THE PICKUP TRUCK CONTENDERS

There's a wide range of used vehicles that could be relevant as a choice. For example, Toyota 4Runners and 4x4 pickup trucks from 1982 to 1995 were especially off-road worthy, and a 4Runner with the right engine and gearing is as much as I'll need in my Texas fishing adventures.

The first generation Toyota Tundra have a great reputation as being a stout off road vehicle. I have driven an old Tundra extended cab 4x4 on several long trips, and although did no off-roading with it, I did do about 150 miles of ice and sleet driving in North Texas one winter, and I felt like I was in a tank on the road. I realize the 4x4 components and system are not the same in the Tundra as in the more expensive Land Cruiser FJ-80, that's what the Tundra felt like driving in the wind, sleet and ice: SOLID. So if a deal presented itself on a Tundra, it might be hard to pass up.

I've also done some heavy hauling with that Tundra on those trips, and it carries the load well. I can't imagine carrying as much as I did on any fishing trip as I did on one Denton trip years ago. My heavy and big load was covered, tied and tarped down and the truck just pushed on through the aforementioned sleet and ice with winds gusting 30-40 m.p.h. I was absolutely impressed with the on road performance, and this will probably be the next personal vehicle we buy when one of our main cars needs replacing.

There's a ton of good American made trucks out there too, but I've been burnt two out of three times on Chevy trucks, and it'd have to be an awful good deal to lure me into an American made truck. Certainly, on real American made trucks, the 4x4's range from more than adequate to absolutely awesome in terms of their power and ability.

To be sure, the 80's K5 4x4 Shortbed Silverado my dad had for several years was a top performer off the road. It was a great beach fishing ride because it had automatic transmission (which for everyone I've ever known who seriously drives beaches and sand, they all say get auto if you can) and would just power through any sand bog or drift with nary a care.

My last Chevy truck had mechanical and/or electrical issues, new from the factory. My bought new truck came with the wrong sized jets in the carb to allow it to pass EPA testing we supposed, and had a host of wiring problems that even a new wiring harness couldn't solve. It was not a high point of Chevy truck tough history.

In between, my father had another 4x4 Silverado he bought off of a friend for a deal. It was a 3/4 ton heavy duty truck, and whilst it's ride on the road might not have been like a Caddy, it really did ride better than a 4Runner or other smaller 4x4. It was solid, and had a nice long bed. I was about to sell the car I had and buy the truck off of him when it got stolen, stripped and burned.

I have a friend in East Texas who has an old Texas Game Warden truck that he got at auction. Basically a Chevy Z71 4x4 with extended cab and a spotlight. But he got a screaming deal on it, and although it has rather high miles, it was taken care of and maintained regularly. It tows his boat and he keeps the whole rig under a carport on his property, ready to roll for fishing at a moments notice. No gathering the stuff. Just get yourself in the truck and pull out with the boat ready to go. RTG.

So a nice Chevy truck of the right condition and history for a good price is a contender as well. Again, it's that combination of price and good condition, with perhaps a bit of somebody knows somebody and he did take care of that truck that leads to a good deal.

If a truck ends up being the Texas Fishing Truck project vehicle, it would have a full rack in the rear, a rather high one, with a basket on top of that rack and some kind of canvas roll down cover to turn the bed into sort of a camper if needed for sleeping.

If a truck is the vehicle, it will have some kind of lockable storage in a false floor built on top of the bed floor for rod storage and the like. Or perhaps in toolboxes running the length of the bed.