Boomer the Quadravan 4x4 Camper

[Bikersmurf]

Makes sense... your solenoid is good for 600 surge, so I'm sure it could handle a 215 amp alternator... but the rest of the wiring would need to be 4gage or more to handle the power.

100 at Idle is what matters most.

 

[Mwilliamshs]

...I already have a new harness adapter for the 3G alternator...
SG

Tell me about this harness adapter please.

 

[spencyg]

The adapters are available on ebay and other various vendors online. Basically it is just a couple plugs which mate the 1G and 2G alternator ends to the 3G connections. The external voltage regulator is eliminated so it also frees up a little real estate under the hood. I'm pretty excited about this mod as it has been on the list for literally years.



For more information, this is the BIBLE POST for the conversion on IDI vans. I'm sure there is similar info for gasoline variants.

SG

 

[gtbensley]

Sounds like you know what you want, but i just replaced my 215 AMP Mitsu alt because it stopped charging one morning for a few seconds. If you want it and want to buy a regulator rebuild kit I will give you a good deal on it. We live pretty close together as well so I could meet up with you.

 

[spencyg]

I truly appreciate the offer. I'm trying to keep things as basic as possible with all the critical onboard systems. I know for a fact that I can buy this 3G alternator at ANY auto parts store anywhere in North America for under $125. The ability to get a replacement on the road at a moments notice is something I've really pushed for with this build and I suspect finding a 215A replacement Mitsubishi in some podunk town in the middle of nowhere may be a tall order. I'll stick with my 3G for now but again...thanks for the thought.

SG

 

[gtbensley]

I understand that!! I was happy it failed in my driveway and a local place just happens to have one sitting on the shelf. My hope is it wont fail again that's for sure!! If you are ever in the lake Sunapee area let me know, i would LOVE to see Boomer and to meet you. Your van is one of my favorites and I enjoy reading about your adventures.

 

[Boz1]

Just finished reading the Boomer Legacy and 3 or 4 of her trips after a link from my son. Your ability to lace scenic prose alongside metal malleability sets your posts apart. Reminds me of JaysinSpaceman in the OFN (OffRoadFabrication) Network. Both of you visualize/fab/install at a blurring pace with a competence many of us envy.

I finished 5 weeks in Baja on a high, then surgery that knocked me flat. Thanks for these small steps of inventiveness and invigoration. Take Boomer to Alaska and Baja, write the book.

 

[spencyg]

Well...I can't say I would ever consider my skills to be on the same planet as JaysinSpaceman (yes, I have been following him for years) but I am humbled at the comparison. Thanks for following along with the Boomer adventures and keep that chin up. As you read a few pages back I went through a pretty bad spell of back problems a number of years ago that had me in near despair about never being able to properly experience life as I'd been accustomed all my life. Fast forward a hand full of years and I've figured out what needed to change to allow me to get back to it. It isn't everybody's story, but perseverance and a positive attitude will get you far. Keep checking in here for more adventures...they seem to keep happening.

SG

 

[spencyg]

Boomer hasn't had any attention this past month due to some other commitments which has included taking my side business full time, getting my wife started back up as a teacher after staying at home with the kids for the last 4 years, kids to school, yada yada yada.

I do have a 3G alternator to install and a roof rack to build before VOR in a few weeks, so I need to get busy.

I thought I'd take a moment to post up a few pics of the adventures over the summer, as none of them individually were notable enough to go through the motions of posting up an adventure report.

June 2015 Moose on the Loose
Somewhere in the North Maine Woods

Northeast Overland puts on a fantastic group event every year, and I was able to fit it into my schedule in June.

It is a team event and I participated with a co-worker who had just purchased a "new" Jeep and was wanting to get a flavor for Overland traveling.

Over the 4 day event we covered around 250 miles of dirt, saw some Moose, lots of Bear poop, rabbits, fox, etc. There were some good challenges and superb company. Highly recommended for anybody who finds themselves in Maine in late June.

 

[spencyg]

We were able to stop in and see the mythical abandoned trains...something I had never done via roads. The last time I'd been there was 2 decades earlier in a canoe while traversing the 100 mile Allagash wilderness waterway.

















Overall just a really great trip. Made lots of new friends and absorbed the peace and serenity that you can only find once you're 100 miles from nowhere.

 

[spencyg]

Boomer sat for a few weeks, then it was time to head up into the woods for a G-boys fly fishing trip. My brother works in emergency aerial medicine and had discovered a stream he wanted to fish while crossing over some of the remote points east of Baxter state park (Mt. Katahdin territory) during a run earlier in the year. We located it on the map and plotted a route which looked....somewhat doable. So my dad, brother and myself headed for just an overnight into the woods in search of fish and general merriment.

It started off with abandoned bridges.


Washouts...


And roads which weren't even on a map...




All to get to a barrier which forced us to walk a mile to the stream...






Seriously?? We're 50 miles into the woods...What. The. Capitol. F.

I'll tell you what the capitol F....Roxanne. Not just a great drinking song.

