UK available swb haul trucks

Might be having a fleet reorganisation. Looking for a small or short wheelbase tow truck. Ideally 3 tonnes upward.

Don't want another 90 they are not robust enough. Don't want another jeep they are numb to drive. All the pickups are way too big. Can't justify a new Ibex f8 no matter how perfect it would be and no one is selling one second hand. All the big SUVs are too big and car like and a bit nice for destroying on the farm.

All of which leaves me looking at the swb shogun either in van or car. And Mitsubishi has that reputation for blowing up engines.

Unless I have missed something?

Oh and it has to be automatic so dad can drive it more easily.

Toyota now do a SWB Land Cruiser. It even comes in commercial trim

www.toyota.co.uk/new-cars/land-cruiser/commercial

That's ibex money. Maybe in 3 years when the deprecation has hit?

This game isn't nearly as fun if we have to restrain ourselves by what's actually affordable.

Going to throw some oddballs out there

Kia Sorento (Mk 1)
Ssangyong Rexton

Both a bit on the large side

Ha ha. Yeah ain't that the truth. Didn't know that they could tow that much?

Yeah, both ladder framed chassis. I actually had a Sorento a few years ago. Loved it. Pulled some guy's Maserati out of the beach.

I think we get those or something like them but like every other pickup they are massive and have a turning circle akin to a stretch limousine. They just aren't practical for my buildings and livestock handling facilities. My whole farm was laid out years ago around the old Subaru brat single cab pickup and has subsequently been consolidated around Jimny and defender 90 dimensions so all these modern tow machines are just too big. Yeah I could amend the layout but that involves encroaching on the grazing and is also a lot of work. Or I can stick with a swb vehicle.

Get a Vitara LWB or SWB to suit your needs and take a grinder to it, cut your pick-up back, then plate it with sheet and fully weld.

A days work to cut & prep, then a days work for a mobile welder........

Frankensuzie....

sniper

The old Nissan Terrano/Ford Maverick swb would tow 2800Kg braked. They don't rot as badly as a Shogun, and the 2.7 diesel is a taxi engine, so they last well. The 3.0 is the one from the Patrol. They did auto.

They made them upto 2006-2007 I think, so there should be cheap ones that still run about.

EDIT: my late uncle used to have an import, I think it was a swb Patrol (the proper square shaped one), that was a 3 litre diesel auto, but I can't remember what it was, might be worth looking at imports, Japanese cars are usually autos.

Ibex have some pre-owned cars available at the moment

Sniper. I'm not taking a grinding wheel to florence besides she can't tow more than 1850 kg anyway.

Facade. I used to have a Maverick. It was ideal apart from the colander impersonation and the odd front suspension and did I mention the rust!?

Gadget. Ooooh, I'd missed those. Sexy beasts!

I have a mf240 and if it weren't 20 odd miles to the auction I would happily use the tractor but it would take over an hour either way to get there assuming I was sufficiently ignorant about not pulling in to let traffic go round.