What did you do to/with your van today?

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Now mind you I have spent my first month of unemployunism wrenching & building this thing for a 5 week expedition we leave on Wednesday evening for...

Are you going to post pics as you go with whatever free wi-fi you get? If so...that would be COOL! If not, have an awesome trip and enjoy yourself. Where are you heading? There may be members in the area.

[rubberdown]

No wiFi, no facebook, hesitant to even take the cell phone! I will be spending a week and a half in cody remodeling moms place, so I will pop online with a few pics if I get any worthy ones! I'd love to say I'd try to meet some members, but the brutal truth is I may not get the time. Certainly if you see the Bago down the road get my attention & we'll pull off for a meet n' greet!

Right now the route is to Yellowstone for a week to camp with sis from Green Bay & Mom, Cody Wyoming, where Jen will stay 3 days then fly home, then it's me & the mutts to Jackson Hole, Moab Utah, Vail Colorado then finishing up back in the Montana/Idaho region... may cut the last part out to get the dogs back home & head to Whistler BC for a few days. About 5 weeks total is the plan.

[T.Low]

Yo K,
I could probably offer my borther's shop if The 'Bago has any serious needs on your way to/fro Whistler. He is in north Seattle, exit number 176, then less than 10 minutes west.

There is currently a frame swap on a '67 Impala convertable going on right now, but I think it's almost done.

[rubberdown]

Much obliged Mr. Low, much obliged. I am really hoping if there is a mechanical mishap it's somewhere within towing distance of my moms place, I have over a week to fix whatever may come up there. I just showroom detailed her, changed the tranny fluid, transfer case & rear diff, changed the oil, serp, thermo, gave her a complete makeover... so if she craps out on me now I'll insurance job her! :^o

[phr1$k37]

Therapeutic eh?
The foot switch would be therapeutic for me but it would also most likely land me a VI for stomping on it too much hahah.

Washer her up very clean and all ... and it is raining today :(

[Lumpy]

Installed a 2 inch Overland lift. Drove around the neighborhood
looking at all the new stuff I could see from my new, higher perch..

Lump

[phr1$k37]

Installed a 2 inch Overland lift. Drove around the neighborhood
looking at all the new stuff I could see from my new, higher perch..

Lump

Sweet! Did you also pass by a local tire shop to see who larger tires would look with the 2" lift?

[rubberdown]

Installed a 2 inch Overland lift. Drove around the neighborhood
looking at all the new stuff I could see from my new, higher perch..

Lump

Here here another astro in the air!!

[Lumpy]

Installed a 2 inch Overland lift. Drove around the neighborhood
looking at all the new stuff I could see from my new, higher perch..

Lump

Sweet! Did you also pass by a local tire shop to see who larger tires would look with the 2" lift?

Actually, yes! The guys at DiscountTire love it when I come in. Since I took the rear wheels off to do the lift, I went in for some air up and had them torque the lug nuts. I've been eyeing some 235/75 BFGoodrich A/Ts.

Prolly gotta get my exhaust welded up before anything. It's got some emergency repair tape stuff that's getting old. Hope that's not too expensive. THEN tires. Or maybe then rebuild transmission. Or maybe then that tube front bumper. Oh the choices.


Lump

[ihatemybike]

The guys at DiscountTire love it when I come in. Since I took the rear wheels off to do the lift, I went in for some air up and had them torque the lug nuts. I've been eyeing some 235/75 BFGoodrich A/Ts.

This is what I want to put on Grumpy after its 2" lift is installed. Pocketbook and environmentally friendly.

Treadwright Crawler M/T 235/75R15

[phr1$k37]

Wow ... that is ... cheap!? How many plys on the sidewall?
And what wheels will put those tires to?

[ihatemybike]

Plys, don't know off the top of my head. They are LT tires, so they're beefy. They'll go on the red wagon wheels.

[9dawgs]

Took a few days with the family to go down to Bonita Springs. On the way back today we stopped by the Boca Grande Lighthouse.

Boca Grande Lighthouse from a boardwalk

Family Truckster in the parking lot

We then stopped by the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn Memorial at the North End of the Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg to pay tribute to 23 fallen sailors. Semper Paratus!

[phr1$k37]

/Begin embarrassing post
****Yesterday
For the last few days the lower mainland has been raining lots. I have been doing many short trips 1 to 2 kms about 10x and more times a day for the last 3 days. I had just finished dropping off a few kids from a sleepover / Go-Karting party and decided to visit a local fishing and marine shop. Upon coming out in wet drizzle I proceeded to crank up Princess. No go but the motor wanted to turn just didnt. I have had no symptoms or build up to a mechanical failure but hey! I can be luckiest man in the world some times. I was sure it was not battery because she turned strong but none the less I asked for boost. Nope.
Going through all the fuses and thinking what else? I thought maybe the old secondary coil went bad. I call on Sanja and Kevin - you know, these guys are FANTASTIC!
Kev's jump in his vehicle with tools and wife for a 30+ minute drive to come rescue me. Sanja spent time over the phone diagnosing the issue with me as he was stuck at work. We both agreed either my fuel pump has died or the ignition module is dead.
But here is the best part.
As Kev and wify show up I now have the someone who can bang on the fuel tank while I crank her. Bang bang bang ... as I crank ... and stop ... and cuss quietly.

Kev: Uh buddy ... when was the last time you put fuel in your tank?
Me: Yesterday, today it showed 1/4th tank cause I about to make a trip to North Vancouver.
Kev: It feels pretty hallow.
Me: Yah, sounded pretty hallow.

Went to go get gas ... filled her up ... turn the key ... "OMG" the pump works and is charging ... cranked and ... vrooooom!

Stupid me #-o
Sanja and Kevin ... you two are awesome buddies!

[SafariRoadster]

To the guy above. Been there. I even replaced the fuel pump before trying to fill the gas tank. As I just got gas a few days before. Didn't realized how bad I was putting my foot into though. Oh well I'm sure at some point we've all done it.



Heres what I was workin on today. Fixin a rust area on the drivers side rear wheel well.
First cut it out using a cut off wheel attached to my grinder. 4 1/2" cut off wheel attached to a grinder going at 11000 rpms works so much easier than a 3" air cut off wheel going a 3000 rpms.

Second grind the area smooth and give the fiberglass mat and resin something to grab on to.

Third mix up some resin and apply it to the metal, then add some fiberglass mat to the area and go over top on it with resin. I would do at least 3 layers for a good solid thickness.

Next, which I haven't done yet, would be to shape the rest of the way with some body filler. I have the shape almost there with the fiberglass mat/resin. The bondo will just make it perfect. I'll most those pics later. I just don't have any bondo right now.