$10,000 truck (possibly)

[JoshT]

I'm with everyone else on this, what you are proposing is an unrealistic pipedream.

Even if you could pull it off, there are already a classic styled truck the size of a Ranger out there. It's called the Ranger. There's also the Courier, some Chevies, Mazda, Nissan, Toyots, etc if the Ranger isn't to your liking. If I'm going to put 10-15K into a classic styled, compact pickup, I'm going to buy an older one of those for 1-2k and dump the rest into fixing it up or set aside for future maintenance. Buying something new production in that price range gains me exactly nothing over investing that money into something older.

As for finding a car manufacturer to build it, there is a reason you don't really see any small scale car companies around any more, at least none that last for an appreciable period of time. Those few that do manage are all expensive to purchase due to their production scale. The companies that can afford to absorb the cost of engineering and tooling for a new line are building in mass quantities and would not be interested in a design like you propose brought to them by a third party. They's also have to add so much equipment to meet EPA and NTSB requirements that you can figure at least an extra 10K to the starting price you're wanting just for the safety equipment they'd have to add.

 

[JoshT]

If you really want to look into something that'll fall into that price range, consider producing a kit car or truck. Smyth Performance was offering a good product witheir conversion kits for various cars to produce a pickup in the size and price range of what you're suggesting. From announcements I've seen they are about to abondon the market. You'll still be able to get one of their conversions, but they are moving it inhouse and no longer offering kits. There goes the cheap DIY option.

If you could develop and offer a kit truck that used existing used market sourced components, you could probably fill the gap that Smyth is leaving and achieve the price range your are looking for. You'd also be appealing to that DIY crowd that wants to build their own, but doesn't have the skill/knowledge/time for a complete ground up design and build. Think budget Factory Five Racing project.

Still wouldn't be for me, but it would avoid a lot of the complications that come with a production vehicle.

 

[DavidWS]

If you really want to look into something that'll fall into that price range, consider producing a kit car or truck. Smyth Performance was offering a good product witheir conversion kits for various cars to produce a pickup in the size and price range of what you're suggesting. From announcements I've seen they are about to abondon the market. You'll still be able to get one of their conversions, but they are moving it inhouse and no longer offering kits. There goes the cheap DIY option.

If you could develop and offer a kit truck that used existing used market sourced components, you could probably fill the gap that Smyth is leaving and achieve the price range your are looking for. You'd also be appealing to that DIY crowd that wants to build their own, but doesn't have the skill/knowledge/time for a complete ground up design and build. Think budget Factory Five Racing project.

Still wouldn't be for me, but it would avoid a lot of the complications that come with a production vehicle.

That was already stated the question was only would you buy it I understand the appeal of fixing an old truck trust me I love to tinker with old crap however the miles on a n older truck throw some people off and you never know what's under all the rust a new vehicle does sing a certain song to some people

 

[JoshT]

Punctuation my friend, give it a try.

You asked, we're responding. I'd suggest that you likely picked the wrong venue in which to ask.