Looks like Encyclopedia Hoonatica has been too easy lately, with plenty of great responses from our Hooniverse Grand Army of the Commentariat. Yeah, well, how’s this for a real challenge? How many convertible and folding-top pickup trucks can you name?
Enjoy the wind in your hair, go off-road, load up the bed, experience potential cranial damage when the previous two go horribly, horribly wrong…what’s not to love? And contrary to public belief, the Chevy SSR still counts as a pickup, at least in GM’s strange, idiosyncratic corporate hive-mind. The Dodge Dakota, shown above, does as well. So there go the two obvious answers. Can you name some more without repeating the answers?
DIFFICULTY: as hard as beating a Korean guy at Starcraft.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDncm4mawV8[/youtube]
Kamil Kaluski
My first vehicle comes to mind. It might not be exactly a convertible truck… but it sortof is? The Chevy K5 Blazer. Looks like an SUV with the top on, looks like a convertible truck with it off. They made the top extend all the way to the windshield until 1973 I believe. After that it stopped behind the front seats. It had a pretty good run up to its unfortunate demise in 1991. The Full Size Blazer lived on until 1995 when it became the two-door Tahoe and was then cancelled in 2000 when the body style changed. Considering it started out in 1967… 33 years is a helluva run.
I was thinking K5 Blazer or Ford Bronco, but those are both SUV's and I didn't want to be accused of cheating.
<img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_s41zmvZTlf8/SspuCop0uPI/AAAAAAAAAGA/LHqdJ2lWBVU/s720/100_2516.JPG">
I disagree. The K5 Blazer is certainly not an SUV, unless you make the argument the putting a camper shell on any pickup instantly renders it an SUV… which is ridiculous. The top on k5 blazers is exactly the same as a camper shell… solid fiberglass, no insulation, sliding windows and all. Unlike a pickup truck, it also relies on it's top for a roof, since it's basically a convertible pickup truck… which is what I believe they're looking for here. Cheating, my @ss.
You make a valid point but I respectfully disagree. If it is a pickup, then when it rains the bed gets wet while the cab stays dry. Bronco half-cab would qualify but K5 would not.
That's a ridiculous argument. When the top is off, the cabs and beds of any of the trucks mentioned on this entire page would get wet in the rain. How does the rain define what's an SUV and what isn't?!
The K5 is identical to a regular shortbed C10 in every single respect, except that it has a removable top. Hence, it is a convertible pickup truck. What difference does it make that the top happens to extend all the way back? It still comes off the same as a half cab does. It's built on a truck frame, with the same pickup truck undercarriage that every GM pickup truck had from 1966 all the way until 1987. It became differentiated in 1988 when the K5 continued on with the 1987's straight front axle, and the pickups got the IFS design that has carried us to the present day.
The Izuzu Amigo is not a truck. So it cannot be a convertible truck.
How is an Amigo not a truck? What makes it any different in design than a Bronco or K5, other than being built on a compact pickup chassis, rather than a full-sized one?
I'm pretty sure the Amigo is based off of the Rodeo chassis. Is the Rodeo chassis a truck chassis? If it is, I stand corrected. I assumed it was differentiated from their compact truck chassis.
Both the 1st Gen Amigo and Rodeo were based on Isuzu's pickup chassis. All three were identical from the b-pillars forward, the same way that the Suburban and Blazer were both based on the Chevy pickup.
Then I stand corrected. Though, in terms of a 'convertible pickup truck' I wouldn't consider it, just as in my original post, I differentiated between the pre 74 blazers. The pre 74 blazers' top removed all the way to the windshield – and the 74-91 blazer's, like the amigo, did not.
I would definitely agree that the Amigo is neither a true convertible nor a true pickup.
But it all makes for a good discussion.
Amigo was sold befor the Rodeo.. and yes both off the PU chassis
Pickups don't have back seats in the bed, except for the Subaru BRAT.
Technically the rear seat was an option, not standard, on the K-5 Blazers. I remember seeing all the option codes once. The passenger seat, the rear seat, and any top (or maybe just the hard top), were all options. Of course most of these options had a 99.99% take rate.
A K5 and Bronco does not have a dividing wall between the cargo bed and the cockpit.
If that's a pickup, so is this:
<img src="http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/vehicle-pictures/1994/isuzu/amigo/94805051990105-480.jpg">
Funny Story. Well, wasn't funny at the time.
