derf wrote:Well, if you get a stripped down 2WD base model, that makes sense. It's easy to get north of $40K pretty easy, even in those compact trucks.
And I've been looking at getting a truck I can tow my Jeep behind so that sends the price up even faster.
It's not hard to spend upwards of $60,000 or even $70,000 on a new truck but you are not comparing apples to apples. By today's standards these old trucks ARE stripped down base model compact trucks, that's why I compared it to the Toyota Tacoma, they are the same size.
Tacoma / J4000 / Toyota Tundra
overall length = 212" / 206" / 228"
Overall width = 74.4" / 78" / 79.9"
Overall height = 70.6" / 70" / 76"
Wheel base = 127.4" / 132" / 145.7"
So you can see the "full size truck" is considerably larger than any J-series ever was and by today's standards they are now at the most "Mid size trucks" So we must compare them to today's mid size trucks to have an equal comparison.
Now lets move on to options. That stripped down base model Tacoma comes with Tilt telescopic wheel, Power windows, power locks, heated mirrors, air conditioning, auto limited slip diff, back up camera, and numerous other luxuries. With 4WD and the optional V6 engine it comes to $32,670. In 1972 and on through most of the J trucks the option list was pretty slim. Mine came with the custom cab, which was an interior upgrade, Horn bar, chrome switches, power steering, power brakes, AM only radio, 360 engine, Automatic transmission, and not a whole hell of a lot else. There weren't a lot of other available options besides bucket seats, air conditioning and a winch, which mine doesn't have. So even if it had every possible option that was offered it would still fall far short of a "Stripped down base model" Tacoma as would virtually every J truck ever made but it is the closest thing to comparing apples to apples.