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Consider a late model AWD Chevy/GM Astro/Safari van. Nice mid-size and with a simple lift you can get lots of places: http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23847 Brian

Any mechanics out there have a rough idea how much it would cost to have the heads and valves rebuilt on a 2001 Grand Vitara V6? Including labor? Thanks, Brian

Hey neighbor, When we goin' again?... Glad we bumped into each other on Expo. Hard to believe you have only had the van that long. Brian

I agree about getting the 2500. Brakes are bigger too. I think the 14 bolt on the 2500 is the semi-floating unit though. I had a 1990 3/4 ton and it was the semi, not the full-floater. Not sure when GM changed it as the 2500 had a full-floater back in the '70's. A full-floater will likely drop...

First stuck for me and the Sportsmobile. I was following four other rigs on a snow run and the packed snow had no traction for me. Twice I slid off the road while on a darn near straight flat road!... Tried getting out with the front and rear air lockers engaged but just spun the wheels...

The desert in northern Chile reminded me of Death Valley many times. It's just much bigger! Great place to wander in. Wish I had my Sportsmobile instead of a rental SUV.

One more, in the Andes in northern Chile.

Three from the Atacama desert in northern Chile. Lots of looooong empty roads out there... Brian

Here's my Sportsmobile along with T.Low's Astro along the Nooksack river. Nice evening light.

My photos on Pbase are here: http://www.pbase.com/railbat/root And in a few days I'll have a bunch of new photos from Chile and Argentina. I need to finished editing and resizing the images. Brian

Thank you very much for these photos. It looks like a very interesting area to explore. Brian

Yeah, you should. And get those front and rear bumpers built, build the camper conversion interior, throw a solid axle under the front... Better do it now before you're married with kids... :hehe:

Thanks for the report. Look like (cold) fun. What is the location of the canyon in the photo with the 15:04 time stamp? Brian

I have been trying for weeks to post photos to this site and just get error messages... You can see photos of my Sportsmobile over here: http://www.pbase.com/railbat/travel Brian

Just FYI, all the SMB prices are on their website: http://www.sportsmobile.com/1_fc_cost_allforms.html We have a manual pop top on our SMB. Since adding the solar panels it is a little harder to push up, but works fine. I like keeping it simple too. Brian

Thanks for the info. Since I can't seem to post photos here now, I posted photos on my Pbase site so you can see what I am asking in the following comments: http://www.pbase.com/railbat/hubs Upon taking them apart, I found the passenger side outer gear "A" had just enough room to jiggle, while...

Hi, I have Warn locking hubs on the front on the Sportsmobile. The right one has gotten harder to lock as time goes on. Last time I used it I had to tap it into the lock position with a socket held in my gloved hand. I know, a real hi-tech solution... So, obviously, they need maintenance. But...

I don't have any answers regarding teflon, but I am curious if others do, as I am thinking the same thing. I have bare alloy AR wheels and want them black. Brian

Yep, there are a LOT of used SMB's for sale right now! When we were shopping I didn't really consider a used van as there were usually only two or three on the SMB West site at any one time. Now there are lots to choose from, including a GM SMB camper conversion that Salem-Kroger could make into...

I have had a Sportsmobile for about 2.5 years and I have 26,000 miles on it. I have a 2006 Ford with the 6.0 diesel and the SMB 4x4 conversion. For me it boils down to this: The vehicle is not perfect, but it very well suited to what I do, and for what it sounds like you intend to do as well...