When talking to older people one common theme is how times used to be simpler. In many ways they are right: cell phones, personal computers, and I-pods were a Buck Rogers fantasy not all that long ago.
Such sentiments can also apply to the automotive world. For somebody looking to purchase a new pickup in 1970, as my father did, the choices were pretty simple. Were you a Ford, Chevrolet, or Dodge man? Six-cylinder or V8? 8′ bed or 6 1/2′? Automatic or manual? After that, pick your color and you were finished. The order sheet was about the size of a postcard.
So have things changed? Yes. While each of the three traditional pickup manufacturers (Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge / Ram / Fiat – whatever it is this week) claims to sell a regular cab pickup as per their “build your own” on their websites…
…good luck actually finding one.
Last summer, knowing I truly needed to change out vehicles, I started thinking about what would be the most logical for my situation. A pickup was on the definite list, but what sort? The options now are much more vast (i.e., less simple) than in 1970 or even 1995. I didn’t see the logic of an extended cab, let alone a crew cab, pickup – I wanted an 8′ bed! Having just sold my $400 pickup after 4 years of use (another story for another day), I reasoned another regular cab pickup was the wisest choice. It would allow hauling all sorts of odds and ends as well as pull the occasional trailer. My only necessity would be to have 4 wheel drive as I am one of the lucky ones who gets to go to work when the weather gets bad.
Soon after, I experienced a profound moment of what I later diagnosed as brain flatulence: I stopped at a Ford dealer. This dealer claims to have the largest selection of new F-150’s in the state. Pulling into the lot, I found most of their pickups resembled this red one.
The salesman was a real chipper fellow, skipping out to greet me before I even had my rig in park. He asked if I was looking for a pickup. Indeed I was. He proudly informed me they had 325 new F-150’s on the lot, so what I wanted was undoubtedly available. Smiling coyly, I looked him in the eye and said I sought a regular cab with 4 wheel drive and a V8. His face dropped. There were none to be seen. We both knew it. Looking much less smug all of a sudden, he asked me to hang out there and consider that Platinum F-150 SuperCrew for a minute while he went to see what they had.
After waiting long enough to start entertaining my departure, he came rebounding back from the sales building. He said he had just the ticket and it was on its way. When asked if it was 4 wheel drive, he stammered that it wasn’t, although it was the only V8 of the THREE regular cabs they had in stock.
Just what has happened to regular cab pickups? Where can you find a newer one? With market forces evolving to demand the SuperJumboExtendedMegaCrew Cab pickups from all manufacturers, regular cab pickups appear to be on the Endangered Species List.
I’ve always had the (false?) impression pickups are all about utility. What happened to that?
Perhaps it is personal preference. Sitting up high does have its advantages.
Perhaps it is comfort. Getting to sit in the back seat of an Impala isn’t high on my “want to do” list, and that’s supposedly a full-size car.
Perhaps it is people no longer wanting to risk having four people in the cab and four more riding in the bed. It seems contemporaries and law enforcement alike both frown upon such endeavors.
Perhaps it is driven by the frequent perception of pickups and SUVs having superior safety when compared to automobiles. While not being sure how that perception began, it is real nonetheless. Just take a drive in a snowstorm to see who is the boldest (or who has landed on their roof).
Here is but one example of this mindset: Upon the birth of my child some years ago, I told a co-worker how the wife and I were pondering getting a different vehicle as neither her two-door Escort nor my Thunderbird were conducive to baby seats. She started gushing about the merits of having a crew-cab pickup, how safe they were, and it was the only way to go for her hauling around two children and how I should consider likewise. I told her I could fill the need far more efficiently by using a car such as a Mercury Grand Marquis.
Production numbers for pickups more than a few years old have been difficult to locate, especially the breakdown by cab type. Given my experience of a dealer having less than 1% of his inventory in regular cab pickups, it doesn’t appear promising.
When growing up in the 80’s pickups were straightforward. Most people had the 8′ bed pickups with regular cabs. Nobody could find, or would flip the coin for, an extended cab. On occasion somebody had a 6 1/2′ bed, but that was rare. You may or may not have a four-wheel drive pickup.
Life truly was simpler then.
Since my Day of Brain Flatulence I have had a realization. Regular cab pickups are still plentiful. However, all the newer ones seem to have a business or governmental name on the doors…
This use is disappointing but not surprising. These buyers are seeking the highest form of utility and practicality.
When talking to older people you will also hear them reflect on how things go in cycles. In politics, for instance, there is the normal cycle of which party is in power. These old folks also state if you wait long enough things will cycle back to where they started. This is encouraging. I do appreciate regular cab pickups for their versatility and utility.
Plus, we need them. What else can be used to haul firewood?
Used to be, trucks were designed to the standard cab and additional cab space was tacked on. Now, they’re designed to the extended/quad cab and for the standard cab it looks like the extra was just hacked off. Especially the Chevy.
I am 55, and grew up in the era of REAL pickups, not huge cars with a bed on the back instead of a trunk. You could not give me a crew cab or stended cab truck if I had to drive it. Not only are they hideously ugly (I don’t like 4 door cars either, and have only owned one, a station wagon) but they burn absurd amounts of gas, and you can’t get them in a garage. I currently have a ’93 Chevy standard cab shortbed, with 283,000 miles on it. I expect it to last a couple more years, then I will have to decide whether to buy a new one, or replace the engine/transmission in what I have. I am 100% blue collar, and don’t mind driving a cosmetically challenged truck. By then regular pickups will probably be unavailable to the general public, fortunately I know someone who can get me one from fleet sales.
I’m the same age and looking at Buying p/u truck for the 1st time. I have been baffled buy the same issue you pointed out. I do not want to drive around in one of these 4 door Boats, nothing to mention the cost. Im looking at & leaning toward a new F150 Reg Cab now
I agree, the 4-door trucks look ridiculous. Even harder to find than the regular cab full size are the regular cab light trucks. My 4×4 Ranger is my hauler and daily driver, so the extra 5 mpgs make a huge difference over his bigger brother. I guess I will wait for smaller trucks to swing back in favor.
