What Beater Tow Vehicle?

I'm currently shopping for a tow vehicle / junk hauler / part picker-upper / in-a-pinch camper multi-purpose jalopy.

My needs:
1) Cost not one penny over $2000 purchase price minus any modifications needed to suit all my needs, maybe a few of my wants.
2) Tow at least 3500lbs without having a religous experience at every downhill stop or mountain to climb.
3) Must be reasonably reliable and made of inexpensive parts available from the local pull-a-part. (I do know what way to turn a wrench, but really don't want to have to do it on the side of a freeway at 4AM in the rain. Been there, done that, don't care to again.)
4) Interior room for at least driver, passenger, and small-to-medium sized child.

My wants:
1) Decent mileage. By decent, I mean >10MPG towing 3500lbs on flat ground at 65mph.
2) Manual transmission. Automatics are voodoo to me, and for possibly irrational reasons I prefer to not have beater tow rig with a slushbox.
3) Space and horsepower to put 1000lbs worth of spare parts and tools and still tow the requisite 3500lbs. Better if out of the weather.
4) A/C. Yeah, I'm getting softer with age, and the wife acceptance factor jumps significantly with A/C.
5) Cruise. I could drop this one, but it would be nice.

Top current considerations are:
A) Late 80's-early 90's straight 6 F150 extended cab.
B) E-250 business work van with a quarter-million miles.

What else should I be surfing the CL for?

To me it's obvious that you're looking at a full-size truck-chassis based something, and most likely domestic.

The only issue I see is getting >10mpg at 65mph with working A/C for $2k. FWIW, my '96 Bronco with 5.0 and E40D (automatic w/OD) only gets about 10mpg towing 2500 at 60mph. IMO it's just adequate powerwise for that kind of task. I know with a little work the 300 can be a stump-puller, but I'm not very well versed in what that work is nor what it'll cost you.

If you can bump your budget up enough to get a diesel, I think it'll pay off in the long run. The crappy 6.2 (6.3?)L GM diesel suburban I had would get 20mpg unloaded, and my father's 7.3L powerstroke got >17mpg towing ~4500 lbs.

Not quite as "truck like" as you seem to be thinking... but GM B-body wagons were rated for 5,000 lbs. towing with the towing package (3500 lbs. without).

Hits all your criteria except the manual trans.

junkyard parts everywhere. 350 TBI or LT1 power. Can be found in your price range. Pretty damn comfy and drive nice. Toss some air helper springs on the rear to help.

^^^ That, too.

^^ not close minded to this idea, but would seem awkward pulling a spare motor and transmission out of the back seat. Big spare parts I guess would end up on the trailer where they'd be exposed to the elements.

Buy the best 1/2 ton or larger Chevy or Ford (Maybe Dodge, I'm unfamiliar with them) pick'em up truck you can find for the price. Use the surplus in your budget to fix the A/C

I'm also a big proponent of standard transmissions...but frankly, I wouldn't be at all upset right now if my '83 Chevy C30 had an automatic. Except when I needed to roll start it (like I did the other day)...a manual transmission is nice for that.

I was going to say Jeep Wagoneer until I saw that you wanted >10MPG while towing. Diesel is the only thing that will get you there without adding a zero to your price rang, man...

E250s with manuals are a little hard to come by, but the automatics are pretty bullet proof and cheap as hell to have rebuilt. I'd pass on the 300 I6 and look for the 4.2 V6. They do make a little less torque, but hands down the 4.2 is a easier engine to live with and get better fuel economy to boot. My E250 gets in the 15-17mpg range loaded to the gills. Stick a trailer behind it and it drops to the 12-13 range.

The Triton engines aren't bad either. A bit of a PITA to work on, but my 97 E150 with the 5.4 got around 11mpgs as long as you didn't want to run 70+. At 75 with 4000#s behind it it got 7.2. Around town though the mileage SUCKED, 8-10mpg was about average. The V6 will do just as good a job as long as you aren't in a hurry.

Other than the manual transmission, a cargo van should fit the bill quite nicely. I've seen a few Fords with 5 speeds. My parents used to have a '78. That transmission was made out of spun glass. Three rebuilds in 80K miles. It ate the thrust washers and 2nd gear on a fairly regular basis.

I had a $1000 Toyota T100 with a quarter-million on the clock (which I wrecked, still an open wound, don't pour salt in it). It got 13-14 towing, but was only barely adequate on the towing. There were some pretty white knuckle mountain passes dragging (or being pushed by) the Chumpcar across the Smokies. Other problem with the T100 is that there are slim to none of them in pull-a-parts.

I second Reverend Dexter's suggestion - whatever full sized domestic thing on a full sized truck platform turns up in the right condition at the right price. Suburbans are going for stupid cheap these days; everyone's afraid of their mileage. You can sometimes find the GM 6.2 non turbo diesel in that price range. Gutless but probably the only way to hit your mileage target.

1994 e350 econloine - $1500 (evansville)

This is a 1994 e350 with the v-8 ice cold air 251,000 miles runs out great new trans can be seen at 4618 covert ave call/text steve 812453185six

ReverendDexter wrote: If you can bump your budget up enough to get a diesel, I think it'll pay off in the long run. The crappy 6.2 (6.3?)L GM diesel suburban I had would get 20mpg unloaded

My not-really-crappy-but-definitely-slow '87 Surburban with the 6.2 diesel is getting about 20MPG hwy unloaded and did about 16 on a tank a couple of weeks ago that involved pulling a dual axle car trailer with my MX-3 on it, then my parents' camper.

