Tow Rig / Shop Truck

[SwedeSport]

So I was out for a ride the other night, and came across a truck for sale. I have been hunting for a decent truck for a while now. Something I can pull a car or boat with, go to the roller mills for a load of stone, the lumber trip to home depot, maybe even push some snow in the winter. Not looking for anything too fancy. Looked at a few f150s and gm 1500 series trucks. Piss poor gas mileage, and not really heavy enough to pull (or push) bigger loads. Started looking at f250/ gm 2500 trucks. Not really finding what I want in the under 4k price range. Still hunting for the perfect truck.


On that ride the other night, I found an old GMC box truck without the box. 6.6 cat turbo diesel, Heavy duty 6 spd stick shift. 229 inch wheelbase. Now maybe Im going off on a tangent here. But its one bad ass truck. The ideas start spinning around my skull and next thing you know Im Photoshopping a mock up of this beast. With this machine, I can tow ANYTHING, with a weekends worth of spare parts, luggage, and 6 friends. Done right there would be no need for a hotel on race weekend.

Attached is a photo-chop of said tow rig.......

[Crazyswede]

no one ever said that utility had to look good

[Geoff]

Good luck plowing with that thing, you'll never get into tight spots. I gave up on the sub $4k perfect truck for towing, construction material hauling, firewood gathering, sleeping in, and plowing. I just pay someone to plow. It beats getting up before 5AM to go out in the dark and mess with hydraulics, get stuck, freeze etc. a few days a week.

I agree with Mongo, very beautiful...

Try looking for some diesel vans. I picked up my 2003 E350 7.3L with 185K on it for $2300 and its the nicest vehicle I own. Plus I use it for all above mentioned activities with the exception of plowing.

[SwedeSport]

As long as the body lines all match, and the paint is consistent, it should be pretty badass. The suburban needs the back fascia cut off so a regular pickup cab back can be grafted on. Not sure I'm crazy about the way the sleeper matches up to the rest of the truck, but eliminating that would nix an entire bed.

[SwedeSport]

Maybe a crew cab in place of the suburban would make it a little shorter and more maneuverable. I admit its a really ridiculous ride. I was having some pipe dreams. Fun with Photoshop.

[Luke]

[quote="SwedeSport"][/quote]


Jason did you forget to take your meds today or did you take too many?

[Luke]

I'd go for a cube truck or large van and deck it out like a mobile workshop, thats definatly the cheapest way to get into a diesel with a decent towing capacity. Pickups go for too much money as wankers that want to tow fancy boats don't want the stigma of driving a van.

[Crazyswede]

you can get used sprinter vans in the $8000 to $15000 range these days. Not very good for plowing but good for everthing else.

[SwedeSport]

I think the meds are well balanced today, I'm shopping for something practical, as opposed to dragging home another race car project. At least I never began some of the crazier projects I have devised... like trying to build a kit airplane powered by a Saab stroker.

I dunno what ill end up with. But I need to do something soon. The 86 900 is no longer the sensible daily driver, and I'm just beating it to death on the street.

Its tough to find a good balance of economy, capacity, and price in a utility vehicle. But I'm tired of borrowing other peoples rigs all the time.

[Crazyswede]

Here is something to consider if you can find a clean one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Land-Rov ... sQ5fTrucks

Range rover long wheel base. Have to watch for rust in the floors and wheel wells but generally the frames hold up. The LWB or long wheel base (see the pattern here?) have an extra 7" of length to them...very good leg room in the rear. 4.2 litre aluminum blocked V8 some have superchargers...well on the new ones at least.

[Jordan]

Here is something to consider if you can find a clean one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Land-Rov ... sQ5fTrucks

Range rover long wheel base. Have to watch for rust in the floors and wheel wells but generally the frames hold up. The LWB or long wheel base (see the pattern here?) have an extra 7" of length to them...very good leg room in the rear. 4.2 litre aluminum blocked V8 some have superchargers...well on the new ones at least.

Don't those get like 12mpg?

[Crazyswede]

Here is something to consider if you can find a clean one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Land-Rov ... sQ5fTrucks

Range rover long wheel base. Have to watch for rust in the floors and wheel wells but generally the frames hold up. The LWB or long wheel base (see the pattern here?) have an extra 7" of length to them...very good leg room in the rear. 4.2 litre aluminum blocked V8 some have superchargers...well on the new ones at least.

Don't those get like 12mpg?

15 to 18 mpg is pretty normal. My friend Chris has a Tahoe and it gets 17 towing a bike trailer if we keep to 65 mph. Geoff's van gets 18 mpg alone...I suspect that will drop towing.

here is another option..better price...looks like a very nice camper conversion...and while it probably is not so good on gas mileage...the mileage probably doesnt change when towing.

http://nh.craigslist.org/rvs/1851365368.html

[SwedeSport]

I had to ride one of those right up to senior year, I wouldn't be caught dead driving one now.

[Crazyswede]

I had to ride one of those right up to senior year, I wouldn't be caught dead driving one now.

I agree 100%. You will look so much better driving this thing

[SwedeSport]

clowning around with photoshop over coffee again this morning. I think the new versions are a bit more conservative. The sleeping/passenger capacity is reduced, but the maneuverability is better with the shorter wheelbase.


I looked at a chevy box truck this weekend, its a van front on a 3500 series chassis. with a big box on the back. its rather clean, no rust. Low miles at 91k. It has a liftgate on it. I would remove and sell the gate to reduce my overall cost. They are asking 5,000 for it. It has a pass thru cab. I would likely open the pass thru all the way up, and wall off the first 1/3 or more of the box. I could remodel that part of the box with some bunks and whatnot for sleeping.