Talk me out or into this

[99firehawk]

I used to live in Michigan and had a sweet 83 k5 as a daily driver, I loved that truck it was a beast. I moved to south florida 10 years ago and sold the truck. My current ride is a 99 2dr tahoe. It's a nice truck for 16 years old and 210k miles and does what i need it to do, move the boat, haul the dogs and house stuff as well as too and from work every day. I am very lucky in that I only do about 2000 miles a year and a very little highway driving. I've been thinking about buying a early 70s full convertable k5 and replacing the tahoe. The k5 would get rhino lined and some waterproof seats and a soft top for when it's too cold to be topless. Small lift and a l31 or 5.3 engine swap really think it would be sweet. The way I see it is like this
Tahoe pluses, 1 it's done and runs and drives and paid for. 2 great brakes and abs 3 comfy seats 4 decent stereo 5 ice cold ac 6 drives 80 on the highway if i had to
K5 really cool 2 full convertable

I have the tools and skills to do the k5 just don't know if I want to spend the time or give up all the comforts of a 1999 vehicle although the 70s tuck would have to have ac, can't live here with no ac. Any thoughts ?

 

[snowdriver]

Keep the Tahoe,and get a k5 to play with

 

[Rottenk10]

Keep the Tahoe,and get a k5 to play with

X2 I was thinking about doing the same thing before when I was buying my k10 and getting rid of my envoy as you said I did miss all the stuff the envoy had and the k10 didn't like the a/c and the smoother ride.

 

[blazinzuk]

So newer truck. Nice ride, comfortable, modern.

Older truck. Well it would be a bitchen ride

I alway pick bitchen over boring. But I have never been accused of being smart or practical

 

[Stomis]

Solid axle swap and vert out the 99

Dont mind me I just happen to love that body of truck...

 

[76k5blazerr]

Thats an idea right there. I think thatd be sweet, a full vert solid axle tahoe (basically a k5) with all the modern conveniences.

 

[skunked]

It really depends on how important the comfort creature features are to you.

 

[diesel4me]

Until recently,I've always had 2 vehicles registered and insured...usually one "beater"to use for anything I want, and one decent one to go on longer trips or sunday drives in...

The "decent" vehicle always comes in handy when the beater is up on jack stands all apart--to go fetch parts !..it sucks when you have to beg rides or borrow another vehicle to go get parts..right now I'm feeling rather limited,only having one vehicle to rely on for "everything",that isn't in very good shape..
I vote you should keep the one you have,AND get the other truck..

 

[crashandburn]

Until recently,I've always had 2 vehicles registered and insured...usually one "beater"to use for anything I want, and one decent one to go on longer trips or sunday drives in...

The "decent" vehicle always comes in handy when the beater is up on jack stands all apart--to go fetch parts !..it sucks when you have to beg rides or borrow another vehicle to go get parts..right now I'm feeling rather limited,only having one vehicle to rely on for "everything",that isn't in very good shape..
I vote you should keep the one you have,AND get the other truck..

Agree wholeheartedly. A nice comfy rig is a good thing to have. I have always had one practical vehicle among my toys. The toys are great, and I can't foresee a time in my life when I won't have at least one, but the toys don't always get done what you need. Sometimes they are a lot to deal with.
Keep the Tahoe and build the K5 vert as time and money allow if you have the room to store it and an understanding wife.
For instance, I have a 72 Skylark with a nasty big block that made 611hp on a dyno. It is a blast to drive, but I would not want to commute in traffic jams with a loud, loping, stiff riding musclecar every day with the fuel pump droning in my ear, in rain and humidity with no ac.

 

[diesel4me]

If I had a '72 Skylark BB with a 611 HP engine,I'd drive that thing anywhere!..--I think I could live with the lumpy cam,whining fuel pump,stiff ride,etc.in city traffic..but it'd suck for hauling firewood home,or plowing my driveway!..

No one vehicle seems suited to "do it all"...Chevy tried making the Avalanche in hopes of having a multi-purpose vehicle you can use as a SUV for soccer mom uses and dad can haul his toys and junk around with it,but its far from an all purpose vehicle..

I used to have a '69 GTO and a '72 K5 at the same time--I liked driving the GTO daily,and the K5 when it was nasty out in the winter...the GTO sucked big time in rain or snow,was actually dangerous,but the K5 was fun and safer to use in bad weather...but though I liked driving the truck,if I wanted to go to say,a concert ,100 miles away,the truck would tire you out fast and make the trip feel much longer...

I bought my '85 K10 Suburban diesel in hopes of having a 4x4 truck I can still plow my driveway with,yet go shopping,haul some passengers,and maybe even camp out in it,and not be too hard on fuel ,but it'll still suck as far as hauling firewood,or transporting a riding mower,hauling a fridge.etc.....nothing beats an open truck bed for that..
It's almost like you have to own more than one vehicle,in order to "do everything"..

 

[99firehawk]

Think I'm gonna go with the two truck route, just need to find a decent project. I have a garage but I don't think a k5 will fit in it my tahoe won't. If anyone knows of a68-72 truck that's not a rust bucket or priced at or near 100k let me know