1974 Ford F100 Black and White Two Tone Paint Job
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Special Edition Trucks of the '70s: K-Billy's Super Badge and Stripe Jobs
Mondo macho!
The 1970s declared to the automotive world that trucks aren't just for work anymore. Custom trucks were red hot in the Me Decade, and pickups, vans, and four-wheel-drive vehicles were modified with great gusto by mustached enthusiasts who added wider wheels and tires, side pipes, and splashy paint jobs. Oh, and don't forget the mandatory CB-radio whip antenna. The custom-truck scene blossomed into a lifestyle on the West Coast, with trucks of all types used to haul cool toys to the local beaches and deserts. It didn't take long for automakers to catch the vibe. Chevy, Dodge, Ford, GMC, International Harvester, and Jeep all churned out special editions. Here are 25 of the rarest, wildest, and coolest factory custom pickups and SUVs of the 1970s.
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1. 1970–1971 Dodge D100 Dude
Dodge was the first manufacturer to produce a factory special-edition pickup in the 1970s, and it was subtle compared with what would come later. The Dude Sport Trim package was a D100 pickup snazzed up with big black- or white-stripe decals that extended down the sides of the truck, culminating in "Dude" lettering on the flanks with a logo that included a tilted cowboy hat. Dude! The look was clearly a nod to Dodge's wild muscle cars of the era but with a distinctly Western vibe.
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1. 1970–1971 Dodge D100 Dude
Dodge hired legendary comic actor Don Knotts, known at the time for his role as Barney Fife on the hit sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, to market the Dude. But because Dodge trailed far behind General Motors and Ford in pickup-truck sales at the time, just a couple of thousand Dudes were produced over the two-year run. Yet the Dude set the scene for many other wild factory specials that appeared throughout the decade.
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2. 1971–1975 Ford Baja Bronco
Racing breeds greatness, and so it was with the Ford Bronco. Legendary builder Bill Stroppe turned his attention to Ford's little Bronco practically the moment it hit the ground. In fact, Stroppe had one modified and running in the very first Baja 1000 off-road race in 1967. In 1971, Parnelli Jones and Stroppe won the race outright and set a new record. That same year, Ford and Stroppe joined forces to produce a limited run of Baja Broncos as replicas of the race-team vehicles for the general public. The rigs were painted red, white, and blue, Stroppe's signature colors. To make room for beefier tires on either mags or chrome-reverse wheels, the wheel wells were cut, radiused, and flared.
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2. 1971–1975 Ford Baja Bronco
These little beasts all used Ford's 302-cubic-inch V-8 backed by a three-speed automatic—although some sources report a few Bajas were equipped with four-speed manuals. (The Baja Bronco was the only way you could pair power steering and an automatic on a Bronco before 1973.) Stroppe offered a wide range of standard and optional upgrades from his Long Beach, California, shop where he built these trucks, including suspension—dual shocks were standard—plus roll cages, Detroit Locker differentials, and even a winch. Today, early Broncos are darlings of the auction scene, and a perfect Baja Bronco would be a blue-chip investment.
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3. 1972 Chevrolet Blazer Feathers
The marketing folks at Chevy trucks were ahead of the special-edition curve, and by 1972, the company had a full lineup of wild graphics packages for Chevy trucks. In addition to the Blazer Feathers, there was a huge selection of decal editions for other Chevy vehicles. Ads of the time proclaimed them Chevrolet's "wild new put-ons." There was an Eagle and a Hawk pickup; a Flame El Camino and Blazer; a Rippler van; and a Sandman pickup, Suburban, and Blazer. There was even a Little Eagle version of the Vega.
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3. 1972 Chevrolet Blazer Feathers
The Feathers package is seen mostly on white Blazers in the advertisements, but it could be had on just about any color Blazer. Some were equipped with dealer-installed slotted mags along with a front push bar with driving lights. And when so delivered, Feathers was just about the hippest-looking early Blazer one could buy—and a great send-off for the last year of that first-gen SUV.
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4. 1975 GMC Beau James
Most of the 1970s special editions, with their wild stripes, were aimed at youthful and fun-loving truck enthusiasts. But the Beau James was a classier machine designed for those who wanted a more refined ride. The Soft Silver and Blue paint, the "Beau James" graphic on the bedsides, and the special hood ornament gave the truck its signature look. And just like the most expensive Cadillacs of the time, this GMC wore wire wheel covers and whitewall tires—classy.
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4. 1975 GMC Beau James
Buyers could choose the 350-cubic-inch V-8 or the big-block 454 in this light-duty two-wheel-drive pickup. On the inside, Beau James owners were coddled by Prado velour seats. GMC reportedly produced just 4000 Beau James trucks, making them a rare find today.
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5. 1975 GMC Gentleman Jim
Named for the 1942 boxing-themed film Gentleman Jim, or simply because it was a more civilized version of the GMC (Jimmy) pickup, this truck was one of the first luxury-themed pickups. It was based on the C10 long-bed pickup and painted black and gold—one year before the color scheme was popularized by Pontiac for its 1976 50th Anniversary Edition Trans Am. The truck was available only in 1975. Its buyers were pampered in saddle-colored vinyl bucket seats with a center console and padded armrests—fancy stuff for a pickup at the time. GMC also added sound-suppression materials beneath the carpeting.
