Approach again when, dwelling within the large metropolis, I acquired the concept to drive from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Tierra del Fuego, Chile, in regards to the southernmost tip of South America. I purchased a fixer-upper 1994 Toyota Land Cruiser in 2016 for the aim, one I deliberate to rebuild within the consolation of my very own storage earlier than I used to be compelled to carry out shadetree rebuilds in British Columbia or Bolivia. Voluntarily, I acquired so far as doing a knuckle gasket overhaul in my storage. Involuntarily, I changed the throttle physique in a resort car parking zone in Amarillo, Texas, changed the radiator in a storage in Ohio, and changed the alternator in an AutoZone car parking zone in Kentucky.
I ended up driving the northern a part of my intercontinental journey within the then-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler, taking off from Menifee, California, crossing into the U.S. twice, driving to Fairbanks, Alaska, then to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada, then house. I by no means completed the journey, nor did I end the Cruiser.
Then I moved to a a lot smaller city. I ought to have thought, “Gee, have a look at all this room I’ve to work on my truck and my Corvette after which go on some adventures.” As an alternative, for causes I’m completely clear on, I assumed, “Take a look at all this room I’ve to purchase all these automobiles to work on after which go on some adventures.” I arrived right here with two autos and no want to personal extra. I now personal two automobiles, three vehicles, a bike, a journey trailer, and a utility trailer. All however one are street authorized and might be pushed. All, bar none, want my consideration.
I’m lastly going to provide it to them. That is the story of a person recovering from his challenge automobile hangover, getting greasy and oily and possibly a contact bloody fixing and rebuilding his menagerie, and having fun with every car the way in which it deserves on some grand journey, then promoting that car to a great house.
We’ll begin this within the order of the deliberate adventures. Full galleries of every will are available in future posts. Let’s go:
The Jambulance
After I ended up in Tuktoyaktuk in 2018, I met a incredible Inuit fellow named John Steen. Shortly earlier than Covid shut the world down, John referred to as and mentioned I ought to head again to Tuk — because the locals name it — in early Might 2020 so we may hop on his snowmobiles to go jiggling. The drive is a ten,000-mile spherical journey from my place. I had no thought what jiggling was and I nonetheless don’t. In fact, I mentioned, “I’ll be there.”
Across the similar time, I’d chatted with a number of people about constructing an overlander for lower than $10,000. I figured the Tuk run can be an ideal proof-of-concept story for a sub-$10,000 traveler good to go nearly wherever. My plan was to purchase a Ford E-250 or E-350 van, convert it to 4WD, and make my very own Sportsmobile because the Sportsmobile firm not makes old style, van-based Sportsmobiles anymore.
Somebody I thought of a pleasant affiliate however who was Beelzebub in disguise, figuring out what I used to be on the lookout for, despatched me a hyperlink to Fb Market to take a gander at this. It is a 1994 Ford F-350 Kind 1 ambulance named the Jambulance, powered by a 7.3-liter diesel V8. The vendor mentioned it was of sound physique and the V8 ran positive, the one factor it wanted was its rear brakes bled. He wished $2,000. There have been 7.3 engines alone going for almost that. How may I lose?
I ended by to see it. The vendor had attached two mismatched batteries and acquired the engine going with an ample utility of starter fluid. Engine sounded good on the run. I might want to interchange no less than one of many batteries as a result of the vendor wanted one of many two the 7.3 makes use of. By now, I figured the half about ‘simply needing brakes’ wasn’t precisely true. But, the Jambulance spoke to me like a type of decrepit shelter canine with the massive, unhappy, rheumy eyes, each most likely blind with cataracts. Having used the intro to this piece to elucidate how dedicated I’m to a plan, you’ll perceive why I purchased this as an alternative of a van.