This lady keeps buying up land, trying to convince people that the government needs to fund another national park. The problem is, nobody wants the national park, mostly because in this area there is nothing to see, and no reason to have one. Anyway....politics aside, she has gated as much of her land as possible to any and all motorized traffic. No 4x4, no ATV, no sleds, nothing. This will be the last time I venture into the Eastern shadows of Baxter State Park.





Regardless, we finally got to the stream. Fly fishing in July never goes well, and I was the only one to land a fish. 4" of brook trout isn't even worth a picture.

After a few hours we decided to relocate to the East Branch of the Penobscot, hoping to find a place to park for the night with an early start to the fishing in the morning.

After much driving around trying to find a place "off the beaten path", we settled upon an absolutely gorgeous spot overlooking the 'Nob. No soul for miles around.



We got to work cooking and diving into evening libations.





...and watched the day turned to night as a storm rolled in to the North.









Stars. We don't get those in the city.

 

[spencyg]

The next morning we got an early start and headed up stream a bit to find an easier place to fish.

A large bridge over a waterfall ended up being perfect.

Note the sign.





We started off fishing around 7am. A couple chub and a GIGANTIC SALMON which of course...got off my line right as it was nearly landed. No pictures. You'll have to take my word for it.









It was a great weekend....no fish really but as I get older, it is less about the fish and more about the people you're sharing an experience with . A+ in all regards.

 

[Petrolburner]

Cool photos, thanks for sharing.

 

[spencyg]

A few weeks after fishing it was time for a short family adventure. We really wanted to pull off a trip to Newfoundland this year after our trip to Nova Scotia last summer, but the timing just didn't work. I haven't taken the family on a majority of Maine Woods trips, mostly due to the intensity of the travel days and the aggressive terrain which is normally encountered. With small kids I just haven't felt comfortable with it, but the time had come to venture into the woods to maybe give everybody at least a slight understanding of why Boomer always returns from the woods covered in mud and paint scratches.

It started off with an unfortunate technical problem where the toilet flush valve stuck open after one of the little ladies utilized the facilities. This was literally 2 hours after leaving town.

She: The toilet won't flush
Me: What do you mean it won't flush?
She: It won't go down and there isn't any water coming out
Me: .....

So I check the toilet and it is up to the toilet bowl brim...of course the pool of water didn't prevent one of my little friends from taking care of business. Oh no. Not at all. Nothing would flush down, so I thought maybe the drain slider was stuck or broken. Then I tried the kitchen sink to see about the water. No water was coming out. Check the breaker and it was on. Open the rear seat cushion up and the water tank was empty.

Hmm.

The blackwater tank is full.

The water tank is empty.

GAH!!!!!!

So we CAREFULLY drive out of town and find a sketchy campground that allowed us to dump the tank and refill our water supply for $10.



SKETCHY.

Once that was sorted we headed toward Katahdin Iron Works where we actually made the first leg of the trip to Nova Scotia last summer.





Airing down, the girls checked out the old kilns while I settled up with the gate keeper.

We headed toward a campsite which was supposed to be right on a pond. Keep in mind, I had called for reservations for 2 nights about a week prior and they indicated that there was not a single campsite available within the entire Katahdin Iron Works region except for this one site.

So we arrived.



Not exactly on the water, but close.



The kids immediately jumped in...





and then we saw the leaches...



So no more swimming.

Dinner and some pretty sunset action was about as good as this site got.






This is the mountain which we traversed in DRAM2 last fall. It looks far tamer when not covered in snow...

 

[spencyg]

The next day started with warm morning sun and coffee at the edge of the pond. Again...no feet in the water please.



We decided to head back to the gatehouse to try and get another site. The night before while driving to the pond, nearly every site was open, and they were again open when passing by them the next morning. The problem with KIW is that you can make a reservation on the phone without ponying up any money to hold it. People just call to reserve and then don't show up. Totally sucks.

Anyway, the gatekeeper looked out the door of the gatehouse after the inquiry about an alternate site which might be better for little kids who want to swim.

Him: Hmmm. That thing is 4WD right?
Me: Yes Sir
Him: Pretty good clearance eh?
Me: Yes Sir
Him: Yeah...I think you might be able to get up there
Me: .....

With a new campsite assignment in hand we headed up to Hays Brook at the base of a mountain, flanked by the AT on one side, and a mountain stream on the other. Apparently it was full except for 1 spot but we weren't in a position to be picky. The road was pretty bad and clearly hadn't been maintained in a long time. There also wasn't any way that this road saw traffic. High clearance 4WD was the only way in, and luck was the only way out. The terrain was steep and loose, and the alders were at least 5 years grown in.





It really wasn't anything I hadn't dealt with before, just the addition of wide eyed ladies in the van added a little twinge of anxiety as we continued down the gorge. We finally arrived and there actually was another truck parked there, but the owners were nowhere to be found.

So we got comfortable, set up camp and the girls found some cold mountain water to play in for a bit