Thinking about getting a farm pickup

[quicksandfarmer]

Regular cab is fleet and old man truck only now.

"Old man truck" sounds perfect!

I do a lot of carpentry and woodworking, I want to be able to carry sheets of plywood without having to make a production out of it. Which I think means a long bed.

I'd value agility more than carrying capacity, I have a lot of tight spots. So I'm looking at mid-size. But a mid-size with a long bed, with width between the wheel wells for a sheet of plywood seems to be a unicorn.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Regular cab is fleet and old man truck only now.

I must be older than I thought.

My next Ram will likely be a 2-door with the 204.5" wheelbase.

 

[deserteagle71]

I must be older than I thought.

My next Ram will likely be a 2-door with the 204.5" wheelbase.

204.5" wheelbase in a 2-door??? How long is the bed going to be?

 

[Too many Kubotas]

204.5" wheelbase in a 2-door??? How long is the bed going to be?

That's only about 2.5 feet longer than what I have now, although it's a crew cab with a 9' bed.

Since I never use the bed anyway I'd build something to hold taillights, fenders, and toolboxes, plus a spare and an auxiliary tank. And obviously a gooseneck hitch.

Been meaning to build a "bed" like that for the current Ram, but with a 2-door there would also be room for a sleeper of some sort. If my measurements are correct, even a short camper would fit ahead of the trailer ball, but just barely.

 

[not2old]

Ford still makes a Supercab. It has the smaller back seat and smaller rear doors that are suicide style. They also have a 6.5 foot bed and at one time you could get an 8 foot bed with one and I think you still can. They come in F150’s and Superduty.

I’m pretty sure Ram no longer makes an 8 foot bed in half tons but do in the 2500 line, I’m not sure about Chevy.

If you are willing to travel, you can find a regular cab with an 8 foot bed but as you discovered they are rare.

Ford is the only one making an extended cab (super cab)with an 8 foot bed. It hasn't been available in a half ton with Lariat interior for several years and starting in 2025 is no longer available,in a 3/4 or 1 ton. You have to buy the most basic two models to get one. I got one of the last three F350 Lariat diesels available in western Canada with the smaller back seat and eight foot box. Now I have to learn all about all the electronic crap that comes on them.

 

[NoTrespassing]

"Old man truck" sounds perfect!

I do a lot of carpentry and woodworking, I want to be able to carry sheets of plywood without having to make a production out of it. Which I think means a long bed.

I'd value agility more than carrying capacity, I have a lot of tight spots. So I'm looking at mid-size. But a mid-size with a long bed, with width between the wheel wells for a sheet of plywood seems to be a unicorn.

There are plenty of regular cab/8ft. bed F150 work trucks out there, even 2024 models. Just go to autotrader and do an advanced search.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Now I have to learn all about all the electronic crap that comes on them.

And enjoy 20+ pages about child seats in the manual.

 

[BlueKnife]

But a mid-size with a long bed, with width between the wheel wells for a sheet of plywood seems to be a unicorn.

It certainly is. 4 ft. between the wheel wells puts it into the category of full size. If a mid size could do that, it would have to be magical, like a unicorn. You can still easily haul a few sheets of plywood with a small or mid size pickup though. Just leave the tailgate up.

 

[MossRoad]

"Old man truck" sounds perfect!

I do a lot of carpentry and woodworking, I want to be able to carry sheets of plywood without having to make a production out of it. Which I think means a long bed.

I'd value agility more than carrying capacity, I have a lot of tight spots. So I'm looking at mid-size. But a mid-size with a long bed, with width between the wheel wells for a sheet of plywood seems to be a unicorn.

Suburban

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Or a Chevy Kingswood wagon from the early to mid '70s.

 

[MossRoad]

"Old man truck" sounds perfect!

I do a lot of carpentry and woodworking, I want to be able to carry sheets of plywood without having to make a production out of it. Which I think means a long bed.

I'd value agility more than carrying capacity, I have a lot of tight spots. So I'm looking at mid-size. But a mid-size with a long bed, with width between the wheel wells for a sheet of plywood seems to be a unicorn.

In all seriousness, I brought home everything for our 24'x24' garage in our 2003 Suburban with the exception of the rebar (20' lengths), concrete blocks (I had 48, could have skidded them or hand loaded them into the back) and shingles (I had over a skid for two garages and a shed), only because I have a car hauler trailer and picked up those items all at once. I could have had them skidded into the back of the Suburban, but just like a 1/2ton pickup, I'd have had to make 2 trips. I had the roof trusses delivered.

All plywood, OSB, 2x4's up to 16', garage door, sacks of concrete, 2xX headers, service door, all the nails, screws, hardware, vinyl siding, etc...

Just removed the rear seat and folded the mid-seats down.

It's also my daily driver most days. Taken family on several vacations. Been on many 12 hour drives and an 18 hour drive in it as well. I just couldn't be happier with the versatility, and as mentioned before, couple an 18' car hauler trailer with side boards and it can haul my tractor as well.

Anyhow, good luck on your search.

 

[MossRoad]

Or a Chevy Kingswood wagon from the early to mid '70s.

I have a relative that used to bring several thousand pounds of letterpress printers back and forth between Florida and Wisconsin every spring and fall in one of those!

 

[not2old]

There are plenty of regular cab/8ft. bed F150 work trucks out there, even 2024 models. Just go to autotrader and do an advanced search.

My trucks have always been a proper work truck but all have been Lariat models. My theory is that everybody my taxes employ have airconditioning and deluxe interiors with all the bells and whistles. If all the elected officials, the police chief, fire chief, etc. have the nice stuff, I'll be dambed if I'm not going to have that too, and make it tax deductible.

 

[deserteagle71]

And enjoy 20+ pages about child seats in the manual.

And 200 pages explaining how to use that 12" screen in the dash that controls your radio/heater/phone..........

 

[not2old]

And 200 pages explaining how to use that 12" screen in the dash that controls your radio/heater/phone..........

I've discovered that if you swear at it, they quit talking to you. It only took me a year to figure out how to fix the heater controls on a 2018 Grand Cherokee without pulling over and stopping after you accidently pressed the wrong "button"

 

[Hay Dude]

My trucks have always been a proper work truck but all have been Lariat models. My theory is that everybody my taxes employ have airconditioning and deluxe interiors with all the bells and whistles. If all the elected officials, the police chief, fire chief, etc. have the nice stuff, I'll be dambed if I'm not going to have that too, and make it tax deductible.

Amen!

 

[NoTrespassing]

My trucks have always been a proper work truck but all have been Lariat models. My theory is that everybody my taxes employ have airconditioning and deluxe interiors with all the bells and whistles. If all the elected officials, the police chief, fire chief, etc. have the nice stuff, I'll be dambed if I'm not going to have that too, and make it tax deductible.

I prefer no carpet and I have crank windows. I'm also fine with the bench seat. The AC quit a decade ago.

 

[Jstpssng]

I prefer no carpet and I have crank windows. I'm also fine with the bench seat. The AC quit a decade ago.

I prefer carpet because it breathes, allowing the insulation underneath to dry. As hard as I try to prevent it I track snow in all winter long. With rubber mats, by spring things were pretty sodden and rank smelling.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I prefer carpet because it breathes, allowing the insulation underneath to dry. As hard as I try to prevent it I track snow in all winter long. With rubber mats, by spring things were pretty sodden and rank smelling.

Interesting hypothesis but not my experience.

 

[Jstpssng]

Interesting hypothesis but not my experience.

There have been many trucks which had the interior ripped out because I couldn't get rid of the smell. I don't have that problem with carpets.