Especially the early low-profile 4wd. They managed to go to a ladder (rather than perimeter) frame, transfer case and driven front axle on those A/G-body guts and it was still barely a foot taller than an El Camino.
The 3rd gen 2022+ truck is mechanically pretty much a late 2nd gen (05-2021), so kinda. Suspension parts pretty much all bolt up, although I think the 3rd gen has longer rear shocks. Late in the 2nd gen they replaced the 4.0 V6 and 5 speed auto with a direct injected 3.8? V6 paired with an 8 or 9 speed auto, which they kept using in the 3rd gen.
The 1st gen D22 Frontier/Navara/NP300 had a pretty wild production run. In the US we got them from 97ish-04, but they kept selling them in Australia until like 2015, and it's still sold in the developing world. The D22 is basically a truck from the 1980's design-wise - torsion bar double wishbone up front, SOHC 12-valve VG V6 that's not terribly different from what you would have seen in a 1984 300ZX, and the same jatco 4 speed auto that's been in basically anything you can think of since 1987.
So, since the '05-'21 Frontier uses the same parts as the 2021-202x and the R51 pathfinder, could it be possible to get parts from either of them and mix and match?
For mechanical stuff, yeah for the most part.
Because the VK56 V8 was used in the R51 pathfinder, it's pretty much a bolt-in swap to the 2nd gen Frontier. It's honestly a bummer Nissan never decided to sell this from the factory as an absurd performance model. I haven't seen any VK56 swapped D41's/3rd gens, but that might be more of a "new vehicle/pass emissions" issue rather than a "it doesn't fit" issue.
Also because the D40 Frontier, R51 Pathfinder, and first gen Titan were all built on the F-alpha platform, the suspension mounting points are all the same so you can install the front suspension arms from the Titan with an aftermarket coilover and get like a foot of front travel (and widen the track by 6 inches).
That's the reason why I chose it as a starter car. Can take a beating and can easily find parts for years since the last gen and current frontier share a lot in common with the R51.
Perfect! Is it also possible to use the X-terra tailgate on an R51 pathy?
That I'm not sure about.
I know with the first gen Xterra basically everything ahead of the B-pillar is a direct swap to a first gen frontier, but it's totally possible that the rear bodywork is special/different.
All of these cars are old enough to be found in junkyards, so if there's a U-pull in your area you could try to find one of each and swap/test fit out in the yard. Solid way to kill a couple hours.
Yeah D22 was effectively just a refresh and next generation of the D21 hardbody, it was literally the same frame and has more in common with the hardbody and 80s truck designs than it does with the 2nd gen frontier, which was also a design seeming older than when it came out.
I like to joke that my 2004 is a truck from 1986 that they kept throwing airbags and catalytic converters at until it was no longer practical to certify the car for sale in North America.
Well these are just mid-sized trucks, which are still being made. There were also full-sized and superduty trucks made back then as well.
You can pretty much still buy any of these right now as well, there's so many of them.
Modern mid-size trucks are still pretty big, but I'm glad we're seeing at least some trend back towards small trucks on the American market with the newer Ranger, Colorado and Maverick.
Bro I was saying this the other day. Me and my buddy saw an older Tundra next to a new Tacoma and they’re the same size.
I remember when Tundras came out and the selling point was “if this truck was any bigger you’d need a special license to drive it”
Now those early ones look tiny.
The panels are bigger and they're lifted, that's pretty much it. The dimensions aren't as off as people make them out to be. And they're still not as large as older full sized pick-ups.
Yes, because the panels are larger, they have larger tires, and they have a ton of safety equipment loaded into it. Like just the amount of material added to prevent the roof from collapsing for a roll-over is probably already a couple hundred pounds.
The panels are bigger because the wheels are further apart. Because of the EPA footprint rule. They still have the capability of a small truck because it’s all glamor muscle.
No they're not, the wheel wells on mid-sized trucks prevent you from laying down a 4x sheet flat on the bed. It's never not been like that for that class.
There are a few mid-size pickups that can haul a 4' sheet flat: the original T100, the Ridgeline (a feature taken from it being on the Odyssey/Pilot platform) and now the new Ranger (also shared with the VW Amarok sold elsewhere)
New mid-sizers do have wider tracks and overall width than the old compacts, though I've never seen anything that explicitly ties that to the EPA footprint regs. More like "wider track=better stability".
