What has been missing from trucks nowadays???

Ahh, yes to stake pockets. Very practical. I can get behind crank windows, however, I dig the electric rear slider in my 3rd gen. I know, my logic contradicts itself.

 

Yeah! - I missed the crank windows and vents - and the low mount mirrors off my old Blazer.........

 

Another vote for the rubber floor. The first time I “ordered” a truck, it had a rubber floor and a manual transmission, but also had leather seats…and a premium sound system….and air conditioning. If I could get that in a Tacoma, I’d be a happy camper.

 

About 1993 a mine welder I worked with a lot - told me he was going to get a new truck - Ford or GM - with the absolute minimums they would supply. The idea was that the truck would be full sized, have an initial warranty and cost the absolute bare minimum. He was eventually helped out (?) by a fleet sales guy at GMC who got him a contractors fleet truck. I think many have seen them, here in the west it would be as operated in the past by Peter Kewit or one of those road building outfits. I was away for several months - so the next time I saw him, he had the truck - in fact, just delivered.

It was "highway yellow" with a white front bumper (and no rear -deleted), two doors, rubber floor cover, no glass tint, no radio. Pizza cutter wheels and tires, manual steering and brakes, three speed manual trans, six cylinder engine, small gas tank and skinny radiator. Absolutely the minimum possible equipment GMC could provide and drive off the delivery truck. I was surprised it even had wiper blades....... about $8500 bucks.

Over the years he and his son made steady visits to the local salvage yards. They just kept adding the factory stuff that was dirt cheap and bolted right on. It was eventually made into a pretty nice daily driver - and I think his kid took it off to Laramie to college (still yellow though).

 

Similar to my Tacoma, though I bought used it is a single cab which is already known for having minimal frills. Slowly added what I wanted to it over time.

I've always been a minimalist with vehicles. Probably b/c I drove so many older cars and getting something about 10 years old with power goodies is about the time those things start to go downhill.

 

Yeah, I used Valet at a "fancy" restaurant in Del Mar, Ca. because there wasn't any other parking. When it was time to leave and the Valet brought my truck around...some "A-hole" waiting for his vehicle made a comment
about my truck. I told him, "You know what, even you would look good in a truck" He just stood there looking at me. I think this was during Horse Racing Season at Del Mar, probably some goon from L.A.

 

I drove a 1965 Ford F-100 step side that was Highway Dept. truck at one time, painted in Orange. Straight 6, best damn truck I ever owned. Sold it to a brother of one of my friends, he drove it for years. I sold it because some chick I was dating then didn't like it. Stupid me...

 

I miss the old trucks, manuals, locking hubs. But I do appreciate the modern safety and tech features. This would not have ended well with a 1980 Toyota.

 

the ball Vent. locking gear boxes, and center differentials that I could manually engage. a transmission I can drain and fill in my driveway/ have a dipstick. bed stake pockets.

 

Manual T case.
Fully boxed frame.
Front locker.

 

You beat me to it, the window vents should never have been done away with.

 

Chrome drip rail on top the cab above the doors.

 

^this guy gets old trucks^

I bought a 76 Chevy 4x4 to do my second yard with. It had all the stuff that those that don't know trucks say they want. A 454 with a 4 barrel carb. It sounded awesome and it SUCKED gas like a frat boy chugging beer, and sometimes it would vapor lock, and sometimes it wouldn't start in the cold. An other "plus" was no emission controls. Yeah, that was bullshit too. I parked it in the garage and it smelled like a gas station after just a short time. Do you know why most older homes have garages separate from the house? Because back in the day cars stank to high hell. Still another "plus" was a 4 speed manual transmission. It started off with an unsynchronized granny low followed by three of the slowest shifting gears known to man kind. Did it have an overdrive you ask? No! of course not. How else would it chug gas.

What I do miss is a modern version of a small truck. But, the EPA CAFE regulations make small trucks financial unviable.

 

Can't believe nobody has brought up the "ball chiller" air vent under the steering column.

 

Radio with push buttons haha and a cassette player built in. I will say there is no way you need a 12 or 16 inch screen on your dash, people are way to distracted looking at dumb stuff instead of driving

 

Common sense.

 

I miss the black slammed c10s several of my neighbors had when I was a kid in the 70s, murdered out hot rod truck of my childhood.



And wing windows!

 

3-On-The-Tree. Not. What I miss is how easy and enjoyable it was to work on them. One cam shaft and one chain. No computers.

 

Vinyl bench seats and rubberized floors! (Cloth and carpet starts smelling like smoke, sweat and dog by the end of summer.)

 

Solid front axles in Toyota trucks and LC's.

Make a limited run [10-20 K]each year and watch them sell out immediately.

And for the love of all things Holy and full of greasy bits, make a REAL FJ40 type vehicle that the top comes off on. PLEASE!!!!!!