Vintage Photos Of Trucks At Work And Play — 1950s-1970s

Text by Patrick Bell.

Trucks of the past are featured today, back when you owned one only if you needed one.  There is a good variety of trucks and activities to view, so let’s take a look.

We begin with a 1961-1964 Dodge D100 Sweptline short bed that had a load of teenagers, and apparently some kind of mechanical problem.  Since there was a dude under the dash, it must have been electrical in nature.  It had snow tires on the rear, an aftermarket step bumper, and an Oregon license plate used from 1964-1973.

This basic truck likely had the Slant Six for power, or perhaps someone stepped up to the 318 cubic inch V8.  It did have three pedals, so it had one of the manual transmissions.  In the background you can see the right rear corner of a green 1967-1972 GMC pickup with a camper shell.

A three man team was working a field with a 1957 Chevrolet Task Force 3100 (short bed half ton) or 3200 (long bed half ton) series pickup somewhere in Washington state per image notes.  It was close to new and did have a Washington license plate used from 1954-1957.  The workers appear to be a father in the center with his son on the left holding his hat brim.  And on the right was a friend or hired hand.

There were two engine choices for this year; the 235.5 ci Thriftmaster 6 with 140 horsepower, or the 265 ci Trademaster V8 with 155 hp.

A 1954 Chevrolet Advance Design 3100 (half ton) was at a camp site with a man holding a pickaxe.  The truck had a home made camper shell, a radio antenna, and an interesting looking exhaust stack behind the cab.

The standard (and only) engine for the 1954 light duty models was now the 235.5 ci Thriftmaster 6 cylinder with 112 hp.

Here is a different view of the 1954 Chevrolet 3100, showing a water bag hanging from the bumper, and the California license plate that was used from 1951-1955.  The same man was posing, and he had a friend this time.  It is hard to determine if these images were from the same excursion, but the truck sure was muddier in this photo.  Both images were in rural California per notes.

A hunter was out in a 1950-1953 Willys Deluxe Station Wagon scouting for whatever kind of game he was hunting.  It also had a water bag, and an Idaho license plate of unknown vintage, as they used that style of plate on even years from 1958-1966.

These were available in both 2 and 4 wheel drive, and you could choose from two engines in the 1953 models 2WD models; a Hurricane 134.2 ci F-Head 4 cylinder with 72 hp, or a Hurricane 161 ci F-Head 6 cylinder with 90 hp.  Only the 4 cylinder was offered with 4WD.

This one was another 1954 Chevrolet, either a 3600 (3/4 ton), or 3800 (1 ton) series cab and chassis, with a camper mounted on the rear.  It was a professional job, but I don’t see any nameplates for the camper.  Image notes report this was 1959 in Colorado.

The truck had DeLuxe cab equipment and a spotlight, while the camper appeared to have an upper bed across the rear, and a chimney for a stove or heater.

And a lady was about to enter a 1959 Chevrolet Apache 31 series, which was the half ton short wheelbase model.  The bed style is difficult to determine in this view, but I am calling it a Stepside.  It was towing a Shasta camp trailer, and had a 1962 Colorado license plate.

This truck had the standard 235.5 ci Thriftmaster 6, and the horsepower was now up to 135.  Optional was the 283 ci Trademaster V8 with 160 hp.

This Willys Station Wagon was also a 1950-1953 model, and was a basic model with two tone paint and a Colorado license plate issued in Denver.  The image was dated 1962, and the location noted as somewhere in Colorado.

It was likely a 4WD model since it was fording a stream.  They were popular vehicles for this very type of activity.

Here were a couple standing by a 1956 International S-120 (3/4 ton) with 4 wheel drive.  It was towing a camp trailer that looked home crafted, and my best guess on the license plate is a 1959 Indiana issue.

The S-series was a short lived fill in model to give International a more modern pickup while waiting for the all new 1957 A-series to arrive.  Power came from a choice of two overhead valve 6 cylinders; a Silver Diamond 220 ci with 100 hp, and a Black Diamond 240 ci with 131 hp.

We have seen this one earlier this year parked in a driveway with the camper dismounted.  This image does not help with the ID, so I will stick with what I said last time.  A 1963-1966 International 1200A with a long standard bed, with a color coded cabover 10′ slide in camper.

Standard power came from the BG 241 ci 6 cylinder with 140.8 hp, and V8’s were optional in 266 and 304 ci versions.

Two outdoorsmen were out at the lake with a 1961 Chevrolet Apache 20 (3/4 ton) Fleetside with a cabover 10′ slide in camper.  It also had a large, extended step bumper with a trailer hitch, and a nice, safe place to mount the propane bottles.

The Thriftmaster 6 and Trademaster V8 were your engine choices that were carried over from the 1959 model shown above.

Let’s head to town where the weather was warmer and check out a 1965 or 1966 Ford F-100 Styleside long bed parked at the curb.  It had the optional Bright-Metal body side moldings, and a wraparound step bumper that was likely dealer installed.

Engine choices were the same for both years; a 240 ci Six with 150hp, 300 ci Big Six with 170 hp, and a 352 ci V8 with 208 hp.

Now we are off to Daytona Beach, Florida, on a rainy day in May of 1964.  We are looking at a 1962 GMC 1500 (3/4 ton) with the Wide-Side bed, and an Alaskan camper.  The camper upper section could be raised up when parked for stand up room, and lowered for traveling ease.  There was a flat container? on the truck roof, as well as a rear mounted spare and a step bumper.

The only engine available was the 304.7 ci V6 with 165 hp, a GMC exclusive. Following behind was a 1962 full size Pontiac, and behind it was a 1959 Chevrolet.

A lady was standing out of the way waiting for a 1965 Oldsmobile F-85 to pull in.  Behind her was a 1969 Ford F-250 Ranger Camper Special with a 10′ cabover slide in camper.  It also had a 390 ci V8, two tone paint, a much needed auxiliary fuel tank, and an extended step bumper.

Two sixes were available; a 240 ci with 150 hp, and a 300 ci with 155 hp, along with two V8’s; a 360 ci with 215 hp, and a 390 ci with 255 hp.

Thanks for joining us and have a great day!

 

 

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