Brutal, basic and useful…that’s how I like my trucks. Give me a vinyl bench seat that isn’t going to kill my spine, an engine that has mountains of torque, a manual trans, and a cargo system that I won’t cringe over every time I have to use it for it’s intended purpose. Those kinds of trucks are now relegated to the “commercial” side of the manufacturer’s houses as they unload unbelievably expensive, leather-lined examples of the same truck to unwitting consumers. Sad. Ten for ten, I’d take an old work truck over the 21st century luxo-barge any day of the week, and standing out in my eye is this 1973 Ford.

There is no pretension to what this F-350 is meant to do: haul a couple of bodies in the cab and a ton of whatever in the hell you want out back. The stakes are a nice touch, but it’s the flat bed that has me dreaming of hauling parts wherever I feel like going. The Ford presents well enough from a distance, but get up a bit closer and you’ll see proof that this isn’t a show truck, with the cab corners showing signs of distress. The 360ci FE engine should provide more than enough grunt to lug around just about whatever I find.

eBay Link: 1973 Ford F-350