To each their own. I'll take my real world (old) trucks anyday. Especially since I'm putting a real (cummins) diesel in it.

For well less than half of the cost of a newer diesel truck I can have a truck that doesn't look the same as the other 15 I see when I turn my head AND is built stronger and the way I want it. It's a win win in my book

And as for dents in the top of the bed - it's a truck for God's sake. I'm not the type that would spend $$ to do bodywork on something like that.

 

Agreed and more power to ya.
However there are people out there that don't have that skill set.
It may be a truck but I would like it to look good after a day of hauling wood or vehicles when I go out to dinner that night.
I going to do the body work on my '74 cause the old guy that had it before used it for wood haulin and banged the bed lip down. I'm going to fix it 'cause I want it to look good, even though it's a truck. Not spending $$ on it but my time is worth a lot.

 

The 99-03 years had the worst crash test results of any model year of 1/2 ton trucks. They used plastic EVERYWHERE. This was more or less corrected in 2004.

YouTube - ‪2001 Ford F-150 frontal offset test‬‏

YouTube - ‪Crash Test 2004 - 2008 Ford F-150 Pick-up (Frontal Offset Test) IIHS‬‏

and again improved upon in 2009

YouTube - ‪Crash Test 2009 Ford F-150 XLT Super Cab (Full Frontal) NHTSA‬‏

 

Don't get me wrong - I'm careful in loading and using my trucks so as not to trash them, but I don't get all worked up if they get dented like some guys do.

My trucks will also most likely be painted by me as well since a 20/20 paint job is fine for them. I'd hate to spend any real money on the paint just to get the stuff Mexican pinstriped (all the scratches down the side from the brush in mexico - makes the truck look like it got keyed 15 times) the 1st trip out.

Also I'm much more about the sleeper and working capabilities of the truck than the looks, so as long as the thing can function the paint and stuff like that is secondary. It is ALWAYS last on my looooooong list of wants for the trucks.

And I hear ya on time being $$. I am limited on both so my focus goes to fabrication and making the trucks tough rather than body work (which I suck at).



*edit* oh and since the crash test info came up while I was writing the above response I'll add to this. When I said 99-01 I meant the super doodies. I lost all respect for the F-150 after 96 and wouldn't own anything later than that when it came to a 1/2 ton. They look like crap now and are more plastic than the bigger trucks...

 

Fair enough Chase.. To each his own. Personally I prefer the newer trucks. My life was saved by a 2005 F150 (long story) but when the firefighters saw me standing on the road when they walked up they thought I was a by standard. They even said they thought they were going to have to pull bodies out. My worst injury; a seat belt bruise.

 

Mexican pinstripes are stripes of honor for my trucks.
Doesn't mean I'm not gonna polish them out when I get home.
I understand your point of view regarding fab aspects and engine swapping. My brother is planning a Cummins swap in his '79 right now. Gonna be a beast!
Nothing better than an old truck that looks AND works great.
The new trucks are pretty damn nice too.
Even though the registration $$ sucks. Thanks to our California legislating scum that have raised rates endlessly.
But I'm not bitter!

 

Hey Chase, one more thing about the new trucks.
Have you checked out how much room there is now in the cabs?
Unbelievable compared to the old.

 

I rode to vegas and back in a '09 I think. Might have been an '04. They all look the same to me now. Anyways -it was ok. Didn't seem like anything more than either of my '74's though. I do know the floors are a bit lower so the rear seat in the crews have a little more leg room but it's noth like they're the Dodge Mega cabs or anything.

Still, I much prefer the simple, older, metal dashboards and interior to the plastic wonderland that is now trucks. Sure the seats are a little more comfortable (not by a ton though) than the old ones, but new seats are easy to put in. My crew will have all power seats out of an '02 in it.

So yeah, I'm gonna have to disagree on liking the new trucks due to interior.