The list of cars I actually want to own longer than a few weeks at a time is fairly short, to be honest. I want to sample everything, I want to push cars to the limit, I want to understand the difference between a good and bad car better than I do now. But to long-term keep? Yeah, that’s a different ball game. That’s like marriage…how do you pick the one (or in my case, probably five) vehicles that you want to keep around? For me, it’s a blend of utility, looks and that X-factor that just works for me. Everybody is different in that last regard, but my ideal five piece would include something ugly and violent, like a 351-swapped Mustang II; something nice and comfortable to cruise around in without a care, which is where my Chrysler 300C fits in; a full-on work truck, which ideally would be a 24-valve six-speed Dodge Ram from right around 2000; a full-kill musclecar throwback, which has too many options to pick just one from; and a light truck, because the diesel beast doesn’t need to do everyday taskings.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of coupe utilities. Throw whatever mullet joke you have my way, but for 90% of what I would use a truck for, a car with a bed is just fine for what I’m doing. Can it haul a few hundred pounds of stuff without freaking out? Done, I’m good. It’s even better when I’ve got legroom and comfort, and if I can make it cover another base or two in my dream garage, why not? So that’s why this GMC Caballero gets the nod…an El Camino clone with a name that a lot of people struggle to pronounce, this Caballero is a clean little thing that looks to have been loved by one owner. There’s some paint work to do on the tailgate, but nothing about this G-truck is scaring me off. In fact, for $3,500, it’s a good thing I don’t have money nearby or we’d be bringing two vehicles back to Kentucky with us. Hey, Chad has said that’d he be on-board with any GM-based build I could come up with…
An El Camino was the only car I needed from ’85-’00 until I had to trailer 5-ton machines around, and had a second kid. To this day, if I had to pare down it would be the ’70 SS (still have it) and my 12-valve Dodge I’d keep.
Bryan, probably best to avoid the car choice/marriage comparo, especially since y’all are in the same vehicle hundreds of miles from home.
I’m approaching a 40 year wedding anniversary and a 50 year vehicle acquisition addiction, so I know whereof I speak.
I hope this warning hasn’t come too late, have a safe trip back to the Commonwealth.
A wise gearhead choose a woman that loves his car as much as he does. Then there is no problem.
Not all men are fools, some are bachelors.