FSR project vehicle

[Cocximus]

I am looking for a beater forest service road vehicle. I'm not interested in a 4x4 overlanding money pit. Something reasonably capable to do most FSR roads. I'm really good at wrenching and I enjoy it. I don't know much about 4x4 vehicles and all their options other than 4runners rule. I would not mind getting something with a blown engine. Here's a few I been eyeing.

1. Nissans pathfinder R51. Body on frame construction. A few with blown engines due to the timing chain skipping a few teeth. Very cheap. Seems to be a bit too big for off roading. No manual transmission.
2. Xterra. Unibody but they seem fairly popular. Quite a few with blown engines. Manual transmission in NA?
3. Jeep XJ. Lots of them and they are some of my favorite looking vehicles. Lots of aftermarket support. Stock ones seem to be cheap, even offroad build ones are fairly cheap. Engine swaps with VW TDIs are possible which is very tempting for better fuel mileage.
4. Blazzer/jimmy. My dad's car when I was in high school. I know they are terrible on gas. Lots of electrical gremlins, they eat ball joints and overall pretty shitty build. Still, I kind of like them, especially the 2dr. They can be fairly easily be converted to manual with a NV3500.
. ...?

[snowaddict91]

Xterras are body on frame, XJs are unibody. For a cheap beater, I'd go XJ or 4runner.

[lifelinksplit]

Subaru Brat.

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[wooley12]

Go automatic.

[TAFKALVS]

. ...?

I think the answer here is pretty damn clear:

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...motive-history

[unitofstuff]

Second gen 4Runners are dirt cheap because they're not very well liked for serious wheeling and the 3.0 3vzfe's were known to kill head gaskets after about 1988. They'll also get you up/down just about any forest service road and have some good, cheap aftermarket parts.

[warthog]

If you can find one in decent shape, there were a ton of FS Broncos.
I have been restoring a '95 for almost a year and they are pretty easy to work on.
The usual stuff, plastics, interior stuff mostly, is kinda hard to find anymore.
I actually have much better sources to find stuff for my '79 CJ than I do for this Bronco, but it adds to the fun.

If you can find one in decent mechanical shape with a clean interior, jump on it. They are beasts. You will want the 351 in the mountains. The 302 is weak.

Edit- mine had a blown engine. I had Ford replace it since they cover it with a 3 year warranty. If I had access to a shop and a cherry picker, I would have saved $3500, BUT it probably wouldn't be driving yet. Worth it.

[east or bust]

skip the jimmy/blazer unless you’re looking at Zr2 models. the stock blazer doesn’t have enough ground clearance to be a reliable FSR vehicle IMO. and with the torsion bar IFS they’re a pain in the ass to lift, then your CV angles are fucked without a diff drop or keys, which makes the lift pointless. That said, I owned a Zr2 blazer for 10 years and it would make an awesome vehicle for you’re planned purpose. plus if the engine is blown it’s an extremely easy 5.7 swap. good luck finding one worth a shit at this point though, seen fewer and fewer on the road over the past few years.

out of the vehicles you’ve listed I’d go XJ or early gen 4runner


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[old_newguy]

The Forest Service buys base model American trucks and small SUVs to navigate the road system they own and maintain. Many vehicles in their fleet are not 4x4.

So if your criteria is to be able to travel most FS roads you can pretty much buy any cheap 4x4 truck or SUV and it will work to travel even most of their high clearance roads.


Source - Me, a guy who spent 1.5 decades traveling many, many good to terrible FS roads in bone stock FS vehicles.

[Cruiser]

Loved my 2nd gen Xterra offroad. 6spd manual with an e-locker in the rear. Limited aftermarket support but enough that your not starting from scratch.

[Skidog]

1996 or 1998 jeep Cherokee 4.0. straight 6 that's bomber. Can be had round here all kitted up for 4x4 (most not road legal) for $2k and under with under 200k miles.

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[MagnificentUnicorn]

Get an xj. Small, tight turning radius and super easy to work on. Parts are inexpensive too. Avoid the ones that have been lifted and modified.


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[El Chupacabra]

I've owned several XJs and know them inside and out. Mrs C had an Xterra for 8 years.

Buy an Xterra, if you aren't going to lift it and modify for rock crawling. It'll fit 32" tires stock. Rides better than XJ, newer so has more safety features, much much more powerful. Frame is always a good choice over unibody for off road.

Stock Xterra will go on any USFS road, no problem.

[Falcon3]

XJ all the way. Oh something broke? It’s $5 to replace it or there’s 1000 in your local junkyard.

[LHutz Esq]

I have tested all sorts of Forest Road Vehicles - both recreationally and professionally.

My suggestion - any 1/2 ton p/up with decently maintained or upgraded suspension (not necessarily a lift- but if lifted only moderately) and a little but not a lot of weight in the back.

It's all about the washboard up here - the suvs get rattled apart, constantly want to swap ends and the 3/4- 1 tons just bounce unless they have a significant load. So if you don't have a 80 gal slip tank in the back the 1/2 ton just rides better. I am sure you could fix either issue with the right suspension mods.

Plus, parts don't come a lot cheaper than an Ford/GM/Dodge 1/2ton.

I've always been partial to the early to mid 90s Ford 1/2 tons for going Mach-chicken on a shitty forest service road- although that may be nostalgia.

[snowaddict91]

They have a lot of bushings that wear out, but it's hard to beat a coil Ford TTB for rallying washboard. #whoopscissors as the kids say.

[krp8128]

Budget and location?

[TBS]

Jeez, nobody's ever hear of the Gambler 500?
Been going on in Oregon for 7 years
You don't need no stinkin 4wd!
Buy a $500 car, rally it for 500 miles (mostly dirt roads), then perform a massive trash cleanup (in addition to the shit that falls off these vehicles)



https://www.gambler500.com/

[snowaddict91]

Jeez, nobody's ever hear of the Gambler 500?
Been going on in Oregon for 7 years
You don't need no stinkin 4wd!
Buy a $500 car, rally it for 500 miles (mostly dirt roads), then perform a massive trash cleanup (in addition to the shit that falls off these vehicles)



https://www.gambler500.com/

I was close to cutting the roof off my old Montero Sport and making it a gambler rig when they did the first Utah one a few years ago. Sold it for $1000 instead. Side note, I'll never sell a thousand dollar car again.