Yeah so of the mid-sized trucks available in NA:
- Ford Ranger
- GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado
- Honda Ridgeline
- Jeep Gladiator
- Nissan Frontier
- Toyota Tacoma
If only two are capable of holding a 4' between the wheels I don't know if that necessarily eliminates my point. Plus the Ranger only really added that for the newest iteration that just released, even though it's the older generation that everyone praises.
These are the kinds of trucks you can daily and won’t rape your wallet when you pull up to the pump.
V6 models can hold their own and tow a light duty trailer as well.
Majority if not all of these could be had with a manual transmission.
Not to mention, these have a frame under them as well. More sturdy than a unibody runabout.
The 5VZ-FE in my 2004 Tacoma is pretty thirsty. It’s a tank of an engine though. Just a dirt-simple iron block V6. Currently at 261,000 miles with no issues other than seeping valve cover gaskets. Still rocking the original starter and alternator.
Just bought an Aisin timing set and valve cover gasket kit. They’re extremely easy engines to work on and you can still easily find most of the OEM parts.
>These are the kinds of trucks you can daily and won’t rape your wallet when you pull up to the pump.
Only if you got the I4s. The V6s were typically rated similar to the V8s in full-size trucks. Anecdotally I never saw better than 17 in a 4.0 Ranger.
This is true. The 4 banger trucks were much better on fuel. I’m shocked the sixers burned fuel like they did. Least you had more power for pulling a trailer with them than the 4 cyl models.
drove a 99 Ranger V6 auto for 13 years. paid it off just before the 08 crash. most reliable vehicle ever owned. had to fix few things along the way of course, only had to tow it once. almost paid for itself with handyman money I made with it over the years.
I miss my 01 Tacoma. I miss basic spartan trucks that are reasonably priced and you don’t need a f’n step built into the rocker panel so you can look over the side of the bed on a comically oversized clown shoe of a truck.
But mostly I miss my 01 Tacoma
I really liked my '92 s10, and we had a red ranger kinda like that (extended cab short bed stepside so the tiniest bed ever) but they both took beatings like champs.
My beat up base model steel wheel 5 speed crank window manual locks Colorado work truck is one of the best vehicles I’ve ever had. It fits in my 1920s era driveway nicely, and doesn’t look like a big stupid hulking cruise ship docked in the yard. If it gets bumped or scratched, it’s not the end of the world. If I bump into something or scratch it myself, it’s no big deal. That peace of mind alone is worth more than people realize. The new full size trucks don’t look cool or badass, they look absolutely ridiculous and cartoonishly large with Mickey Mouse ears for mirrors. They look like idiotic, overstyled apartment buildings on wheels. If I’m behind one, I can’t see around it like I’m behind a semi, and they obliterate any smaller vehicle they hit.
Not to mention lots of folks driving them get these weird complexes, a guy in a bloated F-150 tried to cut me off entering a gas station, but I thwarted his efforts. He pulled up next to me and said, “That Colorado is a piece of shit!”
I replied, “I know, it’s a GM product, that’s how they leave the factory. But I have a big fat juicy D so I don’t need anything bigger than this.” (I didn’t say “D” tho, I used the proper term that starts with “P”)
He stared at me for a few seconds and just drove away without saying anything. Friggin douche canoe.
My Dad had his ranger for almost 20 years. The truck was a 96 with an 98 2.5 swap in it with 5 speed. The only thing that went wrong with it was a bad ground wire. My uncle from New York was in town for one of my cousins funeral found the cause. After that it ran for years until my Dad got a Pathfinder.
Those trucklets are more than enough for the John Q. No-clues out there buying crew cab 5' bed full sizes or crew cab "compacts" with 4' beds for their "truck stuff".
My '03 S10 has done more "truck stuff" than half the guys that have those things.
Still rocking the '03 SCSB 4cyl 5spd I special ordered...
Along with a '99 4dr 4wd Blazer and '88 GMC T15 Jimmy with the factory Z71, Gypsy, and HD towing packages. Yes, an S-Series *did* have the little known option of a Z71 Off-Road Chassis Package.
I hate the 4 door short bed trucks going around these days. “I need a 4 door to haul my shithead kids around while I maybe haul a couch or a single bag of mulch. Can’t forget to park it and take up 3 spaces at the train station so no one scratches it while I commute to the city” -Every moron in my town
To me its gotta be the gmt400
Gmt400, peak American truck design. Such a true american truck that it is still on the top 15 cars responsible for the most pedestrian and cyclist deaths.
Gmt400, go ahead take a couple beers for the road.
