Off-road Vehicles - USA: Books - History and Models

American 1/2-ton Pickup Trucks of the 1960s

Although the 1/2-ton American pickup truck was still purchased as a basic utility vehicle during the '60s, more and more, consumers were looking for stylish, comfortable, good handling, and good performing trucks.

The important role played in American life by the lightweight, high-production pickup truck is often overshadowed by their innate ruggedness, reliability and utilitarian nature.
Yet, as the quickly-changing decade evolved, so did the pickup truck, and the manufacturers' interpretation of them. Continueing its trend from the 1950s, a trend towards greater style, comfort and optional equipment, the pickup truck would less and less assume the lines and styling of its flashy, sibling car versions, and instead evolve an identity all of its own.

Features:
- Includes engine and chassis specifications
- Covers all high-volume, light-duty American half-ton pickup trucks of the decade
- A detailed, close-up look at four of the most poupular models of the'60s
- Contemporary truck industry production facts and figures
- Focusses on pickup truck options available during the decade
- Never-before-published images of fully restored trucks
- Images from period advertisments and brochures
- Photos of rare models, including: Fargo, Chevrolet Corvair & ElCamino, Ford Econoline & Ranchero, Dodge & Fargo A100, and Mercury
- Detailed and descriptive coverage of annual model changes
- Highlights distinctive truck styling cues from the era.

Muscle Trucks: High Performance Pickups

The American pickup has always been known for its hard-working, easy handling nature, but has mainly served as a light workhorse. As pickups became more mainstream, many were created with high performance in mind.
Dubbed Muscle Trucks - the roots of these prestigious pickups go back to 1955, when Chevrolet introduced the Cameo Carrier. While not a hot rod, the Cameo was super cool and it proved that customers would buy a truck that could play as well as work.
Ford then followed with its crossover pioneer, the Ranchero, which was half car, half truck. The Ranchero inspired Chevrolet's El Camino, and both of these hybrids featured high-performance variations before all was said and done.

This book honors these hot trucks, then and now, with a selection of outstanding color photography detailing these high-performance haulers inside and out. Among others, photo subjects include the Chevy SS 454, SS 396, and SS 454 El Camino, Cobra Jet Ranchero, GMC Syclone, Chevy SSR, Ford SVT Lighting, Dodge SRT-10, the Li'l Red Truck, and the new Dodge Hemi Rams.

American Light Trucks and Utility Vehicles, 1967-1989 : Every Model, Year by Year

The truck's role in American society changed dramatically from the 1960s through the 1980s, with the rise of off-roaders, the van craze of the 1970s and minivan revolution of the 1980s, the popularisation of the SUV as family car and the diversification of the pickup truck into multiple forms and sizes.

This comprehensive reference book follows the form of the author's popular volumes on American cars. For each year, it provides an industry overview and, for each manufacturer, an update on new models and other news, followed by a wealth of data: available powertrains, popular options, paint colors and more.
Finally, each truck is detailed fully with specifications and measurements, prices, production figures, standard equipment and more.

American Pickup Trucks of the 1950s

Combining details of truck specifications, previoulsy unpublished images, lists of optional equipment, and industry facts and figures, this book reveals the important role played by the lightweight, high-production, and basic 1/2-ton pickup trick in American post-war society, a role often overshadowed by its innate ruggedness, reliability and utilitarian nature.

As the 1950s progressed, so did the evolution of the pickup truck, which added more and more style, greater comfort, and ever increasing equipment options to its burgeoning model range.
After the few drab colours first offered at the start of the decade, the pickup would assume similar styling and tri-coloured pastel paint finishes to its flashy sibling car versions.

Focussing on truck specifications, optional equipment, and industry facts and figures, this book also highlights some of the rarer makes and models, and includes never before published images, revealing cutaway illustrations, and a dedicated chapter focussing on four very different design approaches form the decade.

Covers the period 1950-1959, and Ford, Mercury, Chevrolet, GMC, Dodge, Fargo, International, Studebaker, and Willys/Kaiser-Jeep Half-ton pickup trucks. Does not include 4x4 or smaller, such as Crosley, or larger pickups such as Three-Quarter Ton, One Ton, etc.

Features:
- Engine and chassis specifications
- Covers all high volume, light duty, American half-ton pickup trucks of the decade
- Detailed, close-up looks of four of the most popular models of the 1950s
- Truck industry production facts and figures from the time
- Focuses on 1950s pickup truck options
- Includes many never before published images of fully restored trucks
- Images sourced from period advertisements and brochures
- Rare Fargo and Mercury models illustrated
- Descriptive, detailed text on annual model changes
- Highlights distinctive styling cues

Pick-up Américains, des camionnettes de légende (Autofocus)

Le pick-up est le véhicule de l'Amérique profonde, où il a quasiment remplacé le cheval. Après avoir été considéré comme un simple utilitaire corvéable à merci, il est aujourd'hui porté au rang d'icône, et nombreux sont les passionnés qui recherchent et restaurent les pick-up anciens.
Depuis les omniprésents Ford, Dodge et Chevrolet jusqu'aux confidentiels Terraplane ou GMC, les pick-up possèdent un attrait visuel et un capital de sympathie qui les hissent au même rang que les classiques des années 1950 et 1960 et les muscle cars des années 1970.

Découvrez ici douze pick-up en état d'origine ou restaurés, représentatifs de la production américaine de 1934 à 2006. Magnifiquement photographiés, ils sont accompagnés de descriptions détaillées, rappels historiques et fiches techniques.

Sommaire :
1934 Hudson Terraplane
1936 Chevrolet Utility Coupé
1939 Ford Barrelnose
1951 Ford F1
1954 Chevrolet 3600
1956 International Harvester
1956 GMC 6 cylindres
1956 Studebaker Transtar
1957 Ford F100
1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside
1979 Dodge Lil Red Express
1979 Chevrolet El Camino Royal Night.