Why would you want that kind of vehicle? Less comfort, less efficiency, less power...and quite honestly those older mechanical, manual-everything trucks you fantasize about weren't all that reliable. Excepting some of the better built diesels, the engines were lucky to last 150k miles, even with frequent oil changes, and the truck platforms and bodies usually didn't last much longer.
Even the older mechanical diesels, as reliable as they were, aren't all that great when compared to the newer versions. They smelled like s$%t, weren't very responsive for highway driving, leaked oil and sounded like tractors (which I guess is cool for showboating on main street, but is unbearable for 5-8 hour highway trips).
Just get a F250 gasser with e-locker or a Power Wagon...they're very well-built, and will last much longer than anything built 15-20 years ago. Or get a modern (with SCR) diesel...they've seen a lot of fine-tuning and improvement in recent years.
I don't see the appeal or necessity of a dumbed-down, manual-everything truck.
Some people want those older vehicles, even though they there were less reliable, because they can work on themselves. So I can see the appeal there...now-a-days you have to take a modern vehicle in because it is so complex, which means a hefty repair bill. You can't even check the transmission fluid yourself on a lot of the modern autos. My old air cooled VW's were about as basic as you could get, I can do an engine change in a couple hours, by myself along side a road. (and have!)
Dude on TW posted a good video on old vs. new:
Comfort is relative. Some people are fine with a basic vinyl seat, and wing windows... others need a seat with 10 way electric adjust, heated, cooled, massage... dual climate control, 10 cup holders, navigation, satellite radio espresso maker, a va-jay-jay warmer, etc...
Yes old diesels smelled, weren't as responsive, yadda yadda ya....but a lot less to go wrong. We had a bunch of older diesels in our earth moving equipment. Other than changing out the fuel filters...never had to touch them...today's diesels...repair bills can be rather high, what is the repair cost of the emission system alone?
Simply "just" buy a new F250 gasser or Power Wagon? Well, those are what $40K??? You can buy a used old truck for $5-10K which is pretty cheap to fix, and you can do most of the work in your driveway under a tree. That said the old truck is going to need to be fixed, and you're going to have to throw some money at. But it sure isn't going to be $40K. You
can however buy a 2WD RC fullsize with a V6 for under $20K..that might be a better option. Do most people really need a 4WD 3/4 Ton truck??? By what I see on the road and how people use them, that answer would be no...but 2WD RC V6 trucks aren't cool...so they don't sell well to the public. Because we know that image is everything here in America.
Truck below is EPA rated at 25 mpg...pretty damn good compared to the old stuff. Look at that price, under $17K...the dealer should have rows and rows of these things and have them flying off the lot (that dealer only had 3)...but people don't want the good ol' basic pick 'em up truck any more. They want the bedazzled crew cab suburban cowboy look at me I am tough chest beating truck guy
(but shhh...don't tell anyone, I don't really need this and could fulfill most of my driving needs in a Prius)
Here is another nice little comparison. But I see a couple things where they could of done things cheaper, because it looks like they were trying to get the repair cost to equal what a new truck cost. Spoiler: They didn't need to drop a $9000 crate engine into it, and they paid labor cost for someone else to do the work. My neighbors down the street have about 6 square body Chevy's, from short bed 2WD RC's to 4WD CCLB to a Suburban and a couple in-between...he has a couple teenage kids, I have seen them do an engine swap in a weekend. Honestly that is refreshing to see. Dad is out there teaching his kids how to get their hands dirty (while most other kids are playing video games and taking selfies.) Those same kids go around the neighborhood each summer and ask to do yard work...which is extremely rare anymore these days.
Even though I posted that video....Those TFL guys don't seem like
truck guys to me, none of them look like they have ever had a hard days work (manual labor) in their life. Which is pretty evident since they did none of the repair work themselves. Not even sure they should be testing trucks...seem like a bunch of pencil pushers with a camera. Or maybe that what "truck guys" are today...bunch of soft handed pudgy middle-aged men that don't know the difference between a spade and square nose shovel trying to look tough...and will never haul a load gravel, ever!
Now the
Roadkill guys...they don't mind getting their hands dirty or the
Dirt Every Day dudes...
