Classic SUVs: The hottest new trend in classic cars

1. 1966-77 Ford Bronco: As significant a vehicle as it was, the Bronco was overshadowed by the mega-hit 1965 Mustang. But it was really the follow-up from the same team of Lee Iacocca and Donald Frey. Unlike the Falcon-based Mustang, the Bronco was a totally unique and original platform with its beauty in its simplicity. Nary a compound curve was to be found anywhere, but the Bronco’s proportions were just right and tuners and modifiers took to it almost immediately. Broncos did extraordinarily well in off-road racing. They sold in a fraction of the numbers that Mustangs did (just about a quarter of a million over 11 years) and good ones are hard to find.

2. 1969-72 Chevrolet K5 Blazer: The K5 Blazer was Chevy’s answer to the Bronco (like the Camaro, which was Chevy’s answer to the Mustang, it came about three years late). Rather than being based on a unique platform like the Bronco, the Blazer was based on the C/K pickup truck. Like most of the trucks on this list, first generation Blazers are tough and good-looking. The second generation of the Ford Bronco followed the Blazer’s lead and was also based on a shortened pickup chassis.

3. 1961-80 International Harvester Scout: Farm implement manufacturer International Harvester could legitimately lay claim to being one of the creators of the SUV. Sadly, the company didn’t survive to see the ascendancy of SUVs in America, but it did leave behind a large number of Scouts for collectors to enjoy. Like the Land Cruiser and the Jeep CJ5, the Scout enjoyed a conspicuously long production life and a rabid following. Among its devotees is recent Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Chris Chelios.

4. 1960-84 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser: During the U.S. Army’s post-war occupation of Japan, the Willys Jeep was everywhere in Japan. Its impact was likely not lost on Toyota, which introduced the very Jeep-like Land Cruiser (or on Nissan, which came up with the very similar Patrol). The FJ40 Land Cruiser was around for a quarter of a century, and most were used up and then simply disappeared. Perfectly restored examples can now push 100 grand.

5. 1954-83 Jeep CJ5: The CJ5 was in production, substantially unaltered, for a staggering 29 years. A direct descendent of the WW II/Korean War-era Willys Jeep, the CJ5 was the Jeep model that really caught fire with the civilian market. However, its popularity waned in comparison with the longer-wheelbase CJ7 after rollover concerns began to surface.