Hi, nice community you have created here. I've been reading threads for a while and decided it was time to join up. It has been a long time (since I was a teen, I'm now "old.") since I've made any excursions that were not about the destination as much as the journey. My better half and I have decided we need some adventures. I work from home as a Sr Systems Admin for a CMMS SaaS and volunteer as a first responder with my local volunteer rescue squad. I'm in western Maine, the office is in NC, so glad I don't have to commute :). Both our drivers are 4x4 (she has a Libby, I have a Nitro) but neither are planned to be our traveling partner. As soon as the snow melts (no garage :( ) I will getting my old friend back to safe, legal, and kitted to suit our plans.
1979 VW Transporter, stock T4 2.0l FI. Winter hit early in Maine (first week of October), I still have some more body finessing to complete. Will be doing a repaint, new window seals, rack, roo bar, decent lighting, replacing jack points with 2" receivers, and skid plates based off the VW guide for rough terrain guide. Mechanically, I've already gone through the brakes with rebuilt calipers, new rotors, hardware, pads\shoes, booster hose, hard & soft lines. Steering has been refreshed where needed, new CV boots and joints repacked, new fuel lines, rebuilt injectors. I still need to wire up a TS-II rheostat, CHT gauge, rebuild heat exchangers, and replace the exhaust. It still has on it the 195/8.5-14 BFG-ATs that I ran when it was last on the road in 2013. They still look great and have plenty of tread, but since they have been NLA for at least 5-6 years in this size, I'll be replacing them. I'm thinking of going with steel A4\Passat\CLK rims in 15 or 16" to have a selection of AT tires since the pickings in 14" are damn slim. I know I can get General Grabbers in 14", maybe still some Kuhmos? Put some good tires on these things and they can be quite capable off the pavement with little else for mods.
Inside I'm still planning out. I will be running a house battery with an 1000w inverter (though trying to use as many 12v things as possible) as well as 110v shore power, 100w suitcase solar, interior storage, something(s) for cold food, small sink, Webasco-type diesel heater, and a small burner inside for coffee\hot water, with meal prep outside weather permitting. The spare will be moved outside to either the roo bar, a rear swing mount, or the rack. There's only two of us so not sure if will build a rock n roll bed or just go with a permanent platform - still playing around in Sketchup to see what I prefer.
Last time on the road in 2013:
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Why I had to stop work on it early October :(
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The interior is a blank slate :)
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