Let's say that you had a budget of $5k and wanted to buy something fairly robust and stick it under a vintage body to create a fun vehicle with offroad capability that one doesn't see everyday. What would be a good candidate?
Let's say that you had a budget of $5k and wanted to buy something fairly robust and stick it under a vintage body to create a fun vehicle with offroad capability that one doesn't see everyday. What would be a good candidate?
Nissan D40s are technically pretty good, just address cooling issues and weak tie rods. At least one Halo Warthog prop vehicle was made this way.
I'm not sure what else might be under $5k these days...
A lot depends on dimensions. There's a world of difference between a Sidekick and a GMT400 for a cheap base in size.
In reply to Sonic :
Indeed. I'm thinking small-to-midsize.
I have a 1984 full size Bronco w/a 302 and a 4 speed. The chassis is solid but the body is pretty shot. I occasionally spend a few minutes comparing wheelbase and width of random potential donor bodies. I'm certain I'll never act on the idea.
Maybe.
MG Midget on Suzuki Samurai chassis? They do share a wheelbase and the short overhang would be good for off road approach angles.
I'm sure you could do a better job than the pic of you wanted to.
Jeep JK. Great suspension and axles and fantastic aftermarket. Find one with a blown 3.8 and you're set to build whatever you want.
In reply to buzzboy :
buzzboy said:Jeep JK. Great suspension and axles and fantastic aftermarket. Find one with a blown 3.8 and you're set to build whatever you want.
He said undervalued. You immediately pointed to overvalued. 
Range/Land Rovers?
Seems like they're often available at "please get this off my property" pricing.
Probably for a reason, but I wonder how many of the problems, especially electrical, you could remove during the body swap.
I'm not sure why but Nissan rarely gets any love. Their 5.6 V8 is as good as any.
I had the idea of a Nissan xterra ( look for off road or pro 4xpackage) and an older body swapped on top. For what I saw the Terra was a good mix of off road ability and on road manners.
Not much out there for $5k now - maybe a Ford Ranger with the 2.3?
Crown Vic + Ford F100.
Older Explorers are dirt cheap, and came in 2 different wheelbases
S10
Cars on truck/SUV frames rarely look right because the frame sticks so low below the body. I say up your fab skillz and DIY a frame with straight axles under your preferred body.
A 401 CJ said:He said undervalued. You immediately pointed to overvalued.
I've not seen much value in the 3.8 Jeeps. Around these parts they are pretty well unloved.
Do we want solid axles, or is an independent front ok?
Bronco II, no one likes them but they are very robust and full of proven pieces
93gsxturbo said:Cars on truck/SUV frames rarely look right because the frame sticks so low below the body. I say up your fab skillz and DIY a frame with straight axles under your preferred body.
It hadn't occurred to me that it would be anything other than a vintage body-on-frame vehicle, like an old truck.
I think you're right, though; most car-on-a-truck contraptions look pretty ungainly, though I bet some combinations are better suited than others.
I wonder, if you're working from a unibody, whether you could cut up a chassis and more or less make subframes out of it? More or less keep it as brackets for the bouncy bits?
NOHOME said:MG Midget on Suzuki Samurai chassis? They do share a wheelbase and the short overhang would be good for off road approach angles.
I'm sure you could do a better job than the pic of you wanted to.
A late friend of mine did a better job of Suzukifying a Midget, though he built his own frame. And his own fender flares. And his own just about everything, given the opportunity.
Since Kreb is on the rust-free west coast, I'm voting Jeep XJ or ZJ running gear with a simple tube frame integrated into the host body. Both are elderly now, but common enough to make parts easy. It wouldn't be less elegant than a bulky OEM frame hanging below a body that wasn't made to conceal it...
Making your own subframe for a unibody car is labor intensive beyond most of our fabrication skills. The Mad Maxxis Off-Road Runner challenged even a master fab guy like Dave Chappelle. But the results were stunning.
Jeep kj liberty. Terribly unloved. Cheap. Relatively reliable.
FYI the Sidekick/Tracker and Samurai are both body-on-frame. Very tiny frame.
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