Full Sized Trucks--When Will The "Size War" End?

[EngineerNate]

Out here, the 'brodozer' is the preferred vehicle once you get past the inner suburbs. Bonus points for the stacks (now out of favor - a HUGE exhaust tip aimed in a weird direction is the thing now), Metal Mulisha / Fox /KTM stickers (Southern NJ), deer/bow hunting stickers (Northwestern NJ), and of course, a winch and lift kit (Fox shocks!). Gotta be a diesel - no self respecting bro wants a gas pickup truck. Don't forget the Bully Dog programmer (turned all the way up), and the mod so everyone in the county can hear the turbo whistle.

Closer in, the 4 door Jeep™ is the preferred bro-vehicle. Has to be lifted, a bro bar, winch, and Punisher skull stickers. Might be either a "Zombie outbreak response vehicle" or "Hey look at me! I'm ex military! (Actually, I'm not, but I want everyone to think I am)". What I don't get is why they always have a gas can and a heavy duty bumper jack. There's a gas station on every street corner, and bumper jacks suck.

In the urban areas, the weapon of choice is a cheap used BMW 3 series. Everyone's got one. The poor folks have a riced-out Civic...

Growing up in central California... This is all too real.

My personal pet peeve is the lifted truck with huge wheels and low profile tires that stick way out to the sides, where basically none of the tire is in the wheel well. Looks so freaking dumb.

 

[grillebilly]

Judging by what I hear about the auto industry, the big vehicles are what is bringing profits to US car makers. Not everyone who buys these big trucks needs them, at least most of the time. I do miss the Rangers and S-10s.
I need a big truck and a little one. And a car to commute in. So I have all three, all purchased used with lots of miles. Not everyone can have a fleet, so if they absolutely need a big rig to haul their junk a few times a year, they get the XL model. Guys at work commute into town in their monster trucks, I guess they have to.

 

[Tom Brennan]

I think one reason (though perhaps a minor one) people buy fancy crew cab trucks with luxury options is they fill the gap left by Detroit no longer making large body on frame sedans such the old Buick 225, Ford Vic and Town Car, Olds 98 etc. If you want such a vehicle today the closest you can come is a crew cab pick up. I see suburban bourgeois people driving fancy crew cabs, people I don’t think are interested in redneck status.

Of course this group also largely makes up the buyers of large expensive body on frame SUVs like the Expedition and Suburban. It’s been a long time since I saw a Suburban that was a true “sedan delivery” with a rubber floor and stick shift. When I was growing up in Chicago in the 1960s the janitor in the building next door had such a Suburban truck.

 

[arts]

I 2006 I bought a new 150 XL that was a stripper—6 cylinder, stick shift, rubber floors, crank windows. The only options were air and a radio with CD player. I added stainless step bars and a matching painted trunk lid. I bought it because I needed another vehicle and all I needed was cheap, reliable and comfortable transportation. But it was just the ticket for hauling Altec 19s I bought in Frederick Maryland to Lexington Ky, where I lived at the time.

View attachment 1351678 View attachment 1351679

Damn,that's the truck I want! I even like the colour.....

 

[quaddriver]

I guess the moral of the story is that its all terrible and we should be driving 1980 F100's with an inline six.

and not only are they still running, they will be in 38 more years...even if you dont change the plugs

 

[usedto]

It’s been a long time since I saw a Suburban that was a true “sedan delivery” with a rubber floor and stick shift.

Bought this 1963 Suburban in 1982 when I quit my job and opened my own business. 6 Cyl, three speed on the column. Later swapped out the 6 for a 327, added an overdrive tranny, and had it painted. Also had a matching trailer built out of a '63 pickup box. Used it until 1991 when I bought a new pickup. Sold it to a guy who worked for Union Pacific RR.

A friend spotted it a few years back in a VA doctor's parking lot and took this photo.