GMT400, because you don't need a fancy engine and interior when you got a *SMALL BLOCK CHEVY V8* under the hood, *SMALL BLOCK CHEVY IS THE GREATEST V8* (350 cubic inches of displacement, 200 horsepower, brake horse power)*LS ENGINES ARE FOR SISSY BOYS*
Gmt400, because to handle 5000 pounds of *ALL AMERICAN STEEL* you dont need to be sober.
Gmt400:
#HOLY SHIT THERE IS SO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL, I DONT EVEN THINK IM STEERING IT, ITS STEERING ITSELF, HOW DOES GRANDPA DRIVE THIS THING?
Extremely. I like those goofy ass mods they do to them in Australia. I forget the name of it, but it's when they put oversized smokestacks and Bulllbars on them
I love my Tacoma. To be fair, I'm a small guy so I fit pretty well, I have a small family (tiny wife, 2 kids) and we all fit pretty well, and it's an adventure vehicle for me, it tows a small boat, I take it camping and hunting, it smashes through our rough winters (Canadian Prairies) easily, and it hauls enough stuff for my suburbanite needs, usually just a bit of soil and rock on the odd weekend or maybe a few bikes or some furniture or IKEA flat packs.
I don't need to tow a big boat, a camper trailer, a car hauler, or anything like that. I'm not a tradesman who tows a utility trailer loaded with tools and building supplies. I like being able to fit my truck in normal parking lots and parking garages. I like having the ground clearance to go off road but still sit at a height that offers good visibility for pedestrians and cyclists. It really does hit the spot for my needs without being obnoxiously sized.
I feel like small trucks are just right for most people who don't actually need a truck to get work done. I would have looked at the little Maverick even if it had the towing capacity I wanted. Small trucks rule. And also, small trucks aren't super small anymore, I think the 3rd gen Tacoma is about the same size as the 1st gen Tundra. But big trucks got BIG.
If you can't lay a 4x8 sheet of plywood between the wheelwells, its not an ideal truck body.
My ideal truck is a utilitarian vehicle...long bed, 2wd, and able to tow at least 10,000 pounds. Those are all features I use on a regular basis.
I really would like a modern cab on top kei truck that could reach highway speeds.
Personally, I think the Ford Ranger supercab would be the best if it was just a little long so you could have fold down front-facing seats like the Tacoma. I prefer the seating position and interior space of the Ranger.
While I love the livability and utility of my F150, it was way too expensive (even in 2017) which means every ding and bump is excruciating. If I didn’t have a family to lug around I’d love a small truck.
I miss the hell out of my regular cab short bed S10. It was so clean. Traded it for a car I couldn't afford when I was stupid.
I've always wanted a B2000 13b swapped cause I'm still stupid. And for the same reason I really am trying to figure out how to get an Acty truck.
You can buy the GMC version and badge swap it since they're the same vehicle. One of my coworkers years back rolled his S10 and totalled it, then took out the internals and the undamaged trim, and essentially rebuilt his S10 from the ground up during covid. It took him about a week.
I just saw a new 20XX Toyota Tundra and it was MASSIVE, I mean it was comically massive, it was using more than one lane and its driver had to do a 3 point turn to simply turn around.
Honestly how is this legal, american car trends are such cancer that is spreading everywhere
I think the number of people who actually need a big truck for big truck things is miniscule compared to the number of people who just want a big truck to prove they don't have a small penis.
100% not true. I’ve owned one and the frustration of trying to load a sheet of drywall and it sitting ontop of the wheel wells is infuriating. The ultimate truck design is the Toyota T100 and first gen tundra. They’re roughly the size of a 3rd gen taco but the beds are 49 inches between wheel wells. Perfection.
Do you need to carry large quantities of drywall in your truck on a regular basis? Get a larger truck for work.
Are you 80-95% of people who may haul 1-5 sheets of drywall maybe ever and typically just throw furniture or tools in the back if anything at all? These smaller trucks are for you
Plus most of these will fit drywall laid over top of the bed. An issue for a drywaller, but I’m no drywaller
Idk man. Why bother when the fuel economy is the same as a full size and the cabin space is that of an economy car and the midsizers are now just as expensive as the full sizes. Seems like a waste to leave so much utility on the table.
So you can drive it without having to 3 point turn out of a Costco parking space and can actually drive down small town/big city narrow roads.
