I’m writing a novel that takes place in the 1960s. A character. who drives a pickup, slides under it at one point. IS THIS POSSIBLE?? I’ve checked out a lot of photos and it looks like the answer is yes. But then, I have no idea what is hanging down under there, and what the clearance is off the ground. Thanks.
Sure, plenty of room.
may i ask how you can be sure? it’s REALLY important that i get this right, as the book has to be completely believable. thanks
Define “slide”. Is this a big man?
actually, no. guy in his twenties, so pretty limber, i’d say. and the book reads that he “eased” himself under the truck
Oh yeah, plenty of room. Done it myself a thousand times on a 65 Chevy.
great. is there any way to find the actual clearance? no luck so far on the internet, but i’m probably not checking the right sites. suggestions?
I’m 6’ 5", 220 lbs, and could slide (carefully) under my '95 Suburban, same as a Chevy pickup.
ok that’s great information. thanks a lot for your help
Sorry i’ve got nothing. I’d guess there’s a good 10-12 inches of clearance.
Ahem, hit the farming country, look for an old pickup and measure the sucker. If you ask, the owner may let you slide under it. Louis L’amour became famous because his fiction was based on real places, and the terrain he described was factual, even if all the buildings were long gone. Check it out for yourself.
There isn’t “a” clearance for pick up trucks. Typical trucks straight off the line will likely have similar heights - but the clearance isn’t standard. Different models even by the same manufacturer can have different clearance. You can also make any given pickup taller or shorter with more or less clearance by modifying the suspension.
If you just need “a” measurement that is likely/feasible with a real truck then do a irlandes says and just go measure some.
I had a 1960 Chevy pickup in 1967 when I was in my early 20’s and I could slide under no problem, even on a creeper. I was 6’ and about 215 at the time.
Make it a 4X4 truck and he could crawl under it on his hands and knees…But a standard 2X4 pick-up, you could slip under it in 1965 or today for that matter…
You Don’t state the scenario in which he slides under it, but to make that action much easier on one’s clothing take apart a large cardboard box and flatten it on the ground.
I can change the oil on my 79 without lifting the truck and slip right under effortlessly.
We call it a reservation creeper but you can insert any ethnicity and be equally non-p.c… ie; hillbilly creeper, mexican creeper, poor man’s creeper etc.
But if he’s just trying to quickly hide under the truck, hide the money, or cut the brake line it would be quite easy.
If the guy is a big guy in the chest or gut, it is a tight fit in a standard PU. If the PU is a 4X4, they are a couple of inches higher off the ground. It sounds plausible for most “average” guys.
Does he just need to get his hands under there, or does he have to go completely under the truck? Easy to get the head and shoulders under a standard PU, a bit more difficult to go completely under it from chin to toes.
I can slide under my Nissan 2 wheel drive pickup on a creeper with no problem. And this is a compact pickup. So on a full size pickup it won’t be a problem for the person you describe to slide under it.
Tester