Reconnecting with the total driving experience.

H2oman7.62mm

H2oman7.62mm

Super Member
I haven't liked any new vehicle made after about 2013 so I am currently looking to buy an older vehicle with a carbureted normally aspirated engine and a manual transmission, a vehicle that will reconnect me with the total driving experience as I multi-task with the machine... the only convenience option I want is air conditioning.

I am not looking for a sports or muscle car, just a decent body on frame vehicle that can be bought relatively cheap here in the states.

Any suggestions?
 
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H2oman7.62mm said:
I haven't liked any new vehicle made after about 2013 so I am currently looking to buy an older vehicle with a carbureted normally aspirated engine and a manual transmission, a vehicle that will reconnect me with the total driving experience as I multi-task with the machine... the only convenience option I want is air conditioning.

I am not looking for a sports or muscle car, just a decent body on frame vehicle that can be bought relatively cheap here in the states.

Any suggestions?
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Is there any used vehicle in the States that is relatively cheap?
 
H2oman7.62mm said:
I haven't liked any new vehicle made after about 2013 so I am currently looking to buy an older vehicle with a carbureted normally aspirated engine and a manual transmission, a vehicle that will reconnect me with the total driving experience as I multi-task with the machine... the only convenience option I want is air conditioning.

I am not looking for a sports or muscle car, just a decent body on frame vehicle that can be bought relatively cheap here in the states.

Any suggestions?
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Unibody construction started in earnest in the 70s and 80s. By the 90s it was almost universal in cars except the big Ford/Merc sedans and none of those were manuals. Are you looking for a car or a truck/utility vehicle. I'm almost picturing a 70s or 80s BMW but those were unibody . Early Nissan or Mazda RX3 same. US cars in the mid 70s to mid 80s were not good. Many foreign cars were already unibody. You've painted yourself into a corner with your requirements unless you want a truck or utility vehicle. A pickup with manual column shift will certainly let you multitask. Budget?
 
Bill S said:
Unibody construction started in earnest in the 70s and 80s. By the 90s it was almost universal in cars except the big Ford/Merc sedans and none of those were manuals. Are you looking for a car or a truck/utility vehicle. I'm almost picturing a 70s or 80s BMW but those were unibody . Early Nissan or Mazda RX3 same. US cars in the mid 70s to mid 80s were not good. Many foreign cars were already unibody. You've painted yourself into a corner with your requirements unless you want a truck or utility vehicle. A pickup with manual column shift will certainly let you multitask. Budget?
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I am only interested in body on frame vehicles with the shifter on the floor.
An EFI system that is easily converted to Weber or other carburetor is acceptable.
Utilitarian is also acceptable.

Cheap: something rust free for about $5k that needs a little TLC
 
If you’re willing to compromise on the body on frame: Fox platform. Up to 85 a 4bbl and 5 speed could be had. 86+ was efi.

Hatchback or coupe could be had in the mustang/capri. 2 door, 4 door and station wagon could be had in the fairmont/zephyr/LTD/ Marquis. Stick is rare in those cars (if available at all), but being a fox platform all the t5 stuff from a fox mustang/capri will swap right in. Trans, pedal quadrant and all. Might need a custom driveshaft as well.

Upgrades for these cars are nearly endless.v8 and 5 speed swaps are a doodle if its not already. Just avoid the straight 6 cars as the K member was a little different from the i4, v6 and v8 models.

If you want stick, v8, carb and body on frame, you’re pretty much stuck with Corvette. Which rubs up against your “no sports cars” limitation.

70’s you can get body on frame and carb, but nearly everything is going to be a slush box because those are all full size cars. Things like the dodge aspen, chev nova, etc are subframe cars, which is not body on frame.

You’re back into the 60’s to get it otherwise. Then you run into the “no rust” and budget limitations.

There’s the early crown vic’s (think: cop cars) that are body on frame and carbs, but you’re not going to find a stick in a Vic.

As previously mentioned, you’ve really painted yourself into a corner with your desired features unless you want to go with a truck or full size van and a van is likely to be “on the tree”. Ford, dodge, chev and gmc all make body on frame, stick and carb trucks up until about the early/mid 80’s. You’re into efi of some sort after that, even in a truck platform.
 
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grillebilly said:
I can't think of a car built in the US from the last 50 years that came with a manual transmission, wasn't a unibody, with a carb. Except a Corvette.
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Here is a perfect example of how/why this quest, i.e., full frame ~ 4-on-floor ~ carb ~ good condition ~ $5G or less .... ain't gonna happen.

He could not touch even any of my 40's or 50's Willys or Ford G.P (ie, military jeeps) @ anything close to $5G.
 
Honestly, per these specifications, I would not be able to track down a vehicle --- passenger, truck or (especially) SUV ~ FWD specimen in all of Kenya for $5G or less. Impossible.
 
SoCal Sam said:
Body on frame with manual which is cheap is going to have to be an old 4Runner, Pathfinder, or equivalent pickup truck.
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Yes, the consensus is a Nissan, Toyota, maybe a Mitsubishi pickup from the 70's & 80's.
Of course there are plenty of GM candidates fro the mid 60's to about '72, but they are expensive.
 
Gm square body trucks. Body on frame, carb and stick available until the gmt400 replaced it. Same with ford up until efi came in round about mid/late 80’s. Or a dodge D100 if thats a preference, roughly the same era.

Toyota r22 trucks were tough as hell, great little rigs.

Had a four courier, which was basically a mazda. I4, carb, stick. That bugger was tough as nails. We used one as a shop truck and you just couldn’t kill it. Simple, honest and robust.

The “no rust” and under 5K will depend on your abilities to hunt them down.

Toyotas are going to be pricey, same with ford and gm trucks of that era. Dodge’s will likely go for less, but there will be less of them around. The courier’s will probably go for significantly less than 5k, if you can even find one that is….
 
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tourmax said:
Gm square body trucks. Body on frame, carb and stick available until the gmt400 replaced it. Same with ford up until efi came in round about mid/late 80’s. Or a dodge D100 if thats a preference, roughly the same era.

Toyota r22 trucks were tough as hell, great little rigs.

Had a four courier, which was basically a mazda. I4, carb, stick. That bugger was tough as nails. We used one as a shop truck and you just couldn’t kill it. Simple, honest and robust.

The “no rust” and under 5K will depend on your abilities to hunt them down.

Toyotas are going to be pricey, same with ford and gm trucks of that era. Dodge’s will likely go for less, but there will be less of them around. The courier’s will probably go for significantly less than 5k, if you can even find one that is….
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Even in Kenya, and especially in Nairobi and Mombasa, Toyotas fitting the OP's desired specifications are already (mostly) north of $5G.
 
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