What is unusual/ wrong with these Pickup Trucks?

Bedlam wrote:
I agree that most trucks of that era only had standard cabs with a single bench seat for three. IH was one of the early manufacturers of a crew cab in the mid 50's and these first models really were set up for work crews. Once Dodge introduced the extended cab in the early 70's, you started to see a family in the cab rather than in the truck bed, truck camper or trailer.

Back in the day, your average passenger car was a beefy body on frame with a V8 and rear wheel drive...it was a decent towing platform (all be it anemic by today's standards) that could take a family of 4 camping.

Also, I recall as a kid, it wasn't uncommon for kids to ride in the pickup bed with a cap on it.

As cars moved toward uni-body and 4 banger engines, they became less suitable for towing. That drove people to trucks which retained good towing capabilities. As it became unacceptable to ride in the back of a pickup, that added further push to create cabs suitable for a family camping trip (among other uses).

For a while, full size vans held their own but with family sizes shrinking, a 4 door pickup offers similar MPG, similar towing and enough space for passengers, so body on frame vans are a dying breed.