Speaking of pickups,,,..

larry@stinescorner · Feb 1, 2015

Did you ever have a stepside pickup with the simple chain type tailgate?Handy,functional idea,I Worked out of one for many years,Real handy to step on the side,reach into the bed or toolbox,,,the taigate always worked,if you wanted the taigate up half way for any reason,give the chain a slight twist,,it always opened and closed,never failed.The floor in mine was wood,it did rot out after a long time,a heavy piece of plywood on top of the floor,,,keep going to work with it,,,,,

Texasmark1 · Feb 1, 2015

Thanks Larry, but I'll take the current edition. When I was in high school and finished the summer of my Jr. year working tug boats and barges up and down the TX. LA. coast, I bought a well worn out 47 chevy with such. Babbit bearing 85 hp OHV 6, 3 speed on the floor; 4.11 rears, screamed at 60 mph which was tops in those days. Thanks, but I like my 2011 Chevy's gate better along with it's other amenities.

larry@stinescorner · Feb 1, 2015

I agree on a 47,mine was a 79,,but I do like a lot of the modern improvemants,,,lol

old · Feb 1, 2015

The 1951 the boy sold this summer had one and it drove on the trailer under its own power. I think the 3/4 ton 1969 I have out back has that and a wood bed to boot.

larry@stinescorner · Feb 1, 2015

my 1979 had a Wood bed

old · Feb 1, 2015

I still have parts and pieces of 3 1969 Chev pick up. 2 are 3/4 ton and one is 1/2 ton. I also have enough parts laying around to build one which I hope to do some day and when done it will I hope look like a mini semi. Including 5th wheel and I hope 2 rear drive axles that are both powered. Also have parts and pieces of a 1971 GMC

Richard G. · Feb 1, 2015

Yep, grew up with those and have a 51 Chevy now that I want to fix up. It has 104000 miles on it. I did rebuild the engine back in the 80's after I rolled it of one morning well below 0 degrees. That old 216 with the "splash and hope" oil system did not splash like I hoped it would.
It still runs but needs new cab corners and a paint job.
My dad had a 54 with the wood bed and we took it camping one day. Our camping supplies in the back in paper grocery bags caught fire when the exhaust pipe set the wood floor on fire.
Had a 60 GMC with the chains on tailgate and drove a Farmall Cub in it to go mow on another farm. Backed up to a bank and the chains broke while unloading. That 305 V6 was a hoss and ate gas like one too.
Richard in NW SC

James Howell · Feb 1, 2015

My father bought a new 1965 Chevy "heavy" half ton truck for $1,700.

It has the spare mounted in the left fender.

The tailgate has the chains.

The wooden floor was replaced with 2x6x8 treated wood about 35 years ago.

It origninally had the straight 6 cylinder, but has had a <a href="http://youtu.be/twpTRP_HNL8">Chevy 350 V8</a> for the last 30 years.

The old truck is going back into service here on the farm hopefully this month.

Richard G. · Feb 1, 2015

Oh, I much prefer the chains to the junk now that won't open half the time with the cables that rust and break.
Richard

Eldon (WA) · Feb 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 13:16:18 02/01/15) Did you ever have a stepside pickup with the simple chain type tailgate?Handy,functional idea,I Worked out of one for many years,Real handy to step on the side,reach into the bed or toolbox,,,the taigate always worked,if you wanted the taigate up half way for any reason,give the chain a slight twist,,it always opened and closed,never failed.The floor in mine was wood,it did rot out after a long time,a heavy piece of plywood on top of the floor,,,keep going to work with it,,,,,

I couldn't imagine making an 800 mile tractor run @ 24k gross like I did last Sunday with one.....

rrlund · Feb 1, 2015

Dad had several step sides from the 50s. The 66 that he bought new was a Fleetside,but it had chain latches on the box.

Pair-a-dice farm · Feb 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 16:16:18 02/01/15) Did you ever have a stepside pickup with the simple chain type tailgate?Handy,functional idea,I Worked out of one for many years,Real handy to step on the side,reach into the bed or toolbox,,,the taigate always worked,if you wanted the taigate up half way for any reason,give the chain a slight twist,,it always opened and closed,never failed.The floor in mine was wood,it did rot out after a long time,a heavy piece of plywood on top of the floor,,,keep going to work with it,,,,,

I liked the body style of the older trucks but there are some of the newer advancements that I like. Fuel injection, air conditioning, disc brakes are a few. Not many trucks could go 300K miles back then and now it's not uncommon. Personally I think that the advancements in pickup technology peaked in the mid to late 90's. All the little gadgets like GPS and backup cameras may be ok but they add way to much to the price tag and are just waiting to break down.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2015

They have took the country out of pickups and designed them for the city boys.
I'm in the process of buying a new one and Ford is the only one that makes a truck like I want.
GM and Dodge want to sell me what is popular and I don't give a hoot what they want me to have as I'm the one paying fur it.