I couldn’t deliver the Jambulance house as a result of it doesn’t slot in my storage, nor may I work on it in my sloped driveway. So I referred to as one other affiliate who runs a restore store/impound lot down by the river, and he supplied me a parking spot. And that, readers, is the place the Jambulance has sat for 3 years, left with a pair thousand {dollars}’ value of instruments and as-yet-uninstalled components.
It wants every thing. I must get it operating, I would like to repair the rear brakes, perhaps evict a number of tenants dwelling and lifeless, free some seizures, and who is aware of what else, however undoubtedly numerous what else. I am additionally changing it to four-wheel drive and turning the physique into the compulsory pad for overland dwelling. Then I am driving it to Tuk to go jiggling. No matter that’s.
And yeah, that is gonna value me greater than $10,000. One other plan shot. Oh properly.
Stig, the Viking
I’d by no means visited Fb Market earlier than getting the hyperlink to the Jambulance. What an evil web site. I made the error of scrolling down, and lo, I discovered this. I consider it’s a 22-foot 1996 Viking pop-up. I say “consider” as a result of I acquired it out within the sticks from a man who’d been utilizing it as a deer disguise. No title, no plates, invoice of sale. Vendor wished $500. The trailer was closed once I stopped by to test it out; the vendor did not need to open it. He mentioned, “It takes 10 minutes.” His tone mentioned, “Take it as-is or goodbye.” He’d posted video of the inside, so my selection was at hand over $500 and belief the video, or stroll. You’ll be able to see what I did.
Why? As a result of the Jambulance field is just too quick for me to completely arise in. After I noticed Stig the Viking, I acquired the concept to place a tow bar on the rig, put a stouter axle and a few bigger wheels and tires on Stig, then pull the trailer to the Arctic. The caboose would give me extra dwelling area and correct headroom.
Akin to my approach with the Jambulance, purchased a few weeks earlier than Stig, I parked the pop-up untouched and unopened. The primary time I opened it was a number of days in the past to get the image you see above. The factor may have been filled with deer fluff and bricks for all this time. Nevertheless it wasn’t. The inside matches the video. Vendor advised the reality. There may be good on the planet.
It must be gutted and rebuilt identical to the tow rig, which I knew from the start. In a super world, I am going to be capable to get this completed in time to drag to the Arctic subsequent Might. Not that “best” has ever acquired previous my challenge automobile planning phases into my challenge automobile actuality.
The Corvette
That is the fabulous automobile I by no means wished, however an uncle satisfied me to purchase. A 2001 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 I’ve owned since 2005. Not solely have I by no means owned any automobile longer than this one, I can’t consider something I’ve owned longer. Final time I drove it was when acquired caught in a snowstorm driving again house from Florida in January 2022. Then I put child in a nook, and that’s not the place she belongs.
In honor of my steed’s a few years of selfless service, he will get an enormous sendoff earlier than leaving my (not-so-assiduous) care. After a brand new battery, then comes a deep wash and element, adopted by an evaluation. As soon as the diagnoses are in, I’m returning Kentucky’s most interesting to better-than-new situation and maybe entering into for a lightweight tune, however I would like to search out out about European rules first. Why European regs? As a result of subsequent April, earlier than I head to Tuk within the Jambulance, I’m going to ship the Corvette to Germany the place it will be registered as a German resident and tabbed with a set of native plates. Solely automobiles with European registration might be pushed on the ‘Ring. See the place I am going with this?
The journey right here is that after I return from Tuk and get the Jambulance prepped on the market, I’ll meet the ‘Vette in Germany for a summer time street journey that features a detour to the Nürburgring for one — or 28 — final victory lap(s). Then I’ll toast its acquaintance and promote it to a brand new proprietor in his adopted land earlier than heading house to cope with …
The ‘Cruiser
The rig that began all of it, the beforehand talked about 1994 Toyota Land Cruiser triple-locked from the manufacturing unit. A sensational truck. If shopping for them weren’t such a minefield, I might suggest any curious path hounds strive one. Probably the most great and most harmful factor I’ve discovered about Land Cruisers is that they’re insanely laborious to kill. Toyota supposedly developed them to final 25 years in genuinely abysmal environments, making a so-called “laborious life” in the USA virtually a trip. They find yourself listed on the market with glowing descriptions like, “Runs completely” and “By no means had an issue.” Then you definitely cease by for a glance and discover eight forms of most cancers, brown sludge within the coolant reservoir tank, and puffy white clouds blown like bubbles from the exhaust. And but, the vendor’s statements have been right, if incomplete — the factor runs completely and there are not any issues contemplating what is going on on beneath.