I had a '82 K5 with the wonderful removable back. I also had installed a roll bar for looks only. Just bolted in. One day after work, well, it wasn't really after work so much as it was work was done and off the the farm we went….We ended up drinking Beer and shooting shotguns for shits and giggles. It was fall. Late September ,1997, so everyone was gearing up for the upcoming Hunting Season. Once dusk fell we all decided it was a great night to shine Whitetails. Most of the corn was off by now and Soybeans were either off or easy to look over of course. Everyone piled into the Big Blazer, or "The Hog" as we called it. 400 SBC, TH400, 4;11 gears on 33 inch BFG Mud Terrains. Tons of torque to get a guy stuck. We did a few hours of driving and shining and drinking Keep in mind before everyone gets worked up over DUI's and open intoxs this driving and drinking was on private lands. Ok…Someone got the bright idea to drive through a set of woods to a friends tree stand and take a beer piss at the base of the tree. Bow Hunting was also coming soon enough so what the hell. Give him a present. There was Myself, Dad, my brother and two other guys packed in the truck. My brother in the far back behind the seat. Everyone shining lights over the top with the top off. We got through the woods and everyone started to bail out the back to piss. I hollered "Everyone out?" and I heard a bunch of "Yup" so I goosed the throttle to turn around and get geared to get out. What i didn't know was Dad was just climbing out. As I goosed the throttle his ankle caught the roll bar and the rest of him went out the side. BANG AND SNAP. Broken ankle. Sooooo, we get him in the front seat. He looks down and turns the ankle back straight. We drive the few miles back to the farm and then I drive him to the Hospital. Once there the cops of course show since dad is lit and I smell like beer. Cop shows and looks me over, asked questions and then looks the truck over. I didn't bullshit a bit. I knew i was screwed. She asked if I was drinking and I said yes, asked why I didn't call a ambulance and I explained there was no ambulance built that was getting to where I broke my old man. Once I was out of the marsh and woods the Hospital is a 10 minute drive North from our farm and it was about 11pm, the local crew would take 15 or so minutes to show to the farm. I blew the breathalyzer and came in legal. Under the limit by a good amount. Dad stayed in the hospital for a week and came back to work a month or so later. The morning after his break was the beginning of my 7am until 6pm days at the shop which haven't changed since that day. I used to be a 8-5 guy but once he went down I had to step up and show I could run the place solo. I was 23 at the time…Crash course in running a business.
Amazingly Dad recovered fine and never did get mad at me over it. I think he felt bad he ruined our evening……
Great story. Congrats on escaping the cops wrath.
AM General HUMMWV
<img src="http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/humvee-29.jpg">
Okay, I guess I'll keep the ball rolling.
I'll even skip over the next most obvious answer (It's really obvious, once it occurs to you).
<img src="http://image.jpmagazine.com/f/11922232%20w750%20st0/154_0807_15_z%201968_m715_power_steering_moab_easter_jeep_safari_2008%20exterior_front_view_jeep_m715.jpg" width="400"><img src="http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/Photos/Fire/M715/DelanoM715.jpg" width="400">
Kaiser Jeep M715.
Did you mean the IH Scout with Suntanner package?
Not that these actually exist in the numbers of Finnish F-Bodies, but apparantly it could be special ordered with a Nissan diesel as well.
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/suntanner.jpg" width="500">
Ha! Great find.
And, no, I was actually referring to the Ford Models T and A, both available as roadster pickups.
Best offroader ever. And best brush truck as well….especially with something new under the hood like a detroit or a 350 chebby
CJ8 Scrambler? Maybe not a true pick-up, but same general idea.
<img src="http://www.motiontrends.com/2006/m01/jeep2/1982_Jeep_Scrambler_CJ-8.jpg">
It has an uncovered bed with a covered cab. Looks like a pickup to me.
OOOH, tough call. That one is a really getting into a gray area.
However, there WAS one soft-top CJ that was technically a true pickup…the Gaucho!
<img src="http://offroadaction.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/24.jpg" width="680">
This guy has his on CList Daytona Beach. 2WD Beach Cruiser. FAIL!
http://daytona.craigslist.org/cto/1892127890.html
Complete with YouTube link that I can't seem to embed.
Sounds like Kermit the frog.
I like the idea of a drop-top pickup. I like Commanches…a lot!
The two just don't go together, though.
Your post reminded me of this… Posted at the Rodster site (www.rodster.com).
<img src="http://www.rodster.com/assets/owners/chris1.jpg">
Does the Jeep Scrambler count?
<img src="http://www.motiontrends.com/2006/m01/jeep2/1982_Jeep_Scrambler_CJ-8.jpg" /img">
If not, I submit the Ford Model T, among so many other early pick ups
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/1922_Ford_Model_T_Pickup_2.jpg" width=500 /img">
Wow. Same picture even!
Sorry, your google-fu is clearly quicker than mine.
Won't happen often. I'm further hampered by having to search here for the post about embedding images, copying and pasting the HTML, then replacing the url of the image with my own. Slow process.