I remember when the Dodge Club Cab came out in the mid 70s. Ford followed shortly, but you still did not see all that many of them. Then you would see an occasional Chevy crew cab. The regular cabs seemed to hang on well into the 90s, but now that you mention it, all of the standard cabs I see are either government, fleet, or old.
I really like those Dodges in your piece.
Thank you. The tri-tone Dodge is the $400 pickup I referred to.
I have a standard cab pickup, a 1994 RAM2500 2WD with Cummins 12-valve diesel. This is my daily driver vehicle. I bought it used in the fall of 2000, when I was still single. My wife had a 2001 Honda Civic. When we had our first kid, the Civic was our “family vehicle”. It was cramped but workable. We could all cram 3-across into my truck when necessary, such as when going camping.
Then we had kid #2. The Civic would no longer cut it as a family vehicle. I considered buying a newer pickup, looked at what was out there, and decided against it. We sold her Civic and bought a 2006 Honda CR-V. It works OK for everyday getting around, but it’s too small to carry all our stuff for camping. I resorted to installing a hitch and borrowing a friend’s box trailer to tow behind it for camping.
Now my wife is back at work. Both kids are in daycare, but at different buildings. In the morning, we each drop off one kid. In the evening, my wife picks up both. If, for some reason, I have to transport both kids, we have to plan ahead so I can take the CR-V or else I have to put one of them in my truck in a not-so-legal fashion.
I’ve never had such difficulties owning a standard cab pickup as I’m having now. I really wish I had a crew cab, but Dodge never even made a true crew cab at the same time that they sold the 12-valve Cummins (1994-98). The extended cab came along in 1995, but you gain so little that it’s not worth getting one, if I could find one locally that’s got a Cummins and is not a 4×4 and not rusted out by now.
From 2004-2008, Ford even experimented with a mini-extended cab in place of the regular cab with the half-ton.
While I’m usually an inveterate traditionalist, when it comes to regular cabs I support their continuance on the options list, but I moved to extended cabs a while ago as I sometimes take along more than 2 passengers and the odd cargo item I want to keep out of the elements.
I really liked Ford’s “mini-extended cab” idea. I owned a late-80s standard cab Toyota pickup. I love that sporty standard cab look, but it was mighty-impractical. Add small speakers, an emergency roadside kit, some snow chains, and —
Wait? What’s that? Oh, we’re out of room behind the seat already. Toss everything else in the bed or the floorboards. Sorry passenger
s.I loved them too! I am 6’6″ and I really like to lean the seat back slightly because of my height. Standard cabs really didn’t allow this with the seat all the way back. The only truck I have owned was a king cab that carried gear but never passengers. It really was great.
I’m the owner of a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD.
I had the luxury of shopping around for a few months before actual purchase, in 2009. My requirements were thus: Regular cab, V8, manual transmission, less than 10 years old, no more than a 3/4 tonner. That was it. No brand loyalty.
I had to drive 200 miles to even LOOK at a truck that fit those criteria.
Want a manual transmission? Better get used to a V6, otherwise you’ll not find one in a 1/2 ton truck (or ANY light duty truck as of 2012. CORRECTION: Ram 2500/3500 can still be had with a 6-speed manual, but only with a diesel)
Want a regular cab? You’ll never get a trim level above “work truck”. Enjoy your AM/FM radio, and praise the truck gods if you got A/C and cruise control.
As it had been a good decade since I’d truck-shopped, I was stunned at the shift (lack of shifting?) that had taken place. What I considered to be a “real” truck (i.e., useful but still with a modicum of comfort) had become a bizarre anomaly, when nary a decade or two before it was de rigeur for any truck lot.
Trucks don’t often get used as trucks anymore. They’re leather-clad kid-haulers with exposed trunks. Thanks, suburban posers, for ruining the market for those of us who actually need trucks to make a living.
“Trucks don’t often get used as trucks anymore. They’re leather-clad kid-haulers with exposed trunks. Thanks, suburban posers, for ruining the market for those of us who actually need trucks to make a living.”
You have hit the proverbial nail on head with those comments. Etch those in stone. Some of us still need trucks. I think 3/4’s of the truck owning populace does not, and the tail wags the dog once again.
One can get a regular cab Toyota Tacoma 4×4 with a 5-speed manual and the 2.7 liter gas four (MSRP of $21.6k). That’d definitely be a custom order through the dealer as I seriously doubt any Toyota dealers actually stock a strippo 4-cylinder 4×4 like that one.
SERVCO Pacific in Hawaii (Toyota) REFUSE to order anything but the upmarket truck models/ car models. Case in point: Friend wanted a base model FJ Cruiser 4×4 and was told they would not even order one unless he paid in full. He walked. In 2009, my wife and I wanted a Venza, but with leather and a four cylinder. SERVCO said they refused to carry those; if you wanted leather, you had to pony up for a V-6. We walked. I think I have seen one base Tacoma 4×4 regular cab on Oahu; most (few) are barged to outer islands. On the contrary, I happen to have a regular cab 2010 Ford Ranger XLT – most of those are X-cabs.
We had 2 F150 regular cabs for 20 years…
A 1988 F150 XL with a I6 and manual, 4WD not needed in the south. Great truck for errands when our Sable wagon was also new. Moved with us to LA< TX, CA, OK, CA, and back to TX. My dad always had company cars, so the truck was seldom used.
A 1998 F150 Lariat 5.4l V8, manual, RWD. A very rare pickup, pretty fancy but my dad used it for a commuter in Houston and then sold it to me when I went to college in Utah.
Sold the 98, and my 90 Integra, in 2006 for my Outback (also manual). Contrary to popular belief, a RWD pickup really sucked in winters, along the Wasatch Front of Utah.
Almost bought a new F150 regular cab at that time, I actually thought the little "cargo" doors were cool.
Like many people with a family and no desire for more vehicles than what will fit in my garage, a super cab or crew cab pickup would be more desireable. However, I don't have much use for a truck since I have a trailer for the Outback and my in-laws have an 89 F350 Lariat crew cab with a 460cid and yes, a manual. Get all 4 rear wheels spinning in 2nd.
But there is nothing better than a regular cab pickup, no matter the length of the bed.
