death of regular cab pickups

[big bubba]

if you had a "secure" shell over bed w/tinted windows, would that deter theft in those situations?

 

[hodge]

Ive owned extended cab trucks, and I've experienced the advantages, but they aren't my preference. I like a regular cab with an 8 foot bed- full work capabilities with the shortest footprint- and that's what I'll keep. My truck is an 04 with 50,600 miles on it, and short of a totaling accident (or no gas available to run it), it's what I'll stick with.
Both my father and father in law have late model regular cab F150's. They're still available, but they are hard to locate.

 

[Oaktree]

The only domestic US vehicle i've owned was a '70 Scout. wonderful 304 v8 truck engine, under engineered chassis design...

Not sure what you mean by "under engineered chassis design". My first truck was a '70 IH pickup (also with the 304). It was considered a half ton, but was waay ruggeder than anyone else's half, at least for it's era. Body was a different story...bigger rustbucket than any Japanese truck, and that's saying something.

 

[big bubba]

actually was referring to Scout 1 (304 v8). never had experience IH pickups which were probably much more robust. i understand the Scout 2 (345 v8) addressed some of the weaknesses of the original model. `But the power plant & drive train held to the IH standard.
the IH Scout 1 served me well as a mountain & cattle hauling work horse for a number of yrs, best regards

btw only vehicle i've owned that had a zerk for throw out bearing. scarce even on current ft ends

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I owned a 2007 Dodge Dakota 2x4, with extended cab. Perfect size. With telephone pole section that fit between wheel wells and tail gate, studded snows, locker rear end, and driver skill, I went anywhere I needed to in New England snow.
The tailgate had cable latches so I could lay 4' sheet materials flat, resting on partially raised tailgate, along with notches on sides to fit 2x4's for more support. I own a 2019 Ranger 4 door, and still would rather have the Dakota. More useful, well rounded truck. And with a manual trans, hauled boat like it wasn't there.

 

[big bubba]

Dakota was a mid sized workhorse. considered that as well back when purchasing my current toyota '92 4x4

 

[ruffdog]

Ive owned extended cab trucks, and I've experienced the advantages, but they aren't my preference. I like a regular cab with an 8 foot bed- full work capabilities with the shortest footprint- and that's what I'll keep.

Yep...same here. I can usually find plenty of reg cabs here but mostly in white/red/black.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

The crew cab pickups with 8 foot beds are absolute monsters, and not designed to fit into a single parking lot. I'm OK with them being left out of the half ton market.

I've done pretty well overall with people not messing with stuff in the back of my pickup, but I lost a toolbox at a junk yard in Missouri. And, I had two chainsaws stolen out of the back of my pickup when I did a brief stop at Harbor Freight, during the recent storm cleanup.

The thing is that the aggravation of these petty thefts is far greater than the actual dollar loss. I'd imagine on the black market, the saws would have been worth $25 to $50 each, if that. Nonetheless, it is good to be able to get some stuff locked up inside the pickup.

They stole your saws, because none of the rental places, had saws left. I ended up with a 20-inch electric Chainsaw after a high wind event when I still lived in Las Vegas. The rental places all wanted $100 for half a day. I had gone to HomeDesperate, to see if they had any rentals. I might have paid $100 for a rental. But they had a four day waiting list. Walked over to the garden center, and found the electric on sale for $59.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I started looking for a diesel, standard cab, long bed, with a manual transmission. Ended up with an 08 Dodge 1-ton, mega cab, with a short box, and an automatic, and the factory optional Class V, receiver hitch, a fifth wheel Hitch, and airbags.

It tows well.

And is the second worst thing to move around in traffic I have ever driven. Worst was a 1977, Ford F450, crew cab, with a ten foot utility bed. It was a work truck, without power steering. Or air conditioning in Southern Nevada.