This one’s at about 280,000 miles, mechanically succesful though drained inside and outside. Which, once more, was the purpose. I wished a fixer higher.
After I change virtually every thing on the way in which to turning beastie into an Apocalypse overlander, I’ll drive that overdue southern portion of my intercontinental journey all the way in which to Tierra del Fuego. As a result of I’ve to get the primary three autos completed by the tip of April 2024, this one is barely going to get spruced up as time permits in order that I can check out components.
Herkalees
I acquired into side-by-sides final yr. That new curiosity changed into one other one of many adventures that has saved me away from my rising assortment of uncared for, misfit toys. That new curiosity can also be liable for including a brand new misfit toy as soon as I had the necessity to tow extra weight than the Cruiser is rated for. I already had a Ford truck with a 7.3 diesel, I assumed greatest to stay to that method. Therefore, Herkalees, a 1999 Ford F-250 Tremendous Obligation 4×4 with the turbocharged 7.3 Powerstroke V8.
It was something however an absolute deal. A yr in the past, used truck costs have been nonetheless sky excessive. Nevertheless it was a relative deal for the occasions and owned by a retired Marine who took excellent care of it. Spent most of its life in North Carolina, so there’s solely floor rust on the body and a small rust spot on the roof. The vendor modified the oil twice a yr, swapping between cold- and hot-weather weights, and saved the zerks lubed. It leaks a number of drops, however barely; I’ve a 1997 Buick Park Avenue Extremely that sheds extra oil than this truck. He’d had the inside redone with items from a 2008 F-Collection as a result of outdated pickup cloth will get terribly drained and saggy, and he put in a contemporary stereo and audio system. There are higher headlights and taillights. The bedside scuffs within the picture and a small rust spot on the roof are essentially the most severe beauty blemishes. He put baggage on the rear suspension. A neighbor of his who was useful with a welder made the customized entrance bumper for the Warn 12,000-pound winch, and the mattress rack with supplemental lighting. It got here with the mattress field, hearth extinguisher, facet steps, and a trailer brake controller.
Higher but, the ex-Marine solely purchased this to haul a home filled with furnishings between neighboring states — essentially the most Marine overkill purpose to purchase a Tremendous Obligation — and far most well-liked his Toyota FJ. He hadn’t pushed Herkalees a lot within the final couple years of his possession, so I’ve put a brand new starter, alternator, and clutch pedal in it, and had the rear brake strains redone.
It must be no shock that Herkalees wants the least quantity of labor, nevertheless, it may use a number of extra new components. This would be the beast of burden whereas I play physician on my emergency sufferers, the Jambulance, Stig, the Corvette, and the Cruiser.
That is sufficient for an intro. My targets for August, which in fact is sort of over:
Jambulance: Get it able to be registered, totally clear it outdoors and in, stock my inventory of components, set up new batteries, all fluids modified, test the tanks, get it beginning and operating correctly, repair the rear brakes.
Stig: Carry the trailer house for a full evaluation, do an preliminary strip to get all the straightforward bits out, attempt to discover a serial quantity.
Corvette: An intensive clear, full tune-up and all fluids modified, assess the mechanicals and electronics, promote the wheels which are on it now.
Herkalees: All fluids modified, supply a brand new suspension and new tires, test the turbo and piping for leaks, get clamps for the mattress toolbox.
