To think there was a time when “truck people” were a rarity and not the norm, an age that now seems truly distant. Still, that was the reality for decades and before trucks became common in urban areas, some folks were ahead of the trend. Some were even captured in film standing proudly with their vehicles –the theme of today’s gallery, featuring truck folks in the ’50s and ’60s.
Regarding the vehicles, there’s a bit of everything here; workhorses, camper adaptations, and early SUVs serving as lifestyle vehicles.
(Part 1 of this Truck People series is HERE.)
Looks just like a truck camper one of my elderly neighbors had before he passed away. The truck was yellow, but the camper was hand-built.
Stephanie and I have time-machined back to 1961!
Oh, I see. I thought they were Not Niedermeyers, not Niedermeyers.
Honest question: how well does a unibody F100 get along with a camper shell? It does look pretty slick.
A light one like this, probably not likely a problem unless you were to take it constantly on rough non-roads. The issue really came up with heavy loads, probably mostly in the F-250 version. That’s why the 4×4 stayed with a separate cab and bed.
Ugh, encouragement! 😉
Thanks, Paul
Love that blue Suburban! Zowie !
We had a ’66 Suburban like the lady sitting on the tailgate. Except we had the double swing-out doors instead of the tailgate.
Living in a suburb of Detroit, and with everyone having beautiful automobiles at our school, my brothers were embarrassed to be seen in it. Ironically, when they got to adulthood and we moved out to AZ, they preferred these types of vehicles because of their ruggedness and usefulness.
That blue one has interesting fender skirts.
Nice pictures that take me back to my early days .
I too foolish to learn so I still have a basic work truck that I love to drive .
-Nate
The second picture brings back memories of the first truck I drove, and the first manual transmission. It was grandpa’s farm truck, a 1953 Chevy 3600 with stake sides.
The photo of the blue Suburban and the F100 both show how early trucks were dolled up. Big whitewall tires and full wheel covers. Skirts even on the Suburban! A lot of hot Rodder’s had pick ups to use as tow and push vehicles for their racing cars. There were also fully customized trucks by famous shops. Back in the mid ’60’s I had a neighbor a couple of houses down, that drove a Chevy pick up with a camper shell. It was the only one in the neighborhood.
The 57 blue Suburban is all tarted up with chrome bumper guards on a painted bumper, 57 accessory spinners on a generic wheel cover and what look like adapted fender skirts. Are those hood ornaments attached to the skirts?
It looks as if the fender skirts are home made…I’d love to have a Suburban like the white one today. Great memories, thanks for this.
I find myself unreasonably charmed by the woman and her pets with the Ford pickup behind her.
Yeah the “cat” and big “pup” are scene stealing big time!!
That one got me too, a beautiful moment in time captured.
…and the truck even looks like a dog waiting for a treat 🙂