Cazalea presents a fascinating photo essay on the evolution of the four-door pickup truck, a distinctly American automotive phenomenon. His post delves into the history and utility of these vehicles, from early aftermarket conversions to factory-produced crew cabs designed for both work and family transport. This exploration offers a unique perspective on a segment of the automotive world often overlooked by traditional enthusiasts.
And I'm not talking about cylinders, I'm talking about doors. And specifically about Pickup Doors. Pickups are known across the world but their use as passenger carriers is primarily an American phenomenon. My thoughts on this began a few weeks ago.
We were in a particularly trucky neighborhood, finding lots of nice vehicles,
when my wife and I spotted this 4-door Dodge Pickup lurking under a shade cover:
The Dodge was produced for a couple years in the early Sixties as an aftermarket conversion before the factory decided THEY should be getting the extra work and money. Eventually Detroit excess led to this:
The first crew-cab pickups were marketed to businesses who needed to carry workers to a job. No longer would you need a bus to follow a truck; now you could have a couple of these and transport 6 grown men (per truck) to a jobsite along with a bunch of equipment or supplies.
The next one we spotted was in a house with about 6 other trucks - all off-road conversions or racers. I deduce that this was "adjusted" from its factory configuration to carry 6 people to the Baja 1000 races. To my knowledge, Ford didn't build an F350 4-door Bronco, so was it a 4-door pickup with a camper grafted on?
The 4-door trucks in this post were all seen on the same day, in the same neighborhood, in less than 1 hour. I will present them in consecutive order, as we spotted them.
Just what we Americans all need - a Super Duty Crew Cab Long Bed Dual-Wheel-axle Diesel pickup with a chrome face and running boards.
You might be noticing other common features, such as tinted glass, raised suspension, custom wheels, etc.
This is a rare Japanese take on the 4-door pickup, first known as the "brat" and then the "baja"
It's liberally clad in "cladding"
This has a full bed cover, further reinforcing the idea that these trucks rarely carry any cargo
The next truck is a very rare Lincoln Blackwood pickup. A "Cadillac" of pickups, if you permit me to say. Its full dose of luxury and elevated price tag of $50,000+ did not convince the 20,000 buyers a year Ford hoped for. Only about 3500 were made in 2002 before it was discontinued.
Here's the inside of the bed (thanks Wikipedia). Too small to sleep in; too plush to carry cargo in; too short to be a hearse and carry a casket; etc etc
There were just a few more before the camera started smoking from overuse, and the electric Fiat begged for a recharge.
It's safe to say San Diegans (Americans) love 4-door pickups.
Which raises a question: ARE THERE ANY PURISTS with 4-Door Pickups????? Or do we all prefer "toy cars" for our driving pleasure?
Cazalea