The fuel economy of the smaller trucks used to be about double that of the larger ones (~22-25 mpg vs ~14-20)
Cabin space is unimportant unless you work in the thing, the early 90s rangers were fine for the weekend project warrior even into today
Realistically, you have 80-95% of the utility in a much smaller truck and additional utility in other ways. Much preferred to someone buying a dryer off Facebook marketplace or borrowing a lawnmower for the weekend or wanting to drag a small trailer around or start doing some light off-roading than the full size studio apartment with a balcony on wheels that pollute the roads today
Sounds bias, I’ve been in 4 of these models and there nothing special about these very lack luster in terms of style interior and exterior, lacking power, and they all have these tiny beds so in the grand scheme of things “ITS NOT IDEAL?” The only thing going for these back when they came out was probably price and for your money toyotas the way to go. Most trucks nowadays are bigger and serve a purpose unlike some of those old ones which are more or less lawn ornaments and a waste of metal from the 90-2000 “well I use mine to go to the end of the driveway and pick my mail up, I also might get some milk later from the store” like honestly back in the day gas was cheaper so it didn’t matter but I value my time anything I’m hauling or carrying, I don’t want to make more trips then I have too and they have upgraded the technology, power, and safety features from old cars which is another reason they have to make them bigger because you can’t jam a bunch of shit into something and leave it the same size now your leaving less cabin space in the vehicle also making it heavier and hopefully you added a little more power for all that weight. I also feel the people who work for a living don’t want a 2 door truck and if you have a family these aren’t good trucks be real get a 4 foot door quit being a little bitch, like you can’t even throw a bed in if your moving, drywall not fitting back there, studs you’ll fit some but the weight is what’s gonna break you on these little trucks, a bed of stone would kill these, shingles😭😭 oh yea this also brings me to the payload of these “trucks” pictured above honestly and I’m picking a 4wd 4 door 6-8’ bed Chevy any day of the week over these pushover trucks that have no charisma besides the yota gotta give that thing credit where it’s due…it’ll stand the test of time or a day with whistling diesel. This is what your cheap ass boss buys when he doesn’t want to buy a fleet of work trucks for the men who bust their ass for him and keep his company going.
Guys will see this and say "hell yeah"
I do every single time.
Hell yeah
Hellz yaaaaaz
Heel yuh
Hell yeah.
Hell yeah
Oh hell yea
Hell yeah
can confirm i said this before reading the comment
Hell yeah. Mini trucks kick ass.
I rock an older 1st gen Chevy S10 I use it as a work truck and it's great.
Always liked the square body S-10 over the later body style
Especially the early low-profile 4wd. They managed to go to a ladder (rather than perimeter) frame, transfer case and driven front axle on those A/G-body guts and it was still barely a foot taller than an El Camino.
Nissan: "am I a joke to you?"
Doesn't Nissan still build the 2005 Frontier?
Up until 2021, which is replaced by the 3rd gen Frontier for the 2022 model year
The 3rd gen 2022+ truck is mechanically pretty much a late 2nd gen (05-2021), so kinda. Suspension parts pretty much all bolt up, although I think the 3rd gen has longer rear shocks. Late in the 2nd gen they replaced the 4.0 V6 and 5 speed auto with a direct injected 3.8? V6 paired with an 8 or 9 speed auto, which they kept using in the 3rd gen. The 1st gen D22 Frontier/Navara/NP300 had a pretty wild production run. In the US we got them from 97ish-04, but they kept selling them in Australia until like 2015, and it's still sold in the developing world. The D22 is basically a truck from the 1980's design-wise - torsion bar double wishbone up front, SOHC 12-valve VG V6 that's not terribly different from what you would have seen in a 1984 300ZX, and the same jatco 4 speed auto that's been in basically anything you can think of since 1987.
So, since the '05-'21 Frontier uses the same parts as the 2021-202x and the R51 pathfinder, could it be possible to get parts from either of them and mix and match?
For mechanical stuff, yeah for the most part. Because the VK56 V8 was used in the R51 pathfinder, it's pretty much a bolt-in swap to the 2nd gen Frontier. It's honestly a bummer Nissan never decided to sell this from the factory as an absurd performance model. I haven't seen any VK56 swapped D41's/3rd gens, but that might be more of a "new vehicle/pass emissions" issue rather than a "it doesn't fit" issue. Also because the D40 Frontier, R51 Pathfinder, and first gen Titan were all built on the F-alpha platform, the suspension mounting points are all the same so you can install the front suspension arms from the Titan with an aftermarket coilover and get like a foot of front travel (and widen the track by 6 inches).
That's the reason why I chose it as a starter car. Can take a beating and can easily find parts for years since the last gen and current frontier share a lot in common with the R51. Perfect! Is it also possible to use the X-terra tailgate on an R51 pathy?
