What started it all...?

[killthewabbit]

Nice truck, Harnalien.

Great thread to bring back from the dead. This one's one of my favorites.

[SBTork]

Originally Posted by harnalien

it was this truck for me, something about it.

there is something about that truck.

[69face]

Originally Posted by harnalien

it was this truck for me, something about it.

daggumit!!! something about it is right! mine was all of you guys and your lovely trucks. i started coming to the site to look at ways to build my 69 shortbed and low and behold are pics and builds, and then kens(n2trux) truck. i've been hooked ever since.

[nico]

It all started for me with my dad's 84 white/blue SWB. It was the first vehicle I ever drove and he let me drive it when we hauled off trash and limbs. He sold it when I was 13 and I was heartbroken. It ended up at a neighbors, who sold it to the dad of one of my friends, who sold it to a girl in my graduating class, who sold it to a used car lot, who sold it in Dallas, TX at an auction where it was bought by another local. Since he bought, we have become good friends and will soon start the restoration on it...

In the mean time, my dad found me another similar (only tan) 84 SWB and I have been hooked ever since. Since purchasing mine, my brother has bought an 86 K5, another K5 with his girlfriend and an 80 Big 10, not to mention a variety of other parts trucks...

Everyone in the family agrees that mine should be painted the (dealer option) white/blue two-tone...

[f.monroe]

I will add mine but it isnt as good as most of the above . I grew up in the city but we were always at relatives houses in the country . We always went in which ever piece of junk my dad was driving at the time and it seems it was always some old GM truck . We rode in the back of the truck most of the time , even on trips from Houston . We were lucky since looking back that is a little dangerous . The first truck my dad had that was nicer was a 77 short bed that was silver with a red interior . It became my truck in school . It took me all the way through High School and Technical School in Grand Prarie , My first real job, etc . I had it painted , then added a big block after several small blocks . I tubbed it in the 90's . I have always had a 73-87 since the first one and even though I am a muscle car fan , I have trucks . I will probably always have at least one . Wouldnt feel right without one . I actually like driving the 70's trucks better than my Crewcab . Frank

[Pushrod226]

When I was 18 my Pop had a 77 stepside 4x4 witha caddy 500. I loved drivin that truck. I picked up a 2wd stepper for myself about 3 years later. Had it for 8 years now. Thanks for the good times Pop....

[sqrbdy]

Originally Posted by spudz

I just like em.

I don't think I could have said it better myself.

[Grande Rojo]

remember that song by joe diffe?

Well I got my first truck, when I was three,
Drove a hundred thousand miles on my knees
Hauled marbles and rocks, and thought twice before
I hauled a Barbie Doll bed for the girl next door
She tried to pay me with a kiss I began to understand,
There's just something women like about a PickUp Man

When I turned sixteen, I saved a few hundred bucks
My first car was a Pickup Truck
I was cruisin' the town and the first girl I seen
Was Bobbie Jo Gentry the homecoming queen
She flagged me down and climbed up in the cab, and said
"I never knew you were a Pickup Man!"

You can set my truck on fire, and roll it down a hill
But I still wouldn't trade it for a Coupe DeVille
I've got an eight foot bed that never has to be made
You know if it weren't for trucks we wouldn't have tailgates
I met all my wives in traffic jams,
There's just something women like about a Pickup Man

Most Friday nights, I can be found
In the bed of my truck on an old chaise lounge
Backed into my spot at the drive-in show
You know a cargo light gives off a romantic glow
I never have to wait in line at the popcorn stand,
'Cause there's just something women like about a pickup Man

You can set my truck on fire, and roll it down a hill
But I still wouldn't trade it for a Coupe DeVille
I've got an eight foot bed that never has to be made
You know if it weren't for trucks we wouldn't have tailgates
I met all my wives in traffic jams,
There's just something women like about a Pickup Man

A bucket of rust, or a brand new machine
Once around the block and you'll know what I mean

You can set my truck on fire, and roll it down a hill
And I still wouldn't trade it for a Coupe DeVille
I've got an eight foot bed that never has to be made
You know if it weren't for trucks we wouldn't have tailgates
I met all my wives in traffic jams,
There's just something women like about a Pickup Man

Yeah, there's something women like about a Pickup Man.

Owww, Drive that pickup son...

[jjgmc]

ill take the orange too,the guns really set it off

[84 400]

ow great thread.

For me it all started with a 80's SwB 4x4 with a plow that my local camp had. It had the red and black from the factory paint and sat so low it looked like a two wheeler. The rear bumper was bent and it was beat but i really like the looks. Now i have had two of these and like them all the more. sure not for everyone but I like my truck. Even my neighbors like my truck and every time some one stops over they comment on it telling us stories of the ones they had. Not many are into these trucks but everyone who has talked to me likes my truck because it is simple and clean. That gives me motivation and ofcours a big smile every time we drive it around .