Texasmark1 · Feb 1, 2015

For what it's worth, I have a '60's give or take GMC pickup bed that I have made into a trailer which has tailgate retainers as you mention. I have my diesel fuel cans in it and as I have mentioned elsewhere, that is how I get my fuel. But, I don't have to use the gate. It's just there.

JayinNY · Feb 1, 2015

My dad had a 63 Chevy like that, 3/4 ton, I think 3 speed with straight 6. Don't you love the gas tank behind the seat? Lol

VADAVE · Feb 1, 2015

My 2004 Chevy 2500HD with Duramax has running boards. Turns out to get the Duramax to fit GM put a 2 in. body lift on it and that just makes too tall to easily get in and out of. So I put on running boards which also provide a way to get stuff out of the front of the bed.

kunkku · Feb 1, 2015

The tank behind the seat is not that bad as on 60's car with gas tank at the boot, anyone remember what car was it?

James Howell · Feb 1, 2015

Yes, at times the cab smelled liked gas.

Just had the gas tank removed and cleaned, carburetor rebuilt, brake cylinders replaced, brake drums turned, and clutch adjusted.

Hope to get it back sometime this month.

ShadetreeRet · Feb 1, 2015

I have a '57 Ford pickup with the tailgate chains. I'm not sure just when,but Ford replaced the chains with steel bars which folded with the tailgate. They were still stronger than the newer cables.
Most Ford pickups had the gas tank behind the seat until 1973 when it was relocated to under the bed. I can't remember the earlier models, but from 1948 on,Ford has used steel bed floors.

JayinNY · Feb 1, 2015

By the way James, that's a nice looking truck! Forgot to say.

GordoSD · Feb 1, 2015

Take it to a detail shop and get it color sanded and buffed. You will be amazed.

tg in VA · Feb 1, 2015

I remember back in the 50's Ford advertised metal beds in their pickups that wouldn't rot out and Chevy, during the same time, was advertising wooden beds that wouldn't rust out.
Seems to me it was Roy Rogers doing the Chevy advertising during his TV show.
Life surely was simpler back then.

Richard G. · Feb 1, 2015

Daddy bought a new 64 Chevy 1/2 ton with the straight 6. I learned to drive on the road with it.
I ran out of gas one day about a half mile from home. Walked home and found a gallon glass jug with what I thought was gas. Took it back and poured it in and came on home.
Later that day, Daddy asked what happened to the gallon of kerosene and DDT he had left in the shed.
Probably cut down on the mosquito population around home for a while.
That was one tough old truck.
Richard in NW SC

James Howell · Feb 1, 2015

Used a bottle of <a href="http://simplegreen.com/">Simple Green</a> to clean the truck inside and out.

Put a good shine on the old truck.

Also use Simple Green to keep the old tractors clean.

James Howell · Feb 1, 2015

Went on several dates back in the high school days with this truck.

Nancy and I also had many dates in this old truck 28 years ago.

My oldest daughter (37) has been "hinting" that she wants this truck some day.

James Howell · Feb 1, 2015

Thanks.

The old truck was in very rough shape when my father gave it to me.

He parked it in the pasture in 1977 when he retired and bought a new 1977 Chevy truck.

It had been sitting for over 3 years when I got it.

KYfarm · Feb 1, 2015

I have one now

Paul from MI · Feb 1, 2015

Short box step-side & no rust!! That thing would be a street rodders dream here in Michigan.

T in NE · Feb 1, 2015

I'd like to build a diesel powered lil red express.

Dr. Walt · Feb 2, 2015

Still have my '71 Chevy K-10 (1/2 ton) 4x4 P/U with Utility Bed which has the chained tailgate (but it's only a 1/2 tailgate). Truck originally had an automatic transmission; but bellhousing cracked, so i removed it and installed a 4-speed Stick & Transfer Case from a '73 Blazer that had rolled. Original 1-piece large-tube driveline wouldn't work, so I fabricated a new crossmember & carrier-bearing, & then fabricated & balanced a new 2-piece driveline. Upgraded the springs & axles from 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton. Truck still has the original "behind-the-seat" 20 gallon gas tank, but I added a 40 gallon tank in the front of the bed.

Conversion from Automatic to Standard trans. was simplified because '71 was the "last year" that they had the 17 bolt removable Hump with "knockouts"; Clutch Pedal hangars; etc., so you could switch back & forth from Automatic to Standard and vice versa.

Doc :>)

jwmfarms · Feb 2, 2015

Best pickup I ever saw was IH. I loaded firewood, level with the box and slightly mounded, on my '86 GMC 2500 and it squatted down pretty good. Friend had one of the last IH 1210's with a set of livestock sides that were at least 6" above the cab, and that truck barely squatted below level. Split, green oak, stacked in their by hand.

Speaking of pickups,,,..

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