Where is the modern mini-truck?
- Thread starter Nessism1
- Start date
I like smaller PU's. I had a 77 Datsun king cab 2wd PU (620) and loved it. It had a 2 liter (L20B, 110HP) 4 banger with a 4 spd manual trans and regularly got 30 mpg on the highway. Reluctantly sold it to my brother-in-law who trashed it. Missed having a small truck so I got a 78 Chevy LUV which I regretted. Something was always broke on it. I got a 2002 Nissan Frontier king cab, 2wd, 2.4 L 4cyl (143hp) with 4 speed auto trans about 5 years ago that only had 68K miles on it. There's a night and day difference between this and the 77. The 02 "surprisingly" feels crude compared to the older truck. It's rough riding, slow and only gets about 22 mpg highway. The 02 is also larger and heavier but I'll admit it has been bullet proof. The 77 is, however, my favorite of the two. I'd consider a Maverick if they made an extended cab version with a 6 foot or so bed. I don't need a crew cab/people hauler..... just a simple straight forward "truck".
I’m 6’1” tall. Little trucks like that don’t work for me at all! Not to mention how obese Americans are these days. We just don’t fit.
Then throw in all the airbags needed in a modern vehicle. You’ve just added 6 more inches of width. All of the computers for the engine management system and HVAC need to go somewhere dry, so the dash and cab need to be extended 8 inches to hold everything. Have you noticed how far away you sit front windshield these days?
No one wants to ride 3 wide on a bench seat anymore.
No OG Ford Ranger or Mitsubishi MityMax is gong to be popular because our laws won’t let them be built.
Then throw in all the airbags needed in a modern vehicle. You’ve just added 6 more inches of width. All of the computers for the engine management system and HVAC need to go somewhere dry, so the dash and cab need to be extended 8 inches to hold everything. Have you noticed how far away you sit front windshield these days?
No one wants to ride 3 wide on a bench seat anymore.
No OG Ford Ranger or Mitsubishi MityMax is gong to be popular because our laws won’t let them be built.
The Market took care of them; for good. If you need a truck, get a truck.
I remember about ten years ago an article was put out in the paper about the Daihatsu mini trucks a local farm equipment dealer was selling. All about how they’re unsafe and illegal to drive on the road and all the local PDs and sheriff’s departments would write you a ticket and potentially impound them if you were caught on the road with them.
Now you can pay $15 to get a stamp to legally ride a SXS on those same roads.
