Can't post this on vehicle specific forums as they tend to be biased so I think I found the correct sub forum for this topic.
I've built many vehicles; datsun fairladys, classic minis, triumph gt6, 74 bronco, 74 FJ40, 85 Gelandewagen, 83 FJ60, etc.
I recently sold my 1275gt clubman to fund my "last build" and I'm having trouble deciding what to get. Being in the military with a newborn is taxing on time. With a prospective duty assignment coming up this will probably be my last chance to build a family rig for the next 4-5 years.
I've narrowed it down to 2 vehicles:
Pre-75 FJ55 or 67-72 K20 Suburban.
For my budget, the suburban makes the most sense. Even with an LS swap the remainder of workable issues would be less than the FJ because of what people want for them. The only real perk of being stationed in the south is the abundance of American muscle rigs.
Parts vendor wise are 10x cheaper for the suburban and anything mechanical wise can be found at any dealer or pick a corner parts store.
The FJ55 on the other hand is the complete opposite but classic Toyotas fill a void in my life. Again, for my budget I would be able to do all the necessary rust repair, repaint, aftermarket comfortable seats, and maybe a vintage air setup (pricy). But the normal wear and tear cosmetic items such as door seals and especially the rear window seals are out of this world. The rear window gasket is as much as an entire rubber seal kit for the suburban...
And then there's the mechanicals, if I needed to do any work to the 2F and I outsourced say an engine rebuild it would cost an arm and a leg.
I need you people to make the decision for me. As much as the suburban makes sense I've always learned the hard way. If you had a choice what would you build? Keep in mind this would be my daily driver.
Thanks in advance
I've built many vehicles; datsun fairladys, classic minis, triumph gt6, 74 bronco, 74 FJ40, 85 Gelandewagen, 83 FJ60, etc.
I recently sold my 1275gt clubman to fund my "last build" and I'm having trouble deciding what to get. Being in the military with a newborn is taxing on time. With a prospective duty assignment coming up this will probably be my last chance to build a family rig for the next 4-5 years.
I've narrowed it down to 2 vehicles:
Pre-75 FJ55 or 67-72 K20 Suburban.
For my budget, the suburban makes the most sense. Even with an LS swap the remainder of workable issues would be less than the FJ because of what people want for them. The only real perk of being stationed in the south is the abundance of American muscle rigs.
Parts vendor wise are 10x cheaper for the suburban and anything mechanical wise can be found at any dealer or pick a corner parts store.
The FJ55 on the other hand is the complete opposite but classic Toyotas fill a void in my life. Again, for my budget I would be able to do all the necessary rust repair, repaint, aftermarket comfortable seats, and maybe a vintage air setup (pricy). But the normal wear and tear cosmetic items such as door seals and especially the rear window seals are out of this world. The rear window gasket is as much as an entire rubber seal kit for the suburban...
And then there's the mechanicals, if I needed to do any work to the 2F and I outsourced say an engine rebuild it would cost an arm and a leg.
I need you people to make the decision for me. As much as the suburban makes sense I've always learned the hard way. If you had a choice what would you build? Keep in mind this would be my daily driver.
Thanks in advance
