Ford, Chevy, Or Dodge, Which One Of These Would Make The Best Shop Truck?


Ford, Chevy, Or Dodge, Which One Of These Would Make The Best Shop Truck?

Looking for a project is never easy. Whether you are looking for something to build from the ground up, or something that is partly finished, finding the right car or track can be horribly trying. But what if you were just looking for a good beater shop truck? That should be a lot easier right? WRONG!!!

While the new Suburban project is cool, there is a part of me that knows that a beater truck is in order for hauling parts around, getting dirty, driving home from the shop in while dirty, etc. Sounds easy right? WRONG!!! Okay, enough with the wrongs. I thought it would be simple. And maybe it would be if I had a clear opinion as to what I really really want, but I don’t. To tell you the truth, I would roll an older mini truck, a beater late model truck, any number of trucks from the 1950’s and 1960’s, or who knows what else. I’m a die hard GM guy, so for me it’s Chevrolet or GMC all the way with the exception of a minitruck, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate some of the cool options I have found from Dodge and Ford as well. Which led me to this blog item.

Anytime I look at trucks online, I find cool old Fords and Dodges that anyone would think were cool if you pulled up in them at the dyno shop with an engine in the back. Or pulled up to the parts store behind the wheel of one. They are good, and so they deserve some love.

Here are three cool potential shop trucks that we just had to share with you. Some of you will love the Ford, others the Dodge, and some the Chevy. All are cool.

Which one do you like best?

1972 Ford F-250 Work Truck

We believe this truck was a Caltrans or State vehicle based on the color and the seal that has been scraped off the doors. We could be wrong, it could have belonged to a school district or something, but regardless it is a bad ass. Without question. Check it out.

Here is what the seller has to say.

1972 Ford F-250 Service Truck
Automatic
52k miles (newer motor And transmission)
Custom 3/4 ton heavy duty
Power steering
Power brakes with dual calibers
The truck Runs and drives
No smog Required
All original
All stock

$3000 obo …..open to trades

626.848.1550

1970 Dodge D100 Stakebed Truck

We used to drive one of these D100 Dodges on a pretty regular basis, and I always loved them. There is something about an old truck that just speaks to us as car guys and gals, and this one would do a lot of talking for a long long time. It’s bitchin.

1970 D100 stake bed 318 v8 automatic. little TLC be nice truck. Needs exhaust system.$3,000 call or text between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. for more information thanks. (760) 403-0512

1972 Chevrolet C30 Longhorn Camper Special

This truck here just speaks to me. It’s a great example of what is right in the world of old pickup trucks. Sure it’s a little rough, it’s lived in the desert it’s entire life, but it isn’t rotted out and it most certainly has lots of life to give. The fact that the 350 has a rod knock doesn’t bother us at all, after all we can buy a short block for cheap or put gaskets and an intake on a 283 we have sitting in the corner of the shop. Either way would be fine for us. We’re not looking for horsepower, just something to haul parts.

72 C30 1 ton Camper Special Longhorn edition. This is a one owner truck that spent it’s life in the high desert. It has less than 75,000 original miles and is pretty much rust free, solid rockers and floor, clean fender bottoms. The worst is a banged up tailgate.
Has a 350 that has a rod knock and a automatic transmission. Has factory air, disc brakes and a tilt column. It needs a total restoration but is a very solid truck. Clear Ca. title and has been non-oped. (951) 490-2323


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8 thoughts on “Ford, Chevy, Or Dodge, Which One Of These Would Make The Best Shop Truck?

  1. wayne

    Chevy just because it has the original bed. Untility bodys are just extra weight to carry around as most shops don’t have a need for all the compartments. Stake bodies just don’t keep parts in as well as a p/u bed.

  2. Bowtie Guy76

    Even though I\’m a die hard GM guy you can\’t beat a service body for a shop truck… that\’s why I\’d go with the Ford

    Even though the box adds a little more weight that just means it rides smoother when it\’s empty then a typical old 3/4 ton and loaded down it\’s a helluva lot more useful

    Not to mention these old trucks usually average 8mpg loaded or not so it\’s not like it\’s going to hurt the mileage on it

  3. Grantly

    If the chev speaks to you, then listen to your heart. You will be thrashing away on any of these at some point, do you’ll need some love to carry you through.

  4. Kent Reed

    O K , seems like we are missing the real issue here. Its to be a shop truck. So the little added weight from the utility box is a non issue. Must be too many die hard drag racers here. And that also goes for talking about MPG. its a shop truck. that’s trips to the tire shop ,parts store,bone yard and local eatery. Its not gona drive someone back and forth to work . That’s what the new truck the owner drives is for. And a cool shop truck is to be noticed. Yep the Ford and Chevy are cool . But the much more rare Dodge would be the ticket . Even has a great engine and trans combo. And the only 1/2 ton. You will use your cool old wrecker for the heavy lifting. And the stake bed will haul a doghouse in one piece. Without messing up the bed rails. Just saying.

  5. C.M. Bendig

    The Longhorn Chevy. Note the A/C Vent?

    Put a Big Bock in it, loud exhaust. Do burn outs that will make the shortbed idiots drool. Plus you can tow stupid long and heavy trailers.

  6. John Reed

    Ford is in best shape of the 3, pending engine info. A reinforcing plate will mount a Harbor Freight crane atop a side box. A small set of torches will hide in a side compartment, along with a hodgepodge set of tools, sledge, axe, shovel, fire extinguisher….
    Get rid of the Ford alternator and regulator, you’ll see why when you look at the hinky wire terminals. Replace the coil terminals with standard ring terminals, then scrounge up a GM internal regulator and it’s “pigtail”. Don’t mess with a 1-wire, just check out the wires from the regulator to the dash. The one that runs through the charge light connects to the smaller (Brown) wire, the one from the ignition switch goes to the larger (Red)wire. You may want to pandrallel another charge wire from the alternator to battery +. If you are upgrading lights, add headlight relays -the little black Bosch ones work good – ‘cuz the Ford headlight switch has a circuit breaker in it, and increased load can make it a flasher! This pretty well ends all the “Found On Road, Dead!” stories, and I smoked 8 alternator and 3 regulators figuring it out. The junkyard Delco has made it 10 years +, and I’ve killed 1 H4 headlight bulb. I borrowed an 80/100 rally bulb to get home, but I went back to a normal. 55/60 cuz the bright one made my eyes hurt when I passed an orange reflecting sign. Truck for truck, the Ford has bigger brakes and a stronger front end, though it does need a stout shock to make it behave.

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