Interesting midsize truck comparison / test

[Buliwyf]

One of the campgrounds I've gone to several times is a little bit hilly, and has gravel roads. Last year when I was rolling out, a FWD minivan was struggling real badly to get traction, trying to pull a tent trailer up a small hill. The tongue weight lightens up the front, and makes reduced traction climbs a challenge.

In the same campground, I could not back my unloaded pickup truck into my campsite without 4x4. It could not start to reverse up the hill from a stop without spinning tires. I'll only every buy a 4x4 or AWD vehicle for towing.


How 'bout that midsize truck comparison, eh?

This is why I shake my head in disgust when I see any truck with a camper, that sits lower in the rear of the truck.

That failure of front drive, is also a warning. You can't stop for $%&! with the truck like that. In the rain and snow, it'll go straight to fighting the abs. Even level leaves some performance on the table. Tail down, is a death trap.

 

[Todd780]

She isn't quite the car nut I am, but she appreciates some things, mostly vintage iron. We were tailing a military 5 Ton the other week, she pipes up "ohhh...we need one those those!" So she kinda gets it.

Same here. She can def appreciate the nice rides. She really wants an old farm truck. Restored to be a nice driver but to keep it's old appearance. Hopefully one day!

 

[Clutch]

Same here. She can def appreciate the nice rides. She really wants an old farm truck. Restored to be a nice driver but to keep it's old appearance. Hopefully one day!

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My better 3/4's would love that.

An Icon Derelict would be awesome...of course I am not a drug cartel and will never be able to afford one.

https://www.icon4x4.com/derelict/pastprojects/35

make mine 4WD.

 

[Todd780]

My better 3/4's would love that.

An Icon Derelict would be awesome...of course I am not a drug cartel and will never be able to afford one.

Oh I know. Crazy expensive!

A nicely restored crew cab or SUV would be my pick. Something I could take the whole family out in.








If you can't tell I have a thing for Steel wheels and poverty / dog dish caps... lol

Sooo.... how bout those mid sizers.....

 

[Clutch]

Oh I know. Crazy expensive!

A nicely restored crew cab or SUV would be my pick. Something I could take the whole family out in.

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If you can't tell I have a thing for Steel wheels and poverty / dog dish caps... lol

Sooo.... how bout those mid sizers.....

Wagoneer with the electric razor grill is one of my favorites.

These guys are just down the road from us. https://www.allmetalclassics.com/our-vehicles.php They have some good stuff to thumb through.

Yeah, I like steelies with dog dish hub cabs....picturing this with a polished 7' Alaskan.




Shoot...how about those new midsizes...with our recent "look squirrel!" makes me not one even more...

 

[Todd780]

Wagoneer with the electric razor grill is one of my favorites.

These guys are just down the road from us. https://www.allmetalclassics.com/our-vehicles.php They have some good stuff to thumb through.

Yeah, I like steelies with dog dish hub cabs....picturing this with a polished 7' Alaskan.

Sounds like a good plan to me! Cab over?

 

[Clutch]

Sounds like a good plan to me! Cab over?

Yep. Not having to turn the dining area into a bed at night would be a bonus. Have kicked around the idea of building my own. There are a couple close to me either dirt cheap or free, that I could use as a pattern. Think building from scratch would be better than trying to restore one. Have access to a killer wood shop at her school that I was told I could use over the summer months.

Have used it before to build some cabinets for my work.

 

[Todd780]

Yep. Not having to turn the dining area into a bed at night would be a bonus. Have kicked around the idea of building my own. There are a couple close to me either dirt cheap or free, that I could use as a pattern. Think building from scratch would be better than trying to restore one. Have access to a killer wood shop at her school that I was told I could use over the summer months.

Have used it before to build some cabinets for my work.

Yeah, having to turn a dinette into a bed to go to sleep is a pain. Would you build a light weight version to use on the Toyota?

 

[Clutch]

Would you build a light weight version to use on the Toyota?

Probably not, be too tight. My Wildernest is fairly open and airy when deployed, but it is still pretty tight. Anything less than that would be claustrophobic.

Even with fullsize slide-ins...pretty small living space. If I add anything to my truck it would be a 5X10 enclosed trailer. Use the 'Nest for good weather and the trailer for foul.

Stumbled on a cool Sunrader....hey speaking of mid-size trucks. Would be interesting seeing seeing a modern 3/4-1 ton with an Alaskan parked beside it comparing size differences. Toy Only Swaps just did a Super Charged 5VZ swap in one.


http://www.boundfornowhere.com/blog2/2018/sunrader-4x4-for-sale

Interior is done up nice.

Looks like a Pendleton wool blanket they have there.

 

[Todd780]

Probably not, be too tight. My Wildernest is fairly open and airy when deployed, but it is still pretty tight. Anything less than that would be claustrophobic.

Even with fullsize slide-ins...pretty small living space. If I add anything to my truck it would be a 5X10 enclosed trailer. Use the 'Nest for good weather and the trailer for foul.

Stumbled on a cool Sunrader....hey speaking of mid-size trucks. Would be interesting seeing seeing a modern 3/4-1 ton with an Alaskan parked beside it comparing size differences. Toy Only Swaps just did a Super Charged 5VZ swap in one.

The Sunraders are pretty neat! Great little rigs. There are a couple Sunrader builds on here I believe. The one you pictured was nicely redone inside.

 

[XJLI]

That Sunrader is REALLY well done.

 

[Buddha.]

Same here. She can def appreciate the nice rides. She really wants an old farm truck. Restored to be a nice driver but to keep it's old appearance. Hopefully one day!

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https://www.hotrod.com/articles/swap-cop-car-frame-f-100-pickup/

 

[Todd780]

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/swap-cop-car-frame-f-100-pickup/

That's pretty cool! Reminds of the guy who rebodied a crown vic into a general lee.

https://www.motor1.com/news/185184/general-lee-charger-ford-crown-victoria/

 

[Clutch]

The Sunraders are pretty neat! Great little rigs. There are a couple Sunrader builds on here I believe. The one you pictured was nicely redone inside.

That Sunrader is REALLY well done.

It is pretty dang swank...interior is niiiiiiiice

I see that Overland Explorer is working on '65 Chevy...haven't decided if I like it or not, shell is almost too modern for it.

Maybe if the the box was color match it would tie it in better.

http://www.trucktrend.com/events/sema-auto-show/1811-mtsema18-rerun-1972-chevy-c30-custom-camper/

 

[Todd780]

Agreed. I think the second one you pictured ties in a little better. Maybe something wacky along these lines would work on that '65...