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5. 1975 GMC Gentleman Jim
The Jim was fairly loaded, with air conditioning as well as an AM/FM–eight-track stereo. Big spenders could add an optional tonneau cover for the bed as well as Cibie "high-intensity quartz halogen passing beams" and locking lug nuts for those gold steel wheels. To us now, the Gentleman Jim just looks like a GMC truck with two-tone paint. But this truck truly was a pioneer for the upscale trucks we have today.
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6. 1975–1979 Chevrolet Big 10
Unlike many of the trucks here, the Big 10 package helped boost capability more than aesthetics. General Motors saw a need to bridge the gap between light-duty 1/2-ton and heavy-duty 3/4-ton trucks. When buyers checked off the F44 option on Chevy's two-wheel-drive C10 trucks, the Big 10 equipment was fitted. Big 10 trucks came standard with a six-cylinder with a GVWR of 6050 pounds or an optional 350-cubic-inch V-8 that was rated at 6200 pounds.
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6. 1975–1979 Chevrolet Big 10
Up front, the coil springs of most were sized up to handle about 300 pounds more weight than a standard C10, while the rear leaf-spring pack was rated to handle an increase of around 450 pounds (depending on model year), making these the 1/2-ton pickups to have for towing a boat or trailer. The Big 10 also received unique tires, presumably to handle the increased loads, as well as Big 10 bedside decals. GMC offered a version of the Big 10 called the Heavy Half.
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7. 1976 Ford F-series Bicentennial Edition
In the 1970s Ford was a bit staid, trailing General Motors and Dodge in the number of wild, garish, and just plain bizarre special editions for its trucks. But one of the most cohesive was this Bicentennial Edition F-100 for 1976. The base paint color was Wimbledon White or Bahama Blue, over which was laid a sweet golden stripe along the flanks with a flying eagle. Because, really, shouldn't every vehicle from the 1970s have an animal on it?
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7. 1976 Ford F-series Bicentennial Edition
On the inside, this patriotic machine had special plaid upholstery and, just in case you forgot what you were driving, a badge mounted on the glovebox. The package was available on trucks from the F-100 to the F-350.
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8. 1976–1977 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet
While many of the special-edition trucks churned out by GM in the 1970s consisted of little more than graphics packages, some of the most interesting trucks were heavily modified. The Blazer Chalet and its counterpart from GMC, the Jimmy Casa Grande, turned GM's two-door SUVs into legitimate campers combining the fun of off-roading with the freedom to sleep under the stars.
Blazer History
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8. 1976–1977 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet
These trucks had all the comfort of a modern motorhome. Produced by Chinook, the Chalet camper slid onto the chassis of a Blazer and incorporated a mini kitchen, a pop-up roof, and sleeping space for two. At an MSRP of around $12,000, the Chalet cost more than a fully loaded new Corvette of the day.
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9. 1976–1979 Dodge Warlock
Life in the 1970s was a little spooky thanks to an explosion in the popularity of the occult, perhaps fed by a fresh wave of horror films, from The Exorcist to Carrie. Into this dark environment, Dodge launched the first pickup in its new Adult Toys lineup of custom vehicles—a truck named the Warlock. The Warlock first appeared as a concept, and thanks to a wildly popular reception, the Warlock went into limited production in '76 and full production a year later.
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9. 1976–1979 Dodge Warlock
The Warlock was available with two- or four-wheel drive in black, dark green, or red. All the early trucks had gold wheels, gold pinstriping, and Warlock lettering on the tailgate. The wooden bed and the stake bedsides gave the rig a decidedly down-home country vibe. Available engines ranged from the 318-cubic-inch V-8 on up to the monstrous 440 big-block. In its final year ('79), the Warlock was renamed the Warlock II, and six colors were offered.
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10. 1976–1981 Chevrolet Sport
Unlike some of its competitors, Chevy refrained from applying a testosterone-fueled nameplate to its 1976 Chevy Sport truck, and that's part of what makes it one of the most tasteful specials of the decade. The Sport package consisted of white stripes on the hood and fenders. It was available on Stepside trucks initially, in both two- and four-wheel-drive guise. Sport trucks came standard on the mid-grade Scottsdale trim, along with rally wheels and white-letter tires. Later, the Sport package was expanded to include Fleetside models.
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10. 1976–1981 Chevrolet Sport
The striping package changed from year to year, although the white stripes of the first year are perhaps the classiest of the run. For those looking to make their Sport a real muscle machine, Chevy offered a 454-cubic-inch V-8, even though in 1976 the big-block produced just 240 horsepower.