Don’t even get me started on this subject. As well as the ridiculously high beds/tailgates. Here’s my rant: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/01/why-ill-never-buy-a-new-pickup-truck/
I read your rant when it first appeared probably one of the reason I ended up here you made sense and pickups have got ridiculously tall and filled with creature features rather than work fittings.
Seems Eugene is FULL of posers in jacked-up trucks with loud, unmuffled motors… had one riding my rear the other day on West 11th Avenue…
There are a few of us out here who still want a purely functional TRUCK, not a blinged-out-wannabe-SUV… When I had to find a successor for my ’69 F-100, I looked pretty hard, and ended up going back to a (very) used ’95 F-150 4WD, standard cab and long bed. The bonus was the 300 straight six (next to last year for this reliable-as-an-anvil of an engine).
Within ten miles of our farm are two 3-5 year old standard cab, base model pickups for sale, but both have short beds (and automatics). Not interested, thanks for playing…
Unless you want to pony up for a diesel, there are _no_ full-size standard cab, long-bed, manual transmission trucks on the market today (that I know of).
Yep…regular cab, 2wd pick up, 8′ box……put them on the endangered species list.
Get yours while you can, before they become collectables. Seriously.
The flip side of the coin, I as a little kid how unusual it was to see a Crew Cab 4 door truck, especially in the suburbs, every once in a while you would catch sight of one at a construction site or you would see one towing a horse trailer on the highway, I remember parking next to a crew cab 35series GMC High Sierra in the supermarket parking lot and my mother commenting that it “must be custom made” because no one “makes a truck with 4 doors”
You didn’t even see that many Crew Cabs in brochures for trucks from that era.
Shrug. I think my particular truck is even rarer. 1989 F350. Diesel, 5-speed manual, crew cab, long bed, 2wd, single wheels on the rear. Go ahead, try to find a diesel F350 that’s not 4wd, duallie, or both. I’ll wait…
I carry around way too much stuff I don’t want wet or walking away to have a standard cab. One of these days I’m going to take the back seat out altogether, and convert the back half of the cab into a sort of mobile tool shed.
I don’t want a shell, because I regularly haul gravel, compost, and mulch in bulk. Don’t want a utility bed becasue I like the convenience of lifting stuff out of the bed from the sides. Don’t want a short bed because I carry sheets of plywood and/or wallboard too often. The drawback is that it’s 22 feet long, and a pain to park. Takes up a space and a half. In one of those odd bits of seredipity that seems to happen in my life a lot, the curb directly in front of my house is 2-1/2 spaces long…
Here’s the thing – why would you need an F350 frame if you aren’t taxing it in some way by towing or hauling something compact and dense? Single-axle F350 would tax the tires way too much – Firestone/Explorer anyone? Lawyers won’t let them make one anymore. Distributing the load across the tires is the way to solve it.
The vast majority of F350 buyers need the F350’s frame for gooseneck towing duties. Single axle won’t cut it. If you’re filling the bed to the capacity of the frame, you’ll need dualies underneath it to match.
I do haul something compact and dense. Gravel and soil. As configured, it’s rated to around 2800 lbs payload (varies depending on how much fuel I have onboard, but my tare weight is generally in the vicinity of 6200). At the rated load, it drives almost like it’s empty. I’ve had it to 3600, and at that weight I really felt it. And the 18% grade up to my Dad’s went REALLY SLOWLY… But hell, Paul has put more gravel into the back of his F100 and made it work, so I’m not too concerned. I run 80psi in the tires. Duallies would raise the rated load, but I don’t haul heavy loads often enough to justify it, and I don’t want to deal with the widest point of the truck being way behind me.
I can also go rent a big-ass piece of equipment if I need to, and the yard guys are fine with it as long as it’s rated as a one ton. Aside from that, I don’t tow a trailer with it.
Unanticipated bonus: since it’s single wheel and 2wd it qualifies for the regular AAA service, and I’ve had a couple of bizarre failures where that saved me a TON of money on towing.
This is the heaviest load I’ve ever had in it. Didn’t get a chance to weigh it, but the truck groaned when I stepped on the bumper. Based on how it behaved compared to the loads of gravel I’ve hauled, I’d guesstimate it at about 5000. That’s 500 bricks all behind the axle, with 100 more in the cab. The firewood is eucalyptus.
Actually the SRW F-350 uses load range E tires rather than the load range D you’ll find on DRW trucks. So no it takes a serious overloading of the rated GVW to exceed the tire’s capacity. The lawyers haven’t stopped the “1ton” SRW truck you still have to pony up over $1K for the DRWs for a F350 from Ford.
My truck is very similar to Steve’s other than being 460 powered. I too wanted the crew cab to use the back seat area for storage though a couple of times it has had people back there. A CC F-350 is also rated for a higher GVW than a reg or SC truck, another reason I choose it. I wanted the SRW so it was easier to park and I can get it in the tight places where I want to go with it.
Well back in 1970 I drove a 69 chev reg cab half ton. Today (when I drive a truck) it’s a 1991 reg cab half ton chev (s10). Not much changed but I wish it still had a manual. I have driven all sorts of trucks but mostly miss the pipsqueak half ton Nissan with the frozen 4 cyl and 5 speed. Retired now so will just have to see how long the S10 lasts.
I bought it as a retired plant truck. You are right. There was writing on the side before I got it. Vanishing breed. For me things haven’t apparently changed as much as they have for most of you. I hopt that’s good.
Well today I tried something different. I let the tags expire on my trailer so couldn’t use it today. Had to buy hay. Took the truck mentioned above to buy a round bale of hay. The one in the picture (ignore the old guy being a fool) is the second one I tried. The first one was larger and extended beyond the tail gate. I knew I couldn’t get it home without risk of it rolling out the back so I bought the smaller one which I am told weighs 1100-1300 lbs. Next month I will remove the toolbox and buy the big one.
Sometimes all you need is just all you need. Have used extended cabs as a car before but we have a car and this truck. Bought it because the suspension looked as strong as it turned out to be and the 7 foot bed. I think I am happy. It also has an automatic which I don’t normally like but in this case my wife can drive it even with a bad knee.
One thing for sure about choice of trucks. It just all depends.
