The pickup truck has come a long way in the last fifty years, which is why automakers scramble to add more and more features to full-size pickup trucks. There have been companies that have come and gone in the automotive industry, one such company was AMC (American Motors) which was a titan at one point. The pickup truck is a tough market to break into because of the dominance held by the “big 3” automakers. There have been some pretty good tracks that have made an appearance on the market, offering a nice alternative to the status quo.
But, the consumers have not adapted to new and foreign trucks as of yet. Which is why many of these pickup trucks were short-lived. A lot of them were pretty unique such as the first and only Mercury pickup truck. We are going to take a look at some of the weirdest trucks that you might never see on the road.
15. Isuzu Hombre
via: Bing
There was a short period when Isuzu was one of the best selling automakers in the country. But, after a period of little innovation and a lot of debt the company exited the US market. The Hombre was a badge-engineered version of the Chevy S10, and featured a smooth looking exterior and most of the same features but for a much more affordable price.
14. Datsun Truck
via: Bing
The original Datsun truck was one of the first foreign trucks to make it onto American soil. People loved the truck because of its cheap design and fuel efficiency. The Datsun truck had a lot of advantages but it also had issues with body rust and reliability. The Datsun truck has since become a piece of automotive history, although you don’t generally see them on the road.
13. Isuzu LUV
via hemmings motor news
Isuzu also had a compact truck on the market around the same time that Datsun did. The LUV was sold as a Chevy truck as well, which was part of the beginning of the GM and Isuzu partnership that lasted for decades. The Isuzu LUV was an odd but useful little pickup truck that had a lot of promise when it was originally released.
12. Isuzu I-Series
via Concept Carz
The Isuzu I-Series was the final hoorah for the Isuzu Motor Company in the US. The truck was a clone of the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. This meant that the truck had a lot of the same features as well as the I-5 Engine. The I-Series didn’t sell very well at all and shortly after the trucks release it was discontinued due to slow sales and an oncoming recession.
11. Plymouth Trail Duster
onallcylinders.com
The Chrysler lineup of trucks has changed a lot over the past few decades, and perhaps one of the most memorable full-size offerings was the Trail Duster. This was a topless SUV that was based on the Dodge 150 pickup truck. Not much was different from the two other then the Plymouth badging that was found all around the large SUV.
10. Studebaker E-Series
via Pinterest
There was a point in time when the Studebaker brand had a foothold on the American automotive market. The E-Series was known for having a one of a kind design and a powerful engine. You don’t see these trucks around anymore but if you happen to come across one you are in for a pretty unique pickup truck option.
9. Suzuki Equator
via cargurus
Suzuki is known for the powerful sportbikes and ATVs that the company sells. But there was also a time when Suzuki sold passenger cars as well. Toward the end of the companies run in the US, there was the Equator which was a badge-engineered version of the Nissan Frontier. This was a truck that was designed to appeal to the motorsports crowd and the off-road customer base that Suzuki catered to.
8. Meteor Ranchero
via Hemmings
The meteor was a unique brand that Ford had attempted to create to appeal to a wider range of customers. The Ranchero was indeed based off of the Ford Ranchero and there was not too much different about the vehicle. The unique design was enough to get the Ranchero onto the road, but the customer buying public wasn’t interested in another version of the Ford Ranchero.
7. Mercury M Series
via: Car Domain
Mercury also had a unique version of the F-150 at one point in time. Although the brand was generally focused on passenger cars the executives at Ford had floated the idea of creating a unique pickup truck. The M-150 was not something that took off very well and the truck was only sold in the Canadian market which makes it even rarer than a comparable F-150.
6. Oldsmobile Truck
via: Bing
Oldsmobile was one of the most notable automotive brands on the road at one point in time. The brand innovated the airbag as we know it today, as well as other innovations. The Oldsmobile Truck is worth noting because it featured a good bit of American ingenuity. You’ll seldom see an Oldsmobile truck on the road other than the Bravada SUV which was sold in the 2000s.
5. Fargo D-100
via Pinterest
Fargo is another automotive brand that you don’t generally hear too much about. The D-100 was a notable pickup truck that was geared toward farming applications. The D-100 had a roomy interior and a lot of features that were a first for pickup trucks. The D-100 had a usable truck bed which made it quite popular, plus the Fargo name was equated with quality around that time.
4. Hummer H3T
via The Fast Lane Truck
The H3T didn’t last very long, because the Hummer brand was releasing the model right in the middle of a recession. What happens now is the sad fate of the H3T which is a very rare Hummer truck. It was based on the Chevy Colorado and it featured a pretty usable design. The H3T has since become sort of a cult classic with a good deal of activity on the resale market.
3. Hummer H2 SUT
via mecum auctions
The Hummer H2 also toyed with the idea of being a pickup truck. Although the truck bed was small and not usable for anything. It was still pretty cool to see something as big as the Hummer doubling as a pickup truck. The H2 SUT had a lot of advantages to it which is why it still managed to sell pretty well. You see the H2 SUT on the market way more often then you’ll see a comparable H3.
2. Plymouth PT-50
via: Meccum
Plymouth had a truck back in the day and it was the PT-50. This classic looking pickup truck was released at a time when automakers were trying to appeal to everyone. The PT-50 had a lot going for it such as an affordable price tag and a one of a kind design. The PT-50 is often seen on the road right now and you can still find them being restored.
1. Sterling Bullet
via Pinterest
Sterling was a short-lived custom coach manufacturer. The Bullet was a truck that was based on the Dodge Ram, which gave it a lot of bonuses over the burly Dodge. The notable things about the Bullet were the exterior design and the one of a kind engine enhancements that the brand made to the truck. These were very rare and finding one will cost you a pretty penny in the long run.