[higgiec10]

this is what got me back into c10s

[HanSoloWS6]

What got me back into 73-87's was thinking back to when I had my '73 3/4 ton 2wd with 3 on the tree and a 250 6cyl. It was my first "car". My dad and I bought it for about $250 with a bad clutch. We towed it home and the next day pulled the tranny out and replaced the clutch and rebuilt the transmission, a 3spd Saginaw. I drove it a few times to Pittsburgh and all over Dayton, OH until I wanted to try to rebuild it. But my dreams out numbered my budget and I ended up parting it out.

Then my dad bought a '79 from someone I worked with, for $500. It just has some things that it neded replaced to pass the sniffer test and he drove it for about 8 years on the 3 spd and 292 until it grenaded. I replaced it with a 305 that I rebuilt and a 700R4 from a Caprice. It had/has carb issues, fuel tank leaks and the starter fried, so it's sitting in his driveway. If the body wasn't hammered I'd buy it from him for the engine and transmission, but 305's are boat anchors lol.

Now, I have my '82 6.2 with a 4 speed. I loved driving the truck except when the transmission started having problems. Now it's sitting behind my barn waiting for me to either get it running again or start to tear it down for restoration.

I've loved these trucks since before I could drive and hopefully I can keep my current one long enough to finish it and pass it down to my son when he starts driving.

[flamingbig10]

I don't know what started it for me, all I know is I started with a truck that needed to be put down and parted out to what you see now
The painter that painted my truck wanted to do a experiment paint job and I said go ahead

[78BO]

Well I'm with the majority here. I'm 37 and the first FAST car I ever road in was an old squar body chevy my dad had. He would let me drive on the farm (took out the smoke house one day when I thought I had it in first, it was reverse!). My grand paw had one too that I hauled hay in. All of my hot rod buddies in shool had them. I was alway a car guy but I've always said I would build my own. Now I'm starting. This seems like a great board and I'll have tons of questions along the way. Thanks Bryan

[87Lowrider]

I don't know how I missed this thread last fall! Some great stories here.

I'm 44 now and just recently related my love of the 73-87 year trucks to my childhood. I remember growing up between Kentucky and Florida. My grandfather had a '74 3/4 ton chevy truck with a camper. It had a 350 I remember and dual gas tanks for the long trips. He always towed a boat or trailer behind the truck.

I remember sitting in the truck playing with his CB radio, pushing every button in there. He would always say; "Boy, you're gonna be a button pusher some day". I'd just smile and keep playing. I was 10 yrs old at the time. He had that truck through the 80's but I had already enlisted in the Navy in '82 and was gone when he eventually gave it to his son. My grandfather died in 1991 while I was in Saudi during Desert Storm. He was one of my heros!

So, I was naturally attracted to this era of truck. My first was a '86 Chevrolet Blazer in 1997 which I drove the wheels off of in the Fire / EMS / Rescue services here in Kentucky. Then, I found another '86 but this one was a GMC Jimmy. I drive it daily now as my work vehicle and still work in Fire / EMS. Then last year, I hit the jackpot when I found the '87 SWB. It was already lowered but still needed some attention and a smokin' BBC, which I've just completed the install of. It's going to it's first cruise in this weekend.

By the way, my grandfather was right, I am a professional computer geek now.

I'm hooked forever

[ocbaud]

well

i got mine when i was 16, so i had to do something with it

i knew nothing about cars when i got it. my family wasn't really big into cars, though a few of my really good friends were.

truck wise though, i would have to go with this blacktruck the most

and of course the 3 hottest trucks at the meet at the time

[andresco50]

Dad had trucks and I love the full sizes only and My first ride was a truck I bought a 1998 c10 in 2004 when I was 19, since then I love trucks now I have 3 full size trucks and I love'em

[Rooster's82]

My family lived in Texas between 1984-1987 I was 4 when we moved there. My Father was a Forester for a company called St. Regis. The company gave him a 1980-82 c-10 with a big brush guard and winch to drive. My father loved the truck and the job. I remember it being a happy time.
I was too small to see out the window so I would sit on my father’s brief case. No car seat or even seat belt...I remember my dad hitting the brakes hard and flying forward and bouncing my head off the dash. I asked him about it and he said he was happy that it had one of the "new" padded dashes. Things sure were different back then. My dad would even let me sit on his lap and steer the truck.
He ended up buying a brown/copper c-10, I don’t remember the year, but it had a topper. We would put a mattress in the back and make the trip to Madison WI to see the family once a year, usually around x-mas. It would be freezing cold in the back and my mom and sisters would be snuggled together warm and safe under blankets, while I was up front helping my dad drive. Sounds rough but it was so much fun, a young happy family together. I have a lot of memories from that time and most of them have something to do with the trucks.
Anyways St. Regis was bought out by another company and my dad’s job was eliminated and we ended up selling the truck and moving back to WI. My father never owned another truck.
Just about 5 months ago I bought an ’82 c-10 to move my motorcycles around. I thought I was just going to buy a work truck that was going to be used here and there. Well when I started cleaning it up a little all my memories started rushing back and I fell in love with it and now it drains my pockets.

[AceX]

ttt