When I want a car, I want a car (this is why I am musing over the possibility of finding a last-generation Panther before they disappear), and when I want a truck, I want a truck. I don’t recall the entire family ever crowding in the (standard) cab of my dad’s ’60 Chevy stepside. It was his truck to do truck things with. When we wanted to go anywhere as a family, we went in the car.
Just for laughs I went to 5 Ford, 5 Chevy, 5 GMC and 5 Dodge Dealer sites.
Out of the 5 Ford dealers there were 0 trucks that met your criteria
Out of the 5 Chevy dealers there were 3 that met your criteria
Out of the 5 GMC dealers there were 3 that met your criteria
Out of the 5 Dodge dealers there were surprisingly 12 trucks that met your criteria!
Looks like, if you were in Illinois, Ram wants to be your brand!
One of my favorite rigs to this day was a buddies Red and White two tone 90 or 91 F150 XLT Standard cab Long box with a 351. Just the right size.
Oops..
I’ll have to disagree that the trucks of yesteryear had few choices, just like cars they used to have way more choices than you do now.
For example in 1970 at IH you had your choice of 5 engines and 7 transmissions. Each series had at least 2 different spring ratings available for each end of the truck. If you wanted something like a lighter or a clock that was it’s own separate box to check off. Which alternator do you want 37 or 61 amp? Live in a “hot” climate then you might want the “increased engine cooling” package or maybe an trans cooler for your AT. Granted even back then there were packages available so if you for example ordered a camper special you’d get that big alternator, larger radiator, trans cooler along with the highest springs available in that series. How about gear ratios depending on the series you could have 3,4 or 5 choices. Want a little more traction but not a 4wd then check off the trac-lok or power-lok box. Granted the “other pickup” had a few more choices than the big boys but even they had a dizzying choice of power trains and more often than not had long lists of ala carte options too.
My favorite vehicle that I’ve owned was my 1992 Ford F-150 Custom with an 8 foot bed, 300 I-6, 5 speed transmission and a regular cab. I bought it in 1998 and owned it until 2006, I would likely still own it – but a Chevy Dually that pulled out in front of me forced it’s retirement. It was the hardest working, most honest to goodness vehicle I’ve had the pleasure of owning. I could go on for hours why, but that truck did many a tough dirty job without complaint (as it generally got a good wash and wax afterwards).
After it died, much like you, I found myself looking for a new truck. I had really no limits as I was single with plenty of disposable income, and at the time had my “toy” – a Mazda MX-6 LS – to drive while I looked. Or rather, while I looked in vain.
I would find long box trucks, but they were V-6’s – and that new-at-the-time V6 was sure a dog. One time I found a brand new F-150 XL with nice cloth seats and a 4.6, 2wd, only to call back the next day with my offer ready.. only to find out a farmer had snapped it up already.
I ended up with another ’92, the only decent regular cab (in fact quite nice) I could find. XLT, 302 V8.. but an auto and a shortbox. I sold it after three years of ownership, and the whole time I missed my old F-150. When I replaced it our third child had just arrived so I figured if I was going to be stuck with a quad cab, I’ll just get something smaller. Now I have what’s in the picture, a cherry ’03 Dakota Quad Cab 4×4 that I actually like quite a bit.
Until I have to haul something in it. Sure the low bed sides are nice, as is the fact that it’s actually a truck. But man that bed is small.
I’ve entertained thoughts of ordering a new F-150 – XL please – with the 5.0 in 2wd guise. Until I keep seeing the price. Just.. wow.
My dad has a ’99 F-150 XLT, regular cab 4×4 with the Off Road package, V8 (4.6) and – you guessed it – the long bed. He’s said he’ll never replace it.
I don’t blame him.
Of course no sooner do I do that, do I go back to Ford.com and re-build an F-150. 8 foot bed, XL, 5.0, 6-speed auto, 3.55 locking rear, and no options. $25,000.
How many are near me?
🙂
I’d like to hear more about the $400 truck…
It’s on my agenda, however too many of my posts so far have evolved around what I do or have owned, so I’m holding off for a while. Stay tuned!
Bought a 2004 F150 Heritage in 2006, good deal at less than $12,000. Standard cab, crank windows, bench seat, vinyl floor, 4.6 V8 automatic, 2wd. Has AC and a CD player and seats are covered with some old Mexican rugs. 8ft long bed was replaced by a C&M brand 8.5 ft flatbed courtesy of a neighbor who hit my truck and paid for the upgrade and even though it is only a 2wd it has hoop steps courtesy of a multi-racial 5ft 2in beauty who was too short to comfortably get into the cab with me. (That’s OK Angel, you look good on a bench seat.) Dynomax cat back dual exhaust system was sitting on my porch when I got home tonight. Can’t wait to hear the mellow tone of dual pipes.
I have owned and driven standard, extended, and crew cab pickups and it is very clear why almost nobody but the government is foolish enough to buy them: there is no interior storage space, the seats cannot recline, and you cannot haul more than 3 passengers. Standard cabs have LESS utility by every measure, and since pickups are by definition a utility vehicle the standard cab is less pratical. The standard cab may make sense if you have no valuables, friends, family, or desire for comfort but most retail buyers don’t fit into that very small box.
If you are still determined to buy a standard cab no frills pickup find a dealer with a large fleet sales department and you can make your masochistic desires come true! Rubber floors, vinyl bench seats, long beds, and all in a nice shiny white paint. Probably only white paint.
I remember driving a late ’60s standard cab with the gas tank behind the seat!
Between my wife and me, we’ve owned 4 pickups. 3 have been crew or extended cabs, and for where we live, the extra cab space seems to make sense.
My first was an 84 Ranger with the 7-1/2 foot bed and no extra cab. It usually wore a cap, and I seldom had extraneous stuff in it. I lived in the city (well, suburbanish) and loaded the goodies for trips.
Julie’s first was a Toy 86 with extended cab. She put a fair amount of stuff in the back, tools, blankets and such. Considering it replaced a Citation, her lack of faith in reliability was understandable.
The Ranger ate its third set of valves (2.8 engines were tough on them) and it went to the local Salvation Army, where it became the prized possession of a yard contractor (shoestring variety). I saw it around for a while. Lord help him on smog inspection days.
