Truck-meandering thoughts.

Some here won't remember. Trucks used to fit 3 in the cab with no grief, had drip edges around the doors, wing windows, usable ashtrays with a lighter and glove compartments that could hold an SKS and a bandolier as well as the owner's manual, a flashlight, a smallish roll of duct tape and several pair of gloves. You accessed all this by reaching in and extracting what you wanted vs. today where you take everything out and return in sequence as that's the only way everything goes back in without pounding on that plastic crap door as you're scared to break it. Did I mention that the glove compartment door used to be made of 3 Gauge steel? Overcrowd it and close with a 16 pound sledge.

Back then they practically gave gas away with free stuff and trading stamps to boot so you really didn't care that you only got 10 MPG. Open the hood and even an idiot knew where to fill the oil and coolant. You could wrap a pig in aluminum foil, drive 30 miles or so, add your favorite sauce, drive another 30 to Aunt Madge's house and feed an army.

The only failure I could see was there should have been a 10 or 12 foot long bed option, something that would actually have merit these days especially.
They were priced usually in the same ballpark as full sized cars and quite often less.

I haven't a clue as to what new cars go for nowadays, but at the VA, saw a review of the latest and greatest new truck. I realize inflation has taken it's toll but 150% of what my first house cost? $65,000? Are you kidding me? And no mileage rating? If they don't have to post it why in the world would I care about the .2 MPG advantage of seamless windows without my GD wing windows. And now that I think of it, why not return to those thrilling days of yesteryear when I pulled open the vents that made those skirts billow? Yes, I said skirts as that was what girls and later in my life, women used to wear. With all the so-called pollution emitted in days past why didn't I die?

Then again, the best truck I ever owned was a 2000 1 ton crewcab. It lasted 8 years and 260,000 miles and only due to electrical problems from hitting deer did I get rid of it. But by 2000 the steady decline was taking it's toll. The replacement truck a 1/16th? ton got only slightly better mileage and as a single cab decidedly, obscenely, less leg room.

Now, in my golden years, I'll never afford another truck. Pity, that.

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Truck-meandering thoughts.