Huge questions you ask which aren't easily answerable on forums. Here are some things to research:

- permaculture
- earthships
- cob/strawbale/adobe construction
- rain catching (illegal in some parts of CO)
- perennial food gardens/edible forst gardens

As for cars, nearly any diesel can be converted. How are your mechanical skills? If not great, I would go for what hte locals have. If they all have Fords, you should look in that direction. Too bad we don't get diesel toyotas in this country... A Greasel Tacoma would be awesome.