Design your ideal vehicle

Camry 4 cylinder 2.5 litre petrol motor, Aisin 8 speed auto.
AWD, adjustable suspension like the citroens used to have.
Cloth upholstery, Station wagonish design so two can sleep in the back easily if you have to.
Fittings on the frame so you can 'clip' on awnings/tent/shower.
Can tow 1500 kgs.

Ford F150 crew cab with a 5.0l V8 and a 10 speed automatic transmission.   4wd, hard folding bed cover, flowmaster outlaw exhaust,  Rausch cold air intake,  Katskinz aftermarket leather interior.  

Yep, my taste is unusual. First, I have an affinity for spartan vehicles. I had several castoff Postal Service trucks, over the years; and drove an open jeep (a YJ Wrangler converted to look like a CJ7) for about eight summers.

My current truck has manual windows, manual door locks and no carpet. I like it that way.

Second, I have an affinity for Fallen Flags, the defunct companies, the underdogs. Jeep, the brand, was associated with an unbelievable number of them: American Bantam, then Willys-Overland, then Kaiser-Frazer, renamed Kaiser-Jeep; then American Motors, then Chrysler.

All gone, except for Chrysler, which survives in name only.

The Kaiser M-715 was the militarized J-Series truck...with a Kaiser OHC six (first one sold in America) and sturdy four-wheel drive. If I got one, I'd first remove the Kaiser six, which was troublesome, Kaiser didn't have the money to iron the bugs out...put in a Toyota truck drivetrain. If I could get an old Toyota inline six, that would be great; but a V6 would be as good. Couple it to a Toyota five-speed and transfer case.

Have to put a new front-axle in to have the gearset on the correct side. Replace the rear axle (a shame) to make it match. Or, I suppose, the front axle could be modded to flip it over.

And, presto-change-o! I would have a truck at once historical, stronger than dirt, as reliable as any other Toyota, and a hell of a conversation piece.

Casey Jones wrote:

Yep, my taste is unusual.  First, I have an affinity for spartan vehicles.  I had several castoff Postal Service trucks, over the years; and drove an open jeep (a YJ Wrangler converted to look like a CJ7) for about eight summers.

My current truck has manual windows, manual door locks and no carpet.  I like it that way.

Second, I have an affinity for Fallen Flags, the defunct companies, the underdogs.  Jeep, the brand, was associated with an unbelievable number of them:  American Bantam, then Willys-Overland, then Kaiser-Frazer, renamed Kaiser-Jeep; then American Motors, then Chrysler.

All gone, except for Chrysler, which survives in name only.

The Kaiser M-715 was the militarized J-Series truck...with a Kaiser OHC six (first one sold in America) and sturdy four-wheel drive.  If I got one, I'd first remove the Kaiser six, which was troublesome, Kaiser didn't have the money to iron the bugs out...put in a Toyota truck drivetrain.  If I could get an old Toyota inline six, that would be great; but a V6 would be as good.  Couple it to a Toyota five-speed and transfer case.

Have to put a new front-axle in to have the gearset on the correct side.  Replace the rear axle (a shame) to make it match.  Or, I suppose, the front axle could be modded to flip it over.

And, presto-change-o!  I would have a truck at once historical, stronger than dirt, as reliable as any other Toyota, and a hell of a conversation piece.

I'm torn between an F150 and a Jeep Gladiator.  The Jeep would be more fun.  I used to have an 04 LJ and I miss it.  The Gladiator doesn't have the sexy V8 (at least not in my price range), but the off road capability and removable roof are drawing me over.  I would undoubtedly spend much more money on a Gladiator fixing it up like I want for overlanding. (camping on remote trails)

I don't want a four-door truck.

The few times I have to haul others...we either take someone else's car, or, occasionally, I have rented a car or minivan.

Notice how far forward the rear-wheel set is on that thing? Put a load on it, and it's going to be unstable. But then, so few people do put loads on them.

I like the Gladiator, though...a different version.



Or a later version, when Kaiser was sold to AMC:



Or, a better photo of the Kaiser Buck-Anna-Quarter:

I ordered a Jeep Gladiator today. It should be built by the end of April. It has the 3.0L diesel and will look like this. Just Empty Every Pocket.

Crusader wrote:I ordered a Jeep Gladiator today.  It should be built by the end of April.  It has the 3.0L diesel and will look like this.  Just Empty Every Pocket.

If i was cruisin the streets of Auckland in that bad boy , All the homies would be salivating and probably try to car jack me, I wouldn't even feel a bump as I drove over them lol

I would never buy a new one.

Too much expensive stuff to go wrong; and I don't have faith in Chrysler, or whoever owns Jeep today, in making quality stuff.

Go old or go home. If it's a toy, it won't matter that it's old, if it's in good shape. Get your transportation appliance to go to work in; and have your tricked out toy for your playtime.

Crusader wrote:I ordered a Jeep Gladiator today.  It should be built by the end of April.  It has the 3.0L diesel and will look like this.  Just Empty Every Pocket.

My daughters fiance has one ( black) and he loves it . He came from Califoriia and always was a Audi driver but he saw that the NE isn't a place to drive Audi's so he picked up a Gladiator and loves it . There's a great aftermarket American flag that you can put behind the grill that lights up .

Casey Jones wrote:I would never buy a new one.

Too much expensive stuff to go wrong; and I don't have faith in Chrysler, or whoever owns Jeep today, in making quality stuff.

Go old or go home.  If it's a toy, it won't matter that it's old, if it's in good shape.  Get your transportation appliance to go to work in; and have your tricked out toy for your playtime.

I've got a Chrysler 300 thats a 2007 and other than front end bushings and tie rods ( the front end is too heavy for the parts they used) I've never had a problem with it . Power and plenty of interior space with a huge American old school trunk and I'll buy another if this one goes on me .