97% of People Can't Tell Which Decade These Trucks Are From. Can You?

By: Craig
Image: YouTube

About This Quiz

OK, truck guys and gals, we're going to test your truckin' brains today with this quiz! You'll be given a picture of a classic truck, and even a hint, and asked to identify which decade saw the debut of the iron-hearted muscle vehicle being shown!

Where would we be today without trucks? Whether you're trying to stock a grocery store, move your furniture across the country, haul a load of dirt or compost to start a home garden or just cart all the kids' worldly leisure possessions for a day at the lake, there's no doubt that trucks are the most useful vehicles on four (or 18) wheels.

It wasn't long after Henry Ford rolled a Model T off the line that some enterprising tinkerers started adding primitive truck beds to them. It then didn't take long for Detroit to take notice of the trend and start cranking out pickups for the masses. They were indispensable on early 20th century farms, taking the place of the trusty horse and wagon to hauls supplies to keep the crops and animals going.

In World War II, trucks went to war, ferrying men and munitions into the teeth of enemy fire and (often) the wounded to hospitals behind the lines.

Today's trucks are streamlined, sleek, sometimes even with hybrid or electric engines, but they all trace their lineage to those early haulers. How many of them can you identify?

Produced between 1962 and 1971, the Jeep Gladiator was available in both a 4-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive option. Obviously, the 4-wheel drive was far more capable off-road. Suspension options also varied with either a solid front axle or an independent front section. Power plant options changed a number of times through the years.

A pickup truck with a camping space on the back, the Chevrolet Blazer Chalet combined some off-roading with camping. The chalet section, which slept two people, was made by Chinook and just neatly slid into place. 2000 Blazer Chalet models were made.

The Ford F-250 "Highboy" featured massive 35-inch tires which gave the truck a really menacing look. Early Highboys were powered by a 360-cubic inch V8 engine.

The civilian version of the original Willys MB (or Jeep) that served in the American military. the CJ-2A is easily identified thanks to that iconic grill. This vehicle, although powered by a small engine developing just 60 brake horsepower, was light, nimble and surprisingly quick.

The H3 model of the Hummer was introduced in 2005 and is the smallest of the Hummer models. Three engine options were available for the H3 withthe most powerful a 5.3 liter V8 which produced 300 brake horsepower. The Hummer brand was discontinued in 2010 by General Motors.

The first luxury 4x4 sold by Jeep, Wagoneers were produced for a period of 28 years, from 1963 to 1991. Even though this was a massive vehicle, the 4x4 performed admirably off-road.

Also known as the Super Scout II, the International Harvester Safari II was a direct competition to the Jeep CJ. Much like the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser, the Safari II could hit the trails with any modifications of any kind. It has a massive wheelbase – 106.5 inches – as well as a V-8 motor with a manual transmission.

The Ford Super Duty is an excellent choice as an off-roader, particularly when you might be pulling a heavy load or even hauling extra equipment. With a solid beam axle, the Super Duty offers better axle articulation and has superior durability.

First and foremost, the Suburban has an incredible legacy and was first introduced in 1935. Current models are capable off-roaders and are powered by a 5.3-liter V8 engine coupled to a six-speed gearbox.

Ram pickups were first introduced in 1981 and were marketed by Dodge until 2011 when they became their own stand-alone brand. The Ram name had been used before on Dodge trucks between 1932-1954.

Regarded as one of the best off-roaders ever produced by Jeep, the Rubicon’s compact nature means it can often go where bigger off-roaders can’t. Those tucked away, tight trails – this is where the Rubicon will excel. It offers excellent tires, a six-speed gearbox with a 4:1 transfer case and an inline six engine capable of producing all the torque you will ever need.

First released in 1948, without a doubt, the F-Series by Ford is the most iconic pickup in U.S. motoring history. Over the past 30 years, the F-150 has outsold every other competitor each and every year. And it's not difficult to see why. Now a thoroughly modern brand, the F-150 keeps that incredible personality of its predecessors.

Dodge Viper engine in a pickup? Yes, it really happened. The Ram SRT-10 was the fastest production truck at the time, completing 0-60mph in under 5 seconds and able to reach 155mph. And all of that power was channeled through a manual transmission! Scary!

Produced between 1990 and 1994, the Renegade was a trim package available on the Jeep Wrangler. This was in conjunction with American Specialty Cars based in Detroit. Originally, the Renegade was only available in white, red or black with blue and bronze added a few year later.

Although they had collaborated before, the 2007 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Supercharged saw a massive influence from Harley. This included chrome, lots of chrome among other aesthetic details. And the powerplant? Well this F-150 had a 5.4-liter V-8 engine capable of 450 brake horsepower.

A heavy-duty pickup truck, the International CXT was released in 2004. Essentially, it is a 14,500-pound truck with Ford Super Duty bed on the back! At nine-feet tall, this pickup can carry 12,000 pounds.

A civilian version of the Humvee military vehicle, the Hummer H1 would then obviously be more than capable as an off-roader. And it is but with limitations. In fact, some H1 owners went as far as changing out the standard 6.5-liter diesel engine and replacing it with something to provide more speed.

With input from the legendary Carroll Shelby, the Dakota features a 5.2-liter V-8 capable of 175 brake horsepower. This was coupled to a 4-speed automatic transmission. In 1989, that made for a performance truck that was seriously impressive performance wise.

The Colorado is a pickup truck in the mid-sized segment. It has been produced by Chevrolet since 2003 and isvailable as both a 2-door regular cab, 4-door extended cab and 4-door crew cab.

The Power Ram Cummins Turbo Diesel was Dodge's answer to the heavy trucks of the 1980s produced by Chevrolet and Ford. It was noted for its diesel engine designed by Cummins, which up to that point had only featured in large commercial trucks. The truck proved popular and helped Dodge get some market share in the heavy truck segment.

