What's your favourite 4x4 and pickup?

[GrauGeist]

I've always wanted a short wheelbase "deuce and a half" 6x...not very practical, by certainly up there on the cool factor...

 

[Lucky13]

Wonder how high the cool-factor is for this Volvo 'Sugga' or TP-21 etc....of course it has to have the camouflage! 8)

 

[GrauGeist]

That looks similiar to a '43 Dodge command car/ambulance (same 4x chassis, different sheet metal) which was also cool

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

To most, please correct me if I'm wrong here, but...to most, to own a 4x4 is nothing more but a fashion statement, like whatyacallit tractors here in the UK...

Depends on where you live. If you live in a city, yes I would agree. You live out in the country, then no. Up here in the midwest, I would not own anything else. You leave the city, so much of it is offroad. On top of that , midwest winters are crazy. On an average day, I see so many people stuck in the snow or ditches. I drive right through it in my Jeep.

 

[GrauGeist]

Years ago, American Motors had a good idea with thier "Eagle" series of passenger cars (station wagon, four door, tao door) equipped with 4 wheel drive.

Sadly, AMC was bought out by Chrysler Corp and the line was killed off...but I knew several people who owned the AMC Eagles and were happy with them.

 

[Lucky13]

Depends on where you live. If you live in a city, yes I would agree. You live out in the country, then no. Up here in the midwest, I would not own anything else. You leave the city, so much of it is offroad. On top of that , midwest winters are crazy. On an average day, I see so many people stuck in the snow or ditches. I drive right through it in my Jeep.

Was thinking about these cityslickers, outdoorsy wannabes mate....

 

[Airframes]

If I was to 'get back' into off-roading, I'd probably have my mate build me one of his specials - a 100 inch wheel-base, V-12 Jaguar engined Land Rover!
To the uninitiated, this looks like a cross between a short wheel base and long wheelbase, ordinary 'Lanny', but is built onto a Range Rover chassis, and a Jag V-12 shoe-horned into the engine bay. Locking diffs front and center, and of course the RR coil suspension.
The mid bulkhead is removed, and replaced with a strengthening tubular frame, allowing the seats to be moved further back, and the body panels are built around a full, integral roll cage, rally seats and harnesses fitted up front, two swivel seats with harnesses in the back, lockers for recovery kit, winches front and rear, and recovery points all round. Sixteen inch wheels with 275/75x16 AT or MT tyres, spot and fog lights at front, flood light at rear, map lights and interior lights.
Top speed depends on the road and the load, but the MkII version reached 142 mph on the A1 !! Average fuel consumption around 25 mpg, and absolutely stable on the and off road, and wants to climb vertical cliffs!

 

[evangilder]

4x4s are also great for back country exploration. When Laura and I go up to the Sierras, we go all through the back country, some places are not accessible with a 2WD. Back when I had my ATV, it was perfect for some of those places.

 

[Lucky13]

Sierras......mmmmmm.....Donner Pass, sad history, but this is for the Southern Pacific! Is it still as busy nowdays?

 

[evangilder]

I also used to go out to the desert to ride dirt bikes. Some of the places we camped were tough to get into with 2WD. Doable, but it was always good to have a couple of 4WD vehicles around if you got stuck. There are people that still use them here in Southern California. There are also people that have big raised 4x4 trucks that have never seen the dirt.

 

[GrauGeist]

Here are two considerations if I were to have the time/money...

The first one is an obvious classic..."old school" off-road capable...complete with dust, exhaust and bone-jarring excitement.
The other is an Pierce outfitted International, designed for wildland fire crews...they are beasts and if I had an extra 90 some-odd thousand bucks lying around idle, I'd definately buy one and have it built to my specs for serious off-road excursions (of course, no pump, water tank/hose stowage and certainly not painted Federal Safety Green)

 

[Matt308]

You know what they say about 4WD, right. It allows you to get stuck 15 miles further in. I own a 95 F150 kingcab 4WD. Don't drive it anymore. Too expensive. Only 80k miles on it. Used to know a guy that 4-wheeled all the time. He owned a Willys Jeep. And he took me flippin' everywhere in the mountains. Rock climbing, snow, etc. I couldn't believe where that little thing could go. He would just put it in low and crawl along.

 

[Readie]

You know what they say about 4WD, right. It allows you to get stuck 15 miles further in. I own a 95 F150 kingcab 4WD. Don't drive it anymore. Too expensive. Only 80k miles on it. Used to know a guy that 4-wheeled all the time. He owned a Willys Jeep. And he took me flippin' everywhere in the mountains. Rock climbing, snow, etc. I couldn't believe where that little thing could go. He would just put it in low and crawl along.

Did your mates Jeep have hub reduction gears? They make a Jeep almost unstoppable.

 

[GrauGeist]

My sister had a 1945 Willy's MB that was used as a hunting and trail rig. The top speed on that little beast was about 55 mph (88kph) and at that speed, certainly not a ride for the faint-of-heart. On the other hand, you could put it into 1st gear and walk along side it and as long as it could get traction, it could climb anything.

 

[Bucksnort101]

I guess my favorite would have been my 2000 Chevy Silverado with a 4.8 liter V8. Put 275,000 hard miles on it with only a few issues. Replaced the fuel pump once, one bad alternator, one stripped spark plug hole, that's about it other than tires and brakes. Still ran good, but finally retired it after the rear differential went out and it was starting to leak oil more and more. After the rear diff. went I pulled the rear drive axle, put it in 4 wheel drive and drove it as a front wheel drive Silverado for another couple weeks. I'm sure if I kept it she would still be going. Got my moneys worth out of that truck.
Kinda sad when I drove by the dealer I traded it to and it was just sitting in the back lot. Felt like just buying it back and putting it up where I deer hunt to drive around in. Wish I had done that. Funny how you get attached to a vehicle you spend so much time in.

 

[Matt308]

Did your mates Jeep have hub reduction gears? They make a Jeep almost unstoppable.

Hell I don't know. Never asked and it was almost 30yrs ago. Looked like a stock GI jeep to me. Bare bones stock with no accessories. I just remember that it looked in remarkably good shape for mil surplus (very used, but not refurbished). You can't be a tall/big guy and be comfortable in that thing by modern standards, but I suppose at the time of its development, it beat the living **** outta walkin'.

 

[Njaco]

Hell I don't know. Never asked and it was almost 30yrs ago. Looked like a stock GI jeep to me. Bare bones stock with no accessories. I just remember that it looked in remarkably good shape for mil surplus (very used, but not refurbished). You can't be a tall/big guy and be comfortable in that thing by modern standards, but I suppose at the time of its development, it beat the living **** outta walkin'.

My Landrover was the same way. Once I was showing someone how low the gears were. We went to a mountain/hill and I put it in 1st gear, got and and walked with it as it climbed all by itself. Loved that truck.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, I really miss my Land Rover. Took up and down rocks, over moors, through rivers, over sand and swamp, and also did a lot of motorway miles in it. Steady 55 or 60, and it just sat there all day without complaint.
When I find them, I'll post some pics of it in its various colour schemes.

 

[Njaco]

Her are 2 pics of my Landrover and my 2 Fords. Loved those days...

.

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/personal-gallery/puddle-jumpin-24264.html

 

[Airframes]

Great stuff Chris!
I think I know where some of the pics of mine are - I'll try to find them, scan them, and post them within the next couple of days.