Fireaxe: Welcome to a great collection of forums! Where are you located?
Slee Offroad,
http://www.sleeoffroad.com/
Go to their Tech Zone and you will find great information on the various years/features for 80's & 100's.
There have numerous heated debates about this subject...threads deleted by mods, etc. :wings: on 'MUD.
Essentially it all comes down, IMO, to application. Where and how will you use your rig? I take my '99 into some places right beside 80's. Although there are much more rigorous trails (Rubicon, Fordyce, Dusy, etc.) that IMO the hundy just doesn't belong...its just not it's sweet spot (where as a built 80 could and has made it through those types of aggressive (4-5 rated) crawl type trails). However nothing eats up rough/washboard dirt/gravel roads like IFS...that's where the 100 really shines. And that is where I travel about 90% when I'm off-pavement. And since I pull a loaded AT Horizon the V8 really helps too!
Now...if I had it to do all over again I'd probably opt for a '00+ or preferably an '03-'04 (added the 5speed in '03)...for the ATRAC. I'd install ARB lockers front and rear (along with all the gear I have on my '99). I was recently in a situation: Off-camber, deep ditch to my left, snow/ice covered where the lockers were pulling me towards the ditch (off-camber slippery slopes aren't the best spotlight for lockers)...I believe ATRAC would have allowed me to continue my journey without backing down or installing chains.
For a family with children you may place a high value on VSC for its safety factor...worth it's price/weight in gold when you're on snow/ice covered highway and things start getting out of control...again found on '00+.
Here's my write up on my rig if you are interested...
http://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/169441-featured-100-spressomon.html
Hope this helps you...Dan