I've been lurking stuff on this forum for a while now, but a chance sighting of your initial start to this build is what got me here and signed up to be able to check it all out! I've had my mind set on a regular truck cap with a pop top for some time, but never really come across anyone that'd already gone down exactly that path before - your project is one of the closer ones! thank you for sharing.
S10 Build getting started
- Thread starter Meili
- Start date
NORDFORD
Active member
You and Chilli are not alone!
What a fun build. My emotions were all over the place. At first I thought this was going to be a hack job. Then I saw you do some wiring and thought "he's got the attention to detail, this might turn out ok". Now I can believe how good it looks! Great ideas and on a budget. Reusing the old cap for the interior pieces was genius! Great work!!!
What a fun build. My emotions were all over the place. At first I thought this was going to be a hack job. Then I saw you do some wiring and thought "he's got the attention to detail, this might turn out ok". Now I can believe how good it looks! Great ideas and on a budget. Reusing the old cap for the interior pieces was genius! Great work!!!
Offroadmuch
Explorer
Just read the whole thing!
Love it.
I had a 1993 S10 4Dr. Blazer 4x4 with a 4.3L Vortec and my first car was a 1970 Chevy Chevelle with a V-8 350 so I appreciate your whole build a lot.
Keep up the good work!
Love it.
I had a 1993 S10 4Dr. Blazer 4x4 with a 4.3L Vortec and my first car was a 1970 Chevy Chevelle with a V-8 350 so I appreciate your whole build a lot.
Keep up the good work!
Meili
Adventurer
Thanks for all the kind words. I still feel she is a bit of a "hack job" but to me that is the charm.?
At Expo I was answering questions all day. To bad the was not a "people choice" award. LOL
I was literally the first volunteer there so had the whole place to myself Monday. That quickly changed Tuesday as the day wore on.
Here are a few random shots, the first morning (Tuesday) I awoke to fire in the sky through dense fog . It was awesome.
Sunset over the water was not to shabby either.
More to come but I got to get ready for a flight in the am. Plus I pulled an all nighter driving from Nashville to home (850 miles) and am tired.
For our 25 anniversary, my wife arranged for us to go to the "Cruisn the Coast" event in Mississippi.
A friend will be lending us one of his convertible GTOs!
Pedal to the metal!
20,147
At Expo I was answering questions all day. To bad the was not a "people choice" award. LOL
I was literally the first volunteer there so had the whole place to myself Monday. That quickly changed Tuesday as the day wore on.
Here are a few random shots, the first morning (Tuesday) I awoke to fire in the sky through dense fog . It was awesome.
Sunset over the water was not to shabby either.
More to come but I got to get ready for a flight in the am. Plus I pulled an all nighter driving from Nashville to home (850 miles) and am tired.
For our 25 anniversary, my wife arranged for us to go to the "Cruisn the Coast" event in Mississippi.
A friend will be lending us one of his convertible GTOs!
Pedal to the metal!
20,147
Attachments
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Meili
Adventurer
FBJR, in my opinion, it worked great.
Every am (about 7:30) while the water was cooking for coffee, I would check the bank with my meter and log the result. Also was "testing" the frig at the same time.
The solar panel was turned a minimum of 3 times a day to maximize the output by me or my neighbors. What was cool, people just walking by would turn it without being asked!
Using the hi tech pre-frozen water bottle in the freezer test, I would adjust the thermostat down daily about a point everyday starting from the highest 5 (0 to 5 dial).
Once the bottle showed signs of melting, the thermostat was turned back up a 1/2 a point. Ended up settling at final setting of around 2.5 on the dial.
Here are my obsessive results:
Day- outside temp- weather- frig setting- bank volts- volt change
Monday........82 sunny....5....12.70.....full charge
Tuesday.......84 sunny.....4....12.62...-.08 volt
Wednesday...86 sunny....3....12.56....-.06 volt
Thursday......84 sunny....2....12.48....-.08 volt
Friday..........79 cloudy..2.5...12.50...+.02 volt
Saturday......77 sunny...2.5...12.42... -.08 volt
Keep in mind the bank voltage reading was in the am, so it shows draw/usage from the day before.
The consistent -.08 drop threw me off at first, but kinda makes sense now. The outside temp was going up but the frig was being turned down so they equalized.
It also looks like the cheapy solar can not only keep up with extremely frugal usage but actually charge (only .02v) the bank.
Seems that if it was in a sunny area, the bank would be good for at least a couple of weeks before dropping to 12v.
If I was to drive into town once a week for supplies,being topped off by alternator, swagging they would last "indefinitely".
With no sun at all,not running the truck, 9 days???
Every am (about 7:30) while the water was cooking for coffee, I would check the bank with my meter and log the result. Also was "testing" the frig at the same time.
The solar panel was turned a minimum of 3 times a day to maximize the output by me or my neighbors. What was cool, people just walking by would turn it without being asked!
Using the hi tech pre-frozen water bottle in the freezer test, I would adjust the thermostat down daily about a point everyday starting from the highest 5 (0 to 5 dial).
Once the bottle showed signs of melting, the thermostat was turned back up a 1/2 a point. Ended up settling at final setting of around 2.5 on the dial.
Here are my obsessive results:
Day- outside temp- weather- frig setting- bank volts- volt change
Monday........82 sunny....5....12.70.....full charge
Tuesday.......84 sunny.....4....12.62...-.08 volt
Wednesday...86 sunny....3....12.56....-.06 volt
Thursday......84 sunny....2....12.48....-.08 volt
Friday..........79 cloudy..2.5...12.50...+.02 volt
Saturday......77 sunny...2.5...12.42... -.08 volt
Keep in mind the bank voltage reading was in the am, so it shows draw/usage from the day before.
The consistent -.08 drop threw me off at first, but kinda makes sense now. The outside temp was going up but the frig was being turned down so they equalized.
It also looks like the cheapy solar can not only keep up with extremely frugal usage but actually charge (only .02v) the bank.
Seems that if it was in a sunny area, the bank would be good for at least a couple of weeks before dropping to 12v.
If I was to drive into town once a week for supplies,being topped off by alternator, swagging they would last "indefinitely".
With no sun at all,not running the truck, 9 days???
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Meili
Adventurer
Don't think the crowbar deal would have gone over well!! I think they did one with a bowling ball too.
The Cruisin the Coast event was crazy, over 8,200 registered cars!
Here are a few pictures from Expo East.
Used my high tech leveling device to make sure I slept on the level.
Tried some local brew as a sleep aid.
Went to the Wedge for the "Cool Rides" contest.
Had to do one field repair in the field, idler arm. Fortunately was able to borrow pickle fork, 3 pounder and a grease gun.
Last a few shots of rigs that caught my eye.
The Cruisin the Coast event was crazy, over 8,200 registered cars!
Here are a few pictures from Expo East.
Used my high tech leveling device to make sure I slept on the level.
Tried some local brew as a sleep aid.
Went to the Wedge for the "Cool Rides" contest.
Had to do one field repair in the field, idler arm. Fortunately was able to borrow pickle fork, 3 pounder and a grease gun.
Last a few shots of rigs that caught my eye.
