I am wanting a full sized regular cab truck with 6.5' bed, 4x4, manual transmission, ideally V8
As far as I can tell, Ford makes the closest. No manual available, but I can get a new regular cab, 6.5' bed, 4x4 with 5.0L with them for ~52k as I would like it optioned. This would require special order though, nothing close to that in retail stock. Those engines love superchargers, can get up to 700hp at the crank cheap.
Toyota and Jeep make the only manual trucks anymore with the Tacoma and Gladiator. The Tacoma is really close as well. Manual, but no regular cab, have to get at least double cab, which with a 6.5' bed barely fits in my garage. Like 1" clearance front and back unless I move some shelfing. The 5.5' bed fits a lot better, but that's such a tiny bed. The 3.5L has a supercharger kit but overall, the 3.5L isn't meant to make a lot of power, it appears. Lucky to get 400 hp at the crank. But, the positive is these by far hold their value the best of any truck, for a regular model.
Any GM/GMC products I get the friends and family discount. But again, requires at least a double cab and no manual. But comes with either 3.0L diesel or up to 6.2L v8. I don't know anything about the 3.0 duramax, but the 6.2L and 5.3L V8 take well to supercharging. 6.2L getting to 700 isn't impossible, 5,3L maybe 100 hp less.
I've looked at used, but to get a good condition mid 90s F150 with 302 engine and 5 speed on 4x4, looking at like $15-20k. Which hardly seems worth it.
Truck would be used for commuting (1.8 miles each way), driving on forest service roads, hauling crap, and couple times a year doing light off roading. With that,
Oh, and final option would be to keep my 2001 4Runner, get a supercharger, body work, paint job, and get a trailer for when I need to haul crap. Supercharger + stuff for fuel, about $6k. Body work, paint, about $5k for good quality. Trailer, about $2k. My 4runner has 161k miles on it, so just getting broken in.
