Hey guys, I might have a buyer for my old Volvo.
If it sells, I'm looking at a pre-1987 V8 powered, a/t driven 4x4... pre 1987 as we don't have to pay road tax for cars older than 25 years, though ending with 1987 cars due to the gov' searching ways to steal from us even more (how is 8.50 to 10 bucks per gallon of regular for everyone, and over 63% is tax plus there is an additional 19% VAT on top of that; [url=http://www.bovagrai.info/auto/2010/7.4e.html]breakdown of fuel pricing]).

But since knowledge about these cars is quite limited over here, I was wondering what I should choose... I made a pre selection here, but I'm open to suggestions and very open to opinions.
81-86 Dodge Ramcharger, 318 or 360ci
80-86 Ford Bronco, 302 or 351ci
80-86 Chevy Blazer, 305 or 360ci
I'll use it on-road most of the time, will be converting to LPG, and might install an engine + transmission from a year 2000+ vehicle later.

What would you choose, and why?

 

I had an '84 Ford Bronco when I was in high school. I beat the **** out of that truck and it just kept on going and going. Awesome in the snow and ice, went through mud and high grass with no problems. I did get it stuck in the sand once, but I got out, put it in 4 low and let some air out of the tires and she came right out! That truck was amazingly solid! I sold it to a guy who drove it for another 3 or 4 years before it went to the bone yard. It would have had well over 300,000 miles on it by then. Only money I ever put in it was a new gas tank, the straps rusted out and the tank was hanging off the back. But they put a lot of salt on the roads in winter here so it is pretty common for vehicles to have a lot of rust under them.

 

Bronco is your best bet out of that selection.

ME : with year constraints like that I'd be after a Toyota LandCruiser
always liked 'em back then

 

Yeah mate, brilliant vehicle! Spent a month and a half in the Kimberly beating around the bush in one of those. They hold up real well and last for ever, but are pretty exy to repair if you do have problems.

 

Yeah man but sometimes that class of "Classic" is just plain worth the expense.

They were awesome and you could haul anything anywhere with them, I used to
pull 40 ft Starting Gates ( Racehorse) with it in all kinds of soft ground ... they were
just great all rounders

 

Hey:

The Dodge and Ford will rust, they also suck down the fuel. The Chevys paint will come off then rust, but it is probably the cheapest to maintain over there, when something goes wrong, and it will. It will probably get the best mileage too, but 12-15 MPG is about all you will see if your lucky, plan on 10 mpg on the European fuel. The Chevy Blazer was the Military Vehicle of choice during those years, prior to the Hummer and many were sold thru DRMO sales to the local economies during the mass American Military European drawdown, Base/Post closures of the late eighties and early nineties. Some will have 350ci Small Block Chevy engines a very good and reliable engine, some will have Olds 350 Diesels, so be careful on those. I am surprised you did not list the best choice of 4x4 Yank mobiles the Jeep Wrangler CJ 5/7, as that would be My choice over the other ones you listed. But they are probably not as cheap and harder to find in good nick. Good Luck and hope find what you want.

Dub

 

i would say the chevy as it will be the cheapest to repair and i agree with CBR1988 that you will have to repair any of these. the fords are probably the most reliable mechanically but my experience is when they do fail its a catastrophic failure and not just a rod knock ect.
p.s. there is a poster on a forum i frequent from The Hague, Netherlands that i could maybe put in contact with that owns a full size 4x4 suburban

 

That's not a bad option at all. Maybe even a nice XJ, although it may be hard to find a nice one in the 84-87 range.
If you can find a nice older 350 chevy, that would be my other choice.
I've never been a fan of the fords.

 

Find a Toyota truck, yank the 4 cylinder out of it, put in a stroker small block chevy and then go tear the **** out of everything in sight!

 

Well, we don't have mountains (or even hills) over here, so the only offroading I'll be doing is a donut on a patch of grass.
The only snow we get here is one to four inch max, and gone in a week.
So I don't need the best possible 4wd, I just want a car I fit comfortably and I happen to like the big lumps I mentioned for their looks :P