Oh gawd, I know what you mean about the Tonka toys. Big fat fender flares with giant fake plastic bolts. How much uglier can they get? Actually that is an unfair comparison to Tonka Toys, the toys look much better then the real trucks.
It seems that for a few years now every new truck, SUV, or anything that isn't quite a car comes from the factory with the towing package standard. Are more people towing these days? Or is this a local phenomenon?
I was puzzling over this a while ago. When I grew up, Tonka toys were almost entirely* metal. When the heck did they stop? I saw some the other day in the store, and they were all crappy plastic. Did someone flip out over the possiblity of metal cuts or hard corners hurting their kid, or are they just cheaper to make that way?
- I don't remember now. But the bodies were entirely metal.
cheers
Jules
Injection molded plastic is seriously cheap especially when you make it in china, pay your labor nearly nothing to be instantly replaced if injured, and then toss your manufacturing waste in the nearest river.
I dunno, but if that's true that's good news. Every time I've tried to rent a car trailer from U-Haul or similar rental company they always find some reason that my proposed tow vehicle isn't acceptable (no trans cooler; rating of step bumper isn't heavy enough, or some other reason)
when I was looking for a cheap used pickup truck pickings were pretty slim. ended up with a 6-cyl. F-150 with no tow package. Would really have preferred a 3/4 ton Chevy or (pre-New Ram) Dodge, but good luck finding one that's a) affordable and b) not beat to shit or rusted out
nate
re: "I think a saw a couple brands advertising fold-out bed and bumper steps a couple years ago."
Now *that* brings back memories!
My 1966 Rambler Ambassador came with a full size bed installed.
Remember the Blues Brothers song " 'b' Movie Box Car Blues" ?
Next I caught a ride with gambler's wife She had a brand new lay down Rambler She parked inside of town, layed the Rambler down She said she sure could dig if I'd knew her
The rear seat was a full bench. The front seat was bench with a split back.
If you pulled the front seat all the way forward and reclined the 2 sections of the back of the seat, they lined up evenly with the rear bench and turned the whole interior into a bed.
The stories I could tell!
My big concern is what is being called a "truck" now and where the new trucks are going to in design. I saw an SUV with a two foot long bed and they called it a truck. I'm not sure what they can haul in that small of a bed. I've noticed that there are very few new trucks being made that have the 8' long bed now. Most of the "150/1500" size trucks come with a back seat (crew cab) and a 6.5' bed. At least the 8' bed allows you to haul sheet material, such as drywall or plywood, with the tailgate up. I always laugh when I'm at the lumber yard and I see people putting trying to fit a sheet of plywood into a short-bed pickup having it hang over the tailgate. I definitely avoid being behind them in case it slips out of the truck.
Rob
I'm sorry to hear that, I haven't bought any tonka toys in a long time but down the road from me a young boy has about a 4' circle were he killed all the grass and his metal tonka toys are always sitting there. It's really cute to see. I am a little surprised no one stole the metal tonka toys. The only bad thing about his little tonka playground is that it's only about 6 feet from the road.
I believe the Studebaker Wagonaire (remember, the wagon with the sliding roof?) had an available fold out step on the tailgate. The funny thing is you really didn't need it as the load floor was so low to the ground (even before the rear springs inevitably sagged...)
nate
Groceries?
I call that a "grocery gitter"
Dead Or Dying Government Enterprise
Around here, six-seven months out of the year, those groceries would be pretty soggy once you got them home. Reminds me of when El Caminos and Rancheros were popular, with their foot-tall beds. The popular wisdom was that all they were good for is hauling beer, cubes of peat moss, and getting laid in on warm summer nights.
-- aem sends...
Ever look at what most truck haul? Nothing. I know a lot of people that have trucks that have never had anything more than a couple of bags of groceries or a picnic cooler, but the owner want a truck. I'd rather have the comfort and smooth ride and better handling of a car.
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