 

[arts]

and not only are they still running, they will be in 38 more years...even if you dont change the plugs

Unfortunately,due to the snow and road salt up here in Quebec you'd be riding around on a chassis with a chair bolted across a couple of 2x4's

 

[mhardy6647]

^^^ that has panache.

 

[gadget73]

I 2006 I bought a new 150 XL that was a stripper—6 cylinder, stick shift, rubber floors, crank windows. The only options were air and a radio with CD player. I added stainless step bars and a matching painted trunk lid.

Thats the truck I want. All truck, no BS.

Gotta be a diesel - no self respecting bro wants a gas pickup truck.

Kind of funny, my only diesel vehicle is a four door Lincoln. Its quiet, doesn't smoke, and doesn't have huge tips on the exhaust. Otherwise your descriptions of the "bro-dozer" are very accurate. Plant manager used to have much of that on a Dodge diesel, now he's got the four door Heep with the skulls and a winch. Its pretty comical.

 

[arts]

My kingdom for an old Dodge with a slant-six and a stick shift.Oh,but I really do want the AM radio for traffic and weather

 

[savatage1973]

I just want to know how many of those "coal rolling" asshat "bros" can get those gummed up engines to start when the temp drops below zero. Mine is all stock, and it has started well below zero, even when I forgot to plug it in overnight. Takes forever to warm up, but it starts just fine.

 

[peerson]

My "Daily Driver" is a '96 Tahoe with the 5.7. I also have a 2004 Silverado SS with the 6.0L. It is almost never driven. A true Garage Queen. Only has 60,000 miles on her. Has never had anything hauled in the bed. I also have a 1972 Chevy Cheyenne that I currently use as my "Farm Truck" 350 in her and she sports some old-school Cragar S/S wheels. I will restore her in a couple of years, when I retire. I am planning on dropping a 427 Big Block in her. When the old '72 is completed, I will have to buy another old truck for hauling stuff. A neighbor of mine has a couple of 1951 Chevy trucks that I am considering. I just am not sure I want to take on another project,

 

[sKiZo]

It ain't over till everyone is driving one of these on the daily commute ...

 

[c.coyle]

I'm not sure what my point is, but it seems like personal vehicles of all kinds are getting bigger. I was last in the market for a new car in the summer of 2017. I was struck by the size increases of the Honda Accord and the Subaru Forrester, two vehicles I had owned in days gone by. Nowadays, my 2011 Honda Civic is usually the smallest vehicle in my office parking lot.

 

[Beatnik]

My last full size truck was 10 years back when I had a 67 C10 stepside factory ordered 283/T-400/4:11 fully restored former farm truck. I'm guilty of not using the bed, it was a nice red oak with chromed strip. Wish it was still here.

 

[savatage1973]

I'm not sure what my point is, but it seems like personal vehicles of all kinds are getting bigger.

I hear ya--look at your Civic vs the first Civics to hit the US market back in the 70's--they'll fit in your trunk.

 

[Tom Brennan]

Stepsides are cool. I like the way they use pins to hold the tailgate closed too; very workwise.

None seem to be made now, what happened to them?

 

[TPettenati]

We can't help it. We were conditioned at a very young age to want a big truck.

 

[sKiZo]

I must have missed the indoctrination ...

It's fun pulling up next to one of the current crop of behemoths in this and yelling "My truck wants to grow up to be just like yours!!"

 

[quaddriver]

Bought this 1963 Suburban in 1982 when I quit my job and opened my own business. 6 Cyl, three speed on the column. Later swapped out the 6 for a 327, added an overdrive tranny, and had it painted. Also had a matching trailer built out of a '63 pickup box. Used it until 1991 when I bought a new pickup. Sold it to a guy who worked for Union Pacific RR.

A friend spotted it a few years back in a VA doctor's parking lot and took this photo.

View attachment 1351780

that is effin sweet.

I have a pa plate, 63 or 64 forget which, PA that I got to hang on mine....back in the day. PA stamped the plates with the year and gross make so it says up top, PA, down bottom 63 suburban....(or 64)