The Toy came to me when Julie got the 98 Ranger with Barbie-doll jump seats in the extended cab. More stuff in back, and I’ll raid the socket set when the barn is just too far away from the garage (it’s about 600 feet–a long distance in a snowstorm). The Toy went to the pick-n-pull dealer when we moved. Still running, but it needed a wheel bearing and a new driver’s seat.
When we moved to Klamath County, my current ride was an ’02 Focus ZX5 that was wonderful, but wildly unsuited for our rural life. We found an 03 Chevy 4 x 4 marked down for end of model year. I didn’t seek out the back seat, but we could use more passenger space at times, and the pickings were slim. We moved just after Ford had its end of year blowout, otherwise we’d be talking about a 4 x 4 Ranger.
As it stands, the Chev does all the crap jobs. Today I got lumber for garden potting tables, concrete blocks for an outdoor workbench, roofing materials and more potting soil and such. If I have to get 15 mpg on a 80 mile round trip, I’m going to get the most use out of the trips. As it stands, the back seat was full of coolers. When I get diesel for the tractor, I carry all food in the cab. Cell service is spotty in the canyons, so we carry at least a minor tool kit, emergency supplies and blankets. I’m not a big fan of truck boxes (I have both a cap and a lumber rack on the Chev), so the survival stuff tends to stay in the back of the cab. Towing straps, chains and flares will go in the bed if there’s room. I use a 20mm ammo can to carry that stuff.
I’d like to swap out the Chevy for something a bit less painful to fuel, but that’s not going to happen for a while. I looked at Toyota’s website, and if the Taco is available in a regular cab, they hide that fact quite well. I’d prefer an 8′ bed (I have 6.5 feet in the Chevy and the Ranger), but I can work around that. I generally need the extra stuff in the cab. Sigh.
Just seen on the way home. Too bad I couldn’t get a shot of the front. Grille’s all blacked out.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. My 2011 Silverado Extended cab is my only vehicle. It is-
Used as my personal vehicle. 2 Adults and a yellow lab in the household. No way is the dog riding in the back of the truck, he’s convinced he is human and has the backseat to himself.
It’s my office. I manage 72 rental properties. All my records and tools travel with me daily. I write off 40,000 miles a year on my taxes in business use of my truck.
I never want a regular cab, plain jane, no A/C, vinyl seat penalty box. I realize for some folks that this might work. For me, load it up with the factory 20’s, XM radio, bluetooth, leather and all the bells and whistles.
Face it folks, the full size extended and crew cab truck is the full size car of the 2000’s. I make no apology for it.
Steps off soapbox..
Re: Face it folks, the full size extended and crew cab truck is the full size car of the 2000′s. I make no apology for it.
Bingo. When a pickup is your primary vehicle, as it probably is for many people that own one today, a standard cab can be quite a hassle. That, in a nutshell, is what I was trying to get across in my post above.
Well, as usual I’m a little different from most people – I’ve always had a thing for regular cab, short box pickups. I’ve had 50 and 52 Fords, 68 and 76 Chevys, and a 71 Dodge in that configuration, and my current truck is a 2003 Silverado. It’s an automatic, but it does have a 4.8-liter V8 with dual exhausts, and not many options except cruise control. It’s the low-line, but the black paint matches the rub strips on the doors and helps the looks a bit as well as the aftermarket wheel cutout trim. It gets regular use hauling craft-show booth furniture and the occasional dump run. I got it in 2005 (I think) and have no plans to turn loose of it. It now has 56K miles on it, and should last me a while longer.
The mega 4 door pickup and everyone can’t live without a Suburban craze can actually be traced back to the 1930s, when almost every car was a 4 door sedan with a big body and space. Over the years, we have downsized somewhat but still desire elbow room in our vehicles. Hence today’s monsters with V8 power you can’t get in an Escort. As long as you can buy all the gas you want, even at $4/gallon, the trend will continue.
I always laugh when I see people talk about how they need their monster truck with the tailgate liftover that’s higher than the roof on my car.
An interesting exercise in demand side/supply side economics. Would more people buy regular cabs if they were on dealer lots? Would more regular cabs be on dealer lots if people bought them? Chicken. Egg.
It reminds me of comments one sees on other auto blogs – comments about wanting a diesel powered sport wagon with a manual. Of course there is no one in the real world (e.g. a buyer with cash in hand) who wants a diesel sport wagon with a manual.
It’s interesting that the article focuses on full sized trucks. I drive a Ranger and even if it were possible to have a regular cab I can’t imagine why I’d want one. Currently, behind the seats, my Ranger is carrying a circular saw, a jig saw, a socket set, my winter “go-a-snowplowing” clothes, a five gallon bucket filled with various and sundry plumbing tools, and 29 empty pop bottles. I can’t leave that stuff in the bed – not even the pop bottles, as they are worth 10 cents apiece in MI.
Were I to ever buy a full sized truck, I’d want a regular cab/8′ bed, because I’d want it to haul a camper. I wouldn’t need space behind the seats. But with a compact PU, I’d infinitely prefer an extended cab.
While the article is about cabs, we can’t get away from the fact that cab configuration impacts bed length. You can always stretch the chassis so the 8′ bed remains, but typically this doesn’t happen with 4 door cabs. Perhaps what is needed is a long term view of the PU’s development. Beds less than 8′ in length were common through the years, and it may well be that the standard cab/8′ bed is a bit of anomaly, or at least only dominated the market for a brief portion of PU history.
Regular cab trucks are quite common around here. I think it has to do with the number of people working in the forestry industry and the amount of farm land.
My brother in law recently bought a new Sierra 4WD regular cab shorty. He loves it and uses it for work. He needed something to get down a lot of rough and dirt roads for his job. After having a Tracker, Tuscon, Mazda B3000, and a Colorado in the past couple of years, he’s finally found a vehicle up to the task.
My wife and I bought a 2011 F-150 SuperCrew last summer. We were in the market for a large travel trailer, and neither my SUV or Ranger would haul what we wanted comfortably (We ended up with a 29′ model that’s well north of 6000 lbs)
In our case, we tried out an extended cab and a crew cab version of essentially the same truck. There was no comparison for a family of 4 with a dog. Bye bye Ranger, hello F-150.
