Chevy & GMC Vans

dunedog wrote:Lock has one Dean made for him.
Unfortunately he didn't get it soon enough as I remember sliced that oil pan pretty good.
Thank goodness for some sort of liquid steel or something to repair in the woods

See that is the scary thing ... I speak for myself now but I think TLow is in the boat as me.
We are nubs, we might have jacks stands some tools but no extra materials and weld (heck I dont have a welder) and so we know we are pushing our luck hah ha.

I have not been able to do any decent work this whole day. I keep daydreaming of fabrication for skids and front tow hooks.

phr1$k37 wrote:
I might be wrong but I think it was Bill... LockDoc?
Hmmm plastic that is something to think about! and somewhat clear to see what is going on under there!

Plastic...that's an idea worth pursing....Polyethylene, like my Old Town canoe is made of...It slides over rocks and takes a serious beating. And it is light weight too...

T.Low,
Looks like quite the adventure man! Way to take advantage of the Astro's power!

You know, I just remembered I have a big piece of plexiglass out in my garage. Wonder if it is thick enough to make it a skid...cutting board. I should put that on my list of stuff to do once I get the steering/wandering issue worked out.

mdmead wrote: (I read in Four Wheeler a few years back about using thick cutting board plastic for a skid plate because it would slide better. I thought that would be pretty slick [pun intended].)

Ah, the internet... ain't it grand...

I realized that the Four Wheeler project I read about in the magazine a few years back was likely posted on their website. Here is the skid plate.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/projectbuild ... to_04.html

thanks for the great photos! those Sportmobiles are pretty nice too. I wonder if the Quigley van company still does mods for 2003 to 2005 Astros?

The Astro does have a resonaby short wheelbase and a fairly wide track so it should do OK in moderate off roading.

gotta work on the transfer case skid plate.

I plan to install 2 inch lift spacer on my cross member mounted front recovery hooks to move them up to the OEM oval knock out level of the plastic trim below the bumper .

mdmead...thanks for that link for the plastic skid plate...hmmmm

WVKayaker wrote:mdmead...thanks for that link for the plastic skid plate...hmmmm

Yeah, I know. I've already looked up Polyethylene sheets on McMaster-Carr's website.

ihatemybike wrote:Great pics! Makes me really want to get Grumpy prepped for off roading.

T.Low, I really wish your signature had van specs. Must emulate.

I'll get that changed, thanks for your interest. They certainly do well off road, especially when you consider its my weekend bedroom on wheels. I got my fully made bed in there.

Mpg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay.


I started my trip with a fuel fill up, and a trip meter reset to zero.

At the end of my trip, the odometer read 580 miles. But I knew that was high and would need to be adjusted.

This trip was actually the break in 500 miles for the new gears. (Just changed the diff fluid today.)

With my fresh 4:10 gears and 30" tires, my speedometer said 70mph, while Brian's Sportsmobile speedo and scan gauge both said 62.

Feel free to double check my math.

62/70=88.57%

88.57%x580=513.71 miles

513.71 miles/34gallons=15.1mpg



That includes driving up and over the 4500ft North Cascades pass following Brian roughly at posted speed limits, then a lot of off pavement driving including some small climbs and creek crossings and miles of two trackers, then driving home (not following Brian) at speeds that are not necessarily legal.

I don't know, I guess I'm good with that.

I don't see anything wrong with that at all.

Brian is the owner of the Sportsmobile. He just emailed me a link to a photo page of his. There are a few more pics of the trip. I think it begins with the first nights camp spot (in the snow) on the way over pass just outside of Levinworth.

Like I said in previous posts, the Toyota Tacoma has the stock option bigger tire/wheel set up, and it looks like its swimming across the water.

And look at the height of the Sportsmobile's winch rope hook; its in the water on the crossing as well.

There's one picture of Brians Sportsmobile Ford E350 off in the distance, silhouetted, rounding a corner on a dirt road, climbing to about 2500ft above sea level, judging by the views. We get up to the top and hit these flat lands. It was really strange. I told Brian that it seems God took a section of the Nebraska flatlands and set them atop this mountainous area. Thats were the pics of the two trackers (including the one with the street sign) and really dusty roads were taken.

The two trackers went on for miles. That was fun.

http://www.pbase.com/railbat/trinidadvanx2_trip

Awesome T.Low

Great Pics!

Thanks guys. There are actually 3 or 4 more pics that you guys would really find interesting but I can't get my computer to accept them at the moment.

Hey Matt, Mapquest says that Selah is only 4.2 miles away from Yakima. Is that right? I just bought some BFG AT's LT255/70R16 with 50% tread left off Jerry "Soggymountain" for $60 for the set of four in Yakima, thanks to PHR!$K for the hot tip. Not sure when I'll be down to get them.

Now I need another set of $100 wheels.