Check out what i just found. I would buy this sight unseen if i could right now.
I found a few more the other day on CL in the Southeast, but not sure where they went. I'll post em up if i find em.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002-...#ht_500wt_1173
Observer
1980's Tercel 4x4 wagon! $1500, 30mpg, check youtube to see just how far these things can go off-road. You'll have a ton of money left over for fuel, campgrounds, and you could even keep it afterwards as the new daily driver.
Building a pretty cool truck, driving internationally for the next years!
Walmart Adventure Camper
IMHO ...been to Alaska twice, if on a budget, 4wd isn't required. Just think ahead when temped to drive down a questionable road and you'll do fine with 2wd.
FWIW... last summer in North-central Nevada got caught during a torrential thunder storm on a sticky-gumbo-mud back road. Drove 10 or so miles with our small 2wd drive with duallies, Ford E350 RV, while towing a Jeep JKU. Speed needed to be above 20mph to keep from getting stuck. RV was near side-ways many times. Throttle control and corrective steering was at full effort.
There was a rather nicely equipped 4wd EXPO-type SUV behind us that would slow down in the really bad stuff and then catch up again in the somewhat less deep gumbo.
When we reached the main road we both stopped to have a look at the hundreds of pounds of gumbo stuck on our vehicles. He commented to me, that he never would of believed it, if he didn't see it himself, that a 2wd drive with duallies while towing a Jeep could make it though that mess.
Adventurer
If you are on a budget, buy a light weight 2wd And attache a rack to haul a small dirt bike. You see a road, pull over in a safe spot and scout it with the dirt bike. Make sure you have a good set of tires on the vehicle, a set of chains and a good quality come along to go with the High-Lift. There times you need both. A skilled driver can go many places in 2wd. An unskilled one will stick a 4wd even worse. Remember the Model T went into these areas with just 2wd. Knowledge mixed with sill will do more for you than anything else.
May there be a road.
Personally, I'd go with the 7.3 e350 and, as you mentioned, bring along recovery gear; add a pair of Maxtrax or the like. My wife and I just got back from nearly two week of camping in our e350 eb with two dogs (60 and 25 lbs); the space of the eb is quite useful. If you go with the 7.3 e350, I think you will find you keep it for quite sometime, and who knows, perhaps you will eventually convert it to 4x4. The other vehicles, I think you will ditch after your trip...
Best,
DJM
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote