To Burb or Not to Burb

[swissarmychainsaw]

I'm looking for a new project

Here's the deal:

I need a family kind of rig ( so maybe the blazer is out ).
Blazers seem like the right thing until you but a child in the back, then it just seems kinda unsafe.

I want a 4x4 (never done it before) so I can take the crew out to places like Death Valley and show them some adventure (and where I go dirt biking).

So it seem like a Suburban is the logical choice.

4x4 seems best, but I love the (california) pre-smog which really narrows the field. 2wd with a Locker could get me nearly anywhere right?

Seems that my options are:
1. Wait for the perfect 4x4 pre-smog rig (73-75)
2. Go Smog-i-licious: aka a 1991 4x4 2500 with the 4L80e
3. Diesel
4. 2wd with a locker?

Diesel seems like a bad choice, cuz I know next to nothing about them.
#2 seem like a bad choice cuz they are all really high mileage, like near 200K. But it seems that the 1991 2500 with 4L80E is good.

And the easy answer is to just get a nice 1975 2wd and put a locker in the rear and, more than likely climb over anything that the family will encounter within reason, no?

Thoughts on this? Yeah. It's winter and we got time...

Nick