Yes, the bed is kind of small and the box is way too high, but honestly, this is a trailer-hauler for us that my wife uses to putter around town in when we’re not camping.
We’re currently in the market for a piece of land off the beaten path. Most likely I will need a “woods truck” to help clear the land and do work duty. My new truck is too pricey and shiny for that. Laugh all you want, but I have resale value on the brain. It’s been through some serious mud and gotten dirty more than once, but this isn’t why we bought it.
$2k will get me a “real truck” to do the job. I have eyes on a 1996 F-150 long box 4×4 with the 4.9 I-6. As long as it runs and the frame is good, I’m happy. A decent body is a plus.
I really miss my F-150 long box with the I-6 (in my other comment), and I keep trying to find an excuse to get another one. That motor is a workhorse, once I towed a 1968 Galaxie 500 on a gigantic car trailer (think bigger than that car) with a bed full of fenders and other supplies down a hilly highway. It got up every hill, some of them in third going 40, but it got up every hill.
Interestingly by contrast my buddy had a ’00 Z71 Tahoe at the time, with the Vortec 350. The next time we towed that car we took his Tahoe and, ironically enough, it didn’t seem a whole lot different.
That generation of F-150 has a special place with me, and like you, I’ve got a modern crew cab that’s nice and shiny – and I don’t necessarily want to get dinged up. Which is funny, I know. I finally gave up my last one after we too got the lab in addition to the three kids, and I realized that I couldn’t haul even just the eldest kids and dog to the lake while towing with my F-150. Bye F-150, hello Dakota Quad Cab which I actually really like.
However, a buddy just emailed me a link to a local rural dealer who has a ’12 F-150 XL Supercab 4×4 with the 8 foot box (+1), vinyl floors and cloth seats (+1), skid plates (+1!), max tow package (+10!), rear locker (+100), and the EcoBoost (not sure if this is plus or minus). I’m having a very hard time resisting this one considering it’s almost exactly what I’d want, the resale value on my current pickup is very high (and I owe nothing on it).. hrm. Like I said, though, the EcoBoost is actually holding me back. If it had the 3.7 V6, I’d be all over it as that engine is downright impressive, thrifty, and of the three offerings I think it will provide the most longevity.
Problem though, is as Paul pointed out, new trucks are just impossible to get crap out of the bed. That’s one of the many reasons I chose my Dakota, it’s a 4wd that I can actually easily reach over the bedrails into most of the bed on. New 4×4 F-150’s, not so much – and I’m 6 foot 2!
Mine is an XTR, which is a package they don’t sell in the US. Essentially, its a 4×4 XLT with locking rear diff, max trailer tow package, power seats, chrome running boards, sync, and heated mirrors with the signal lights in them.
As for the Ecoboost, mine has one and it’s definitely a plus. The transmission is a little rough, but I guess there’s a reflash to fix the issue that I just haven’t gotten yet. It tows my trailer like it’s not even there. Passing cars on steep hills (4 lane only, of course) is not even an issue while towing. And the turbo whine is nice with the windows down on narrow country roads.
To me, the big benefit to the Ecoboost is that it is so quiet. It just goes about its duties silently, unless you open it up. In campgrounds, I have had to tap the horn more than once because walkers didn’t even know I was behind them. My brother in law can’t say that with his 5.3 Sierra, or my friend with a Hemi Ram.
The power can be a downside, though. I’ve gotten a little over-ambitious on the gas pedal pulling out to pass at 60mph on wet roads. The traction control will kick in, even at that speed.
A 1968 Chevy C-10 2WD 8-foot Fleetside awaits in the garage as soon as I get the house done. Built the way I want it as best I can afford.
Gen III/IV V8 (LSx), overdrive tranny (probably 4 L-60E although I’d love to make it a stick) and some modern creature comforts to make it more enjoyable on long trips.
The bed will be nice but I’ll also keep a mat and some protection for the inner bed sides, so when needed I won’t shy away from the truck’s original purpose, although I won’t be hauling 3,000…or even 500 pounds of dirt in it.
Gotta draw the line somewhere. 🙂
In my part of Kansas I see single cabs fairly often, but they are becoming less frequent. I can certainly appreciate the merits of a few more seats though, squeezing 3 in my little El Camino can get unbearable, especially if the person in the middle is bigger than the average midget.
The same goes for my area here in northwest Arkansas. While they are becoming more rare, single cabs are quite common. And I’m not even talking about older pickups (of which there are a flood, especially 67-72s it seems). Late model single cabs are surprisingly prevalent, in all makes. Every morning as I leave home I pass a brand new white single cab Z71 with lots of goodies.
If I didn’t have a Malaise-era Cutlass with a handy 455 to tow trailers around, I might just be in the market for one just like it!
I learned how to drive 3 on the tree manual trannys on a ’65 Chevy shortbed truck. Had another buddy with a ’70 Chevy C10 longbed 3 on the tree. Great trucks. Both had the 6 cylinder. So much fun to drive.
Rode in a friend’s 2007 F150 4 door. Felt like riding in a Lincoln by comparison.
All depends on what you need. As a kid I always wanted a crew cab long bed (still do) at that time they were rare (thou for giggles check out American standard guide to 4×4’s to see that options weren’t so simple back in the day (check out 60’s dodges for the really crazy stuff) My two favorite truck bodies or short bed regular cab and crew cab dually and I’ve never owned either i did have an extended cab 1995 Dakota and a 1987 xtra cab toyota. The Toyota needed the extra space for my 6’4: frame and the Dakota for throwing the dog in the cab with bed full of gear. I would argue as has been said above in many respects extended cabs may be more practical for certain things then a reg cab. For me with two kids multiple dogs and boats the utility trailer and SUV works best but a crew cab pickup would be next up.
It really is sad that you don’t see many new regular cabs anymore. I hadn’t thought about it until I read this, as I live in an area where it’s not uncommon to see 15-20 year old pick-ups on the road.