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11. 1976–1983 Jeep Cherokee Chief
The Jeep Wagoneer, in production since 1963, was offered in both two- and four-door models, but it was the four-door that brought in the most buyers. To help attract new customers, Jeep offered a new take on the two-door for '74: the Cherokee. Two years later, the sportiest Jeep Cherokee of all hit Jeep dealers. Its name, Cherokee Chief, was spelled out in aggressive black decals all over the body. But unlike many special editions of the 1970s, the Cherokee Chief packed some real mechanical upgrades. To improve the SUV's performance on both road and trail, engineers widened the front and rear Dana 44 axles by about six inches, providing greater stability and axle articulation off-road. Taller and wider 10-15 Goodyear tires were wrapped around 15-by-8.0-inch white-spoke wheels, and aggressive flares defined the wheel wells.
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11. 1976–1983 Jeep Cherokee Chief
The biggest engine available was the stout AMC 401-cubic-inch V-8. In the early '80s, Jeep expanded its offerings to include a four-door Chief with narrow-track axles. The full-size Jeep Cherokee was replaced in 1984 with the downsized XJ version; by then, the Cherokee Chief trim had become so popular that Jeep offered it on that model, too.
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12. 1976–1983 Jeep J-10 Honcho
In the mid-1970s, Jeep decided to add a little machismo to its J-series pickup line, and for '76 it launched the Honcho. These trucks were high-styled versions of Jeep's 1/2-ton J-10 short-wheelbase pickup with splashy side decals and huge "Honcho" lettering along the doors. Mechanically, the Honcho shared the new wider-track Dana 44 axles with the Cherokee Chief. And like the Chief, the Honcho sported big fender flares. To increase ground clearance and off-road capability, the Honcho rode on 15-by-8.0-inch wheels wrapped around big 31-inch-tall 10-15 tires, with styles varying over the truck's years in production.
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12. 1976–1983 Jeep J-10 Honcho
Some of the rarest and most desirable Honchos are the ones with the fiberglass Sportside (Stepside) cargo bed. There reportedly were fewer than 1300 of these trucks produced in the early 1980s, and the coolest ones were optioned with bed-mounted roll bars as well as brush guards and off-road lights.
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13. 1977 GMC Indy 500
During the 1970s, Chevrolet and GMC provided the official trucks for the Indianapolis 500 multiple times. By the time the 1977 season rolled around, GMC had provided trucks for four years in a row. The 1977 commemorative trucks were some of the flashiest of the decade. The special trucks were available in either Wideside (conventional bed) or Fenderside (stepside bed), and each was painted black with a wide central stripe on the hood that had a fade effect. The stripe continued down onto the blacked-out bumpers, for that sporty monochromatic look, and on the big air dam that hung below it. And every truck wore spoke wheels (option code PA6) with beefy Goodyear GT radials.
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13. 1977 GMC Indy 500
Interestingly, the later Indy Hauler trucks from 1980 wore a "screaming chicken" hood graphic borrowed from Pontiac, since the sister brand's Trans Am was the official pace car. And one of these Indy Haulers—a crew-cab dualie—was used in the movie The Cannonball Run, thanks to director Hal Needham's close ties to Pontiac and GM.
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14. 1977–1979 Ford Free Wheeling F-series and Bronco
While General Motors seemed to have at least one new special-edition package for its trucks in every year throughout the 1970s, Ford wasn't quite as aggressive in its pursuit of custom truckers. But by 1977 the company saw the potential and launched the Free Wheeling décor package. The package was available on practically every rig Ford made, including vans; Ford called them "factory customized."
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14. 1977–1979 Ford Free Wheeling F-series and Bronco
Probably the coolest model was the Free Wheeling Bronco that arrived for 1978. The Bronco grew to full-size proportions that year, migrating to the F-series chassis to compete more effectively with the Chevrolet Blazer. The big body sides and the wide hood made a perfect canvas to show off those wild stripes. The Broncos used blacked-out bumpers, mirrors, and white or contrasting-color steel-spoke wheels to complement the tricolor stripes. On the inside was a sport steering wheel. Buyers who opted for the 400-cubic-inch V-8 and the Handling package got quad shocks and big 15-by-8.0-inch wheels, creating a seriously capable truck.
F-Series History
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15. 1977–1979 International Scout SS II
The International Scout is often viewed as a competitor to the Jeep CJ, but the Scout II was bigger, heavier, and could be packaged with a larger engine, the optional 345-cubic-inch V-8. Although the Scout's roof could be removed, International didn't have a Scout that was doorless and completely open like a Jeep. So to compete with the CJ, International created the Super Scout II. The SS II was an open-top version of the Scout II with plastic door cutouts replacing the full-frame metal doors, a roll bar, and a special grille. Whitco supplied a softtop and doors for inclement weather.
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15. 1977–1979 International Scout SS II
All the SS II's trim was blacked out, and many had bright panel decals applied to the sides of the truck to add more '70s goodness. One even made a prominent appearance in the 1978 Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham film Hooper, in one of the best driving scenes of the movie. Modified versions of SS II Scouts were raced in the Baja 1000 with much success. International sold about 4000 SS IIs during the three years it was in production.
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1974 Ford F100 Black and White Two Tone Paint Job
Source: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g15377904/mondo-macho-special-edition-trucks-of-the-70s-k-billys-super-badge-and-stripe-jobs/