Both of my regular readers (love you Mom and Dad!) will recall that Kate and I own a small woodlot and take an active role in managing the property. There are always chores to be done, such as harvesting firewood, clearing access roads and footpaths, maintaining stream crossings, and controlling brush and invasive plants.
For a long time I have coveted some motorized conveyance to carry me and a chainsaw into the woods. For years I've mostly used a good pair of hiking boots, but oddly it becomes more tiresome each year. There are many options, and I've considered them all. I'll review them here, mostly to further convince myself that I really need to buy the 1987 Ford Bronco II I found on Craigslist.
Granted, I already have a compact four wheel drive utility tractor, and while it's amazingly versatile, it's a bit of overkill for those simple jobs where you just need a chainsaw.
My budget for the aforementioned motorized conveyance is $1500, which should include any necessary repairs. By pure coincidence, the Bronco is just under that amount.
A 4-wheeler would seem to be the obvious choice, and has the advantage of being able to travel where other vehicles wouldn't have a chance. Equipped with racks, it could easily carry a chainsaw, or my 15-gallon brush control sprayer. I've found serviceable used ones on Craigslist for under $1500, and units that are "easily fixable" are only a few hundred.
An electric golf cart has a lot to offer as well. They are quiet and easy to operate. It would be ideal for running down to the mailbox, or hauling a bit of firewood from the splitter to the house. However, there would be many places on our woodlot it could not access.
A gas-powered side-by-side or "gator" type vehicle would seem to be the perfect choice. Excellent off-road capability, room for two, a small cargo bed in the back. Unfortunately, a decent one would almost certainly exceed my budget.
How about a dirt bike? They even make a cute little "doodlebug" mini-bike to which you can attach a small cargo rack. Perhaps "small" cargo rack is an exaggeration. Looks like great fun, but very limited utility. Plus my clearly unreasonable better half has forbidden me from riding on any motorized vehicle with less than four wheels, even if I promise to forgo all fun and keep my speed in the single digit speeds. Typical.
I've even considered a mountain bike and attaching a small trailer. Wait, you have to pedal those, right?
A small four-wheel drive pickup is also tempting. However, I haven't seen one in my price range. I suspect they are in high demand and out of budget, at least for one that's half-decent.
Which brings me to the 1987 Ford Bronco II. For those of you who don't remember, it's a cute little 2-door SUV, based on the Ford Ranger pickup. It's well within budget and from the pictures, the body, interior and tires are in great shape. That only leaves the mechanicals to worry about (e.g. minor things like engine, transmission, brakes) but the ad clearly states that it "RUNS GOOD!" and is a "great reliable truck" and since it's on the internet it has to be true.
There are a few narrow trails in the woods where the Bronco could not travel, I believe it could access most of the property. Cargo capacity is excellent, if slightly less convenient due to being enclosed. It has the added charm of being an almost 30 year old "classic". Maybe I could even get an "Antique Auto" license plate!
The Bronco could also serve as a backup road vehicle when one of our main rides is in the shop. But wait, there's more! I could drive the Bronco instead of my two-wheel drive pickup whenever it snows! (my current strategy of piling a few hundred pounds of firewood in the bed for extra traction is getting old).
Of course, we all know that car parts and repairs can be expensive, so that's a bit of a risk. But about two weeks ago I discovered a blog called Jalopnik which has lots of articles about fixing up old cars. I've now read over FIFTEEN STORIES on the subject, so I'm pretty much an expert.
Besides, just imagine the Bronco with KC lights on the roof and a brush guard on the front (pardon me while I faint from excitement!). I could also mount the spare tire on the back with a Tasmanian devil tire cover! And paint it bright yellow!! With a big black stripe!!! Oh, and a lift kit, yes, yes, a lift kit!!!!
So anyway, cast your vote for the Bronco (or any of the other lame choices) by commenting below, or on my Facebook page if that's how you landed here. I'll check your responses right after I order some KC lights and withdraw a few hundred bucks from the bank.
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