Back in the good old days, when trucks were as aerodynamic as a fridge and fuel was cheap, if you wanted the toughest, most reliable truck on the road, you ensured it had three things: solid axles, a diesel engine, and a manual transmission. The first of the three was a foregone conclusion, but the other two weren’t a given. You had to be committed enough to rowing through your gears all the time, and you had to be willing to pony up for the more expensive diesel powertrain. When optioned together, you were awarded a truck that could move mountains, but now this concept is becoming little more than a distant memory.
