QOTD: Can You Build an Ideal Crapwagon Garage? (Part III: Trucks)

Corey Lewis
by Corey Lewis
qotd can you build an ideal crapwagon garage part iii trucks

It’s time for the third installment of our Crapwagon Garage QOTD series. The first part was all about the hatchbacks, while the second entry focused solely on sedans.

In today’s section of the garage, vehicles with open beds fill our peripheral vision. They are, of course, pickup trucks.

Browsing through the comments section of last week’s sedan inquiry, I had some Why Didn’t I Remember That feels for this:

It’s a circa 1990 Mazda 929S, as suggested by Gtem. This sedan was on my mind a couple weeks earlier when the foundation on this QOTD series was settling. It’s so forgotten that it slips from the mind very easily. Bonus for two-tone paint and lace alloys on three-box formal sedan.

On to the trucks!

Here are the Crapwagon Garage rules by which we must all abide.

  1. A crapwagon must be a vehicle which is relatively easy to find and purchase using an internet.
  2. All vehicles in the crapwagon garage must have been sold as new, in the North American market.
  3. Said vehicles must be obtainable to the casual crapwagon collector (CCC). This means in clean, running condition each one asks $7,000 or less on a normal day.
  4. Your suggestions must fit into the vehicle category of the week. If you don’t like the category, that’s tough. We’ll get to a category you like eventually.
  5. There are five rules to this garage game, and that’s the maximum number of vehicles you may submit for each section. Solamente cinco.

It’s pretty obvious what “truck” means, but I’ll remind everyone that this is not the place to list truck-based SUVs or other items of that nature. Your truck must have an open bed at the rear, with a tailgate. On to my choices.

I’d love to have a later GMT400-era GMC Sierra. They had nice five-spoke wheels, lots of two-tone, and many cab configurations. I’d probably find a black-over-pewter 4×4 example that had been well-kept by an elderly owner. They’re widely available in no-salt areas; you just have to search around for the one I want.

The second garage slot goes to a Toyota T100 today. I always liked the serious, no-frills styling. The T100 was also available in many colors and configurations, and is instantly recognizable as “late ’90s Toyota truck.” There’s something both comforting and competent about it. Desirable! They run forever, so they’re still around (again, in salt-free areas).

What are your Crapwagon Garage truck picks?

[Images: Toyota, Mazda]

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  • JohnTaurus JohnTaurus on Jun 06, 2018

    Can't believe I didn't see this earlier. Anyway, on to my picks. I'm excluding my 1969 F-100 (which I finally was able to get to my house this week). I would take a T-100 as a work truck, but it isn't my first choice. Toyota Stout yes I've seen these under $7k in drivable condition 1966 or older Ford F-100 with Inline 6 and 4spd 1992-6 Ford F-150 4x4 manual 300 (4.9L) I-6, like this one: https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/d/1992-ford-150-4x4/6584694063.html (yes I know it needs a clutch and other TLC, but even completely restoring its mechanical condition would keep me way under $7k)

  • Richthofen Richthofen on Jun 22, 2018

    Way late to the game as usual. Anyway: -1979 Chevy El Camino Royal Knight -1995 Ford F-150 Lightning -late GMT400 Sierra, agree with the article on this one -Jeep Gladiator/J10/J20 in whatever configuration gets it within budget -late 90's Ram 2500/3500, extended cab/Cummins/DRW. Might as well have a tow rig for all these other crapwagons...

  • RICK Lou, not sure about panthers and Cougars , BUT at 76,I now consider myself a vintage Rolls Canardly. I roll down one hill and Canardly get up the next! Wishing you a Very Happy, Merry HanaKwanzaMas. 🎅🎄
  • Lou_BC The dealbreaker for me is the $80k starting price in Canada.
  • Zipper69 The Grenadier was designed ground up to be a "better Land Rover" and by most press accounts comes close.What little we know about the Quartermaster it's clear that it's intended for serious off road work without additional aftermarket fettling needed.The price is clearly a barrier, but IF it's the real deal, it will have a slot in the market.
  • Michael Charging more for less. Hmmmm
  • FreedMike Meanwhile, over at Nissan, you can get a perfectly nice, well equipped Frontier four-door that has a V-6, 4wd, and is capable of all the "truck stuff" you could ever want for $36,000. And unlike the "pay over sticker or go f**k yourself" nonsense you get at the Toyota place, the Nissan store will probably happily make you a nice deal.
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