Classic Pickups On A Budget: 10 Affordable Ford And Chevy Trucks

The classic car market is known for some really expensive vehicles, but these classic Ford and Chevy trucks are quite affordable.

With the ability to go almost anywhere, pickup trucks are getting increasingly popular, and several modern American models are currently among the best high-performance trucks ever built. Trucks have been around since the early days of automotive manufacturing which ushered in the development of the Ford Model T, thereby changing the car world forever.

Over the years, several automotive manufacturers have taken the baton of truck production, blessing the world with rare pickup trucks that command attention. Chief among these manufacturers is Chevrolet, and along with Ford, these brands have produced several pickup trucks that have become classics. Hence, in this article, we bring you the most affordable classic pickup trucks from these iconic American brands.

We used price data from J.D. Power and Classic to find these affordable classic Ford and Chevy trucks.

Related: From Classic To Cutting-Edge: The Evolution Of The Chevrolet Silverado

Ford introduced the F-100 in 1953 for the second generation of the F-Series trucks. As the entry level model for the series, the F-100 was available with a variety of engines that include two V8s and an inline-6. Ford produced it till 1983. An incredibly reliable truck, a family had this 1970 Ford F-100 for 50 years.

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Base

$20,600 - $58,300

$2,675

On J.D. Power, the 1970 Ford F-100 is available at an average price of $30,100. According to the site, a low retail 1970 Ford F-100 costs about $20,600 while a high retail example could cost as much as $58,300.

Competing against the likes of the Ford F-Series and the Dodge D series, the Chevrolet K10 is a classic truck that is generally now available for cheap. Notably, with a good LS swap, the Chevrolet K10 has been transformed into an impressive daily driver by many enthusiasts.

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Custom Deluxe

$23,800 - $115,200

$2,473

Offering decent power and good payload capacity, the Chevrolet K10 is a good classic truck option, and you can acquire the base model, the Custom Deluxe, for as low as $23,800, according to J.D. Power.

Timeless styling and a dependable design are some of the attributes of the 1952 Ford F-1. A part of the first-generation F-Series, the 1952 Ford F-1, like the other first-generation models, has quite a remarkable historical significance.

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Base

$19,900 - $83,300

$1,459

A popular option among ranchers, farmers, and construction workers, the 1952 Ford F-1 gets its power from a variety of potent V8 and inline-six engines. According to J.D. Power, you can acquire a 1952 Ford F-1 in good condition for an average retail price of $39,600.

The C10 is a popular version of the Chevrolet C/K series of trucks. It has a two-door body style with a rear bed for cargo. Chevrolet revised its design severally over the course of its production which lasted from 1960 to 1987.

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Base

$20,700 - $91,500

$2,221

Like this example, an LS-swapped Chevrolet C10 is the pickup truck of dreams, and there are several affordable options in the used market you can buy for this modification. Looking through J.D. Power, a 1967 Chevrolet C10 costs about $38,000 on the average, and as low as $20,700.

A rather unusual pickup truck, yet the Ranchero was successful enough to lure GM into producing a rival model, the Chevrolet El Camino. More of a coupé utility vehicle, Ford built the Ranchero by adapting a two-door station wagon platform.

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Base

$3,650 - $14,750

$2,218

A hybrid of a truck and a car, the Ford Ranchero was quite popular with consumers who wanted both vehicle types in one. Produced between 1957 and 1979, the Ranchero has become a classic, and according to J.D. Power, you can get a 1966 Ranchero model for as low as $3,650.

Renowned for ruggedness and durability, the Chevrolet Task Force is a series of light and medium duty trucks produced by Chevrolet from 1955 to 1959. Chevrolet produced the Task Force in different configurations that include the regular cab, extended cab, and crew cab.

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Regular Cab

$7,700 - $170,500

$2,719

A highly coveted vehicle among collectors and truck aficionados, here, we provided a detailed look at the Chevrolet Task Force. With data sourced from Classic.com, we confirmed that the Task Force is quite affordable. A 1957 model of the legendary truck sold for as low as $7,700.

Ford produced the F-350 as the third-generation models of the F-Series between 1973 and 1979. Notably, the model was available in three different configurations that include the regular cab, extended cab, and crew cab, while power came from a V8 engine that churned out 240 hp.

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Regular Cab

$8,700 - $42,500

$6,600

Generally, the Ford F-350 is quite an affordable classic pickup. For context, on J.D. Power, the average retail price of a 1977 Ford F-350 is $23,000. However, enthusiasts are also paying as much as $42,000 and as low as $8,700 for the model.

Like the Ranchero it was produced to rival, the El Camino is also quite a unique automobile as it mixes elements of a car and a pickup truck. To show what's possible with a modern version of this legendary truck, we recently took the best parts of the original model and reimagined a 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS restomod that's both practical and tire-smoking fast.

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Base

$16,700 - $50,600

$2,769

The 1970 Chevrolet El Camino is quite an affordable truck in the used car market. According to J.D. Power, you can get the base model for an average cost of $32,100 or even as low as $16,700.

Related: Ford's Finest: Top 10 Engines That Revolutionized the Auto Industry

An iconic Ford model, the Ranger was America's best-selling truck from 1987 to 2004. Originally introduced in 1982, the Ranger replaced the Ford Courier, and it was available in different trim options. The 1985 model has caught our attention for its affordability

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Base

$1,700 - $5,750

$6,675

On J.D. Power, the base model has an average retail price of $3,425 and a low retail price of $1,700, making it one of the most affordable classic trucks on this list.

Introduced in 1967, the Chevrolet C50 is a classic truck that was famously used for work and play back in the day. Available as a regular cab, extended cab, and crew cab, the C50 received power from two engine options of a 350 cubic inch V8 or a 400 cubic inch V8.

Trim

Avg. Used Market Range

Original MSRP

Custom Deluxe

$3,300 - $23,100

$3,170

The model is also a popular choice among collectors who often restore them to look better than ever – this Chevrolet C50 received one of the nicest pickup restorations. Using sales data taken from classic.com, a 1972 Chevrolet C50 can be bought for as low as $3,300.

Right from childhood, Olakunle has been fascinated by cars, and as an adult, he's gotten neck-deep in the world of automobiles. Hence, he finds contributing to HotCars quite interesting – a surreal experience.