shivverlay” Pickup. Standard cab longbed 2 wheel drive. Never failed, always dependable, Hauled material for the old Edwardian home in St. Louis I was rehabbing at the time and pulled duty at the farm friends and I had in the Ozarks. was given the nickname “The Huzzah Express”. A good honest vehicle.
I like these. I would prefer vinyl seats.
Ahhh, so “W/T” actually stands for “Work Truck”? I’ve always wondered about that…
I haven’t seen one of them this clean in years! Most around here are owned by businesses and actually used as work trucks from Day 1 until they return from whence they came. The 4.3l V6 was such a great engine in applications like this and a true workhorse. We had one in a van when I was a kid, too – which was the car I learned to drive on. It was always happy to take the abuse and surprisingly powerful.
We had both GMT400 and GMT800 Silverado Z71 Regular Cabs at a motorcycle shop I worked at. I logged tons of miles in both of them driving all over New York, plus up and down I-95 countless times between Maryland and Boston and thought they were pretty great. We also had a newer Dodge Ram monster Quad Cab Hemi that was nowhere near as pleasant to drive. The Chevies offered great visibility and never felt too big, even maneuvering through city traffic with a bike or boat trailer attached.
I’d love to have a “W/T” just like this if I had the extra space!
Amen. Mine was a 91 S10 with that power train and a 7 1/2 foot bed. Carried round bales and most anything else. Smog insp convinced me to send it to School in Florida with my granddaughter. I miss it but an SUV and trailer took it’s place.
My father in law owned a small construction company and had one of these. It was a manual though. I used it a couple of times to move stuff. It was older than yours Mark, I think it was a 1990, and not as nice inside. Otherwise it was no different. Eight foot bed, V6, crank windows, rubber floor mats and tough as nails.
I’ve driven a few Chevy work trucks over the years and I can’t think of anything negative to say. If there’s one thing Americans have always known how to build, it’s tough, simple work trucks.
Here is a picture of my ’83 Silverado, purchased in 2001. I have had the bed loaded down so much so that the tires looked low on air. I got tired of borrowing and decided that I needed one of my own. 305c.i. TH400-R, “true” dual exhaust, and as of 2013, just removed ALL OEM factory smog/carb/sensors/vacuum lines etc. in favor of an Edelbrock aluminum manifold/carb set up. Interestingly enough, at my last required emissions check several years ago, the tech was suprised at how clean it ran. He told me that it was running cleaner than his ’95 model, LOL!! 🙂
Nice truck. Good color too. I had a single cab for 30 years, and while the 8 ft bed was great for cargo, the huge wheel wells (70 C10) took up a lot of bed space. But I found a used 5th wheel hitch assembly where the mounting bars went over the wheel wells so when the hitch was lifted out you still had full use of the bed. That was so much more useful then the ones you see today that sit directly over the frame rails. There were so many times, though where I had to leave it home because of only room for 3. The Titan I bought in 2004 is king (extended) cab with 6’7 bed and 6 passenger seating. I no longer have a fifth wheel trailer. The higher lift is kind of a hassle, but the trade off of tiny wheel wells and higher bed sides increase the space in the bed a lot. True, couches and beds now require the tailgate being lowered, but with the hooks in the bed a couple of motorcycle straps work fine to hold things in. In addition, you can fold up the rear seats and put a lot of smaller stuff in the rear area, and you have room when weather is bad to keep stuff dry. I only paid 18k at the end of 04 when the 05’s were out, and with rebates, employee discount and the fact it was 2wd total stripper that was on the lot for almost a year made the price attractive. But other then roll up windows and manual locks and painted rear bumper, the 04’s were well equipped. Nissan wised up on later years, removing gauges, carpet, body color grill and bumper, and cruise so it really was a stripper. I added alloy take off wheels and a spray liner and hitch, and it works for all the hauling I need it for but still is a nice road trip vehicle for vacations, etc. I would never go back to a single cab.The V8 likes gas, but it pulls a lot of weight with no problem and I have a 4cyl car for around town use. Compared to Paul’s Ford, your Chevy is a luxury truck! Nice article and I hope the Chevy serves you well for years to come, mine did.
The primary reason I ended up w/ A Silverado was to get a tilt wheel! The regular steering wheel was literally in my lap, and all I knew about Chevy’s was that Silverados had tilt wheels. All of the other amenities PW/PDL/Cruise/etc, and oh yes! Twin tanks, were icing on the cake. When regular first spiked to $1.60+/gallon, it could no longer (never really could) serve as a daily driver. I’ve done every “hot rod’ tirck I could to improve the mileage, but it is just a BIG NON AERODYNAMIC TRUCK!…and I LOVE my truck!!! 🙂 Lately, though, I have been entertaining the thought of downsizing to a ’93 S-10 Tahoe (last of the “square” bodies) extended cab, due to my height…if I could just find one that hasn’t been dogged out/or converted to a “pro racing” truck!
My 99 GMC Sierra’s frame and underbody rusted out so bad the dealer refused to put it on his lift . I went looking for a replacement and found the perfect one. A 2000 (last year made) K2500 with 68K miles on it, The owner replaced everything ( brake lines,drums,exhaust,a/c,alternator and installed a GM Goodwrench crate 350. IThe fuel tank started leaking this spring so I replaced the tank and pump.Drivetrain only has 25K on it . Crank windows but he installed a Tahoe dash,with A/C, AM-FM with CD and cassette player in the dash. I’m set for life now .Paid 8100 with 4 way plow.
Many people think that W/T stands for White Trash. Many of us came to that conclusion immediately when we saw the first one of these in the mid 90s. This sounds like a marketing mistake.
