Blazer or Jimmy build for daily driver?

[crashz]

I was hoping that my weenie mobile Saturn would last long enough to build a new daily driver. For commuting I have narrowed down what I want in a daily driver:
- good mileage (30+ mpgs)
- comfortable
- 4x4 (jobsites, winter snow, etc)
- inside storage of gear and tools
- room for 4
- small enough to zip around in city traffic
- big sturdy steel bumpers.

Sounds like I need a Honda CRV or something. But I'd like to go vintage Jimmy or Blazer. To solve the mileage issue, I'm thinking about a 5 speed and small 4 cylinder diesel like a perkins or cummins 4BT. To get around the emissions issue, it would need to be older than an 84.

So my questions for you Blazer and Jimmy guys is: Would you consider an older square to be a decent daily driver for lots of mixed highway and city (Boston and NY city type) driving after a near frame off rebuild and upgrade? Am I going to dump more money into this project than a decent used Honda or Toyota SUV?

I was hoping to take my time with this, finish the dump truck and sell it, and build this diesel blazer. Now I'm in a pickle for time. I had to take my 2012 2500HD into Boston this morning, and it sucks. Its tough on gas, but the worst part is the trafic is awful and people drive like idiots. My 2500 will be junk by the end of the year if I keep this up.