11 Best Trucks to Restore for Beginners

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If you're wondering which truck you begin your restoration project on, then put on your seat belt and come along for the ride as we discuss the 11 best trucks to restore for beginners. Click to skip ahead and jump to 3 best trucks to restore for beginners.

As someone who has grown up watching Home Improvement, it always fascinated me thinking about having a vehicle in the garage, and restoring it bit by bit, day by day. And the conclusion when it was finally restored and unveiled was incredible. Granted, Tim Allen restored a car rather than a truck, but I am sure the feeling is quite similar. And if cars are your thing, then you might want to go with the 11 easiest old cars to work on for beginners.

Seeing an old truck conjures images of carefree days, in open fields, driving along listening to company music on open highways, rather than being cramped and compressed with unbearable levels of stress and burdens which is what is true for most. This is one of the reasons why many people go for purchasing and restoring old trucks. Another is the sense of pride and accomplishment that goes hand in hand with restoring a vehicle to its old glory.

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If you're a beginner, then you need to be more careful in which truck you select for restoration. Some are of course easier to restore than others, and you should focus on the easiest old truck to work on, which many claim Chevy trucks to be. The best Chevy truck ever made of course does not have a consensus but the Chevy 1920 490, the 1967 C-10 Pickup and the 1955 Chevrolet Cameo Pickup have to definitely got to be at the very top.

To find the best project trucks, we headed on over to various websites such as AdvanceAutoParts,RestoreAnOldCar and Medium, with the highest ranked trucks being those which were mentioned the most. So let's take a look at the trucks which can become your next pet project, starting with number 11:

11. Jeep Gladiator Pickup (1962-1988)

It may have been called a Jeep but it was a full size pickup which is one of the few vehicles to have been in continuous production for 26 years. It's popularity was so great that other countries copied the design, including the United State's neighbors in Mexico. You can understand the popularity of the truck by the fact that a 4th generation version of the vehicle was launched just a couple of years ago!

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10. Chevrolet Cameo

It is a car? Is it a truck? It's the beautiful Chevrolet Cameo 1955, which had automatic transmission, a rarity for those times, V-8 power and luxurious interior. It wasn't as wildly successful as you might have thought but it was the inspiration for many future vehicles, and is an excellent choice for beginners to restore.

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9. 1978–1979 Dodge Li’l Red Express

When it was released, the Dodge Express was the fastest vehicle of any sort to reach 100 MPH, and was immediately a favorite of automotive enthusiasts, due to its impressive engine and three speed automatic transmission. A luxurious interior simply cemented the truck as a favorite, and you will find many people having owned and restored the truck to its former glory.

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8. 1960–1984 Toyota FJ40 Truck

The Toyota Land Cruiser is a landmark vehicle even today, and at least in my country, costs more than most homes. The FJ40 4-Wheel Drive truck was made to traverse any terrain and is an excellent machine to get your hands dirty on.

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7. 1991 GMC Syclone

It cost $26,000 in 1991, which was quite expensive for the time especially for a pickup truck, but the price was worth it for many people due to its high performance. Nearly 3,000 vehicles were built for this model.

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General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), Sign, Logo, Symbol, Brand, emblem, automaker, mark

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6. 1979–1984 Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup

You can never go wrong with Volkswagen, and using its vehicles for restoration ensures that the body and the parts will last a long time. This was the only pickup ever sold by Volkswagen in the US, so there aren't a lot of other options.

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Top Least Expensive Hybrid Cars

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5. Chevrolet "Task Force" Trucks (1955-1959)

Featuring Chevrolet's first V-8 in 40 years, and became an instant classic, and have been collected by car enthusiasts as well as restoration enthusiasts.

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4. 1946–1978 Dodge Power Wagon

Nothing screamed manly like the Dodge Power Wagon and was adapted from Dodge's US military truck. An all-weather civilian cab, 4 speed manual transmission and a 230 cubic-inch flathead inline-six engine, the original line of this truck is still extremely popular.

Pixabay/Public Domain Click to continue reading and see the 3 best trucks to restore for beginners. Disclosure: 11 Best Trucks to Restore for Beginners is originally published at Insider Monkey.

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