def get the 7.3L if you go with the van. Then you could live down by the river.
Guess I touched a nerve there eh? Im surprised you remember that thread.
There are tons of flatbed trucks running around that are totally hideous. Most examples are too wide or too square cut for the truck they are mounted on. That being said, I occasionally see examples that look just right.
Greg, here is another vote for a 94 F250 IDI. I DD my F350 CC LB. It is comfortable and super reliable. The IDI's burn nearly any fuel you can cram down the nozzle. I think a CCSB would be sweet with a ZF5.
I had this Dakota with a Ford D44, radius arms, 37's, etc. like you mentioned. I forget the guys name that built it.....worked at 4WP at one time or another. This truck was comfortable and rode almost as good as stock on road, and better on gravel roads (probably needed a sway bar, but it wasn't bad). If I'd have kept it I would have taken the 3" body lift off, trimmed, etc. but I bought a Taco instead.
It seems you would be most happy with a 97 powerstroke. The IdI's get better mileage but don't pull very well IMO. I had a friend tow my CJ5 to Moab once and was astonished at how much that little Jeep dragged his truck down. He has a 1994 F250 ext cab longed with an ATS turbo kit and it would only pull soldier summit at 45. It was a real clean truck though. Id get a 97 f350 crew and put a flat bed on it. The 97 has a different cps which is less than $30 to replace. It also has a bit more horsepower. The short bed trucks are 18" shorter in wheelbase and it is all taken out of the front of the bed, so both long and short beds have the same departure angle. I'd build a 7' flatbed to improve the departure. You can't beat the versatility and usability of a flatbed.
chevycrew, didn't you say your buddy had a colorado with a 4.3 in it? Would that handle towing duties?
Greg, are you set on a solid front axle? Would it be more for strength or for articulation?
And how set are you on a diesel? I'd think you could find a gasser that'd be cheaper overall to operate than a diesel (including MPG). Don't get me wrong, the idea of a diesel mid-size truck is killer. But I think a gasser could fit the bill quite nicely.
Greg, I found the solution for ya.
7.3L E350 on 37s. Ford D60 sas, 4" U-joint offroad lift, and fender trimming. You can fit your bikes in the back, sleep in the back, tow with it, and still get 20 MPG.
This van belongs to Chris, the owner of Ujoint offroad. 6.0 diesel, 6" lift, 38s, sterling rear end, arb's
[YOUTUBE-HD]L67tKs4Qj_Y&start=180[/YOUTUBE-HD]
Here's one I photoshopped back when I was thinking about a diesel van:
chevycrew, didn't you say your buddy had a colorado with a 4.3 in it? Would that handle towing duties?
No, my buddy has a 2010 GMC Canyon with the aluminum 5.3L V8, 4.10's and 31's.
All stock, but his narrowed 1 tons are in my garage.
You got me excited with that red ford at the start. I am partial to those trucks(I own a super clean f-250 crew cab 7.3 so I am a little biased.) a dana 60 swap with superduty springs, shackle reverse, and you would have room for 37's. It would take a weekend to get it done. No crazy project build that ends up costing double or triple what you planned on. Again your wife will thank you. Parts are easy to get. Very reliable drivetrain.
isn't there a bolt on chevy small block upgrade for your cruiser that would be cheaper and fix your problems?
Yeah, I've looked at several T100's.... amazingly, they hold their value quite well. And that one is BEAT... yet still expensive for an old, outdated Toyota.
I actually saw one today here in Fruita that was on 33's with a camper shell on the back, it looked great. I like the size, bigger than a mini truck, but still nowhere near fullsize.
That S-10 is cool, but IMO the S-10 is too small to tow much with. Maybe a light trailer trailer, ATV trailer, etc. My dad has one that we used to tow our wave runners with and it was a handful towing two wave runners with it.Greg have you seen this one?! Scroll to the S10 towards the bottom
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/18794-Lets-see-some-full-size-pictures.../page93