making a vehicle last 40 years/million miles??

[Olas]

I'm driving a 33 yr old car with 79,xxx miles. I would need to average over 100,000/year to be at a million miles by 40 years old!

Regular maintenance goes a long way, preventative maintenance goes even further, but IMO the most important aspect of maintaining a car over an extended time period is to be vigilant in checking every last nook and cranny of the car on a regular basis, keeping on top of any small leaks as soon as you see them, using better quality parts rather than the cheapest you can find, making sure any scratches/stone chips/ damage to undercoating is fixed ASAP to preserve the body...

Just be proactive about every aspect of maintenance and the only reason that you'll outlive your car is if some drunken idiot crashes into you

 

[HerrStig]

You won't own it forever...but it will SEEM like it.

 

[hatt]

Are you completely rebuilding the engine/trans/TC/axles? You can't start a million mile project off with junkyard parts with an unknown history. All this is gonna cost a fortune. I'd go with a 7.3 Superduty/Excursion in good shape and low miles.

 

[pbm]

Life is too short to drive the same car for 40 years...

 

[TiredTrucker]

Tell that to some of the classic muscle car owners that have had them since the 60's.

 

[raytseng]

Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
Tell that to some of the classic muscle car owners that have had them since the 60's.


That's different. Those owners aren't driving that car for 40 years. They use and have gone through other cars. Basically they're garage queens.

If you read any story of a millionmile vehile it definitely shows the wear and tear, with a few major replacements and a look only the owner would live it. Perhaps only cubans have the similar spirit due to necessity

 

[fdcg27]

You've already shown that a vehicle can last for a long time even in the heart of the rust belt.
Trucks are about the most modular vehicles you're going to find from that last thirty years or so. They are body on frame and are usually pretty easy to work on.
Would you rather remove an engine or tranny from a Suburban or an Accord, for example?
A substantial proportion of the old bangers you see putting about every day are trucks, because they're technically pretty basic vehicles and are therefore easier to keep roadable than some highly integrated FWD design would be.
The basic mechanical elements won't be a problem. The only problems that you might have will be in sourcing parts for various systems, like the AC or the power windows. Still, given the volume in which any GM or Ford truck was made as well as significant commonality across various models, parts should remain available for many decades to come.
The trucks of the last few decades will never become collectible, but enough were made and enough continue in service that the parts infrastrucure is well established.

 

[clinebarger]

If you want a Diesel Suburban....The easiest thing to do would be to build a Duramax Suburban.

Can be built using 100% Factory parts (Besides a 1 1/2 Body lift to clear the Down Pipe)

You have to match the year model Suburban to the donor engine so the harnesses match...Otherwise 100% plug & play.

The Best Model would be a '06 Suburban 2500 with a '06 LBZ Duramax/Allison 1000 6 speed.

Just an alternative, The 6BT/NV4500 combo is OK (I have owned a couple '97 Dodges with this drivetrain), Both wore out the NV4500 in about 300,000, The 6BT's leaked oil like crazy by then, And had considerable Blow-by. In '97 this drivetrain combo couldn't be beat by other manufactures....A lot has changed.

 

[garyb80]

Man, that's a lot of driving. My truck might be able to make it that many miles, but my body would never make it.
Someone's earlier comment comparing it to being married is ,I think, spot on. You would need a deep, emotional attachment to the vehicle, just like what it takes to make a marriage work.