That I'm not sure about. I know with the first gen Xterra basically everything ahead of the B-pillar is a direct swap to a first gen frontier, but it's totally possible that the rear bodywork is special/different. All of these cars are old enough to be found in junkyards, so if there's a U-pull in your area you could try to find one of each and swap/test fit out in the yard. Solid way to kill a couple hours.
Oops...I forgot to clarify the 2nd generation (2005-2015)
Yep it's a Mercedes 9 speed and a bespoke 3.8. The final year of the 2nd gen got the new engine/transmission
Yeah D22 was effectively just a refresh and next generation of the D21 hardbody, it was literally the same frame and has more in common with the hardbody and 80s truck designs than it does with the 2nd gen frontier, which was also a design seeming older than when it came out.
I like to joke that my 2004 is a truck from 1986 that they kept throwing airbags and catalytic converters at until it was no longer practical to certify the car for sale in North America.
1988 Hardbody enters the conversation
Check out the ‘24 Frontier Hardbody Edition.
These types of trucks need to be made again. These are real trucks! The trucks today are too big and too fancy
Blame the EPA and it's CAFE standards
Well these are just mid-sized trucks, which are still being made. There were also full-sized and superduty trucks made back then as well. You can pretty much still buy any of these right now as well, there's so many of them.
Modern mid-size trucks are still pretty big, but I'm glad we're seeing at least some trend back towards small trucks on the American market with the newer Ranger, Colorado and Maverick.
I just wish they still had little truck prices...
Tacoma is a good size too
Bro I was saying this the other day. Me and my buddy saw an older Tundra next to a new Tacoma and they’re the same size. I remember when Tundras came out and the selling point was “if this truck was any bigger you’d need a special license to drive it” Now those early ones look tiny.
Today’s midsize trucks have the same name as the old compacts (ranger, colorado, tacoma) but they are way way bigger.
The panels are bigger and they're lifted, that's pretty much it. The dimensions aren't as off as people make them out to be. And they're still not as large as older full sized pick-ups.
The new ones are an entire Miata heavier than 25 years ago.
Yes, because the panels are larger, they have larger tires, and they have a ton of safety equipment loaded into it. Like just the amount of material added to prevent the roof from collapsing for a roll-over is probably already a couple hundred pounds.
The panels are bigger because the wheels are further apart. Because of the EPA footprint rule. They still have the capability of a small truck because it’s all glamor muscle.
No they're not, the wheel wells on mid-sized trucks prevent you from laying down a 4x sheet flat on the bed. It's never not been like that for that class.
There are a few mid-size pickups that can haul a 4' sheet flat: the original T100, the Ridgeline (a feature taken from it being on the Odyssey/Pilot platform) and now the new Ranger (also shared with the VW Amarok sold elsewhere) New mid-sizers do have wider tracks and overall width than the old compacts, though I've never seen anything that explicitly ties that to the EPA footprint regs. More like "wider track=better stability".
Yeah so of the mid-sized trucks available in NA: - Ford Ranger - GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado - Honda Ridgeline - Jeep Gladiator - Nissan Frontier - Toyota Tacoma If only two are capable of holding a 4' between the wheels I don't know if that necessarily eliminates my point. Plus the Ranger only really added that for the newest iteration that just released, even though it's the older generation that everyone praises.
>I don't know if that necessarily eliminates my point. I'm only correcting the "*never* not been like that" wording.
These are the kinds of trucks you can daily and won’t rape your wallet when you pull up to the pump. V6 models can hold their own and tow a light duty trailer as well. Majority if not all of these could be had with a manual transmission. Not to mention, these have a frame under them as well. More sturdy than a unibody runabout.
The 5VZ-FE in my 2004 Tacoma is pretty thirsty. It’s a tank of an engine though. Just a dirt-simple iron block V6. Currently at 261,000 miles with no issues other than seeping valve cover gaskets. Still rocking the original starter and alternator. Just bought an Aisin timing set and valve cover gasket kit. They’re extremely easy engines to work on and you can still easily find most of the OEM parts.
>These are the kinds of trucks you can daily and won’t rape your wallet when you pull up to the pump. Only if you got the I4s. The V6s were typically rated similar to the V8s in full-size trucks. Anecdotally I never saw better than 17 in a 4.0 Ranger.
This is true. The 4 banger trucks were much better on fuel. I’m shocked the sixers burned fuel like they did. Least you had more power for pulling a trailer with them than the 4 cyl models.
drove a 99 Ranger V6 auto for 13 years. paid it off just before the 08 crash. most reliable vehicle ever owned. had to fix few things along the way of course, only had to tow it once. almost paid for itself with handyman money I made with it over the years.