I solved that problem by cut and pasting a working HTML tag into a "notebook" file, and saving it on my desktop. Then whenever I want to post a picture, I just grab the picture location, and cut and paste it into the file, which is easy to find on my desktop, then cut and paste the whole thing into my comment.
… and its successor.
<img src="http://freerevs.com/gallery/photo.php?id=14658284">
beat me to it
Bronco Half Cab
<img src="http://broncograveyard.com/images/readers/image_10797f.jpg" end>
There's a nice one a block over, must convince owner to sell it to me.
There's a really great 2WD one for sale here in KC, but the owner's asking silly money.
I have pics at home, I will make a Hooni-feature out of them tomorrow.
Didn't the early Toyota 4Runners come with a fully removable hard top? Again, not really a true pickup.
No, but a good addition to the discussion.
<img src="http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/albums/2371_Eric/4runner_001.sized.jpg">
I think I've just found my new favorite car.
New comment on an old post, but I must … I take it you know that you could get a turbo'd 22R on this vintage of 4Runner, right? You had to know that. And yes, these trucks rule.
I used to have the same one, (almost) same color and same graphics kit. It rusted to pieces, but I miss that guy.
Not a convertible but with the t-tops, arguably a targa pickup…
<img src=http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/PCH_80s_Subaru_Hell.jpg">
<img src="http://image.nettiauto.com/extra/carimg/2726001_2726100/land-rover-defender-2726096_b_c025a044b25c1a86.jpg">
Does the open version of the Citroen half track counts?
<img src="http://www.citroenet.org.uk/utilities/autochenille/images/p19-hotchkiss.jpg">
Image taken from the following page where many fine other examples can be seen: http://www.citroenet.org.uk/utilities/autochenill…
doesn't halftrack anything count?
No Brat convertibles, no El Camino T-Tops, no open Cadillac Flower Cars, and most old fire trucks lack a roof entirely.
There is, however, the Morris Series E Ute Convertible.
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/MorrisUte.jpg" width="500">
Actually, Henney's first flower cars were built on the Packard convertible chassis.
<img src="http://www.northlandpcs.com/images/Events/2002international/Grand%20Rapids%20007.jpg">
Icon FJ45
<img src="http://blogs.cars.com/.a/6a00d83451b3c669e20120a976f029970b-800wi" width="560" height="350" />
I don't have time to find a good photo, but the original IH Scout 80 and 800 metal roofs were removable both on the half-cab and the wagon, and IIRC there was a half-cab soft-top available too.
Didn't know the metal tops were removable. Double win!
They're interchangeable too. Some years ago my dad bought a right-hand-drive, wagon-topped 800 that someone had been using as a snowplow truck, found another Scout for parts, and then made the wagon into a left-hand-drive pickup.
Let me help out.
<img src="http://www.ihonlynorth.com/forums/attachments/ih-vehicles-sale/7728d1259125997-nice-1968-international-scout-800-half-cab-bedsm.jpg"end>
<img src="http://www.ihonlynorth.com/forums/attachments/ih-vehicles-sale/7731d1259125997-nice-1968-international-scout-800-half-cab-passenger-side.jpg"end>
Kudos for not just a Dead sticker, but looks like a Dead tire cover as well.
On a 'Binder no less. What a strange combination……
Right, and there was also the Traveller (111" wheelbase Scout II) based Terra, which was a fiberglas half-cab with a steel bulkhead behind the seats, and you could also get a Scout II with a steel half-cab. Both were removable.
This begs the question, though: Are we classifying "pickups" as trucks that have separate cabs and bodies, or can they be unibody?
<img src="http://www.idiotking.org/pictures/terra.jpg">
Those wheels must go!
<img src="http://ploader.net/files/c38500c4d84bb7eb50f96e85e78dc97a.jpg" width="85%">
I can't believe nobody else has come up with the New Map Solyto. No, wait, that's not true.
<img src="http://i84.servimg.com/u/f84/11/44/77/74/dscn6810.jpg" width="500" >
The last one for me, Happy Hour is getting under way.
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2709/4446203862_f7375ccf32.jpg"end>
I've always felt that the 1st-gen 4Runner counts. I had one briefly in college, and I loved it. With the top off and the windows down, it's as close to a convertible as I've owned yet.
<img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_a0aQwpTANGY/RpLisZnvDSI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ASh6RxIgSt4/s800/toyota_topless.jpg">
I had one of those too except it was flat black. I pulled the doors and tail gate off along with the top and then I raised a jolly roger up the antenna and pulled the muffler off. That was such a fun vehicle.
Mine was a V6 SR5 with a five-speed, so it had nice seats, power-everything, and a sunroof, along the ability to do surprisingly awesome burnouts and drifts with 31s.
If I had the cash, I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.
