Simple trucks

[BareSteel]

Hi Rip,

It may be time for me to retire my almost-20-year-old GM pickup due to significant frame rust. It's tough here in New York; they really salt the roads and it's challenging to keep the rust at bay. This may have been the last generation of simple pickup trucks: stick shift, naturally-aspirated, crank windows, not too big, no bells & whistles. It'll be tough to see her go for sentimental reasons, too.

Do you have any pointers for scouting out a rust-free simple truck from another State, like Texas or Arizona? The brand new "midsize" trucks like Tacoma, Canyon/Colorado, Ranger and even Frontier are too large for my needs and they are computers on wheels.

Thank you,

[Johnsonville]

If you are looking for new, last year I got a ram 2500 gas and so far really like it. My last Chevy was a 2016 and the transmission went, the shop said they can’t even keep the parts on the shelf for that tranny they do so many. The ram feels like as much of an old school truck as I could find, and was the cheapest, which is why I got it. Furthermore, the engine and transmission have been around for a while and are proven to be reliable.

[mkm5]

Hi Rip,

It may be time for me to retire my almost-20-year-old GM pickup due to significant frame rust. It's tough here in New York; they really salt the roads and it's challenging to keep the rust at bay. This may have been the last generation of simple pickup trucks: stick shift, naturally-aspirated, crank windows, not too big, no bells & whistles. It'll be tough to see her go for sentimental reasons, too.

Do you have any pointers for scouting out a rust-free simple truck from another State, like Texas or Arizona? The brand new "midsize" trucks like Tacoma, Canyon/Colorado, Ranger and even Frontier are too large for my needs and they are computers on wheels.

Thank you,

What are you using the truck for? Snow plow, off road, daily driver, hauling heavy loads, towing, all of the above?

[Jenni]

Hi Rip,

It may be time for me to retire my almost-20-year-old GM pickup due to significant frame rust. It's tough here in New York; they really salt the roads and it's challenging to keep the rust at bay. This may have been the last generation of simple pickup trucks: stick shift, naturally-aspirated, crank windows, not too big, no bells & whistles. It'll be tough to see her go for sentimental reasons, too.

Do you have any pointers for scouting out a rust-free simple truck from another State, like Texas or Arizona? The brand new "midsize" trucks like Tacoma, Canyon/Colorado, Ranger and even Frontier are too large for my needs and they are computers on wheels.

Thank you,

That's too many things. The Santa Cruz is a wee little truck and made in Alabama so no salt but you're not getting it in a manual. You sound like my friends when they're talking about what they want in a man. I'm like, "baby that's three men!" Baby, thats three trucks. You don't get small, simple, manual unless you're ready to go "classic". That's different. When I grow up I want a Chevy Custom Deluxe 10, an 80's one with the 4 speed Saginaw.

[Phill]

Does anyone do a replacement chassis for that model?

[mkm5]

That's too many things. The Santa Cruz is a wee little truck and made in Alabama so no salt but you're not getting it in a manual. You sound like my friends when they're talking about what they want in a man. I'm like, "baby that's three men!" Baby, thats three trucks. You don't get small, simple, manual unless you're ready to go "classic". That's different. When I grow up I want a Chevy Custom Deluxe 10, an 80's one with the 4 speed Saginaw.

I had a 1992 Dodge Dakota club cab, 3.9 V6, 5-speed manual, four wheel drive, very capable truck for a smaller size. Also had a '94 Dakota club cab 4wd 5.2 auto, it was a beast in the snow.

Probably getting hard to find these not rusted out, but I found my 5.9 ZJ with 65,000 miles on it almost 8 years ago for $5k. Still driving it, never let me down, northern Michigan salt hasn't gotten her yet!

[mkm5]

I should mention, the first vehicle I ever drove was a 1968 International 4wd pickup truck. 304 V8 no smog crap, just points and plugs, oil changes and some grease.

4-speed manual transmission, granny first gear, the truck was unstoppable!

[Vek]

Last years for manuals in heavy duty trucks...2010 for Ford, 2007 for GM and 2018 for Dodge. I don't know about the smaller trucks. I have a 99 F350 diesel with 6-speed manual and it's up to 462k miles.

I've been reading about alternative undercoating...historically it's been a high build paint coating that traps moisture/salt and rots things worse than nothing. Folks have instead applied various rust inhibitors...one way being similar to old slushing compounds like cosmoline. These are dissolved in a solvent carrier (mineral spirits?) and sprayed. I'm thinking Cosmoline, or CRC-SP400 or similar. Once the solvent evaporates you're left with a hard waxy coating on everything.

Gotta spend the time to find the low-mile grandpa truck from the southwest. Don't know the best approach other than cruising craigslist and facebook.

[Jenni]

I had a 1992 Dodge Dakota club cab, 3.9 V6, 5-speed manual, four wheel drive, very capable truck for a smaller size. Also had a '94 Dakota club cab 4wd 5.2 auto, it was a beast in the snow.

But if the Frontier's too big for him wouldn't the Dakota be as well?

Phill has a point. Can she be rebuilt? Theres at least two cars in my past I wish I'd just redone rather than let go. (Course, there's also that car one puts way too much into when they should cut it loose.)

[BareSteel]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

A local welder said he can cut out the rusted zones and weld in fresh metal. I'm just worried that when he removes the bed, he'll find rust that previously was hidden. I don't want to cause a safety risk for myself or others. A full frame swap would solve this, but they are difficult to find.

My dad taught me to drive stick on this truck and how to change oil. I learned a lot more over the years, too.