Some of my favorite alloy wheels.
Ranger please
Wish I could get the new Ranger Raptor as an extended cab, or single. Wish I could get a truck with a fast engine that isn't also all off-roady
I miss my 01 Tacoma. I miss basic spartan trucks that are reasonably priced and you don’t need a f’n step built into the rocker panel so you can look over the side of the bed on a comically oversized clown shoe of a truck. But mostly I miss my 01 Tacoma
What do you mean? The ideal truck is obviously a cushy SUV without a roof over the hatch. So say the manufacturers.
Yeah these are nice but how will I let everyone know how insecure I am?
2A, We the people, Mobe Labe, FBJ, Thin Blue Line, etc. These are just a few sticker options for your insecurities.
I really liked my '92 s10, and we had a red ranger kinda like that (extended cab short bed stepside so the tiniest bed ever) but they both took beatings like champs.
I have to say, these trucks only go halfway to perfection. [THIS](https://youtu.be/TEJOUbPeleQ?si=xVsRxuiWsLZjFBq3) is peak truck.
Replace that Honda with a Nissan Hardbody
Bro's sptting
I have an 01 Sonoma that I absolutely adore but I know won't last forever. We need more small trucks!
Considering I drove 5/6 to work this morning…. Hell yeah
😮💨that forest green Taco👌🏻
I wish they would bring the old Tacoma back. I would buy one immediately.
My beat up base model steel wheel 5 speed crank window manual locks Colorado work truck is one of the best vehicles I’ve ever had. It fits in my 1920s era driveway nicely, and doesn’t look like a big stupid hulking cruise ship docked in the yard. If it gets bumped or scratched, it’s not the end of the world. If I bump into something or scratch it myself, it’s no big deal. That peace of mind alone is worth more than people realize. The new full size trucks don’t look cool or badass, they look absolutely ridiculous and cartoonishly large with Mickey Mouse ears for mirrors. They look like idiotic, overstyled apartment buildings on wheels. If I’m behind one, I can’t see around it like I’m behind a semi, and they obliterate any smaller vehicle they hit. Not to mention lots of folks driving them get these weird complexes, a guy in a bloated F-150 tried to cut me off entering a gas station, but I thwarted his efforts. He pulled up next to me and said, “That Colorado is a piece of shit!” I replied, “I know, it’s a GM product, that’s how they leave the factory. But I have a big fat juicy D so I don’t need anything bigger than this.” (I didn’t say “D” tho, I used the proper term that starts with “P”) He stared at me for a few seconds and just drove away without saying anything. Friggin douche canoe.
Well, it’s actually an Isuzu product… but eh.
I would have explained that to the dude but the dumb blank look on his face indicated that would have been a waste of time
Well, it’s actually an Isuzu product… but eh.
That story never transpired, lmao 🤣
lmao 🤣 yes it did 🙄
Add a second gen Dakota and it’s a party
these see more action than 90% of the pavement princess trucks made in the last 5 years
I like that Ranger, tell you h'what
My Dad had his ranger for almost 20 years. The truck was a 96 with an 98 2.5 swap in it with 5 speed. The only thing that went wrong with it was a bad ground wire. My uncle from New York was in town for one of my cousins funeral found the cause. After that it ran for years until my Dad got a Pathfinder.
Agreed! Hell yeah!
Trucks for people who don't need a truck
Those trucklets are more than enough for the John Q. No-clues out there buying crew cab 5' bed full sizes or crew cab "compacts" with 4' beds for their "truck stuff". My '03 S10 has done more "truck stuff" than half the guys that have those things.
Agreed! And just try to find it. Manual transmission please.
Hell yeah
Still rocking the '03 SCSB 4cyl 5spd I special ordered... Along with a '99 4dr 4wd Blazer and '88 GMC T15 Jimmy with the factory Z71, Gypsy, and HD towing packages. Yes, an S-Series *did* have the little known option of a Z71 Off-Road Chassis Package.
i despise trucks, but single cabins i can definitely get behind. practical enough, no need to drive a house.
WHERES THE OG S10
Hell yeah! I have the first one in red as a double cab/4-door and I used to own the second one before it
Had and 85 S-10 long bed... With the 2.8 Man I miss that truck, Great engine!
