Do we have the most reliable trucks on the planet?

[Sniper X]

I am always surpised at how reliable and still on the road the pre 90s Chevy trucks are. I mean around here, in NM I see at least 50 times the number of pre 90s Chevys still on the road than ANY other make. There are a few scant Dodges but very few, and about 1/10th the number of pre 90s Fords stil on th road here. In fact, i may see a ore 80s Dodge for every hundreds or so pre 80s chevys! I also see about 200 times as manny 70s vintage and even 60s vintage Chevys than Fords and of course I never see 60s or 70s Dodges, well maybe one in a year.

I haven't driven my 1974 for two months, as it has been sitting in 3ft of snot with a 5ft drift behind it. I have been driving my Range Rover because it is 4x4. Anywho....I walked out last night at about 9pm and it was about 30 degrees I jumped in the old beat and pumpped the throttle five times and touched the key and it fired off like I had driven it twnety minutes ago!
I love this thing!

[Jim85IROC]

No. I think that generally newer trucks are far more reliable. We just like our trucks enough to maintain them properly. The 90s trucks aren't as popular of a body style, so there are fewer people preserving/maintaining them.

[GmtGmt]

Because they are simpel, easy and cheap to maintain
there arnt alot that can malfunction as there really arnt any computer stuff in these trucks only after 86

also because only few people have money to go out and buy new trucks and cars nowadays
i see that on everyday im a Volvo Mechanic and we have only sold 3 cars this year! but we see alot of older models comming that have seen the good site of 500.000miles

[78 Chevyrado]

My 77 and 78 were reliable. my 87... well not so much.

[C-10 simplex]

That's true; i don't really see any 70's or 80's ford pickups--only rarely. But i see at least 4-5 gm pickups from the 73-87 range everyday.

i think because they're are small block chevy based/rwd makes them cheap easy to maintain.

[Pyrotechnic]

Being that most of these are carbureted, they will continue to run, though not that well with a roll of duct tape and some bailing wire.

Chevy has a ton of interchangeability as well, which means you could pull parts off another GM vehicle with the same family engine and it would work which means cheap and easy to find parts. This really gives GM vehicles the edge in general at the parts counter as well.

Not the case with Ford, where they would change things constantly every year or two without a care for parts interchange later on. Dodge is fairly good about it, but I don't think they sold that many of their trucks in the first place. Maybe that's why Ford is always bragging about having America's #1 selling truck...it's easier just to scrap the old and buy a new one!

[Malo83]

My 83 Silverado is still my daily driver since New, with 208K miles on her she still runs great, still quite a few 73-87's driving around here

Like a Rock

[Low84]

Originally Posted by Pyrotechnic

Being that most of these are carbureted, they will continue to run, though not that well with a roll of duct tape and some bailing wire.

Chevy has a ton of interchangeability as well, which means you could pull parts off another GM vehicle with the same family engine and it would work which means cheap and easy to find parts. This really gives GM vehicles the edge in general at the parts counter as well.

Not the case with Ford, where they would change things constantly every year or two without a care for parts interchange later on. Dodge is fairly good about it, but I don't think they sold that many of their trucks in the first place. Maybe that's why Ford is always bragging about having America's #1 selling truck...it's easier just to scrap the old and buy a new one!

Not to go off topic, but I heard that they win that statistic not because they out sell GM, but because they break up the GMC trucks from the Chevrolet truck sales. Never bothered looking into it though.

[86swb]

Originally Posted by Low84

Not to go off topic, but I heard that they win that statistic not because they out sell GM, but because they break up the GMC trucks from the Chevrolet truck sales. Never bothered looking into it though.

That really makes since. Never thought about that. Ford only has Ford trucks.

[86swb]

But I know when I go to the salvage yard looking for parts I see more pre 90's Fords there than Chevy's. Around here anyway.

[Sniper X]

Originally Posted by 86swb

But I know when I go to the salvage yard looking for parts I see more pre 90's Fords there than Chevy's. Around here anyway.

Exactly my point, I know why they are so reliable, but why AREN'T other makes as reliable? Technically they should be.

[big10ratrod77]

yea we own the best trucks ever made thats all there is to it!

Exactly my point, I know why they are so reliable, but why AREN'T other makes as reliable? Technically they should be.

becouse they can some times they cut corners to make stuff cheaper example-1971 ford mavrick uses the same tail lights as a 71 ford truck other words CHEAP!!! but the main thing is the difference of how things are designed and built

[grinch4om]

they are as reliable but every one seems to understand chevys... most of the fords and dodges (older) I've seen are ragged, used up and just plain beyond fixing up. owned all brands and raced fords but have always liked chevy trucks best. twin I beam is tough as nails but rides/handles like poop. dodges just weren't sold as much as the rest

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Hell yea They are very simple to fix and pretty easy to maintain! I love all my rigs I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world well almost anything

[chevymotocross]

Very reliable mechanically BUT they are prone to rust/rot, atleast up here in New England, and that can make the truck unreliable if you don't take care of it and prevent it. For example, on my truck the upper control arm has rotted through. If I were to continue to drive this, I risk it breaking apart and me losing control of my truck possibly hurting myself and someone else. That is why I have pulled it off the road to finish my restoration process.

[86swb]

Originally Posted by chevymotocross

Very reliable mechanically BUT they are prone to rust/rot, atleast up here in New England, and that can make the truck unreliable if you don't take care of it and prevent it. For example, on my truck the upper control arm has rotted through. If I were to continue to drive this, I risk it breaking apart and me losing control of my truck possibly hurting myself and someone else. That is why I have pulled it off the road to finish my restoration process.

They all are prone to rust not just our trucks in cerntain parts of the country. Also most classic old Fords have a Chevy power train in them and there is a reason for that.

[1973GMC_1500]

I don't mind Fords, but their f***ing electrical systems are over-complicated.
And there is virtually NO parts interchangeability.

With GM nearly everything is interchangeable (or so it seems).

[spr85gmc]

i choose to plead the 5th to this comment, as if i were to agree lord know my truck wont start in the morning ..... just the facts of life!!!

[GMC Guy]

Originally Posted by spr85gmc

i choose to plead the 5th to this comment, as if i were to agree lord know my truck wont start in the morning ..... just the facts of life!!!

i feel the exact same way!

[79gmcc15]

my ole truck as never not started, never left me stranded, no matter how sick she was. that's all I can say about that!

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by Sniper X

....I haven't driven my 1974 for two months, as it has been sitting in 3ft of snot with a 5ft drift behind it.....

That's just gross...

[86swb]

I hope he ment snow.