I vote that this counts
<img src="http://image.automotive.com/f/featuredvehicles/24839780+pheader/129_0909_02_z+1972_chevy_k5_blazer+rear_view_dune.jpg">
Since Blazers and 4Runners seem to count, so does this.
<img src="http://www.plymouthtrailduster.com/featured/1979/images/79tdusterbygcook_1.jpg">
Lets not forget the scout!
<img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/4wheeldrive/1/0/X/W/JayC_MA_1979ScoutII_RRLg.jpg">
Thought of another one: Dodge Sidewinder.
<img src="http://www.thesupercars.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/dodge-dakota-sidewinder-concept1.jpg" width="640" height="480" />
The SSR! [youtube DhA3lGHkqZk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhA3lGHkqZk youtube]
I am guessing that this is mostly a question of factory open trucks, since most every truck I can think of has been low-rider convertible-ized.
That being said, how about semi truck convertible? With 1000 hp?
[youtube LdWsgCgKUN4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdWsgCgKUN4 youtube]
Ford Model TT. While based on the Model T, it had a heavier frame and axles. It had a 1-ton rating at the time.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/1919_Model_TT_Truck_2.jpg"width=600>
1st gen Dodge Ramcharger
<img src="http://www.dodgeramcharger.com/featured/1975/images/75rchargerbyacaraveo_2.jpg">
And Plymouth Trailduster
<img src="http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh79/GTLCrete/Ram-Page/1977PlymouthTraildusterfactory440.jpg">
I know the original 4-door was technically a truck. I'm not sure about the convertible though.
<img src="http://www.cargurus.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/2005_chrysler_ptcruiser_ext_1.jpg">
A truck? It's built on the Neon chassis, right? Just because you can put truck plates on something, that doesn't make it a truck.
I was just going by the official government classification, which is a joke.
I haven't been able to confirm it, but I think the top is removable on the Scout Terra:
<img src="http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2007/05/Scoutamino.jpg">
M35A
<img src="http://www.vintagemilitarytrucks.com/25%20M35A2%202004%2005-07%20Tinker%20ww%20a1.jpg">
<a href="http://www.vintagemilitarytrucks.com/25%20M35A2%202004%2005-07%20Tinker%20ww%20a1.jpg” target=”_blank”>http://www.vintagemilitarytrucks.com/25%20M35A2%202004%2005-07%20Tinker%20ww%20a1.jpg
How about the Mini Truck?
<img src="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090216025131/hotwheels/images/e/e5/Minitruck_OrgUH.JPG">
Yeah, it's 1:64 scale, but it's the first thing I thought of.
On a more serious note, this.
<img src="http://www.kirks-auto.com/photos_29_Oct_2006/1939_CrosleySedanConvet_Kirks_3w400.jpg">
It's a Crosley Covered Wagon. No, it's not just a convertible – it's a convertible pickup in the same sense as the original 4Runner, K5 Blazer/Jimmy, Bronco, and so forth. It's essentially a Crosley Pickup with a convertible top and removable back seat.
Here, in fact, is one of the pickups in question:
<img src="http://jeffcom.com/images/1942%20pre-war.jpg" width="600/">
See? Definitely a pickup.
<img src="http://jeffcom.com/images/1942%20pre-war%202.jpg" width="600/">
The roof doesn't go down, but the Avalanche/ Escalade EXTdoes convert configurations.
<img src="http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ChevyAvalanche/Images/BedExt-md.jpg">
Technically not convertibles, but Marlboro Syclones were all equipped with T-tops and roll-down rear windows.
<img src="http://www.sportmachines.com/albums/91Sy2879/2879_004.jpg">
Those trucks were bad mamajammas. Too bad you had to smoke 1000 packs to get an entry form to have a chance to win!
VW Iltis, Canadian war machine.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/VW_Iltis_001.jpg/800px-VW_Iltis_001.jpg" width="500" >
Aussie Pontiac ute.
<img src="http://www.gvmvdc.org.au/images/clubphotos/images/1941%20Pontiac%20ute.jpg">
Aussie Ford ute..
<img src="http://www.the-rumbler.com/sydney2k2/37ute.jpg">
I submit the Renault Rodeo:
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/RenaultRodeo.jpg" width="500">
And two pieces of evidence for the FAFtastic Citroen Mehari:
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/CitroenMehari2.jpg">
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/CitroenMehari.jpg" width="500">
Can I interest anyone in a 1973-1974 VW Thing? http://image.automobilemag.com/f/features/collect…
Should you be looking for cheap isuzu rodeo replacement parts and recommendations of the best parts then do like I did (after a long time of browsing Google) and get your parts from Parts For Isuzu Rodeo. They have got reviews of parts so you be sure its the correct one the first time. Good luck all!
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