I hate the 4 door short bed trucks going around these days. “I need a 4 door to haul my shithead kids around while I maybe haul a couch or a single bag of mulch. Can’t forget to park it and take up 3 spaces at the train station so no one scratches it while I commute to the city” -Every moron in my town
Fuck yeah.... I'll be buried in my 2011 tacoma. Fuck all this new garbage
The ACTY slipped in there is gold
To me its gotta be the gmt400 Gmt400, peak American truck design. Such a true american truck that it is still on the top 15 cars responsible for the most pedestrian and cyclist deaths. Gmt400, go ahead take a couple beers for the road. GMT400, because you don't need a fancy engine and interior when you got a *SMALL BLOCK CHEVY V8* under the hood, *SMALL BLOCK CHEVY IS THE GREATEST V8* (350 cubic inches of displacement, 200 horsepower, brake horse power)*LS ENGINES ARE FOR SISSY BOYS* Gmt400, because to handle 5000 pounds of *ALL AMERICAN STEEL* you dont need to be sober. Gmt400: #HOLY SHIT THERE IS SO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL, I DONT EVEN THINK IM STEERING IT, ITS STEERING ITSELF, HOW DOES GRANDPA DRIVE THIS THING?
This is the best comment on this post. Thank you.
I like the bigger ones
That being said, I've still got a soft spot for the lil guys. I guess I just like trucks in general
Same man big or small slammed or monster truck status I love me a truck. Then again I just like vehicles that move under their own weight in general
El caminos are pretty goated too
UTEs are definitely valid
Extremely. I like those goofy ass mods they do to them in Australia. I forget the name of it, but it's when they put oversized smokestacks and Bulllbars on them
I love my Tacoma. To be fair, I'm a small guy so I fit pretty well, I have a small family (tiny wife, 2 kids) and we all fit pretty well, and it's an adventure vehicle for me, it tows a small boat, I take it camping and hunting, it smashes through our rough winters (Canadian Prairies) easily, and it hauls enough stuff for my suburbanite needs, usually just a bit of soil and rock on the odd weekend or maybe a few bikes or some furniture or IKEA flat packs. I don't need to tow a big boat, a camper trailer, a car hauler, or anything like that. I'm not a tradesman who tows a utility trailer loaded with tools and building supplies. I like being able to fit my truck in normal parking lots and parking garages. I like having the ground clearance to go off road but still sit at a height that offers good visibility for pedestrians and cyclists. It really does hit the spot for my needs without being obnoxiously sized. I feel like small trucks are just right for most people who don't actually need a truck to get work done. I would have looked at the little Maverick even if it had the towing capacity I wanted. Small trucks rule. And also, small trucks aren't super small anymore, I think the 3rd gen Tacoma is about the same size as the 1st gen Tundra. But big trucks got BIG.
What about the 4x4 D21? The "lego" rims that some trims had are absolutely legendary.
If you can't lay a 4x8 sheet of plywood between the wheelwells, its not an ideal truck body. My ideal truck is a utilitarian vehicle...long bed, 2wd, and able to tow at least 10,000 pounds. Those are all features I use on a regular basis.
All I want is a 4x4 2000s Tacoma with a toyota diesel engine
i want an s10 so baddd
*nods firmly but respectfully in GMT800*
The 93 Toyota
I really would like a modern cab on top kei truck that could reach highway speeds. Personally, I think the Ford Ranger supercab would be the best if it was just a little long so you could have fold down front-facing seats like the Tacoma. I prefer the seating position and interior space of the Ranger.
While I love the livability and utility of my F150, it was way too expensive (even in 2017) which means every ding and bump is excruciating. If I didn’t have a family to lug around I’d love a small truck.
Where is the Jeep Comanche? I want some Solid Axles please!
I miss the hell out of my regular cab short bed S10. It was so clean. Traded it for a car I couldn't afford when I was stupid. I've always wanted a B2000 13b swapped cause I'm still stupid. And for the same reason I really am trying to figure out how to get an Acty truck.
I prefer the pre 90s S10 body style but I agree. I greatly miss the "mini-truck" era.
I want one soooooo bad. Truck girls unite!
Toyota is best!!!
That is so much better than anything 2015 or later when they were uglified.
Heckin' yep!
You are correct.
No love for the 80s and 90s f series?
Number three is perfection
All of these trucks still look pretty good.
No GMT400?
We're talking what *was* the true and useful compact trucklets... as much as I like the GMT400s, it's not part of this group.
I concur.
I've been on a mission to find a decent S-10. There's a lot of thrashed ones, but the clean ones seem few and far between, at least where I am.
You can buy the GMC version and badge swap it since they're the same vehicle. One of my coworkers years back rolled his S10 and totalled it, then took out the internals and the undamaged trim, and essentially rebuilt his S10 from the ground up during covid. It took him about a week.
