What Pickup Truck?

Full disclosure: I'm a year or two away from buying anything.

Anyway, there's now an enclosed trailer in my life. The Trooper can do a lot, but it can't tow a car in a big enclosed trailer. That brings me to this brainstorming thread.

Budget: $5-10k

Requirements:
Carry 4 adults on long trips.
Tow a 4000-pound race car and spares in an enclosed trailer.
Carry a weekend's worth of race gear.
Four-wheel drive.
Manual transmission preferred.
Have accommodations to sleep two people. (I have a roof-top tent if absolutely necessary).
Drive at least as well as a Trooper.
Be comfortable on the highway.

My mind defaults to a long bed crew cab diesel pickup. If that's the answer—awesome! You guys are good, so tell me which brand to buy.

However, you all are great with weird ideas. Throw me some curve balls—engine swaps, rare models, lots of work necessary—it's all fair game.

And with all that said... Go!

First person to say Ridgeline, by the way, gets knocked down a dork level.

avalanche 2500, and get the add on tent for the bed.

<checks dork level>

I think what you're looking for is the best condition truck you can get regardless of brand or model.

I happen to like mid-nineties Fords better than mid-nineties GM, so I'd probably be looking for a mid- to late 90s non-dually F350. I'd also look at Dodge trucks, I've only ever driven one late nineties 2500 Cummins but I was pretty impressed with the drivetrain, not so much with the rest of the truck.

I also wouldn't rule out a gas engined one. Out here they're about half the price of the diesel ones and a BB Ford or Chevy should have more than enough grunt. You'll just spend the price difference at the gas station...

Find a late 90s / early 2000s crew cab F-350. Finding one with a diesel and a stick is do-able, but might be a little tough on the budget.

Forget the stick. EXCURSION!!!!!

Oh, and as mentioned in the HD pickup thread, a crew cab long bed truck is a little on the long side. I've got an F150 extended cab/long bed and even that can be annoyingly big at times. I'm pretty sure I don't want anything even longer.

yupididit wrote: Forget the stick. EXCURSION!!!!!

This.

I'd skip the Excursion and stay with a pickup for the option of swapping the trailer for a gooseneck later on without having to re-buy the tow rig.

Chevy military m1008 and do a crew cab short bed swap with an nv4500 trans. You can't deny the sexiness.

patgizz wrote: avalanche 2500, and get the add on tent for the bed.

This. Or crew cab/6.5' bed half or 3/4 ton.

Late 90s Suburban 2500 with the 454?

If you are serious about a long bed crew cab truck, make sure you add another requirement-

"Must be horrible to drive for the 355 days a year I'm not towing."

I'd far rather suffer 5- 10 towing days a year with my 4.8 Silverado, or my old 318 Dakota that fight a huge pig of a truck around the rest of the year.

Tom Suddard wrote: First person to say Ridgeline, by the way, gets knocked down a dork level.

Is is dangerous to mention that it was the first thing I thought?

73-86 crew cab Chevy. You can fix it with a rock.

mndsm wrote:

yupididit wrote: Forget the stick. EXCURSION!!!!!

This.

That.

We are going about this the wrong way. Swaps and such are fair game so...

Build your own rolls flat bed or something like it. Find a cheap dually, give it a big block and a manual, and use one of those M-B's you love.

88-98 extended cab diesel dually chevy 1 ton on bags with a trailer brake controller and solid fiberglass bed cap.

Or a Ridgeline.

Maybe it is time for the GRM toterhome!

yupididit wrote:

mndsm wrote:

yupididit wrote: Forget the stick. EXCURSION!!!!!

This.

That.

These.

The 8.1 Allison combo in Silverado 3/4 ton is a fantastic engine/trans. Mileage is fairly horrific but the buy in is cheap enough to make up for it. They will tow anything you're going to tow unless you get into heavy equipment. Reliable as dirt.

mazdeuce wrote: The 8.1 Allison combo in Silverado 3/4 ton is a fantastic engine/trans. Mileage is fairly horrific but the buy in is cheap enough to make up for it. They will tow anything you're going to tow unless you get into heavy equipment. Reliable as dirt.

And for 10k you can get a really nice one.

Plug and plY the nicest full size truck you can find.

How many miles will it tow and will you encounter mountains, real ones. That will tell you power plant. If you aren't towing long or far, then skip the diesel and save money on a gasser. If you are towing far and up mountains a diesel is nice.

My first thought was for a Centurion type vehicle, but caught in an overnight rain storm in the pits, a van would offer a little more spreading out room. E-350?

How committed are you to the 4WD?

Dan

A 2500 van will do the job just fine and provide camping room. Plus you could convert it into an adventure camper.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/149731-1995-E350-4x4-7-3-Powerstroke-Van-(trade-)

Diesel- check 4x4 check. Camper. Sure