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| So, just WHAT is a 'kinda-nice-old-truck'? Keep readin' and scrollin' to see what MY definition is below! |
Along with all of the other stuff that I'm all-the-way-GEEKY about, I've also-- without ANY shame or apology what-so-ever--- had a pretty 'head-over-heels,' life-long-love-affair-- with all sorts and brands of older-model pick-up trucks!
Much like my pops, Loyd Sr., (more on his 'life-long-truck-passion' here in a bit!) I have NO 'brand-loyalty'! Fords, Chevys, GMCs, Datsuns, Toyotas, Dodges--- all have had (and STILL do!) some kind of special-pick'em-up-lovin-spot in my heart at one time or another!
AND-- no surprise to any of you who have been following along with me here for a while, I'm SURE-- my fairly extensive collection of (now in-deep-cold-storage) scale models and toy vehicles of COURSE includes a fair-sized number of nifty 'trucks-in-miniature'!
Of course, most of the 'miniature' / model / toy pick-ups in my collection, are 'dream trucks'! Classic examples of 40s / 50s / 60s trucks (including the Chevy ElCamino and Ford Ranchero) that (just being 100% honest with myself here!), I'll probably NEVER be able to own! Heck, that goes for MOST of the scale models and toy vehicles in my collection! Still, it's fun to look at the 'little versions' and dream!
Speaking of my dad, and his influence on the 'ol Loydster, as well as his passing-on that 'truck-love'--- I've put together a couple of little graphics to show just how MANY of the haulers pops tooled-around in, during my time growing-up. As well as a few he owned on into my young-adult years-- and beyond! (Along with some comments about each below, of course!)---
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| The first truck I have memory of, and the first on the list-- the '57 Ford-- was a 'Step-side' model that dad had when I was around 5 or 6 years old. White with chrome-reverse wheels and LOUD dual pipes! The '61 Ford was one he had when I was 9. It wasn't around for very long. The '67 Chevy was around when I was in late-junior high and early high school. I actually helped dad put a transmission in that one. The '69 Ford was our 'family truck' when I reached my mid-high-school years. It was also the FIRST family vehicle that dad actually let me drive on my own! Sporting a 'yellow-over-white' two-tone paint job and (yet again!) chrome-reverse wheels-- it was one very nifty-and-neat pick'em-up! |
By the way, I've already referenced 'chrome-reverse' wheels a couple of times in this post, and I guess I should clue those in, that may have a 'limited-exposure' to classic-car-type lingo, to exactly WHAT they are! A picture's worth a LOT of words (so they say!)--- so here's what they look like!---
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| My dad's 'custom-wheels' of choice, (especially during the early-to-mid-70s!) were usually the CLASSIC 'chrome-reverse' style wheels. (He also was pretty fond of either 'black-wall' tires, or the white-raised-letter type of tire, like the one in the pic above!) At least 3 of his pick-ups, and number of his cars, either already had them when he bought them, or-- he would hunt down a set to mount them onto the rides himself! I can see why he DUG them so much! Clean & simple lines, as well as SUPER bright and shinny! What's NOT to LOVE! |
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| The '75 Dodge wasn't the most 'attractive' of my pop's trucks, but it was a real 'work-horse'! He bought it while we lived in Colorado, which was around 1984 or so. (We transplanted an engine into that one together!) The '76 Ford was another 'brief-member' of the family-- which 'daddy-o' had for a short time while I was in the Air Force. The '88 Chevy, on the other hand-- was a LONG-time-owned vehicle, which he held onto for several years. He even made a series of moves from California-to-Oklahoma-then-BACK-to-California with it,(LONG story!) a short while before trading it off! Dad actually owned 3 of the 'aero-bodied' Ford trucks-- a '97, and two different '01 models. More about the 2nd '01 model down below! |
Hopefully, those charts above, help explain why the enthusiasm for (older) trucks runs SO deep, in the 'ol Loydster-system! As my pops showed me over the years--- trucks are the ULTIMATE 'two-in-one' vehicle! They can be useful 'work-horses' / haulers, as well as be cool and unique cruisers!
One thing about the above vehicles I should point-out though. NONE of those trucks that my dad owned over the years, were so-called 'show trucks'! They, for the most part-- were put to WORK! Hauling stuff, pulling travel-trailers, hauling our furniture / belongings-- as we moved the numerous times we moved around over the years, etc...!
But-- dad ALWAYS kept those vehicles in not ONLY good running condition, but CLEAN and sharply detailed as well! They may have had some dents, scratches, and 'worn' / faded paint in places-- but dad ALWAYS went to the extra-effort to keep them ALL looking as good as possible! (Those were his standards with all of the cars we had over the years too, by the way!)
