Decisions, decisions...

[Tik-Tok]

So, we have a line for a early 70's Airstream for a really, really good price.

I obviously need a truck, but on the fence of 2 options:

A) Trade in my Audi allroad, and get a new Tundra (2012 4X4 DBL CAB SR5 5.7L, leather) (Would be new daily drive)


or

B) Build up a '45-'54 Chevy 3/4 ton pick-up, with a Cummins 6BT 12-valve swap, reinforced frame, Ford 9" rear axle, flat black, custom interior, (would probably have to be 2-wheel drive though, and would be 4th vehicle)



I have MANY pro's an con's for both, but tell me yours please.

[ercchry]

toyota:
practical
comfy for long trips
reliable
winter use
more space

hotrod truck:
badass

[sillysod]

Major con.

Sitting on the side of the highway with your family in the middle of summer because your build shit the bed.

Dunno but if I am going on holidays I would want the most drama free possible trip.

Another thing is 4 people in the tundra is ok, 4 in the old chev would suck.

[SKR]

There wouldn't really be anything to break down on the old Chevy, because there's nothing on it to break. If you do the 12 valve swap, make sure the killer dowel pin is looked after and you're golden. An old truck pulling an old Airstream would be cool as fuck. A brand new truck pulling an old Airstream would be dull as fuck.

The only reason you're looking at a truck is to drag a trailer around. It wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to invest a bunch of money into something that you only need a few times a year. The downside is that if you go with the old truck, there's almost 0% chance that you'll get it done and road ready before the end of summer.

[ExtraSlow]

Two wildly different trucks. I can't understand how you got yourself looking at these two options.

For pulling the trailer, I'd go Toyota every day.

For awesomeness arund town, I'd go with the old chev.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Two wildly different trucks. I can't understand how you got yourself looking at these two options.

Because it would look fucking sweeeeeeeet, lol. Also I'd be using it for dump runs and hardware store trips. It wouldn't be as clean as the one pictured, but would still be nice (I'm not about to dump $40g+ into a mint build, that's not a DD)

[Sugarphreak]

..

[03ozwhip]

1. buy used truck for alot cheaper
2.buy 45-54 truck with $$ you saved from buying new
3. build it
4.????
5. profit!!

[sillysod]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
My thoughts on your dilemma would be that the old Chevy wouldn’t be very comfortable on a long road trip thanks to its prehistoric suspension and relatively short wheel base. Also, modern trucks are much better for handling towing than builds, so when the wind picks up and you get “trailer wobble” it will stay manageable.

That said, there is no way I would pick a gasoline engine for towing. Diesel will forever be the king because of its low torque and better fuel economy.

Conclusion? Get a Dodge Ram or Chevy with a diesel. If I had to pick between your tow options, the Tundra is a no brainer IMO.

For the 3 or 4 times a year he is going to tow, gas will be just fine. Diesel engines suck now. Used to be all about economy but now the diesels get horrible fuel mileage. Sure they are powerful, but the point was always to have something that was much more economical and they just aren't any more.

The amount of towing you would need to do to make up the 10k difference between a gasser and diesel would have to be pretty signficant.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by sillysod

The amount of towing you would need to do to make up the 10k difference between a gasser and diesel would have to be pretty signficant.

Dodge is actually offering a free diesel upgrade right now, but even with that a 3/4 ton is out of my price range.

[OU812]

**sigh** true first world problem

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by OU812
**sigh** true first world problem

So? I live in the first world.

[sillysod]

Why would you want to get rid of your car and have to drive a truck around? I need a truck for work and bought a Frontier because I am sick of driving around 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks for the last 15 years. The Frontier really isn't any better but at least it's not as big, still I hate it everytime I sit behind the wheel.

You can't pass anything on the highway with a pickup, they handle like crap and stop even worse. keep the allroad and buy yourself something 10 yrs old for the odd towing job / dump run. That way when you go on a trip somewhere you can look forward to the drive.

[HO2S]

This is massively apples and oranges. The tundra is a good truck, the 5.7 is a great engine. They are expensive but will be way less than chev, and you can drive the tundra every day.
Realistically you are going to dump $100 000 into the chev to get it to look like the one in the picture. And it will still break down all the time. You have a truck that had five wires in it from the factory. You want to put a engine in that runs off of the CAN bus network. The tundra you posted runs off CAN bus to put things into perspective. Restoring a 60 year old vehicle takes thousands of dollars and years to complete. Unless you want to take up stocks in Bayer, buy the tundra.

[SKR]

Originally posted by HO2S
This is massively apples and oranges. The tundra is a good truck, the 5.7 is a great engine. They are expensive but will be way less than chev, and you can drive the tundra every day.
Realistically you are going to dump $100 000 into the chev to get it to look like the one in the picture. And it will still break down all the time. You have a truck that had five wires in it from the factory. You want to put a engine in that runs off of the CAN bus network. The tundra you posted runs off CAN bus to put things into perspective. Restoring a 60 year old vehicle takes thousands of dollars and years to complete. Unless you want to take up stocks in Bayer, buy the tundra.

12 valve Cummins are mechanical. The only CAN bus involved here is they can go in a bus. I also don't think the OP was planning on building a show-quality truck, just something functional and cool, and that he would probably build sometime anyway.

[msommers]

Tundra hands down.

[CanmoreOrLess]

Tundra or any newer truck. The time you would spend getting some cool project truck up and running is time you could be relaxing by a lake. You'll have enough things to do on the Airstream to occupy some of your free time.

I love the idea of an old truck pulling an Airstream, personally I would later on in the middle of winter buy a completed truck needing a quick buyer. Just keep your eyes peeled.

[Masked Bandit]

If I'm pulling my family around the last thing I want to worry about is mechanical breakdown. I'd go for the newer truck, but why are you limited to the Tundra? Have you ruled out the Ford, Dodge & GM? I've just spent a bunch of time researching half tons for pulling travel trailers and Toyota didn't even make the list.

[HO2S]

Originally posted by SKR


12 valve Cummins are mechanical. The only CAN bus involved here is they can go in a bus. I also don't think the OP was planning on building a show-quality truck, just something functional and cool, and that he would probably build sometime anyway.

At the end of the day, you are still putting a cummins into a 45 chev. Regardless of what shape you want it you will be spending huge cash.

You will have to network the pcm, tcm and depending on the year of the engine the skim modual. So yes, you will need the bus lines.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Masked Bandit
If I'm pulling my family around the last thing I want to worry about is mechanical breakdown. I'd go for the newer truck, but why are you limited to the Tundra? Have you ruled out the Ford, Dodge & GM? I've just spent a bunch of time researching half tons for pulling travel trailers and Toyota didn't even make the list.

Hate Fords look, and will never EVER buy a GM truck (we use 2 of them at work, only drive 20k kms a year of pure pavement driving, and they still end up with thousands of dollar of mechanical repairs annually)

Dodge is a consideration, but I just prefer the Tundra.