Not that stripped compared to my 80s Toyota mini truck

[sreeb]

Things it has that my Toyota didn't:

Rear bumper
AC
Airbags
Automatic emergency braking
Rear view camera
Cub holder
Bucket seats
Frunk
Cruise control?

Things my Toyota had that the Slate won't:

Paint
Vent windows
AM/FM radio
Long bed

 

[Adam W]

I don’t know how (if?) crash testing was done in the 80s, but I'm guessing the toyota also didn't have a 5 star rating that the Slate will.

 

[DRugerH]

Having owned an 80's Toyota (I think mine was an '84), I agree. I gotta tell you though, I loved my little Toyota. I only got rid of it as the frame was completely rusted through and no longer safe to operate. But I thoroughly enjoyed that stripped down little truck.

Dan

 

[Leisure Freak]

I have to agree that the Slate PU has way more than my 81 Toyota PU. Including crash safety. I've been driving my PU since 1993 and fully aware that it's crash safety is barely better than a motorcycle.

 

[slateya]

I have to agree that the Slate PU has way more than my 81 Toyota PU. Including crash safety. I've been driving my PU since 1993 and fully aware that it's crash safety is barely better than a motorcycle.

I would be wearing a helmet driving that around. Looks worse than a motorcycle safety wise but just as fun. Cool truck.

 

[bartflossom]

Having owned an 80's Toyota (I think mine was an '84), I agree. I gotta tell you though, I loved my little Toyota. I only got rid of it as the frame was completely rusted through and no longer safe to operate. But I thoroughly enjoyed that stripped down little truck.

Dan

I loved my 84 mazda SE-5, (sakes alive!). Traded it in on this new thing called a "minivan", in brown of course, when my wife gave birth to our first child. Miss the mazda. Never missed the Dodge Caravan.

 

[Leisure Freak]

I would be wearing a helmet driving that around. Looks worse than a motorcycle safety wise but just as fun. Cool truck.

Thanks. It is a fun truck. A Slate PU might be able to retire the work type stuff for her, no more visits to Lowes. The hard top rides in the bed to put back on when it rains or if I need to haul stuff. As I get older I don't jump in and out of truck beds as fast as I used to.
When we turned her into a beach cruiser we at least installed an in cab style rollbar to keep the 3 point seat belts. I've driven it over 32 years through 5 western states like I'm on a motorcycle always looking out for the other guy.

 

[Paul Rodgers]

Things it has that my Toyota didn't:

Rear bumper
AC
Airbags
Automatic emergency braking
Rear view camera
Cub holder
Bucket seats
Frunk
Cruise control?

Things my Toyota had that the Slate won't:

Paint
Vent windows
AM/FM radio
Long bed

Ditto my 1984 Mazda B2200, Tho I added a rear bumper made from a treated 2x12, for that rustic look.

 

[bloo]

Sweet truck... but I'd check the frame, were I you.

 

[ScooterAsheville]

Now that you mention it, the Slate is awfully similar to my two (2000, 2010) old Ford Rangers. They were strippers. Anemic four cylinder engines, two doors, manual shift, single cab. Horrible road manners, especially axle hop because of the crude rear suspension. Crude radio. Crude interior. Noisy. Cheap steelies. But even in 2010 you could pick one up for under $15,000 discounted.

Suspension is one of many reasons I'm staying skeptical of the Slate until I see the reviews. You haven't reviewed a truck until you've driven at speed around a washboard curve. That's the classic dead-man axle hop scenario. The Slate, IIRC, has a solid rear axle. Classic setup for axle hop. But maybe they're able to engineer that out (love the independent rear suspension on my Maverick).

My Ranger was 189". The only think I really dislike about my Maverick is that it's 200". A real whale for anyone who loves small cars. The Slate's length, at 174" is awesome.

 

[bloo]

Now that you mention it, the Slate is awfully similar to my two (2000, 2010) old Ford Rangers. They were strippers. Anemic four cylinder engines, two doors, manual shift, single cab. Horrible road manners, especially axle hop because of the crude rear suspension. Crude radio. Crude interior. Noisy. Cheap steelies. But even in 2010 you could pick one up for under $15,000 discounted.

Suspension is one of many reasons I'm staying skeptical of the Slate until I see the reviews. You haven't reviewed a truck until you've driven at speed around a washboard curve. That's the classic dead-man axle hop scenario. The Slate, IIRC, has a solid rear axle. Classic setup for axle hop. But maybe they're able to engineer that out (love the independent rear suspension on my Maverick).

My Ranger was 189". The only think I really dislike about my Maverick is that it's 200". A real whale for anyone who loves small cars. The Slate's length, at 174" is awesome.

I've never owned a truck, but my previous ride was a 2012 Kia Soul. Light back end and solid rear axle. Turning through a bumpy corner at speed would introduce a fair bit of skippage. It never kicked all the way out, though - prolly coz FWD.

Slate uses a de Dion rear suspension. While not fully independent, it's better than what you had in the Ranger. That's because the differential is bolted to the frame and not supported by an axle. Without a heavy diff to load it down, a de Dion tube, reacts faster to the road.

Also... the Slate won't be nearly as light in the back as your Ranger or my Soul was. With a beefy battery plonked between the front and back wheels, it'll benefit from a near 50/50 front-rear balance. You can still kick it out in a hard turn on washboard with the live rear end, though.