Help me date this picture!

November 10, 2011 9:26 AM

Can anyone tell me anything about this truck?

Looking for information to determine the time period for this photo. Exact make and model aren't as important as the date.

posted by ephemerista to grab bag (16 answers total)

Photo link leads to a login page.
posted by introp at 9:30 AM on November 10, 2011

You should probably check the privacy and accessibility settings of that photo - the link asks you to log into flickr.
posted by zamboni at 9:30 AM on November 10, 2011

yeah....got the "Oops! You don't have permission to view this photo." page too.
posted by lampshade at 9:38 AM on November 10, 2011

Sorry. Try it now :/
posted by ephemerista at 9:49 AM on November 10, 2011

Looks like a 1974 Datsun pick-up.
posted by Floydd at 9:52 AM on November 10, 2011

Actually, upon further review, it looks like Datsun had that same body style from 1973 - 1979 (The 620 series)

That hardly helps date the picture at all.
posted by Floydd at 10:03 AM on November 10, 2011

Definitely a Datsun. Looks to be a 620, which would date the truck to between 1972 and 1979.
posted by Naberius at 10:03 AM on November 10, 2011

I assume that's the highest resolution you've got? Would be helpful if we could make out the plate.
posted by Naberius at 10:06 AM on November 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

From the context of the photo, I'm guessing that the sign on the hood refers to the Enid, OK Plainsmen and the Broken Arrow, OK Tigers? Maybe someone with more Google-fu than me can throw that into the mix and help narrow down the date?
posted by xedrik at 11:30 AM on November 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

Also, it sounds like some of the answers are hung up on identifying the truck; I interpreted the question as trying to date the photo itself, possibly using the truck as a starting point?
posted by xedrik at 11:31 AM on November 10, 2011

Maybe the Lubbock Monterey Plainsmen and the San Angelo Central Bobcats?
posted by jenny76 at 11:45 AM on November 10, 2011

Do you know more about the photo? I'd think you'd have better luck determining the year based on the teams identified there. Also, the appearance of the license plate might be a useful clue.
posted by phearlez at 11:57 AM on November 10, 2011

We know where the photo was taken and have the original. We are just looking for the closest date possible. Unfortunately you cannot tell the exact date from the license plate. The image is too small...

However! Thinking about the plates led us to looking at images of historical plates at the DMV. The plates from the early - mid 70s have a white background, but the truck is probably too old for that. The plates from the mid - late 70s have a pattern, so are out. The plates from the early - mid 80s again have a plain white background. Based on the info about the truck and the image of the plates we are dating the pic as between 1981-1985 and calling it close enough.

Thanks for your help!
posted by ephemerista at 2:51 PM on November 10, 2011

Plate style was what I was thinking; I should have been more clear. However you should consider the fact that plates stay in use for X years after issuing; in some states it's as long as 10 years, though I think that's a more contemporary thing. So if the plates in 1985 were plain background they could have still been on a vehicle for a few years past that.
posted by phearlez at 3:36 PM on November 10, 2011

We know where the photo was taken and have the original. [...] we are dating the pic as between 1981-1985 and calling it close enough.

Wow. I gotta ask: Where? 'Cause there's a doppelgänger location[1] in Alabama..
[1] Based on the building, the signs, and the placement and types of vegetation..

posted by Tuesday After Lunch at 4:22 PM on November 10, 2011

Phearlez thanks for the info. I will pass it along.

Tuesday After Lunch: check your mefi mail.
posted by ephemerista at 5:59 PM on November 10, 2011