Fun sighting at the hardware store. A gentleman had a 1960 Ford F-100 in near perfect original condition. Custom cab with all the options including bubble wrap rear window.
The truck bed was easily accessible, bigger than today’s short beds, at an easy height to get in and out, etc.
The owner has a current Chevy Silvarado as his daily driver for his mobile truck wash business keeping Pepsi delivery trucks clean. But he said he often drives the 1960 classic for pleasure and ordinary uses.
After the recent discussion thread about today’s giant truck sizes versus the comparative size of yesteryears’ trucks, it was fun to see an older truck in such nice shape. What was even better, it was parked next to a current Ford pickup. Big showy tank looming over an old workhorse.
Of course, the new truck has safety features, comfort features, better gas mileage, and such than the vintage carburated V8 4-on-the-floor … but the F-100 had side window vents!
@Marnet. I drove trucks.like that F-100 you described. I got my driver’s license in the late 1950s. It seems to me that around 1960 Ford had one model pickup truck where the cabin and bed were one unit rather than the cab and bed being two separate parts.
One truck that I really liked was my uncle’s 1951 F-1 Ford pickup with a flathead V-8 and a 3 speed column shift transmission. That truck could move with the traffic on the highway. The Chevy and GMC trucks still had the splash lubricated 6 cylinder engines and probably had a top speed just under 70 mph.
By 1960, the trucks did become much more comfortable to travel long distances. You mentioned that the 1960 Ford had side vent windows. My 1950 Chevy pickup did not have side vent windows. That feature wasn’t available on Chevy pickup trucks until 1951. It seems to me that truck manufacturers took a step backward in eliminating these windows.
In the late 50s both Ford and Chevrolet offered uni-body pickups and of course there were the El Caminos and the Falcon Rancheros which were an effort to gain sales of utility vehicles to would be buyers who wanted more comfortable offerings.
Getting a look see under the hood, it was interesting to see how small the engine was and how open and accessible the engine bay was. The battery was mounted high up against the passenger side firewall, a location for a battery I don’t recall seeing before.
I remarked that getting parts for a fifty-seven year old carburator must take time. The owner said no, major retail parts houses have had the parts on the shelf.
On balance, the 1960 truck looked more practical as a daily work vehicle in ease of access to the truck bed and its size. But today’s trucks are much safer with far more creature comforts. I had to laugh though when the owner said one reason he prefers the old truck for personal use is because it doesn’t have all the “nanny” warning chimes and messages every time he starts and shuts off the engine his new truck has.
These trucks were far more practical for work vehicles than the overbloated monstrosities they’re selling now. And they did just as much work. Maybe more, since they were so much easier to use. They were designed for work rather than showing off your affluence.
And space under the hood made maintenance far, far, far easier than in today’s vehicles.
In addition, people used to buy them rather than lease them. They were cheaper than cars and leasing hadn’t yet been made available to private parties.
There are still many of these trucks still in daily use on small farms across the plains states and in the southwest.
Anybody besides me remember when Ford had the Flareside and the Styleside pickups? Before Chevrolet introduced the Cameo Carrier about 1955 all trucks were like the Ford Flareside. I think this started the trend for trucks to look like cars.
In addition to the Ranchero, Ford offered their regular pickup with a unibody (but still mounted on a separate frame) from '61-'63. It was a failure, and they quickly switched back to separate cab and box.
@texases. I now remember why Ford discontinued the one piece bed and cab. Overloading the bed would stress the cab and the doors wouldn’t shut properly.
The original Ford Ranchero was essentially a car with a bed instead of a back seat. The whole body was on a frame unlike the Falcon Ranchero which was unibody. I think Chevrolet brought out its El Camino to compete with the Ford Ford Ranchero in 1959. It also rode on a frame.
Parked near a Toyota Tundra today. Huge passenger cab with a truck bed about half the size of thae Ford F-100. Both cab and bed were so high I’d need a ladder.
I have been thinking about getting a 70’s ford 3/4 or 1 ton for a farm truck. I miss the simple old truck. It was easy to work on and could just keep it simple.
Recognize that it also was subject to vapor lock, had drum brakes that were scary if you drove through a puddle… and sometimes even if you didn’t, had recirculating-ball steering, and required far more routine maintenance than modern vehicles. Oh, and they rot far easier than modern vehicles.
I love these old beasts, but you gotta be honest with yourself about their limitations.
I like the round headlights and the wrap around chrome bumper, but the add’l chrome besides what’s actually needed seems to bit too much, too shiny. I’d prefer stock wheels too if I had an old F100. But since it isn’t my truck, who cares … lol …
I had a 46 Chev pickup that I bought in 1970 in Cortez, Colorado, for $300. It had a 55 straight 6 engine, 6 volt system, three speed stick, no vent windows but a crank forward windshield for defrosting. It was small inside, enough for 2 but three across was not OK. I wish I still had it, but I sold it when I needed money in 72. Really it was enough for a pickup, and the gigantic beasts they sell today are ridiculous.
I think it’s gorgeous, much classier than the “big truck” front ends on modern pickups.
But, than, I grew up seeing these trucks. Those too young to remember may not appreciate the old style pickups.
