It must’ve been easy for the Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) to define a classic car to be either American or foreign built and produced between 1925 and 1948. However, in the diesel pickup world things are a little more compressed. We don’t have over 100 years worth of trucks to choose from when deciding what is and isn’t a classic, so we simply have to start from the beginning. Well, sort of. According to Webster’s dictionary, classic is defined as something that is “historically memorable.” Depending on your memory, maybe you would rather forget the infamously unreliable ’78-’81 Chevy/GM C/K’s powered by the 5.7L V8 diesel. Instead, maybe the ’82-’93 6.2L V8 diesel better fits your idea of a memorable engine due to its workhorse and reliable nature.

Maybe diesel pickups can earn a classic title when they have thoroughly proven their longevity, efficiency and reliability. The Ford/International 6.9L V8 (which, coincidentally has its 25th anniversary this year) has certainly proven itself as a dependable workhorse, as has the ever-efficient and reliable first generation Dodge’s powered by the legendary Cummins. Maybe classic diesel pickups should be categorized according to age and what kind of condition the truck is in. In this case, classic diesel pickups have a unique challenge, being that most diesels lead lives full of hard-work, and the trucks graced with their presence are rarely garaged-kept, pristine showroom-worthy vehicles 20-25 years later. Or, maybe a classic diesel pickup should be branded by it’s generation, such as a first-gen Dodge (’89-‘93). Let us know what you think. What should be the dominant criteria in determining whether or not a diesel truck can be considered a classic?