The classic car bazaar is gorging on classic pickups, for now. With gas prices getting cheaper, the guzzlers of the past are finding buyers in the present, and the future for them looks bright. It’s not as if all classic pickups are rare, but most have been so well-used, it's difficult to find one in mint condition. And the classic car bazaar also loves its American trucks. This is where the market starts to get pricey.
Ultra-rare pickups in shiny, mint condition are more of a rich man’s hobby. But most classic American trucks that were made aplenty back then cost an arm and a leg today, especially if they're well kept.
Models that don’t have too many miles on them and still bear their original factory paint rule the roost. So if you have more than a $100,000 lying around in spare change, here are 15 classic American trucks you could go for, which are most certainly bragworthy.
15 1956 Chevrolet 3100: $110,000
Replacing Chevrolet’s Advance Design Trucks in 1955, the Task Force trucks came to play. With snazzier styling and automatic transmission, these looked and ran pretty cool with aggressive front grilles. So, this custom Chevy 3100 at Hemmings goes for a cool $110,000, and it's only for the seriously-funded classic pickup collector.
14 1951 Dodge Power Wagon B-3PW: $115,000
Classified as “civilian, one-ton, military-type” trucks, Dodge Power Wagons were the first work trucks that introduced civilians to the 4x4 concept and had high enough ground clearance to be the perfect workhorse. Plus, these trucks looked pretty cool, if not aggressive, for their times. A mint-condition model is listed at Hemmings for $115,000.
13 1971 Ford Bronco: $139,900
The first generation of the Ford Bronco lasted from 1966 to 1977 and produced many a classic. Classified as an ORV (off-road vehicle), it came out to answer the rising popularity of the Jeep CJ7 and the International Scout. It sold well and its popularity still seems to be on the rise with this model costing $139,900!
12 1979 Jeep CJ7: $155,000
While the classic Ford Bronco may be popular, the Jeep CJ7 is still hard to beat. And judging by this 1979 Jeep CJ7, listed at $155,000, they're still in high demand. Other than being tough and off-road worthy, the classic value of a Jeep CJ7 remains high as well. This is one classic collector’s pickup no one would want to part with easily.
11 1941 Willys Pickup “Americar”: $168,000
Only the 1941-42 models of the Willys models were dubbed Americar, and they also came in sedan, coupe, and wagon styles. The distinctive hood makes it a popular choice for a hotrod and finding a stock model today is pretty rare. So yes, the $168,000 listing price on a 1941 Willys Pickup is well justified.
10 1952 Chevrolet 3100: $175,000
Part of the Advance Design line of trucks that lasted 1947-1955, the 1951 model had vent windows on the doors, making it a coveted model among the others. The iconic front grille of this generation of trucks stuck with Chevy long enough for it to become the inspiration behind the styling of the SSR and HHR models. And for this mint condition model, you'll have to set aside $175,000,
9 1973 Ford Bronco Coyote Legend: $225,000
If you gasped at the $225,000 price tag for this 1973 Ford Bronco pickup, know that it isn’t stock. With a 5.0-liter Coyote engine and a Legend suspension, this is something very, very special. A beautifully-restored model by Coyote Broncos, this one only looks classic but has been done over with modern technology inside out. So, driving this is going to be something else.
8 1948 Dodge Power Wagon: $229,900
A quad-cam automatic, this 1948 Dodge Power Wagon model stands at a whopping price of $229,990. This is the time things started to get interesting for civilians because, before the Power Wagon, also called the WDX Multi-Purpose truck, only the military had access to four-wheel-drive trucks. The Power Wagon proved to be revolutionary.
7 1979 International Harvester Scout II: $239,900
Things may have gone south for all passenger vehicles of International Harvester, but the values of the classic Scout still seem to be rising like the levels of greenhouse gases. This 1979 model, a Scout II pickup, is priced at a dear $239,900 and looks fantastic while running on AMC engines.
6 1953 Ford F-100: $112,900
How could we go through a list of classic American pickups without mentioning the F-Series? So here you have it, a 1953 Ford F-100 in good condition, with that classic rounded hood and beautiful iconic grille. 1953 is also the birth year of the F-100 nomenclature, and this particular model is all the more coveted for its $112,900 price tag.
5 1971 GMC Jimmy 4x4 Restomod: $119,900
Not to be confused with the Suzuki Jimny, this was the GMC Jimmy, the sister to the Chevy K5 Blazer. Similarly to how the name "Jeep" came from GP, so did the name "Jimmy" come from GM. The idea was to use a memorable name that should come to mean what the makers' initials stood for. This one is a restored and modified version, currently going for $119,900.
4 2003 Chevrolet SSR Pickup: $115,000
So if you look at the year of production, you'll realize this isn’t a classic. But with no Chevrolet SSRs being made anymore, it might as well be. Only a few more than 24,000 of these SSR pickups were made, at a price of some $42,000 each. Sales were never high, but seventeen years down the line, the price of a 2003 Chevrolet SSR pickup has skyrocketed to $115,000.
3 2006 Hummer H1 Alpha: $159,900
Yet again, while the 2006 production year means this is not a classic in the true sense of the word, with no Hummers being made anymore, you might as well consider it one. The Hummer H1 Alpha was a limited-production run made on GM’s Duramax Diesel engines connected to a five-speed transmission, which helps explain the $159,900 price tag.
2 1957 Chevrolet Cameo Carrier: $103,500
This is the pickup truck that paved the way for the Chevrolet El Camino. While it was part of Chevy’s Task Force trucks, the interiors were made more car-like, and more powerful engine options were also on the menu. It was a pioneer both for Chevy and adventure pickup trucks in general. This 1957 model can be yours for $103,500.
1 1934 Ford Model BB: $150,000
Does this pickup look a bit familiar to you? Probably because Bonnie & Clyde were gunned down in a truck just like this one, so there’s that for infamy! The model listed here at $150,000 is a built-up hot rod and not the original model. Probably the reason why it looks a bit different and more like a Model TT than a BB!