By Tim Odell
Yes, Trar. It means truck-car, aka a car on a truck chassis. In this case the stars have aligned on the middle of the Lone Star State to bring us two malaisey cars atop stonking truck chassis’. It’s Ford Vs Chevy, a Pinto and a Nova, both from 1973. Beneath the Ford is a ’72 Bronco chassis with a 302. Beneath the Chevy, a shortbed Chevy truck chassis with a mildly built 454.
Here’s where I begin comparing the relative merits of each car, but by what criteria do we judge a trar? Is the purpose offroad performance? To get you laid after a night of cruising the local main drag? Sheer WTF factor? I really don’t know. I’ll summarize and you can analyze…
First, the Ford: most shockingly, they took one of the most valuable classic Ford models around and grafted upon it the body of one of the most shamefully awful. There’s an infinite supply of later Bronco or F-series truck chassis to desecrate with a Pinto shell, but instead “over $20,000″ was spent building this rig. Aside from that, we know it’s got 3 years on a rebuild on that 302, 37” boggers, four extra lights and lime green paint. Transmission? Gearing? Lockers? These are mere details when facing down the awesomeness that is a 4×4 Pinto. At least we get some sweet mud pit shots in the ad. Honestly, the first thought at the $7,000 asking price was that’s not a bad deal for a Bronco chassis onto which one could put a fiberglass replacement body. Oh, and use the Pinto shell for LeMons.
1972/73 Ford Brinto? Pronco? – Killeen Craigslist
While the Ford seems to want to be some kind of bizarro-world show car, I think the Nova really captures the Trar spirit. We’ve got one of the last years of passably attractive Novas atop a dime-a-dozen ’79 Chevy truck frame. Big block, TH350, NP205, 12 bolt rear and 10 bolt front with 4.56:1 gears. It’s got ancient BFG Mud Terrains on really crappy chrome wheels, farm-implement flat black paint and an air horn. Sure, it’s got needs, like a trunk floor, starter switch and battery. On the other hand, the diff covers are painted like the flag of Texas. For $4,500 can I get a Yeehaw? Yeehaw.
1973 Nova 4×4 – Killeen Craigslist
Jeff Glucker