Which truck of this era is most representative?

[Gordon Maney]

Looking at the 72-93 production run, I wonder which truck is most typical of the participants in this forum? What year, which engine, what load capacity, etc?

I consider buying a 72-93 truck to use in creating service articles and manual content. I would like to put together a poll to run here, but want some initial comment and categorization to help me assemble the poll.

Discuss....

[PowerRam89]

Mine is more of a hybrid. 1989 Chassis, 318w/ EFI to Carb Swap, 727 Trans, D44 Front, 8 3/4 Rear, NP 205 Transfer Case.

Best truck I have ever owned. Hauled as much as 14000lbs behind her with out an issue. Snow, Mud, Fields, Rocky Terrain, Trails, it has seen it all. Including 5 Deer, 3 Trees, 1 Car, and 1 Garage Door(Those last two as a result of my son putting it in gear while running). All she has is minor battle wounds. Real easy to get info and parts for these trucks.

Well thats my opionion.

[Gordon Maney]

Mine is more of a hybrid. 1989 Chassis, 318w/ EFI to Carb Swap, 727 Trans, D44 Front, 8 3/4 Rear, NP 205 Transfer Case.

Best truck I have ever owned. Hauled as much as 14000lbs behind her with out an issue. Snow, Mud, Fields, Rocky Terrain, Trails, it has seen it all. Including 5 Deer, 3 Trees, 1 Car, and 1 Garage Door(Those last two as a result of my son putting it in gear while running). All she has is minor battle wounds. Real easy to get info and parts for these trucks.

Well thats my opionion.

Tell me more about your EFI to carb swap. What moved you to do that?

[PowerRam89]

Well I had been considering the swap for a while mainly because of not enough top end power. I use my truck a lot in 4-wheel drive so power is very nice to have. Also I never much cared for computers in trucks. A carb is just simple. (IE..No Sensors and Less Wiring) So I sat down and did my research before I even started and realized a lot of stuff I had layin around would work. The swap was very easy to do.

[KRB64]

My guess

Is early or mid/late 70's? 3/4 318 auto?

Mainly due to the abundance of M880s out there.

But there are really about 3 "generations" within that whole time slot. You have the basic TRUCK of the 70s, then the 80s version with part time, efi, electronics, cats, smog etc and then the late 80s early 90s when the Cummins appeared.

[Gordon Maney]

We also divide that up with some having full time and some having lockouts? When were those times?

[ram fan]

As stated earlier, there's a bunch of us driving the M-880's yet today. These trucks are easy to find, pretty cheap for the most part, tough a nails and easy to work on. They present a great platform for doing custom work whether it's body, engine or interior without having to worry about messing up a high dollar truck. The truck posted under the out of uniform and in civilian clothing post is mine. As an upholsterer, I made a tonneau cover for it and will be doing the seat over within the month with some kind of custom design. The donor seat (bench) is out of a '74 W-200 CC and is torn down and ready to be rebuilt. I didn't want to pull out the one in my truck to do over due to needing the truck at any given moment. This way I can rebuild the other seat and swap them out when it's finished. I'll post a new topic on the seat when it's finished.
For the record, mine is a '77 M-883 w/o lock outs. I pulled the 2 bbl. and put on a 1406 Eddy which really perked it up. I have pulled and haul (together most of the time) very heavy loads with it and the truck has served me very well.

Craig

[712edf]

We also divide that up with some having full time and some having lockouts? When were those times?

72-74 old style manual lockouts
75-80 full time
81-84 I am not sure but mostly manual lockouts maybe, or automatic.
84-? vacuum CAD

Also the Dana 60s after 80 I think were mostly manaul lockouts, but I have seen both internal & external style, plus heard of CAD 60's too.

I am fuzzy to what occured axle wise after 1980. I do know the 208 tc came about then, but married 205 were also around those yrs in the heavier duty trucks.

Bucky

[iranch]

My picks

Having owned a number of trucks from this era, my pick to just get in and drive would have to be a 76 or 77 W150 with 318 and auto. The truck just flat out fits me and does almost anything I ask of it.

If you are talking work (I went across the scales with a load of hay last week at 42,000 gross) then I don't know where you find any thing better than a 89-90-early 91 W350 with CTD & manual. I don't know why but the cab is supposed to be the same but just does not sit the same. I've been around a few of the late 80s - early 90s trucks and they all seem different than the middle 70s trucks. Uncomfortable to me.

Just my opinion.

Dennis

[76WAGON200]

I have a '76 W200 with 400 big block, full time 4X4 and auto trans. Up here they are relatively rare in that configuration. Most of the trucks are '80s 1/2 ton 4X4 with small block, manual hubs and auto trans.

[Gordon Maney]

Having owned a number of trucks from this era, my pick to just get in and drive would have to be a 76 or 77 W150 with 318 and auto. The truck just flat out fits me and does almost anything I ask of it.

If you are talking work (I went across the scales with a load of hay last week at 42,000 gross) then I don't know where you find any thing better than a 89-90-early 91 W350 with CTD & manual. I don't know why but the cab is supposed to be the same but just does not sit the same. I've been around a few of the late 80s - early 90s trucks and they all seem different than the middle 70s trucks. Uncomfortable to me.

Just my opinion.

Dennis

That is interesting. Do you think it is the seat?

[iranch]

Seats

The seats do have have something to do with it. Dad's 90 W150 has the LE interior and that seat is the worst for me. It sits to low and after about 50 miles my hips begin to cramp up. I was always going to raise it 2-3 inches and see if that helped, but have never gotten around to it.

My W350 is the el-cheapo interior and the seat sits higher. I drove it back from central Wyoming when I bought it, 650 miles straight thru and only had minor cramping. It still does not feel as natural to me as the mid 70s trucks I have owned and I've had different style seats in those. It seems to be shorter from the back of the cab to firewall. Maybe I should measure, I have both sitting in the yard.

Dennis

[Gordon Maney]

The seats do have have something to do with it. Dad's 90 W150 has the LE interior and that seat is the worst for me. It sits to low and after about 50 miles my hips begin to cramp up. I was always going to raise it 2-3 inches and see if that helped, but have never gotten around to it.

My W350 is the el-cheapo interior and the seat sits higher. I drove it back from central Wyoming when I bought it, 650 miles straight thru and only had minor cramping. It still does not feel as natural to me as the mid 70s trucks I have owned and I've had different style seats in those. It seems to be shorter from the back of the cab to firewall. Maybe I should measure, I have both sitting in the yard.

Dennis

That would be interesting....

[Andyp]

76wagon200

I have a '76 W200 with 400 big block, full time 4X4 and auto trans. Up here they are relatively rare in that configuration. Most of the trucks are '80s 1/2 ton 4X4 with small block, manual hubs and auto trans.

where are you at in Alta ? I'm in Strathmore.

[USN78W150]

most representative

I love the late seventies full time trucks. I own a '77 M885 ex USAF truck, and a '78 W150 short bed former US Navy truck. Both have 318's, with the '78 having a factory 4 barrel carburetor. I also have a '78 USAF Crew Cab D200 truck with a 360 and factory 4 barrel that I will be selling shortly. I will list it here on the board when I sell it.