Who's smarter?

[IDIBOBS]

Back story: During my drive south last Friday night, I saw a nice looking Brick Nose crew cab single wheel with an IDI in it backed in next to a building and I almost turned around to check it out, but I wanted to keep going. Then, a few miles farther south, I met a Bull Nose truck that was heading north with either a new refrigerator or a new gun cabinet/safe standing up in the bed. We both gave each other a big wave. Those trucks sure put a smile on my face and made me do some thinking on the rest of the trip. After that, when I looked at all of the new(er) cars and trucks driving or parked, all I could think was "car payment, car payment, car payment!" I just chuckled and kept driving along. With the price of used cars and trucks and the shape of the economy these days, I fell like I'm MUCH smarted for driving my 35+ year old trucks and not having any car/truck payments. I also think that in a few more months, more people are going to wish that they drove something old like me and had no payments to make on them. I decided to start this thread just to see how many others feel similar to me.

I know it’s an old thread but i went back to the beginning and read the original post. I totally agree. The newest truck we have is a 2005 suburban with a 5.3 pile of junk. It is much cheaper than new trucks to fix but still not a very good motor. We have a 97 Tahoe with a 5.7. Runs like the day it was made. My 1990 7.3idi runs perfect also. I spend some money every once in a while on maintenance but i could rebuild the truck 10xs over for what a new truck costs. I can’t fix most of a new truck with computers and such. Other then power they have nothing my 1990 dosnt have, I’ve got heated and cooled leather seats, a big touch screen, navigation, way better gauges, better AC from vintage air and more i can keep listing but… My 1990 gets waay better fuel mileage plus no pig *** def. It tows our 8500lb horse trailer just fine with its 33” tires and 4.30 gears. It hauls 30 bales of hay at 3000lbs much better then a new f350. I don’t squat at all. And the money im saving goes into my house, hobby’s, horses, ect…. Plus i feel like a tougher man knowing they are driving around in a super soft baby truck and mine hits back at every bump.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I know it’s an old thread but i went back to the beginning and read the original post.

True, it's old, but it's still relevant.

I spend some money every once in a while on maintenance but i could rebuild the truck 10xs over for what a new truck costs. I can’t fix most of a new truck with computers and such.

This is a big part of this thread as well as the payments part.

Other then power

I don't even care what the new trucks are rated at anymore. I feel that pretty much everything over 400-450 HP is just for bragging rights anyway. I'll bet that 90+% of people won't even need that much. I worked for a contractor for a while. His "work truck" was a '08 Chevy Duramax. He said that it was rated at 350HP and it pulled everything that he wanted it to. I pulled over 12,000 Lbs. of shingles down the interstate at 70-72 MPH without any trouble. It was using a bumper pull trailer and I didn't feel the need to go any faster. I also pulled his self propelled man lift that he said weighed 14,000 Lbs. Also on a bumper pull trailer. He said that it was about 400 Lbs. over the weight rating of the tires so I kept it at 45 MPH on the highways. That truck pulled both loads easily. I could have pulled those loads faster, but I decided to play it safe and get there instead of cause a major wreck.

 

[ISPKI]

The torque that these newer trucks run at is nutty and complete overkill for what they are used for 99% of the time.

Heres my 94 with an absolutely massive oak log on it. This scaled ~17,000lbs if memory served. After loading this, I then hooked up to a trailer with even more logs, probably clocked around 16,000lbs. This is pre-turbo with ~230k miles on all original everything with an E4OD, granted with a 5.38 D80 rearend. I only had 2 and a half miles at 35mph with this load but it handled it just fine. I estimate this is more weight than most trucks made in the last 20 years will ever see. I have about 3 grand in this truck including buying it from a quarry owner. Planning on keeping this absolute slug around till I die, which hopefully wont be happening for another 50+ years.

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[FrozenMerc]

Not using this thread to justify any of my choices, but, kind of using this thread to justify my choices...

I work for a Diesel engine remanufacturer, and Duramax's and Powerstroke's have made a ton of money for us over the years, but the $25,000+ replacement cost (parts, labor, etc at a typical GM or Ford dealer) blows my mind. I can rebuild 4 or 5 IDI's for that amount of cash.

My wife and I are both degreed engineers, gainfully employed, with no kids. That is the polite way of saying we don't fight or worry about money. The young sales and engineering bros at work always razz me about driving my '85 F350 every day. They know I can easily afford one of the new fangled, plastic Tonka Toy pickups that they are all paying $1000 a month for. "When are you going to get a new truck, blah, blah, blah?" But guess who ends up driving when we go out for lunch....

Yes, it has a monthly payment, no I don't know what it is going to be each month. This month, it was a slight adjustment of the rear drum brakes and park brake cable, last month it was a new set of glow plugs and relay, and next month she will be due for oil and filters.

 

[IDIBOBS]

I totally agree that most new truck will never see more then a bag of soccer gear in the bed. And the ones that do use them to tow usually drive 85deg in a 55zone. It’s crazy to see 30’ tow haulers rolling 80miles mph while tail gating. I think people need to slow down A LOT!

I laughed at the who drives post. I’m always driving when my friends and I go out to lunch since it’s so much cooler to ride in the older truck.

I also love when little kids look at it in aww and dads in new trucks get mad.

