Why I Love My Square Body...

[pcguysam]

I have always wanted, at one time or another, an older truck that I could "tinker" with.  I either didn't have the funds to pick one up or didn't have the time to tinker with it.  Towards the end of last year, I suffered a pretty big financial set back, forcing me to get rid of my 2010 Texas Edition Silverado because the payments were simply too high and I could no longer afford it.  I traded it in on a little Chevy Cruze, which was to become my every day driver.  I hated it.  I more than hated it, I HATED it.  I had always driven a truck or suv and I was spoiled to it.  The dealership seduced me with gas mileage and I fell for it.

Fast foward a month or two and I have met my now wife.  She had a vehicle, but had been in the same boat I was, it wasn't financially viable to keep it.  As we got more serious, I decided that she could drive the Cruze and I could find an old fixer upper that I could "tinker" with and still drive to work and back.

Enter my 81 Stepside.  Now that 2010 Texas Edition was NICE.  Leather, crew cab, backup camera, satellite radio, the whole nine.  It was like driving a Caddy, it really was.  I would get the occasional compliment, but the thing is that you see those trucks EVERYWHERE.  Every other vehicle in traffic is a new big Chevy or Ford or GMC or Dodge...  Every time that I drive my 81 anywhere, I get compliments on it.  Never does a trip anywhere go without hearing "nice truck man" or "sweet ride".  I love it.  It makes every dollar and minute that I spend on it worthwhile to know that I have something that other people think is cool.  And it's not something that you can pick up or see on every street corner.  Once we're done restoring these things or customizing them, they're pretty close to being one of a kind.

But the most important thing to me is that ANYONE with a little bit of money can go out and buy a new car.  It takes what I consider to be a real man to take something old and make it new again, or make it unique.  I'm far from a gear head, I wish I was one, but, there's much more to be said for someone who can build something rather than buy it, in my book.  It takes character.  I'm 34 years old, and all of the young kids on this board who are refurbing and driving these trucks, and the dads that are passing down the love of working with your hands, I have nothing but the utmost respect for you.  Money is great, but you can't buy a sense of accomplishment.  And to some people, that doesn't matter.  To me, it makes a big difference about how I feel about myself and a person and as a man.  And that's just my 2 cents :-)

[74 C-10 Shorty]

Cool truck, good luck should be a fun project..

[blazing816]

Hey I total hear you man. I bought my first square body 4 months before I got married at 25. I had never work on a car/truck before, except for card audio. I since put a new reman motor in it, and whole bunch of little things here. Mine is a complete rust bucket, but I still love driving everywhere because I did the work on it and I learn how to do as I went along and I just love old trucks. I now currently have 2.5 of them (ones just a rolling chassis) and I could not be happier, I have kind of let my rust bucket just be my driver and I plan on start a ground up restro the other one, which I have never done or been taught to do. It will probably be a long road and a few choice words will be thrown around but to me, trucks are built not bought. (which I know is someone's signature here, but I like it).

If it was not for gas prices and my finances I would prob be driving a pickup as my DD, but unfortunately like you did I deiced to get better MPGs because of my compute and I drive a little 4 banger car as my DD.

[flips87c30]

Why I love my square body........ cause I used to own a ford

[blazing816]

Why I love my square body........ cause I used to own a ford

lol

[MillerWTime]

Wow that sounds exactly like my story, just traded in our gas guzzeling, high monthly payment suv for a midsize suv. Now that it became the wifes car im finally able to purchase myself a Square Body. I cannot wait to have the same experiences you are. Good luck with it!

[mike357]

The older you get the more this makes sense. I am 43ish. In times past I have always wanted a newer vehicle and always had car payments. I just recently paid off my wife's daily. It is still in great shape, I don't have to get another one and I don't plan on it. I like having the extra $500. a month to save or spend. It's a good feeling not having payments. In the last two years I have paid off 2 cars and some large CC debt. I'm done making payments....now to work on the house payments.

Anyway, you can build an older truck to be just as dependable as a newer one. You may not have the bells and whistles, but you don't really need heated/cooled cup holders. You will be better off financially in the long run doing what you're doing.

[pcguysam]

Exactly.  I paid $130 for a Kenwood head unit that I can use to do handsfree calling.  That's the biggest feature that I missed in my truck versus the newer cars.  I wanted to not have to worry about a Bluetooth headset or anything like that.  It's about safety and convenience.

[Tazman]

I have owned several trucks and only one was older than an 87,and I only had it for three months. I love these square body trucks , easy to work on and love driving them !!!They can easily hold there value and my grandsons like helping clean mine,they can't wait to drive it . Yes that will be a good day.
Thanks

[shadoe]

Wow you said a mouthful and it all came from the heart.  I always wanted a pickup and over the years owned several work trucks but what I really wanted was my kid sister's stepside.  My bro had a 79 Z-28 and i had a 78 TA...here comes my little sis and gets an 81 Street Coupe.... i was after that truck from day one fast forward to 2003 AND SHE OFFERS IT TO ME.....of course I jump on the chance and go get it in Austin Tx and bring it 250 miles west where it is garaged and driven daily now....in our small town there are quite a few stepsides running around. It is fun to tinker with them when you can and it does give you a feeling of accomplishment....keep having fun with your truck.

[8lugnutz]

Anyway, you can build an older truck to be just as dependable as a newer one. You may not have the bells and whistles, but you don't really need heated/cooled cup holders. You will be better off financially in the long run doing what you're doing.

I just had this conversation with my wife.  Similar situation, paid off two cars, and bought my square body with cash.  I'd rather save the money to tinker with mine than to have a brand new one any day!