At the University where I work, our department has three pick-ups (in addition to two International box trucks). Out of three, one is regular cab, and that’s an F-150. The others are an extended cab Silverado and extended cab Dakota. As a matter of fact, most of the trucks that aren’t older at extended cabs.
For the few that still use trucks for utilitarian purposes, regular cabs are great. When I had my Dakota, I wanted an extended cab because I’d usually have three or four people riding in my truck every day and it was so much easier not being cramped in the front seat. Alternatively, I could relatively comfortably fit four people into the cab of my friend’s dad’s 1984 Dodge Ram (awkward body contact due to shifting aside).
But at the same time, mini-trucks have gone out, too. I think the 2wd Tacoma is about the smallest pickup left. Now that the Mazda B-Series and Ranger have left the market. Wait, isn’t the Ranger gone or going? Anyway, Nissan has gone to even their 2wd being super sized.
I guess I’m an odd sort, though. As I would need a truck just for light truck purposes, I’d much rather have a plain ‘ol Mazda B-Series (like my friend’s dad’s current truck) than an uncessarily large truck with a backseat that would never get used.
Thanks, suburban posers, for ruining the market for those of us who actually need trucks to make a living.
Get off the cross, we need the wood. I loved my pickup, and I rarely hauled anything. Actually I’d sarcastically say thanks to the real pickup truck market for forcing the market to bigger, brawnier, longer, taller trucks.
I grew up around pickup trucks (my dad always had one and so did just about everyone else in Texas, it seemed). On my drive home from work on the day I saw this post, I looked for pickup trucks — I didn’t see a single one without an extended cab or 4 doors, with the exception of a tiny old beater compact truck from the 70s or 80s (Mazda or Toyota)! Regular cab trucks really have become almost extinct! Thanks for opening my eyes!
In 2000, my father went shopping for a pickup that suited his tastes and needs. It had to be cheap, have a manual transmission, steel wheels, a bed long enough to be useful, regular cab, 2wd, and be so stripped that his neighbors’ Honduran gardeners would look on it with pity. It was going to haul dirt, gravel, lumber and junk, all without a thought given to getting it messy or scratched.
After a long search, he finally found a Nissan dealer who swore they could locate such a truck. In the end, they sold him a Frontier with extended cab, body-colored trim, and a lighter. It had been sitting on a SoCal dealer’s lot for nearly a year and was as close as they could get. As a result, they sold it to him for well under the cost of a totally stripped model. The transmission, engine, heck, the whole thing lacks any modern refinement. It growls and clunks into each gear and that’s music to his ears.
Now he swears he’ll hold onto forever as it has been amazingly dependable and would be way too hard to replace in this modern world of $40,000 skyscraper vanity trucks with cabs the size of Ford Fiestas and beds that can’t take a sheet of plywood.
The current pickup is a 2005 (1st gen) Tundra. If you think its hard to find a new regular cab 4×4 pickup on the lot in rural areas, try Los Angeles. The ’94 F-150 was on its third transmission, and I dont even tow, so I was done with them this time. GM was my first choice, from past experience. There was not a gas engine 4×4 regular cab, 8 foot bed Chevy/GMC pickup with California emissions in the entire country. Up to that time, Ive had a ’71 Chevy, ’84 Toyota, ’88 Ford, ’93 Chevy and ’94 Ford, all regular cabs, some purchased new, some used.
Since I now had an 8′ slide-in camper that weighs less than 1000lb, a “half ton” is all that is needed. A friend bought a Tundra to tow his travel trailer and liked it. Longo Toyota, where I had bought the ’84, had TEN 8′ bed regular cab 4×4 Tundras in stock. I plan on keeping it a very long time because I dont think that will ever happen again.
Nice piece. I stumbled onto your post while thinking the same thing. I just bough a new truck, a 2012 Ram, standard cab w/ a short-bed. I traded a 2004 Tundra regular cab with the 8′ bed. I’m pretty sure my Toyota was the only one like it I’ve ever seen in person, but it was as plain jane as a 2004 model truck could be – no power doors, windows, or even carpet on the floor.
When I went shopping for a new truck, I actually wanted something “nicer”, but still utilitarian. I had no need for the extra space of an extended or quad cab, and I just plain like the looks of a standard cab. I also wanted a short-bed. To me, nothing looks sportier (in a truck) than a standard cab/short-bed combo. I found just what I wanted. I had to really look to find a truck that met my desires that didn’t look like it should be driven by someone checking water meters, fixing my toilet or cleaning a pool. Mine *is* white, but it’s pretty sporty looking – it looks a lot like the Ram R/T, I put step-bars on the side, and it looks pretty nice, plus has the interior of the “fancier” quad-cab models with (most) of the amenities, such as carpet, power windows & door-locks, cruise, sat radio, etc. Anyway, I rambled on enough. Enjoyed your post, and for sure, I can relate. I like pickup trucks, not SUV’s with a bed.
I am 16 years od my name is BarrettMahan in the 11th grade I want a job is dot how do I do that.
I have an 08 regular cab. Actually does have 4 doors, however the rear doors only access the 1.5 feet of cargo space behind the seats. 4.2 V6 5 speed.
I dont know i still run standard cabs but i run 2001 and older only my dad bought a ext cab f250 and i can tell you this the passenger room for work is nice but i find extended cabs clumsy even ext cab short bed to a standard cab long bed and i dont need the extra passenger room it also seems standard cabs have a higher GVWR then extended cabs but ive always thought that was a suggestion ive been known to severely overload my standard cab shortbed and still tow pretty good
My new Ford F150 regular cab, 4×4, Short bed.
I want to buy a standard cab truck, I do not want a family car with a bit of trunk space tacked on. I hate the new trucks……I went to the sales lot and they had NO standard cab trucks on the entire lot here in Cartersville. I guess I will have to go used…..
I was poised to buy a regular cab 4X4 GMC Sierra last summer; I decided against it at the last minute and leased a Toyota RAV4 instead. Reason: I have to commute 65+ miles a day to my job in Hartford, CT, and the best mileage of the current crop of full-size trucks still isn’t where it should be; plus, driving a vehicle that large in the city is a pain. I’m waiting a couple of years until I retire and then will indulge my truck fetish.