 

[rreegg]

My ‘88 is older than me by least couple years. But the very first vehicle I remember really noticing and liking was probably a 95/96 f series - with the light blue or seafoam colorway. I was probably in preschool and can still remember seeing the truck.
Always loved these trucks and always will - cept now it’s a daily driver haha.
I remember in high school there were an OBS 350 and bull nose 250 parked for years by my house and would always drive past to/from school. Really liked the double pane rear windows of the bullnose and the beefiness of the obs and could never decide which one I’d rather have given the opportunity.
Any CCLB would be nice, would probably spring for a 6.9 now if given the option but never gonna give up on the ‘88. “Respect your elders” or something

 

[MadMac]

I know it’s an old thread but i went back to the beginning and read the original post. I totally agree.

Did the same this morning. I have three F250's. Blue 85 4WD StdCab - aka "The Project" or "The Rescue", a Red '97 ExtCab 2WD - the Tow Rig, and a '16 CCSB 4WD in White (The beast). Wasn't trying, but get a giggle out of them being Red White and Blue. To @IDIBRONCO's origional intent, each ended up having its own purpose, I use them all for what they're good at.

Preference? It depends.

 

[Cant Write]

I’ve got heated and cooled leather seats

Photos? @Jesus Freak wants to see the cup holders (old joke)

Are the cooled seats AC or just a fan blowing cabin air?

 

[IDIBOBS]

Photos? @Jesus Freak wants to see the cup holders (old joke)

Are the cooled seats AC or just a fan blowing cabin air?

I do have cup holders yes 2 n the front and 2 in the rear. The seats are out of an 05 superduty with stock heat and the the cooling fans from a 05 navigator. They just blow cabin air. Even that is really nice on a 120deg day after riding horses on cattle all morning. Make the leather cool off much faster and we don’t sweat as much. And the heat is great when it’s 10deg out and the diesel takes a few miles to start warming up.

 

[Cant Write]

I do have cup holders yes 2 n the front and 2 in the rear. The seats are out of an 05 superduty with stock heat and the the cooling fans from a 05 navigator. They just blow cabin air. Even that is really nice on a 120deg day after riding horses on cattle all morning. Make the leather cool off much faster and we don’t sweat as much. And the heat is great when it’s 10deg out and the diesel takes a few miles to start warming up.

I grew up helping on a Hereford ranch doing everything on horses (river bottom land) and loved it. Also helped on an Angus ranch that did everything on 4-wheelers. I always preferred doing it on horses.

Much respect for keeping the old way alive!!

 

[IDIBOBS]

I grew up helping on a Hereford ranch doing everything on horses (river bottom land) and loved it. Also helped on an Angus ranch that did everything on 4-wheelers. I always preferred doing it on horses.

Much respect for keeping the old way alive!!

Thanks. It’s for sure a labor of love. We run angus Brahma cross. I work a 40hr real job then change clothes and go out and work the cows, train horses and riders, train bird dogs, build pre 1975 4x4s. it’s a fun life. We don’t pay for tv of any kind since the day starts at 4am and ends at 10pm no time. Kids and grand kids are all involved. It’s the Cowboy way California. Love every minute of it. And yea quads just don’t do the same job. But my 75yr old dad rides one when he helps out.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I grew up helping on a Hereford ranch doing everything on horses (river bottom land) and loved it. Also helped on an Angus ranch that did everything on 4-wheelers.

The big ranch that I worked for was owned by an ex rodeo cowboy and his ex rodeo cowgirl wife. We did most of the moving on horseback. I sure learned a lot about doing that. I had ridden before I started there, but not very much. I got fairly good at it. The last time I was on a horse was in November 2009. A neighbor an d I were going out by his farm too go bird hunting after he did the morning chores. He got a call on the way out from an old neighbor who wanted help brining in a handful of cattle. I didn't want to see the old guy get on a horse if he didn't have to so I volunteered to help. I was sent after one that they called Slow Cow since she was blind in one eye. She was along the road while the others were farther out in the pasture in a group. Both of the others were amazed that I was able to bring her in by myself. Little did they know that I had previous experience.

I work a 40hr real job then change clothes and go out and work the cows, train horses and riders, train bird dogs, build pre 1975 4x4s. it’s a fun life.

That does sound like a fun life!

We don’t pay for tv of any kind

In a couple of months, it will be 10 years for me. I do have more free time that you do, especially this time of year. I just don't have the desire to put up with it anymore.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

And now that I just found out today that I'll probably be out of work in a few months, this part makes even more sense to me.

Not that it has anything to do with this thread, but I've found out that there's a good chance that someone else will be buying the business from my current boss so I probably won't be out of a job. Last week, he told me who's buying it and I've know the guy for over 19 years and I think that I'll probably be able to work for him pretty easily. That's a HUGE load off of my shoulders! Honestly, I'm the one who's been keeping the shop part of the business going since May or June of 2018. I don't feel like it's bragging when I say that I'm a pretty valuable employee since I can do every step of the work myself. Nobody's been able to say that for quite a few years. The last guy that I know of who could honestly say that died back in 2013 (I think).

 

[IDIBOBS]

Not that it has anything to do with this thread, but I've found out that there's a good chance that someone else will be buying the business from my current boss so I probably won't be out of a job. Last week, he told me who's buying it and I've know the guy for over 19 years and I think that I'll probably be able to work for him pretty easily. That's a HUGE load off of my shoulders! Honestly, I'm the one who's been keeping the shop part of the business going since May or June of 2018. I don't feel like it's bragging when I say that I'm a pretty valuable employee since I can do every step of the work myself. Nobody's been able to say that for quite a few years. The last guy that I know of who could honestly say that died back in 2013 (I think).

That’s great news!!! Hope it worked out for you. Maybe even a raise?!!

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Maybe even a raise?!!

I doubt that.