BTW, I am white.
This is the model that was brought to Australia in 3500 form to use as ambulances, so there are a few GMC versions around here, they are nearly all in other use now, being at least 12 years old. They replaced F-series whereas now most ambulances now are Sprinters, with some VW Transporters used for patient transport where they don’t need to carry so much equipment.
Here is one for sale locally, diesel, auto and a 10′ tray asking $11k with nearly 200k miles, paint issues & minor dents, not registered etc. A fair bit more than Nate mentioned above, but you should see what they want for new ones! Probably a stronger market for 25 year old trucks that can be left as LHD.
Mind you, a dropsider ! 🙂
Just like all those sweet Land Cruisers you’ve got.
That’s what Im talkin about!
I am coming to really like the look of this generation GM pickup. Probably the best looking since the classic 67-72. I didn’t appreciate them much at the time, but with each new generation getting uglier and more ungainly, the clean boxy look of these is refreshing. I also prefer the early dashboard/steering wheel as it looks more trucky. I don’t have much personal experience with these, so my judgements here are all based on aesthetics.
For quite awhile, I still harbored the belief that a “real” work truck still had lots of steel inside like my old 63 F100 that I owned back in the 80s. However, as time has passed, I have come to appreciate this generation of Chevy pickup. A low trim version like yours is a good, honest truck and would be a pleasure to own. I like this gen much better than the prior gen (that went back to 1973) which suffered from rust so badly around the midwest. Great story on a great old truck.
I bought mine new in 1996, red with an extended cab, V6 and stick shift. Traded it on a cold day in 2001, it had about 35K on the clock and it was near dead. I made 2 more mistakes buying Chevrolets after that one, but no more for me.
What a beautiful truck, Mark.
When I was a kid my dad had a ’93 Silverado. It was beautiful; black with a silver stripe running down the panels/doors. It was 4WD, 350, auto. That was the first car I got to drive, but not too far because my first attempt at the gas caused it to do a large burnout – and my dad put a stop to that! My dad didn’t keep it too long because he had a job that was about 60 miles away and that 350 cu. in. engine was just too thirsty.
Now, I’ve thought about getting something similar to what is shown above. Preferably a late 80’s to ’95 cheyenne; 2wd, auto with the 262 cu. in engine. However, whenever even with that smaller engine, when I do the math on gas mileage and the fact that I don’t really ‘NEED’ a truck, it always ends up in the same predicament. I’m forced to keep my old subaru wagon and rent a Lowes truck the 2 times a year I need something bigger.
But once the kids are grown up and moved out, and the subaru has moved on to the great parking lot in the sky…I may go and find a well-loved chevy truck. Who knows. By then, maybe those new Colorado’s they’ll start building in the next county over (Wentzville assembly) will be just the right age to join my fleet.
Ive never liked Chevys, and I was in junior high when this bodystyle came out…I really, REALLY hated them since Ive always had a thing for the old school ’60s and ’70s bodystyles. But damn, if these haven’t aged VERY well. I definitely prefer the more low level front clips with the sealed beams. Aero headlites just don’t look great to my eye and whatever the style of the minute they use, it looks dated pretty much immediately.
Ive never cared for the blinged out luxo-mobiles that pass for trucks these days. Sure, they can still work when called upon, but it just doesn’t ‘feel’ right. Im all for hot rodding one, jacking it up, beefing it for offroading, etc etc…. Customizing is awesome, Im all about that…which is why Ive always preferred the base models. Theyre so much more of a blank canvas to build your dream truck. I just cant see dropping near $60-$70K for a glitzed out fully chromed bone stocker that any other A-hole with that kind of money can replicate the same day, just by searching the dealers.
This truck can be ‘any’ truck on the road, yet its pretty unique among a sea of extra cabbed, 26″ rim wearing, wing-on-the-bed, touch screened pimp mobiles.
In my mind, the perfect vehicle. My first truck was a ’92 F-150 Custom that I bought in ’99, 300 I-6 with a manual trans, the only options being A/C and the tow package. 8 foot bed which was slightly interrupted as someone had put a third wheel ball in the bed before I got it, but that didn’t matter. The thing was tough, really tough, and I’d likely still have it to this day if a chevy dually hadn’t killed it pulling out in front of me.
With the new ’15 F-150 coming with an all-aluminum body, I’m seriously tempted. If they keep the current pricing, and the availability of the SuperCab + 8 Foot bed in the XL the only resistance will come from my cheapness, and the fact that you can’t get the 3.7 V6 with that combo – but if you can get the 2.7 Ecoboost, that may push me over the edge.
Granted, what kills me, is that my ’99 XLT is equipped about identically to a basic modern XL with the preferred equipment package. Sans carpet. I’ve got that on them, at least.
What a great truck, and exactly what I’d want when I retire and head up to the 15 acres I don’t have yet out in the country. Rolling hills, a 2 lane road, and town no more than 5 miles away. While I’m dreaming I’d want this exact truck with a/c and a power seat…..
the color is great, and the wheels and front end perfectly designed.
There’s something about a base model truck that makes them honest.
Dave, your last statement resonated with me.
I think that most people on this site would agree that a simple, reliable, no-frills truck is honest.
What this implies, however, is that a fancy, complicated, cod-piece truck is dishonest!
So does that mean that someone who is a tradesman (and likely to buy a work truck) is honest; and a poseur who buyes a brougham truck is dishonest?
It’s an interesting thought!
I ordered one of these new in 1993, refrigerator white, blue cloth bench, auto, posi ,tow pkg and a/c. It even had the exact same wheel trim. It was absolutely 100% reliable and did everything asked without complaint.