That philosophy my pops always lived by with HIS old trucks, (AND cars too, natch!) has pretty much been passed on to yours truly! Which is why I define a 'K.N.O.T.' (a 'Kinda Nice Old Truck'!), as an older pick-up, which-- while not in 'show-room-CHERRY-like-condition', AND while still being utilized as a 'working / hauling' vehicle-- can STILL be 'kinda nice'! Something that, with a little 'elbow-grease' / sweat & detail work--- can STILL be slick-enough that you don't mind being seen driving it around town!
Now, compared to my dear-'ol-daddy-o, my list of past-pick'em-ups is really on the SKINNY side! Nonetheless, here's a look at the 'rides-with-beds-and-tail-gates' I've owned in years gone by.---
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| This little '79 model Dodge D-50, was in my life for a good chunk of time! I actually traded an '81 Mustang to my dad for it, in fact. The 'Stang was a DUD, which my pops immediately sold off ! It (the little Dodge, that is!) was SUPER-fun to drive, peppy and dependable (with it's little Mitsubishi 4-banger engine)! I ended up having the little truck for around 3 years or so-- from around late '88, until after Debbie and I married (1990, of course!). A 'roll-over' accident put it out of commission, unfortunately! (Deb and I weren't injured in the wreck, thank goodness!) I ended up selling it (for FAR too cheap!) to a wrecking yard for scrap! |
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| Despite spending a good amount of time looking, I could NOT dig up an actual pic of the REAL '73 Datsun I owned, shortly after moving to Oklahoma. (late '92 - early '93) It first belonged to my daddy-in-law, who worked out a deal with me for it on payments. Not exactly the 'prettiest' truck-- it was painted in 'basic-black-primer' twice while I owned it!-- But like the little Dodge, it was REALLY good on gas, and dependable! Utilizing this little beast--I actually moved EVERYTHING we owned from Okemah (where we lived when we first moved back here to Okie-land) to Bristow Oklahoma-- a 32-mile-one-way trip! The truck only had about a 6-foot bed, so the move took nearly 5 TRIPS! The little truck handled it ALL really well though! I ended up chugging along in it for my 'back-and-forth-to-work' vehicle for around 2 years, until the transmission went out in it. |
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| Ah, 'old Blue'! That's the nickname my wife and I gave to our LONG-time-owned '93 model GMC. Pretty much the longest-owned of ALL of our vehicles, 'blue was a member of the 'Ferrell-work-and-transport-system' for just over 12 years! (2008 - 2021) Just after getting us moved here to the 'Cracker-box' (our current residence), the water-pump suddenly gave out, and the engine burned-up in the 'ol girl! Almost as if it died from 'a broken heart'! As many years of dependability that it gave us, I can't really complain, nor be TOO upset, about it FINALLY breaking down! If anything, I sure wish I'd had the ways and means to get the 'ol gal back on the road! Unfortunately, it just wasn't possible! |
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| The 2001 Ford Super-Cab! Just looking at the few pics I have of it, brings mixed feelings! About the closest I've ever came to owning an 'almost-show-truck'! This, by the way-- was the 2nd '01 model pops owned. It was also the last vehicle he and my mom bought together, before her passing in 2018. After some pretty serious health issues, and trouble with his eyesight (which eventually caused him to pretty much give up driving altogether, sadly!)--- along with knowing I was in need of a 2nd 'getting-back-and-forth-to-work' vehicle-- dad signed over the title to me! Free and clear, I had another pick-up AT LAST! The catch? I had to fly down to San Antonio Texas (where pops lives with my sister), and DRIVE it back here to Okie-land! UURRRGH!!! More of a kind of 'cross-over' vehicle, than an actual truck (the fiberglass bed-cover and SUPER-short bed-length didn't make it practical for hauling much!)--- the 'Supey-cab' was STILL a great 2nd vehicle for Deb and I! It made several runs up to Missouri, and carted me back & forth to work, for close to a year and half. A collision with a GIANT-sized deer put the 'Supey off the road! There was SO much damage to the front-end, and repairing it would've been SO expensive, I ended up putting it on Craig's List 'as is'! A Latino guy from Texas bought it, and his brother (a 'body-and-fender' man) had it back on the road in about 2 weeks! That's where my 'mixed-feelings' come in! I SURE wish I would've had the cash AND know-how to get it fixed-up! It was something of a reminder of BOTH: my pop's love for nifty-trucks, as well as my mom, who was something of a 'K.N.O.T'. fan herself! |
So, I guess I'll ALWAYS have a special place in my heart for K.N.O.T.s of ALL kinds! As well as my dad-- who passed on that love to me!
