Aug. 1970 'Consumer Reports' - comparison of camper trucks

[FORDification]

I just posted another very cool vintage article. This one was scanned from the August 1970 issue of Consumer Reports magazine, in which the staff special-ordered 'Camper Special' type trucks from Ford, Chevy, Dodge and International, in order to do a safety and performance comparison between the trucks. It IS a long article....8 pages, in fact....but it really is some very cool reading, and definitely gives you a little insight into what the trucks were really like. Consumer Reports magazine doesn't accept any advertising, so they aren't going to favor one company's products over another's because of any advertising contracts. They pretty much tell it like it is.....and based on what they write, it's a wonder anyone ever survived driving them!

Anyway, here you go:


Consumer Reports ~ August 1970

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Also, just a couple quick updates:

1) To the Explorer Special Explained page I added a comparison photo of the '72-only bedside emblem with that of the '73-up trucks.

2) Added a few more I-beam casting numbers to the Steering/Suspension Component Variations page, and will be adding a few more tonight.

3) Added a few more pictures to the How to completely disassemble a door page.


4) I also updated a few other pages a couple evenings ago, but can't remember WTH I did! Hate it when that happens!

[greenbank]

Great article. Makes me think a trailer is really the way to go.

I'm curious, though. Just from my casual observation of for sale ads, etc, I'd say a lot of surviving 250s are Camper Specials. I wonder if a lot of 250s were sold as C/S trucks, or whether they've tended to survive better over time.

Also, I'm frankly shocked that Ford did not recommend disk brakes, seeing as they were added to camper specials quite a bit and weren't they only available as an option on C/S trucks?

[460 crew]

I had driven the 70 CS with the 11ft camper in it and boy it took some getting used to it swaying. I'm sure it was a little stiffer brand new but still is a little bulky. On the other hand If the CS's were to come with a 4x4 front end with stiff leafs like my crewcab it is a better ride in my opinion and a little more stable. My crewcab with the 6ft bed with an 8ft camper on it was cool to drive and handled pretty good but it does have power disk brakes up front. Gas Mi was the killer pushing a giant box down the road. Like Greenbank mentioned if it was sittin on manual drums i'd be a little scared.

Great reading Keith!!

Makes me wish I hadn't sold that truck.

[Tim P.]

A very intresting article to say the lease. at lease the ford was favored over the ( others?) there were others??? ha ha I know mine hauled a camper right from the lot in 72 until 1990 so it worked hard I did notice that the box suffered from the camper on it for so long as I have replaced it this year the old box was distorted thru out the whole structure from twisting etc. the bed bolts were worn thru the bed floor from movement of camper over the years, The frame did well over the years as I had it checked and found no compromize in it's intergrety or twist,bends etc, It did have the heavy bumper on it and still does I belive it was farmed out from dealer as it is welded to frame and made of 1/4 diamond plate steel with plenty of support to it structure this was proved several years ago as a car traveling at 35mph hit me in the rear only scratched the paint but totaled the front of the car, being as it may I belive that the bumper being welded to frame only enhanced the structural intregrety of the truck frame for carrying or hauling a heavy loads, as a note of intrest mine had mount supports on the cowl sides for camper mounts as well as the frame bar mounts it also came equipped with some type of fastening plate on the front of box between the cab to secure the camper, also it came with the dual battery system, it also had thoses dietz lights on front fenders. Ford must have reworked the brake hose as mine did not rub on the tires or frame. Disc brakes would have been a better option to use than drum and they need to be checked on a regular basis if you haul heavy loads often. All & All I think theses old trucks faired better in hauling heavy loads far better than the (others). Great article Keith Thank You.