Do you own an SUV, and do you like it?

Not a SUV but a chat with Gordon Murray about the new Mc F1 road car. Couldn't believe we've moved on 30 years. He makes so much sense, boat builders should take note.

Travel restrictions forced us to explore closer to home... it wasn't all bad.

I have an SUV, but I hardly drive it. We live most of the time in Ibiza and there is no benefit in driving an SUV. We don't even have an SUV here. The smaller the car, the better it is here.
When I'm at home or with my wife's parents, we almost exclusively drive SUVs.
The advantage for me is the large space. My wife would like to sit a little higher, but we are only off the beaten track once or twice a year.

The restoration market must be good these days... when I posted the above link a little less than 4 years ago the starting price for one of their restored FJ40s was in the $80-90,000 USD range. Nicely outfitted with a few modern updates (fuel injection, contemporary suspension and brake mods) brought it to $120,000'ish.

I haven't browsed the FJ.co site in a while, but was bored this evening so went to visit.

Starting price for a restored FJ40 is now $200,000! Fully loaded pushes the price tag well past $250k!

I had a chevy Tahoe for a while and loved it. Then I decided on a pick up. Have had 4 since and currently own a silverado trail boss. All the options you could need and a bed for large stuff and full size rear seat. Multi functional and more versatile than the SUV. It's not your dad's pick up anymore.....

One of my workmates had an International Scout. The a/c didn't work, so he borrowed the gas axe and cut the bloody roof off. Good looking truck, but now worth a fortune.
The day we ruined an original Bronco could write it's own book of 'How not to do it' and been a best seller. We broke it. Big time!!!

An article on the real thing... https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/star-power-squared

I have owned nothing but SUV's since college. Jeep Cherokee, Ford Bronco (white, like OJ's), Ford Explorer, several Suburbans and most recently a Range Rover. The Range Rover has been trouble free and an incredible ride -- much better than any of the others, and even better than the G500 my wife had (she now has a Tesla S, which is a great car in many ways, but the ride isn't great). Her Tesla doesn't have Ludicrous (a software upgrade that gives something like 2.4 second 0-60 time), but the RR is about as fast (acceleration at least) as her car. 551 HP, I believe.

I had a Range Rover converitale for 3 years. Dreadful, the electronic issue needed a $1 new battery in the key and err.....that was it.

A little late posting, but took a trip up to the Carolina mountains over New Years. These pics were taken around 3500 ft, up above the clouds. Altitude is your friend!

Based on my experiences with pickup trucks and SUV's I can say you would probably be better of with a SUV for hauling camera gear. The one tradeoff is that SUVs have a poor saftey record, pickups can be trickier to drive on icy roads since they are front heavy (when empty) and more prone to fish-tailing; however, pickups are superior for towing trailers, so if you plan to do that in addition to carrying camera gear then I'd recommend a removable canopy for a pickup.

I'm starring down a rebuild/replace job on my Suburban's 454. Do I really want to get into the LBC my self or let a shop do it?
Rebuild or new crate engine?
Stay MPI or go carb.
Stay 454 or go 502.

Anybody messed with one of these MPI/Vortec engines before?
Can they be built up or do I go to Carb / Non-OEM injection?

Just go with a crate motor and keep the fuel injection. Switching over to carb requires probably dropping the tank and getting rid of the efi fuel pump (may be able to get pressure down with a fuel pressure regulator) then the costs of all of the components and time to rebuild generally nowadays end up costing the same or more to just purchase the crate motor and drop it in.

That is what I keep coming up with in my mind. I just keep dreaming of a few more ponies to wake the ole truck up a bit.
290 factory HP from the LBC is a lil boring.

If that's the case, I'd just go with a newer Suburban.

Still waiting for the LOTTO to come in. Nor do I want to purchase a used Burb, usually somebody else's headache.
Till then, Ye Ole Burb has no rust and still very solid. Long paid for.
Just pumping some oil in the #3 lung & fouls it's spark plug. I rotate #1 & #3 spark plugs every 4 to 6 weeks and all runs O K.
Half way thru replacing the leather seat covers, it's still a good looking truck.

Keep it, put in a higher HP crate motor keep fuel injection or get a complete motor (plug and play) get trans rebuilt and beefed up. You have a much better Suburban as long as you have 0 rust, I would fix it.

Found some L29 info on the web last night (this early morning).
Seems a new cam and upgraded injectors really wake this beast up to 350HP with stock manifolds.
The L29 already uses a roller cam.
No mods (re-calibration) mods requires to the computer.

With headers and computer mods, may see a clean 375 HP and a tow eating torque curve.
Taller pistons with stock heads ads another 25 - 50 HP.
Solid numbers on street & work RPMs not racing.
GM crate engines do not offer this cam for MPI L29.
Looking for a local (or not so far from the swamp) rebuild shop now.

Feels like a life time away, Guess I'm back into LBC gas again.

Seems like with the popularity of shows like Iron Resurrection, Over Haulin' with Chip Foose, Bitchin' Rides, Texas Metal and the like there are more local shops taking care of rebuild like you are on to. Good Luck, it sounds to me that you have figured out which way to go.
What year is your Burb?