Thinkin' and dreamin'

[Houndoc]

As I think we are all prone to doing, my mind has wandered as to what would be the 'ideal' rig for my current needs (facing the reality that muliple vehicles for different uses is not happening anytime soon, not that this is either.)

Needs:
1)"reasonable" fuel economy (it is an 85-mile per day D.D.) Reliable, too!
2) comfortably carry five people...kids get cranky on long drives with little elbow room. 4 doors help keep them happy as well.
3) large enough to haul gear for short trips, hunting etc
4) small enough to fairly mobile on the trails.
5) enough power to tow my boat (since use vehicle and boat for hunting.)
6) of course trail worthy!

Solution:

Full-size Jeep Wagoneer with diesel conversion on 35" tires with ARB lockers!

Second choice would be SAS my Montero Sport, and add lockers. Sould meet all but requirement 5.

Too bad that is too expensive to ask my kids to get it for me for Fathers Day.

What would you like to put together? Dream Big!

 

[Spork]

I've been thinking about something similar also, I think I've come to the conclusion there are trade-offs no matter what vehicle you pick.
My dilemma is I need seating for 6 . I would like something I could run poison spider, Steel bender, Kane creek difficulty scale trails with.

 

[Houndoc]

I've been thinking about something similar also, I think I've come to the conclusion there are trade-offs no matter what vehicle you pick.
My dilemma is I need seating for 6 . I would like something I could run poison spider, Steel bender, Kane creek difficulty scale trails with.

Some of the newer Tahoe/Yukons have 3rd row seating. SAS one of those!

 

[Fuller]

fzj80's match a lot of your requirements but they do get crappy fuel mileage.

 

[JL Rockies]

Except for the 5 passenger seating, KJ CRD meets all criteria.

 

[RockMonkey]

So, what is the reason multiple vehicles are out of the question? Budget? Parking space? If it's budget, what is your total budget? How heavy is the boat being towed? It's tough to get a vehicle that's good on trails and good at towing, but then you want it to get good mileage too? Impossible! You're looking at at least two vehicles.

 

[Greg]

I'd love to take a high-mileage FJ80 with engine problems, yank out the Toyota engine and transmission, drop in a Cummins 6BT and NV4500 adapted to the FJ80 t-case, rebuild the axles (seals, bearings, etc), lift it 6" to help fit the engine and clear 37's and run it like that. Stock 4.10 gears and 37's should suite the RPM range of the Cummins and return about 20 MPG, if not more.

It should tow well enough, ride well, be the perfect size on the trail and on the road.

I'd also LOVE to swap a Cummins 4BT into a 4 door JK Wrangler... I think that would be killer, gobs of torque and provide mileage in the high-20's.

 

[Spork]

fzj80's match a lot of your requirements but they do get crappy fuel mileage.

I've thought about them and a (1st gen) tundra with a front bench.

 

[Silly Willy]

I vote the
Full-size Jeep Wagoneer with diesel conversion on 35" tires with ARB lockers!

Or at least this ->

I'd love to take a high-mileage FJ80 with engine problems, yank out the Toyota engine and transmission, drop in a Cummins 6BT and NV4500 adapted to the FJ80 t-case, rebuild the axles (seals, bearings, etc), lift it 6" to help fit the engine and clear 37's and run it like that. Stock 4.10 gears and 37's should suite the RPM range of the Cummins and return about 20 MPG, if not more.

It should tow well enough, ride well, be the perfect size on the trail and on the road.

I'd also LOVE to swap a Cummins 4BT into a 4 door JK Wrangler... I think that would be killer, gobs of torque and provide mileage in the high-20's.

 

[Corban_White]

My 07 tacoma does all of that really well. With a rear bumper and some sliders my wife's 06 V8 4runner would as well-with seating for 7! (But she has already said that it will never go on anything other than a dirt road)

 

[Bart]

4 dr JK with a Hemi (or V8) conversion and a 60 in the rear.

 

[ALF]

Don't forget the old K5's It can or does all of your requirements

 

[jcruiser70]

my super duty does all but #4, I haven't gotten too extreme with that yet...

 

[Houndoc]

I love Greg's idea!

I know that a one-size does all is near impossible. Most of our towing (boat, which comes it about 5K and horse trailer, 9-10k loaded) is done with the Ram CTD. Does the job great, but not an off road rig.

Diesel KJ would be fun, although smallish for the family.

An FZJ80 would kill me with the communte. An SAS's Durango could also be fun, with only a slight milage hit compared to what I get now.

Reality is it is all dreaming at this point. Looking at buying some more land (if can sell my house) so no budget for vehicles for the next year.

 

[schaeferNsons]

get a early body 4 door taco and do a toyota 3.0l turbo diesel swap but it wont be the best towing rig