Although its design (effectively brick-shaped) only allowed a top speed of 65 mph, the Jeep FC-150 certainly is something to behold. Built on the same wheelbase as the CJ-5, the FC-150 looked far bigger thanks to the massive cab put on top of it. The FC-150 handled well, gave an excellent view of surroundings and was more than capable off-road.

Take a 4.3-liter turbocharged V-6 as well as the transmission of a Corvette and couple that with an all-wheel-drive truck and what do you have? A GMC Typhoon, that's what! The Typhoon was faster than many sports cars of the time and easily raced to 60 mph from a standing start in under 5 seconds.

One of the earliest pickups around, the Chevrolet International Series was the first to feature a 6-cylinder OVH engine. Also, it had metal rims, a far cry from earlier models with wooden wheels.

Released between 1976 and 1986, Jeep’s CJ-7 was one of the most popular off-roaders available during those 10 years. It had a large, 93.5-inch wheelbase which coupled with a three-speed gearbox meant the Jeep went places other 4x4’s had trouble getting to. The top of the range CJ-7 was powered by a 304 cubic inch V8.

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 is an excellent off-roader, thanks mainly to its purpose-built off-road suspension, a locking differential and of course some V8 Chevrolet power on demand. The Z71 package can be added to any 1500 Silverado turning this popular pickup into an off-road beast.

Released in the 1930s, the Big Boy C28 was built by the Hudson Motor Company. It came with a 6-cylinder engine as well as a 3-speed manual transmission. Around 600 were built.

Built between 1988 and 1991, the Chevrolet V3500 Crew Cab 4x4 featured a heavy-duty Dana 60 solid front axle as well as an overdrive automatic gearbox which made it a favorite of those lovers of bigger-bodied off-roaders.

The Rebel combines comfort and off-road abilities thanks to its full-frame front suspension, a solid rear axle as well as air suspension all around. Not only can ride height be adjusted for the toughest terrain, but it can benefit on the highway as well with lower gas mileage. It also has an excellent eight-speed gearbox.

A great off-roader thanks to its super 4-wheel drive system, the Jeep Liberty is something that wants to be out on the trails. It is a Jeep after all. And it’s a looker to boot.

Introduced in 1961, this smaller pickup didn't catch the imagination of the American public. In fact, by 1964 only 851 were sold. It was discontinued that year.

In 1925, Ford introduced the Runabout. Essentially, this was a Model T with a steel bed on the back as well as an adjustable tailgate. To compensate for a heavier load, Ford used heavy duty springs on the rear of the car.

One of America's lesser-known vehicle producers, VIA makes a range of electric vehicles including a hybrid pickup truck with a battery range of 40 miles, enough to cover the distance most of us travel each day. It is charged at a normal plug point.

Produced between 1937 and 1939, the Studebaker Coupe Express J5 looks like a moving piece of Art Deco. Over 3500 of this beauty were built, but in reality, it could never compete with the Ford and Chevrolet equivalents which were priced well below the Express.

Not only an exceptional 4x4 off-roading vehicle but easy to drive and with tons of comfort, the Grand Cherokee Overland has large 18-inch wheels as standard. Two engine options are available, either a 2.4 liter producing 184 brake horsepower or a 3.2 liter V6 belting out 271 brake horsepower.

The Scout was built during the late 1960s into the early 1980s and proved to be a popular off-roader. Over 500,000 were made during this period.

The first 4x4 Bronco hit the trails in 1966 and between that year and 1977, proved to be a more than capable off-roader. It was blessed with a turning circle of just 33.8 feet, thanks to a wheelbase of 92-inches, later models also included a Ford V8 engine with incredible torque.

Produced from the 1940s, this is one of the first 4x4 off-road vehicles ever made. It was based on the chassis of a U.S. military truck. The Power Wagon was in production from 1945 to 1980. Dodge resurrected the name in 2005 as part of their Dodge Ram lineup.

The SVT Lightning was introduced in 1993 and essentially is an F-150 truck with a little extra under the hood. The Lightning was powered by a 5.8 liter V8, while handling was improved thanks to an upgraded suspension system.

After playing it safe for a number of years, Chevrolet introduced the GMT 400 in 1988. This truck featured a sleek new body, designed with the help of a wind tunnel. The ride was also significantly improved thanks to an independent front suspension with torsion bars.

Jeep took their CJ-7 model, increased the length of the wheelbase and added a pickup-style body to make the CJ-8 model, or as it was affectionately known, the Scrambler. Not only did this give fans an off-roader pickup but the because of the longer wheelbase, the drive was far smoother as well. Around 30,000 Scramblers were built.

What happens when you combine a pickup with a 4.3-liter turbocharged V-6? A GMC Syclone, that's what! With its all-wheel drive, the Syclone was faster than many sports cars of the time and easily raced to 60 mph from a standing start in under 5 seconds.

Produced between 1960 and 1999, the 454 was one of Chevrolet’s and GMC’s main pickup truck models. Its ability to handle tough off-road tracks greatly increased in 1989 when the new fourth-generation model received a fully independent front suspension.

Built in the late '50s, the Dodge Sweptside was marketed as the truck of the future. In reality, Dodge truck sales were insignificant and the Sweptside actually used car parts from other Dodge models. In fact, the Sweptside even featured tailfins so popular at the time. Although it was certainly different, the Sweptside never made a dent in the pickup market and was shelved in 1959.

The GMC Sierra is geared toward off-roading in many ways. It features an excellent V8 power unit, has a differential that can be locked and also includes the Z71 off-road suspension. All of these combined give the Sierra a fun factor worth testing out on the beaten trails.

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