So my wife and I have been thinking of getting a covered hauler we like to do swap meets, antiquing, junk collecting while we drive to and from shows and the idea of a hauler for larger items that would be secure (inside a car/truck) seems like a good idea. We also would like to grab the dogs and hookup to the camper at times so the all around utility of this seems like a good idea. We have been debating back and forth the pros and cons of car verses truck based vehicles. The car based wagons seems to have more curb appeal to us but the utility and larger capacity (space and towing) is attractive for the suburban route. I am guess others may have debated this and I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions.
Lucky, I was Vannin and driving station wagons LONGGGGGGGG for they were considered kwell. I manufactured a High end line for both Pick - up trucks and Vans during the Custom Van era . Now most folks discarded their Vans and Panel Deliveries after 1980 or so . Me I went on to restore , well almost a 53 Ford Panel delivery . Parts unique to Panels are real tough to find . Gas milage is about 10miles to the gallon on account of the G V W and it's gearing . Me , Im O K with the lowered expectations of bad gasoline mileage . Still, I can pull off in a resturant lot , go to sleep and not be bothered by people . I can change clothes , I haul parts in it and I can show it too. scrubba
Thanks Scrubba, the van think was a quick debate with the wife she is not a flat faced van lover or I would be thinking about that as well.
For what you want to do a panel truck is probably better. Set up right, deliveries or panels are the shit. Good luck in your choice. Oh yeah...I'd feel better about panel truck hauling a camper than a sedan delivery. Bigger brakes, springs, etc...
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> They both have there good points, but I think the old suburban are going to be you best bet, If you like antiquing and camping it will work out the beat, I love station wagons but they are hard to put large items in them. I have been a hauling camper with hot rod for years and I like it best when pulling with a truck, here my next towing vehicle.
Bigger it is, the more crap you can put in it. I used later model (squarebody) beater Suburbans for years until I bought a van at an auction and was able to put all my winter stuff in it, all my summer stuff that would fit in the Suburban in it, and a bunch more stuff I wasn't taking with me because I didn't have the room, in it, plus the tables and canopy, and I had room for a bunch more. So even though I flipped that van, I went out and got myself another one and like it enough I drive it all over. But you can also put a trailer behind you to put the bigger crap inside, and use it for heavier or dirty stuff so you don't mess up the inside of your nice car. The added bonus there is you can just leave the stuff in it all the time, you don't have to unload it when you get home. So it comes down to what's comfortable to drive when you go to your swaps and so forth, and if fuel economy plays any part in the decision.
The station wagons' maximum load height can be a problem (I've got 4 different wagons). There used to be a guy in Apple Valley that had a white w/blue flames '65 Studebaker WagonAire sliding roof station wagon. As time goes by I get more enthused about the 60-66 style suburbans. They can be had reasonable. GM parts swappability makes upgrades easy and cheap and there's lots of aftermarket support. And they can be made to look damn cool.
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