The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

The full-sized pickup truck is perhaps one of the best examples of late 20th-century folk art. As American as the flag flying over the White House, the standard pickup has shed its bucolic image and has now infiltrated all strata of American life. To be sure, the pickup is still big in the sticks but everyone, and I mean everyone, is driving one – from the ubiquitous yuppies to Ronnie and Nancy.

In fact, there are even those who say that when John Wayne rode off into the sunset, he did so in a full-sized pickup truck. I’m no expert on the hereafter, but everyone will have to admit there is a lot of similarity between the late Duke and the pickup. Both are big and brawny and no one wants to get in the way of either. However, unlike the Duke, the pickup does not always get the girl. But it certainly can haul the groceries.

Today’s test vehicle, a Dodge D-150 Sweptline Prospector (supplied by Rothrock Motor Sales, 15th Street and Route 22), is a good example of the big pickup. But, then, you could really say this about any of the other American pickups. A pickup’s function does dictate form. There’s a hood up front, the cab in the middle and the box in the back. Not really a lot of room for originality in exterior design. But the Dodge pickup is somewhat different from the herd, and for a very substantial reason. It is the only pickup in the world backed by a 5-year/50,000 mile powertrain warranty and a 5-year/50,000 mile outer panel rust-through protection. Since a pickup does take a lickin’, Dodge is certainly putting it on the line that it’s going to keep on tickin’.

As mentioned, pickups and other trucks have become very popular. But you may be surprised to discover just how popular they are. Last year, more than four million trucks were sold which meant an increase of 32 percent over 1983 sales. This compared to a 13 percent gain for cars. Of this amount, 3.8- million were light trucks, many of them the standard pickup. This popularity was maintained even during some of the darkest days of the recession since more than 13.5 million light trucks were purchased over the last five years.

To go back a little in recent history, in 1960 trucks held a 12.5 percent share of the combined car and truck market. By 1984, trucks had more than doubled in importance and took 28.7 percent of sales. There are a couple of reasons for truck sales expanding at a faster rate than cars. Beginning back in the early ’60s, pickups gradually became more civilized. Radios, automatic transmissions, upgraded interiors and instrumentation, independent front suspension, air conditioning and even power windows and door locks were added as the years progressed. And before you knew it, trucks became more attractive as personal vehicles. Also, buyers began discovering that pickups could haul both people and things and could be used for both work and pleasure.

The truck market is h ighly competitive, but, unlike the car market, it is predominantly a domestic market. And the full-sized pickup is an American monopoly. No other country builds one of these. Perhaps in time, the compact pickup will cut more into the full-size market, but right now the big pickup is enjoying the good life.

But back to the test vehicle. The D-150’s wheelbase is 131 inches; length, 211 inches; width, 79.5 inches; height, 65 inches, and curb weight, 3,480 pounds. It has a minimum gross vehicle weight of 4,800 pounds and a maximum GVW of 5,850 pounds. The eight-foot-long pickup box is almost six feet wide and has a capacity of 58.59 cubic feet. Not quite big enough for a boccie court, but big enough for some serious hauling.

The cab is high and wide. The test vehicle’s bench seat could seat three corpulent passengers in comfort. Head room measures 40 inches and hip and shoulder room 65 inches. The high seating, as can be expected, does provide the driver w th a good view of the road.

The test vehicle, with its automatic transmission and power equipment, was an absolute snap to drive. That big, wide hood at first seems a bit imposing, but it doesn’t take too long to get used to. The Dodge drove much like a passenger car does, but that extremely long wheelbase did mean a bit more wheeling. However, the long wheelbase is also responsible for a very smooth ride that is not the least bit what you might expect of a truck. Suspension is typical pickup – independent coil springs up front and leaf springs on a live axle in the rear. People who have never driven big pickups would probably be surprised just how well they handle. The test car did not quite act like a sports car, but it took curves and cloverleafs with a minimum of fuss and bother. The light-loaded rear does break loose quickly under stress, but a flick of the wheel brings it right back.

The D-150 comes with a choice of three engines and three transmissions. The standard powertrain is the old reliable 225 cubic inch (3.7 liter) Slant- Six, rated at 90 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and 165 foot pounds torque at 1,600 rpm, and a four-speed manual transmission. This combination should provide adequate performance for all Lehigh Valley driving conditions. Do not, however, expect to set any quarter-mile records with this combination.

The test vehicle was equipped with the optional 318 cubic inch (5.2 liter) V-8 with 2-barrel carburetor – rated at 145 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 255 foot pounds torque at 2,000 rpm – and three-speed automatic transmission. This is a very good combination for all driving conditions, hauling and towing. Performance is above average and fuel mileage is decent – for a full-sized pickup. The test vehicle averaged 12 miles per gallon for city driving and 18 mpg over the highway.

For even more zip, there is also an optional 360 cubic inch (5.9 liter) V- 8 with four-barrel carburetor. Thisengine produces 175 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 280 foot pounds torque at 2,000 rpm. The other optional transmission is the four-speed manual NP435. This is a more performance-oriented transmission than the four-speed overdrive unit. The 360 V-8 and the NP435 should be an impressive combination.

Dodge, well aware that most of the pickups sold today are purchased by individual owners for personal or job-related use, offers a wide range of options. The test vehicle was nicely equipped, though not really a loaded-down vehicle. It had a base price of $7,622 and a freight charge of $525. Options totaled some $2,200 and included: automatic transmission, $510; 318 V-8, $339; step-type rear bumper, $120; AM-FM stereo radio with clock, $238; 30-gallon fuel tank, $110; power steering, $260; two-tone paint, $431; cloth and vinyl trim bench seat, $67; light package, $74; low-mounted exterior mirrors, $83; gauges, $40; intermittent windshield wiper, $55; front bumper guards , $26; P205/75R tires, $55, and deluxe bright wheel covers, $62. The price includes a $300 discount for the Prospector package.