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There was an example this morning of how a smaller vehicle, such as a bicycle, would prove useful in SHTF; an Amazon delivery vehicle got stuck in the snow near the top of my private road. One of the neighbors tried to drive around it but could not, winding up in the ditch.

FWIW - it is still snowing here.
 
Agreed, and I bleed Hemi Orange, so outside a 41 Dodge WC-27, yea, those early Effy's are bomb proof! I would even go so far as to include the 4 banger powered Rangers to that, damn tough little buggers!
I would advise you go a little on the early side for the Rangers.
I've had a '98 since 2012. 2.5 beats the 2.3 Pinto motor it was based on, but that's not saying much.
WAY too much electronics for my liking and the STUPIDEST execution of hydraulic throw-out bearing. No way to bleed it!
I've been driving around with the crappiest clutch pedal for almost 10 years now.
So far, it always starts, but I don't drive it that often, so starting it often requires extended cranking to get it going. Not sure if that's an electronics problem or leaky injectors, but what it must be doing to my 5 foot long starter cable!
I think my former 1989 Mazda B2200 was a better truck for the 21 years I owned it. It could haul more and was less trouble to deal with and got almost as good gas mileage as the Ranger does.
...so, Ranger? No, I'm not real happy with this one, but it does run and its better than nothing.
Fortunately, I snagged my mom's Corolla when she got too old to drive, so I tend to use that more often. It doesn't haul as much, but it gets better mileage and, overall, is more handy for running errands if I don't have to carry a large load.
 
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Y'all are reminding me of my first vehicle. I give you: the mighty max. This isn't mine but mine was similarly done w/ suspension, wheels, and tires.

The A/C didn't work for shi…but went forest roads from Phoenix to Flagstaff with ease.

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Was that $6400 for the vehicle? Or was that $6400 just for the fuel to drive it home from the government warehouse after you hot wired it and drove it through the lot fence.
Surprisingly it wasn't ALL that bad on fuel, the n/a Cummins 250 was fairly efficient when kept around 1700rpm. And no reason to hotwire, was actually a local purchase :]
 
Surprisingly it wasn't ALL that bad on fuel, the n/a Cummins 250 was fairly efficient when kept around 1700rpm. And no reason to hotwire, was actually a local purchase :]
I have always wondered about the "gas" mileage those things get? Have you ever calculated it out?

I have a gas hog that I am much happier not knowing the mpg so I understand if you haven't.

What speed does 1700rpm get you in high gear?
 
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one of my cars has Kjet engine management. EMP proof
Kjet? ..drizzle injection?

My 1980 Mercedes 450slc had Kjet injection. It would continually get worse performance and mpg over time. I ended up installing a MegaSquirt EFI with some electronic injectors I pulled out of a mustang. For me it runs a lot better than the ailing Kjet and was a WHOLE lot cheaper than having the Kjet fuel distributor rebuilt. The EFI conversion was much easier since the car already had mechanical fuel injection to start with.
 
Cool old Ford
Kjet? ..drizzle injection?

My 1980 Mercedes 450slc had Kjet injection. It would continually get worse performance and mpg over time. I ended up installing a MegaSquirt EFI with some electronic injectors I pulled out of a mustang. For me it runs a lot better than the ailing Kjet and was a WHOLE lot cheaper than having the Kjet fuel distributor rebuilt. The EFI conversion was much easier since the car already had mechanical fuel injection to start with.
https://tasteslikepetrol.net/2020/02/bosch-k-jetronic-basics/
 
Surprisingly it wasn't ALL that bad on fuel, the n/a Cummins 250 was fairly efficient when kept around 1700rpm. And no reason to hotwire, was actually a local purchase :]
I didn't catch that one at first, then I was gonna ask if you didn't mean Hercules 250, but I employed my Google-Fu instead and see what you're getting at now.
"250" is new to me. Back when I worked on the big trucks, we just called those "8.3's".
The drivers liked them because they could pull a straight truck up a hill without having to downshift and/or loose as much speed as a 5.9 did (if you can imagine that poor little 5.9 trying to pull a 46000 lb. straight truck up a hill. It was almost laughable, the way it lost speed, even with down shifting).
 
I didn't catch that one at first, then I was gonna ask if you didn't mean Hercules 250, but I employed my Google-Fu instead and see what you're getting at now.
"250" is new to me. Back when I worked on the big trucks, we just called those "8.3's".
The drivers liked them because they could pull a straight truck up a hill without having to downshift and/or loose as much speed as a 5.9 did (if you can imagine that poor little 5.9 trying to pull a 46000 lb. straight truck up a hill. It was almost laughable, the way it lost speed, even with down shifting).
The 8.3 turbo was put into the A2 series, The NHC 250 was the big bubblegum 14 liter 855, the ol workhorse used in the A1's, and tons of other heavy industrial sheet. Truly a working class iron pig.
 
I have always wondered about the "gas" mileage those things get? Have you ever calculated it out?

I have a gas hog that I am much happier not knowing the mpg so I understand if you haven't.

What speed does 1700rpm get you in high gear?
Around 55 @1700, that's pretty much warp speed for a M923… My opinion anyways, they get a little dicey on Super Singles above that😬 Never really calculated gas mileage, my guess would be somewhere between 8 and 10. The 80 gal tank gave it some range none the less.
 
The 8.3 turbo was put into the A2 series, The NHC 250 was the big bubblegum 14 liter 855, the ol workhorse used in the A1's, and tons of other heavy industrial sheet. Truly a working class iron pig.
250 was pretty weak for an NH series Cummins. Even back in the 60's, when I Dad was working on the big trucks, 300's were pretty common.
In my time, I remember the Cummins "poster child" was "Big Cam 460".
Those engines (in one form or another) were in almost every tractor-trailer rig on the road for so many years. Hard to believe that's a thing of the past now.
 
250 was pretty weak for an NH series Cummins. Even back in the 60's, when I Dad was working on the big trucks, 300's were pretty common.
In my time, I remember the Cummins "poster child" was "Big Cam 460".
Those engines (in one form or another) were in almost every tractor-trailer rig on the road for so many years. Hard to believe that's a thing of the past now.
I miss the N-14 series, especially the last ones, a 555 Red Hed Cummins was truly something to drive, quite a powerful engine to have under the hood! Only ones better were the 903's or the KT series, like a KTA 600, as long as you weren't having to pay the fuel bill, then the N-14 was the best of them!
 
I miss the N-14 series, especially the last ones, a 555 Red Hed Cummins was truly something to drive, quite a powerful engine to have under the hood! Only ones better were the 903's or the KT series, like a KTA 600, as long as you weren't having to pay the fuel bill, then the N-14 was the best of them!
When Dad went to work civil service, and took over that diesel shop, one of the first thing he did was have all the retrievers refitted with KT50's and Twiin Disc's. Those ol' boats were running all makes of power and each one had their own tranny's.
It was a logisitics nightmare.
Eventually, that shop did all of the small diesel work for the 3 navy bases in the area.
These days, that shop is but a memory.
 

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