Today it is not impossible, but certainly a challenge to find a regular cab pickup. Toyota and NIssan no longer make them, and they are primarily offered in trim levels described as “work vehicles.” Chevy and Ford (I don’t care for Dodge and so never looked into them) mislead people on their websites by not stating that a regular cab is only available in 2-3 colors. Can you really build the truck of your dreams?All the real options aer reserved for their luxury liners (Extended cab and crew cab models), and that leads me to my main point: I believe the focus is on crew cabs because there are BIG PROFITS in all the amenities that manufacturers make available in these models, and greater profits in making the larger the vehicle. How else can they justify $50,000 for a light duty “truck”? Beware the package game – overpricing on packages that frequently contain features you don’t want, need, or may never use. I can’t believe the price of many of these vehicles – $55,000 is more than a bit over the top for a truck. I bought a brand new Chevy Blazer in 1976 for $5,500.00. 1000% increase! Where does that leave the average consumer that just needs a basic truck for work, or just trips to the dump, the lumber yard, the college dorm, etc.? Everyone involved in bringing these beasts to market–the manufacturers,the finance companies, the banks – are rolling in the extra income from these luxury liners.
Next year Ford is purportedly bringing their Ranger back – the new Chevy/GMC Colorado, which is only available in crew and extended cabs, has them scared silly that they are missing out on that portion of market share. But watch-it will not be available in anything other than an extended or crew cab, and it will have more creature comforts and amenities than you can count. Although their catalogue will show a basic entry level model for around $24,000, try and find one on the lot, where nothing will be available for less than $32,000 – and about 20% of that asking price will be for features you don’t want and never knew you needed on your way to the dump.
Just needed to replace my 1985 F150 4×4.Went to a garage owner who goes to auctions.I wanted what I was selling, but in better shape.After six weeks, nothing.
All of a sudden, I realized every truck is now a short, ext. cab, lazy-boy on wheels!
I haul a lot of firewood, coal and other large, heavy stuff.
Finally found a 1992 F150 4×4 long bed, reg. cab,manual trans. with a 300 (the motor you can’t kill.) And a good frame and body! Couldn’t be happier- for $1,200!!!
Keep your lazy-boys, wimps-I’ll roll with the real truck dogs!
Who is this garage owner that goes to auctions? I want one of those trucks too!!! (I6 300ci, manual trans, 4×4)
I love 3/4 ton, reg cab, man trans, long bed, 4wd trucks.
My all time favorite trucks are the 80’s Chevy K20’s.
Unfortunately those trucks die every day, and are being replaced by these soft body, weak azz trucks. Sick.
Bought a new chevy a month ago, and i’m too scared to take it off road for fear i might break some of the latest greatest technology. Lol
I bought a new regular cab short bed 2018 F150 4×4. Regular cab short beds are usually only seen as work trucks now. I know of a few used as personal vehicles but not many.
I prefer a regular cab truck… I own two of them, a 2002 Long bed 4.7L Tundra and a 2007 Short bed 5.7L Tundra. I call them the ‘Goldilocks’ of pickup trucks, they are just right for me.
Live in a farming town of around 6500. When you have two of these behemoths angle parked on opposite sides of a side street, the street becomes one way. Not a fan.
Have a 03 Mazda B2300 standard cab p.u. with about 70,000 miles. Will drive until wheels fall off unless they come out with something comparable.
I bought an ex-plumber’s early ’90s Vandura for camping. Just an empty box with two well-worn seats in front. Used it for a few years, and each winter I gutted it and camperized it in a different way. I was feeling limited by the fixed volume of the van, so I decided to get a truck instead. That way I could build a camper I could actually stand up in. My only requirement was a full sized truck with a full sized bed. I phoned about a truck that was advertised only as a ’94 GMC pickup $2500, no picture. The person who answered couldn’t tell me anything except where it was, so I stopped to look since it was near by. Turns out it was a Sonoma, which was not what I was looking for. The guy came out when I stopped to look and he convinced me to take it for a drive. It was a nice looking little truck, extended cab or whatever they call the one with the two jump seats that fold down in back, 5 sp, 4WD, nice rims. I had always assumed whatever beater truck I ended up with would have a V8 and an automatic. After I sold my MG years ago I just drove beaters that I didn’t have to do anything to or care about. After the Vandura the little truck with the 5sp brought back those sports car memories of when driving used to be fun, not work, and it was more about how you got there than if you got there (thus the MG). The truck seemed really solid and it was clear he wanted to get rid of it, so I gave it a good look over, found a few minor things that were ‘wrong’ with it, and got him down to $1250. That was four years ago, and each summer I’ve built a new camper and found new places to camp that no two wheel drive van could ever get to. The 4.3l six has been dead reliable, and so far all I’ve put into it is a new battery and master cylinder, and rear brakes. Those trucks were never known for outstanding milage, but it uses roughly half the gas the old van did. I’ve had so much fun in that thing, I’m glad I didn’t get the full size truck I was planning on; and I’ve decided I’m only going to have vehicles with a stick from now on. The MG consumed so much time and energy, I was burned out on the idea of a car as something fun to play with, and was resigned to a purely utilitarian relationship with vehicles from then on; thus the beaters that I didn’t have care about and could just ditch when they broke. I enjoyed making the van into a little (decidedly down market) mobile palace, and the truck reminded me that driving could actually be fun! How had I forgotten that? That british sports car first fostered my love of driving and tinkering with cars, and then later ruined me for it. Never dreamed it could be re-kindled by an old truck made by GM, the company that made my dad’s boring company cars and the bloated muscle cars my friends and I liked to mock from behind the wheels of our MGs and Triumphs. To me trucks and vans were exactly as valuable as they were useful, and that was it. Now I get that they can be just as fun and every bit as personaly satisfying as those sports cars. I’m starting to see why trucks have become such a big part of the automotive landscape, and how people can miss those standard cabs so much.
I’m finding this article ten years after it was written, when things look even more bleak. Truck interiors are like luxury cockpits, when all I want is a little truck (like the 1996 Tacoma I once owned and loved) with a regular cab, manual windows and locks, and a bench seat. Something for hauling project lumber, not toddlers. What a sad state of affairs.