It seats 9. Or six with the rear seat out. Or three with the rear out and the middle folded flat.

It drives like the big, dumb truck it is.

I like it, and I have less than your $2k pricepoint in it so far.

Pic of mine, for reference:

Your list of requirements is very similar to mine. I was actually looking at newer Suburbans and extended cab pickups when a friend and fellow GRMer offered this to me. I've been very happy with the purchase.

EDIT: They were available with a manual transmission, or at least I've seen a few on the forums with manuals. I don't know if they were swapped or factory-installed. Mine is very usable with a 700R4, but I totally understand not wanting the autotragic.

In reply to Gasoline: ^^ had this one specifically in mind... lots of miles and lots of motor, suspect will be terrible on gas, but otherwise serious contender.

from the econoline ad above:

"This is a 1994 e350 with the v-8 ice cold air 251,000 miles runs out great new trans can be seen at 4618 covert ave call/text steve 812453185six

"Runs out great" is code for "I'm a dealer and it didn't go up in flames before I got it on the trailer at the acution."

Not at all relavent to the topic, sorry, but I just had to mention it

I've never heard "Runs out" used by anybody that I thought had any actual integrity. (Doesn't mean it can't happen...this is my experience only)

In reply to Powar:

Mine was crappy because the transfercase was ready to explode, so it got this NASTY vibration right around 57mph. The guy that picked it up from me drove it three days before it grenaded on him.

1992 up Suburban. A manual one is next timposible to find but the autos that 99.9 have is easy to rebuild if it comes to it.

I am suprised that no one has mentioned the Miata of SUV's, an XJ Cherokee. They are rated to tow 5000 lbs, and are available with a manual

Wow, $2,000 and you expect to get all that? Here in MI you get a rusty, clapped out turd with no A/C. Anything that'll tow is gonna meet that criteria will start at double your budget.
I'd bump my price up to $4,000 and get a first gen Cummins. You'll get double the fuel economy and the 250K miles it'll have on it are no big deal.

pimpm3 wrote: I am suprised that no one has mentioned the Miata of SUV's, an XJ Cherokee. They are rated to tow 5000 lbs, and are available with a manual

They might be rated for it, but I certainly wouldn't want to do it with one. Certainly not anywhere with hills.

Plus, I don't know that you're gonna pick up a 4.0L XJ (which is the only one worth messing with) for that kind of budget.

Another vote for a suburban. Get over the automatic fear and you will thank yourself later. Sorry to all those who think otherwise but towing is a much simpler affair with an auto.

Not sure about your area but 2k can find a decent suburban out this way for sure.

pimpm3 wrote: I am suprised that no one has mentioned the Miata of SUV's, an XJ Cherokee. They are rated to tow 5000 lbs, and are available with a manual

The OP said he didn't want a religious experience every time he's going uphill or downhill. After towing much less than 5000lbs with the wife's 91 XJ, I would suggest that he'd have plenty of those.

Another vote for a fullsize truck in the right condition. Depending on how much it's being driven it might be worth to throw out the mpg requirement and just get one with a big block. People are selling these for cheap.

I've got a '96 Chevy C1500 Ext cab with 237k on it. It tows my 3,500lbs. Of racecar and trailer, with 500lbs. Of support gear in the bed, with no problem. All while getting 12mpg with the air blowing cold. Around town, it will get 13/14 mpg, and on the highway, 19/20 mpg.

I've owned it since Jan. of '99, when it had just turned 100k. The 4L60E has been a great transmission through every mile. A LOT of these trucks were made, so there's a lot of parts in the pick-and-pulls, and parts at the parts stores and aftermarket parts are cheap and plentiful. You should be able to find one for your price requirements pretty easily.

I think 9/10mpg is doable in your price range. You are looking for what is basically a plow truck without a plow. Should be able to find it on Craigslist pretty easy.

Old '80s Ford F350 diesel.

BoxheadTim wrote: Another vote for a fullsize truck in the right condition. Depending on how much it's being driven it might be worth to throw out the mpg requirement and just get one with a big block. People are selling these for cheap.

My C3500 quad cab dually with a 454 still got better than 10mpg towing so you don't have to throw out the mileage requirement just yet.

Are you planning to tow mostly flat ground or are you like me, living in the mountains? Makes a big difference on your engine selection.

For flat ground towing with an occassional run thru the mountains, you can get away with the 300. But regularly having to pull major grades really does call for big V-8 grunt power.

That said, have you looked at the major rental companies to see what they're selling out of their fleets? The wife's brother bought a used U-Haul F-150 box truck; V-8, auto, A/C and room for 3 in the cab for $3k.

A used fleet E150 van might go for less than that, but you'd probably have to add back seats. A good stand-up van like a Sprinter, E-150 or Chevy box van makes a good tow vehicle.

Used "box" ambulances are popular low budget tow rigs for the local dirt track crowd. Most come with a diesel, have stand-up interiors and have plenty of exterior lights that can be converted to pit lighting for night racing.

But any of those ideas is going to be hard to find on your $2k budget. At that price you're going to be hard-pressed to find a quality vehicle that won't break the bank on repairs.