I love forestry/park ranger trucks - color.

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318willrun

318willrun

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2 wheel drives especially. Usually stripped-down models, very low options. If they have old lettering on the sides, that aids to the appearance in my opinion. Visiting Grandma in the Black hills, I used to see these D100's and Ramchargers. Plain Janes and this green. Never owned on....... (yet !!) lol
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Used to see these sitting at the gas station in Hill City, SD quite often. I used to think "what a fun job, ride around in a cool Dodge and get paid"
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Most of the trucks I've seen out here were 3/4 ton 2 and 4wd, don't think I've ever seen a 1/2 ton pickup.
The trucks were as plain jane as they come, didn't even have smog gear. lol
 
fishmens67 said:
Most of the trucks I've seen out here were 3/4 ton 2 and 4wd, don't think I've ever seen a 1/2 ton pickup.
The trucks were as plain jane as they come, didn't even have smog gear. lol
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I'm obsessed with plain jane featured vehicles. My '77 Van has factory manual brakes. I converted my Dusters, and our '80 D150 to manual brakes and manual steering. In fact, a lot of my classics were factory this way or I made them this way. Actually, my '13 Ram has manual windows, manual locks, and a key (not a button) to start it, and no TV screen in the dash LOL. It does have A/C as I love A/C in my daily/work cars.
 
There was a guy selling a stepside, badass, pre-runner in that color about 10-15 years ago. I kick myself for not buying it....and think about it, at least once a month.
As a rule, I don't even like trucks...but that thing haunts me.
 
When I worked in the local park system, they were all about as bare bones as they could order them.
Manual trans, manual steering, AM radio (or no radio at all), rubber flooring, vinyl bench, etc.- I think some didn't even have a headliner, just steel roof. Definitely no AC. Loved teaching the new guys to plow snow with those things- most couldn't even drive stick. Not too big of a deal for me, I grew up with that kind of setup on the farm. But it was hilarious watching these kids try to shift, steer, and operate a two-lever plow all at the same time (and add in trying to respond to me hollering at them over the two-way radio...). More entertaining than a twelve pack and an afternoon at the boat launch. They finally figured out that it was cheaper to spring for an automatic trans than it was to have the clutches replaced on a yearly basis.
 
I used to work in a Ford Truck dealership and a lot of state bid trucks, and they were strippers, but down here in Florida AC is almost mandatory. We also installed a **** ton of Ventshade's, the old school one's stainless steel with screws, not these modern one's plastic with double sided tape.
 
Professor Fate said:
When I worked in the local park system, they were all about as bare bones as they could order them.
Manual trans, manual steering, AM radio (or no radio at all), rubber flooring, vinyl bench, etc.- I think some didn't even have a headliner, just steel roof. Definitely no AC. Loved teaching the new guys to plow snow with those things- most couldn't even drive stick. Not too big of a deal for me, I grew up with that kind of setup on the farm. But it was hilarious watching these kids try to shift, steer, and operate a two-lever plow all at the same time (and add in trying to respond to me hollering at them over the two-way radio...). More entertaining than a twelve pack and an afternoon at the boat launch. They finally figured out that it was cheaper to spring for an automatic trans than it was to have the clutches replaced on a yearly basis.
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AM radio... :thumbsup:
 
That's when a truck was a truck, which I like. Love the old school DNR and Forest Division trucks! 65
 
Plymouth 65 said:
That's when a truck was a truck, which I like. Love the old school DNR and Forest Division trucks! 65
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4 wrenches, small standard socket set and a grip plier in a small box under the seat and you could repair anything along the road.
 
mopar head said:
I kinda dig the old Air Force blue trucks.
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Had one for sale on Marketplace not all that far from me. Short bed 2WD. Looked solid, faded, still read some of the lettering on the doors, didn't run, 2200.00. I actually gave it some serious thought, but I'm trying to be more disciplined going forward. I still have too many projects says reality (my mind says different) :D
 
Those type trucks are normally pampered all their lives while in service. They were always maintained and usually parked at the very least under a carport or awning, if not in a completely enclosed garage. They're gettin harder to find though, because time marches on.
 

In the very early 80s, I do remember an old friend & mentor getting a late 60s or so Dodge Power Wagon from the State of New Jersey. It was a brush truck used in the Pine Barrens of Jersey. 40,000 miles on it, very nice shape, big winch on the front, brush guards all around the cab & grill, just a bas *** looking truck made for 1 purpose, driving through heavy brush in the pine lands & putting out fires. I'll never forget it.
 
318willrun said:
I'm obsessed with plain jane featured vehicles. My '77 Van has factory manual brakes. I converted my Dusters, and our '80 D150 to manual brakes and manual steering. In fact, a lot of my classics were factory this way or I made them this way. Actually, my '13 Ram has manual windows, manual locks, and a key (not a button) to start it, and no TV screen in the dash LOL. It does have A/C as I love A/C in my daily/work cars.
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Tim, how did you convert them to Manuel Brakes. Did you get an adjustable pushrod? What other changes? Different Master Cylinder. or no?
 
TF360 said:
Tim, how did you convert them to Manuel Brakes. Did you get an adjustable pushrod? What other changes? Different Master Cylinder. or no?
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yes, different pushrod. You can use the power brake MC, it will just have more travel. Either way works fine for me.
 
That's how I found my 63 M37. It was a fire brush truck for one of the counties in the Atlanta metro area. It was BRIGHT yellow. I fixed that real quick. lol But it had 16K original milae on it and still had it's original waterproof wiring and electrical system and it was all in perfect shape. I shouldda never sold that truck.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Those type trucks are normally pampered all their lives while in service. They were always maintained and usually parked at the very least under a carport or awning, if not in a completely enclosed garage. They're gettin harder to find though, because time marches on.
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A previous owner cut a speaker hole in the door of one of my bumpside Fords, right where there are some "ribs" and accent details, so kinda tough for a guy like me with marginal bodywork skills to patch-in a repair. Fortunately I found a door from a fire (brush) truck on Marketplace that is damn near mint. Bright red, and still shiny, but someone removed most (but not all) of the lettering. Regardless, that fire company sure took good care of that old pickup!
 
Back in the late 60s, I had a summer job for 3 summers working for USDA peanut research back in Ga. They had 2 vehicles, a 60 something Dodge 1/2 ton pickup and a 60 something Ply wagon. Bare. No radio and maybe not even a heater! Cool rides!!
 
This is my 59 D100. It was an old Park Ranger truck. You can see where someone scraped the Parks Canada logo off the doors. You can still see where it use to say ''Park Ranger'' on the front of the hood and back of the cab.

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318willrun said:
2 wheel drives especially. Usually stripped-down models, very low options. If they have old lettering on the sides, that aids to the appearance in my opinion. Visiting Grandma in the Black hills, I used to see these D100's and Ramchargers. Plain Janes and this green. Never owned on....... (yet !!) lol
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My son just purchased one. Its an 83 W350 with a manual trans. You are right about bare bones. He has a 72 cj5 that we just got on the road as well with a forest service hard top. He loves them.

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I bought a 93 Dodge 1/2 t. pickup about 2012 or so. It was a Kansas City vehicles used by the city inspector for construction. Low miles but they said it had spend many hours "sitting and idling"! it had a radio and heater. Ran good, but had a hard time running past a gas station.
 
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