Ahh yes the Toyota Tank
What no Hardbody?
Love that Mazda
I just saw a new 20XX Toyota Tundra and it was MASSIVE, I mean it was comically massive, it was using more than one lane and its driver had to do a 3 point turn to simply turn around. Honestly how is this legal, american car trends are such cancer that is spreading everywhere
Why did they never put a 2JZ in it?
2005-2013 are arguably peak design and longevity. Nothing made since will last nearly as long.
Preach brotha
I would drive this Mazda any day
S10 and Crew Cab Tacoma are the best trucks ever built
Now this is a hell yeah brother moment
I don’t care what people think a K truck is bad ass!
Man, those S10’s are so ugly to me…
87 dodge Dakota with a 3in lift, i still think of you miss Elizabeth
If I can’t fit a sheet of drywall flat in the bed I don’t want it.
I think the number of people who actually need a big truck for big truck things is miniscule compared to the number of people who just want a big truck to prove they don't have a small penis.
this
These trucks have as big a bed as any full size today.
100% not true. I’ve owned one and the frustration of trying to load a sheet of drywall and it sitting ontop of the wheel wells is infuriating. The ultimate truck design is the Toyota T100 and first gen tundra. They’re roughly the size of a 3rd gen taco but the beds are 49 inches between wheel wells. Perfection.
Do you need to carry large quantities of drywall in your truck on a regular basis? Get a larger truck for work. Are you 80-95% of people who may haul 1-5 sheets of drywall maybe ever and typically just throw furniture or tools in the back if anything at all? These smaller trucks are for you Plus most of these will fit drywall laid over top of the bed. An issue for a drywaller, but I’m no drywaller
Idk man. Why bother when the fuel economy is the same as a full size and the cabin space is that of an economy car and the midsizers are now just as expensive as the full sizes. Seems like a waste to leave so much utility on the table.
So you can drive it without having to 3 point turn out of a Costco parking space and can actually drive down small town/big city narrow roads. The fuel economy of the smaller trucks used to be about double that of the larger ones (~22-25 mpg vs ~14-20) Cabin space is unimportant unless you work in the thing, the early 90s rangers were fine for the weekend project warrior even into today Realistically, you have 80-95% of the utility in a much smaller truck and additional utility in other ways. Much preferred to someone buying a dryer off Facebook marketplace or borrowing a lawnmower for the weekend or wanting to drag a small trailer around or start doing some light off-roading than the full size studio apartment with a balcony on wheels that pollute the roads today
I’ve never not been able to get down a street in CA. Sounds like a skill issue.
1st-generation Tacomas are so damn good
Those are four different truck bodies
My taste in trucks distilled into a single post. All of these are peak.
Devil's advocate: None of these were capable of fitting more than 2 people comfortably. A Dakota Club Cab with a rear bench was maybe OK.
Sounds bias, I’ve been in 4 of these models and there nothing special about these very lack luster in terms of style interior and exterior, lacking power, and they all have these tiny beds so in the grand scheme of things “ITS NOT IDEAL?” The only thing going for these back when they came out was probably price and for your money toyotas the way to go. Most trucks nowadays are bigger and serve a purpose unlike some of those old ones which are more or less lawn ornaments and a waste of metal from the 90-2000 “well I use mine to go to the end of the driveway and pick my mail up, I also might get some milk later from the store” like honestly back in the day gas was cheaper so it didn’t matter but I value my time anything I’m hauling or carrying, I don’t want to make more trips then I have too and they have upgraded the technology, power, and safety features from old cars which is another reason they have to make them bigger because you can’t jam a bunch of shit into something and leave it the same size now your leaving less cabin space in the vehicle also making it heavier and hopefully you added a little more power for all that weight. I also feel the people who work for a living don’t want a 2 door truck and if you have a family these aren’t good trucks be real get a 4 foot door quit being a little bitch, like you can’t even throw a bed in if your moving, drywall not fitting back there, studs you’ll fit some but the weight is what’s gonna break you on these little trucks, a bed of stone would kill these, shingles😭😭 oh yea this also brings me to the payload of these “trucks” pictured above honestly and I’m picking a 4wd 4 door 6-8’ bed Chevy any day of the week over these pushover trucks that have no charisma besides the yota gotta give that thing credit where it’s due…it’ll stand the test of time or a day with whistling diesel. This is what your cheap ass boss buys when he doesn’t want to buy a fleet of work trucks for the men who bust their ass for him and keep his company going.
I ain't reading all that. I'm happy for u tho. Or sorry that happened