Practical parts haulers, according to you
If you love cars, trucks, motorcycles—or any other wheeled vehicle for that matter—odds are you either have or considered owning a secondary vehicle that keeps your hobby alive and well. And that’s precisely the notion we discussed in the Hagerty Community when Guitar74 asked, “What are YOU using for a parts hauler?”
His 1995 Ford F-150 XL work truck got him thinking, “I have had this thing for twenty yrs., picked up so many things ranging from engines, transmission, have seen a relocation to another state, a relocation back, hauled cars, helped friends move, and this thing still looks this good?” No surprise he has nothing but great things to say about it, as this F-150 has the legendary 300-cid six cylinder that’s been running dependably since his initial purchase of $4000 back in 2000. It’s just a truck, but that’s the best thing about it. So it’s no surprise a few more users had to chime in!
First up was yours truly, as I was inspired by someone giving so much praise to a regular cab Ford truck with a bed-liner and a tonneau cover. Well perhaps not inspired and more excited, because I chose a similar vehicle as both my daily driver and car parts hauler: a 2011 Ford Ranger XLT five-speed with modest powertrain/suspension improvements and a host of OEM+ cosmetic upgrades. My Ranger keeps me running reliably, affordably (I love having more money for my home and hobbies), and the small size and light weight compared to newer trucks makes it feel like a Miata with a bed.
Then, a truck in a similarly-silver hue hit the Hagerty Community: NITRO450EXP has this Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab for hauling everything intended for his specialty cars. Being a big-boy dually ensures he can tow just about anything too, and the Mega Cab ensures he has enough space for the whole crew to relax in limo-like comfort. Aside from its massive dimensions, this could be the best hauler for the hobbyist, especially if they own a bit of property too!
But wait, we even have a proper mid-size pickup in our midst! Hagerty Community user hyperv6 showed us his GMC Canyon Denali crew cab, which is likely close to the size of our first truck but comes with all the modern convenience, performance, luxury, and safety equipment we expect from late model vehicles.
He clearly appreciates the virtues of a smaller truck, as in the past he’s owned “a rare 1972 GMC Sprint SP (ElCamino SS)” and “a number of S10 and GMC Sonoma models including a ZQ8 Sonoma, that was fun to drive.”
Who took the cake? The guy who opted for a van instead of a truck, that’s who! Hagerty Community member spoom loves the heavy duty truck life but with a steel enclosure for all the fun: this is his Ford E-350 Econoline in what’s likely the same shade of silver as my Ford Ranger. These big framed E350s do just about anything a Ford Super Duty can, but with more protection and less cost: In the used car market, vans are generally much, much cheaper than a crew-cab truck in the same configuration. But is there another reason to go for the van?
As spoom said,”it doubles as a seasonal cart hauler to and from the warm weather RV park. Here’s a rare photo of an E350 Econoline giving birth in captivity.” Which begs the question, are we seeing two vehicles for the price of one?
So tell us in the comments, what parts hauler do you have, or wish you could have?
