Its our turn for the Pan-Am

[haven]

Of course it's possible to drive all over Central America without fancy 4x4 gear. The locals do it all the time. You have to purposely choose a more difficult route to find yourself fording 4 foot deep streams or traversing boulder fields. That said, it's useful to have high clearance and a short rear overhang to simplify getting on and off small ferries. 4x4 can be useful to get you unstuck from sand at the beach or the side of a muddy road. And you can make instant friends by helping a fellow traveler get back on the road.

If you're traveling with a single vehicle, you will probably want to take some simple self-recovery tools, like a shovel, high lift jack, and hand powered winch and cable. One example of a hand powered winch is described here
http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/general_equipment/black_rat_winch.htm
The come-along is cheaper and lighter than an electric winch, and it can be attached to either end of your vehicle.

With a pair of vehicles, you'll be able to rescue each other when you get stuck. Perhaps more important, the second vehicle can go for help if the first vehicle becomes disabled for some reason.

Chip Haven

 

[cruiser guy]

Cammo pattern raises eyebrows at checkpoints. Not impossible but if it´s avoidable I´d avoid it.

 

[Crikeymike]

I think suspension will be most important, and lights. Suspension would be my top priority. Some of the main roads I've been on down there are pretty bad (without looking for bad roads), and a lot of places don't have street lights, so if you do travel at night, make sure your headlights and driving lights are all good to go.

 

[Trail Monkey]

Cammo pattern raises eyebrows at checkpoints. Not impossible but if it´s avoidable I´d avoid it.

I would absolutely heed this advice..

 

[Trail Monkey]

I think suspension will be most important, and lights. Suspension would be my top priority. Some of the main roads I've been on down there are pretty bad (without looking for bad roads), and a lot of places don't have street lights, so if you do travel at night, make sure your headlights and driving lights are all good to go.

X2!

Suspension will be your best upgrade. Dont go to fancy, the more factory parts the better from the replcement if necessary perspective. shocks, springs etc and good maintenance before hand.

i like extra lights for the trip, but keep them simple too, less theft issues. maybe white bulbs for the stock lights and aset of two driving lights extra.

the winch is a great idea if youll be offroad alone. but a hilift with gear will do, if thats all that fits the budget.

 

[cruiser guy]

Some of the main roads I've been on down there are pretty bad (without looking for bad roads), and a lot of places don't have street lights, so if you do travel at night, make sure your headlights and driving lights are all good to go.

Don´t be stupid and travel at night. It is not wise because you can´t see squat, no one dims their lights and those that do have lights so far out of adjustment it doesn´t matter anyways!! There are also pedestrians everywhere, most of whom have never driven and do not know that you can´t see them (some are also a little inebriated which doesn´t help).

If you hit someone you´ll be enjoying the inside of a Latin American jail for a very long time and you do not want to be there!

 

[LateNate]

Web Site

We now have our web site up. Its not much at all now, but hopefully will turn into something a little nicer by the begining of next month.

We also are having t-shirts made and I have sent in the sizes to the dealer. If anyone wants one, they will be 16 dollars. The t-shirts will have our logo on them. They are black with white print.

The next step is to get the camper on the truck itself. I am having to wait on my partner to finish with the truck. He still is using it as a daily driver.

So far thank you for the info I have gotten.

 

[LateNate]

Camper Install

We now have the camper on the back of the truck and it looks great. Yes I will get some pictures up soon. Mostly all of our shirts have sold and I will be making a new order including hoodies. Six months out and and I can't wait. I hope everyone has a awesome and safe holiday.

 

[LateNate]

Test Complete, Success!

Well the New Years went very well in the FN Camper. It was our first real test since we have had it. Freddy, Eric and I took it for a week long trip into the White Mountains and Vermont. We stayed at the base of Mt. Washington for two nights and then in Killington VT. for three nights. We snowboarded/skied every single day we were gone and partied very hard for the New Years. The truck held all of our gear and us snuggly. We had our hookah set up and we even cooked inside. We had very good ventilation especially with the Mt Washington's winds. Doing those two things gave us an idea for a hanging system in the center. I will soon get some picks up. :wings:

 

[LateNate]

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[LateNate]

Freddy's a regular Bob Villa!

This is the new sleeping/sitting platforms Freddy built out of his garage. It shows the progression from bed seats to bed. A foldable table will also be introduced in the time to come. They seem more sturdier and more practical than the ones that were in before. Good job Freddo!

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[LateNate]

Hanging platform

We finished our hanging platform that will be used for our stove/hookah:chef::costumed-smiley-007. It wasn't to difficult to make.

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[haven]

You probably know this already, but be sure to open all the windows
when you run that white gas stove! Carbon monoxide builds up fast.

Dust entry into the bed of the truck will be a constant headache.
Test how well the shell seals to the bed of the truck by increasing
air pressure inside, and spraying a solution of soapy water all along
the places where the shell and the bed come together. Also test the
windows and the tailgate when closed. You'll see bubbles where
the air is leaking out of the interior of the camper, just like detecting
a leak in an inner tube. Fix the leaks as best you can to keep the
interior clean.

 

[stclair]

Glad someone else said it. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is not kind. Be careful. Also, on a recent cross country drive, we were stoped by Border Police just outside El Paso at an impromtu (I think) type check point. Anyway, there was another van being ripped apart while a dog was going nuts. My point.....be careful with that pipe.

 

[LateNate]

Thanks for the info guys, keep it coming. We have used the stove a couple of times in the camper and we did open all windows and vents. That is one of the reasons we put it right under the vent fan for the roof. We have tried to seal up all the cracks around the main door with the sticky foam stuff. Are you talking about when we are driving down the road or just the foot traffic back and forth? I think the dust could be bad while driving. Kicking up in the back and such. Also do you think they realy would rip the truck apart if they see that hookah. We don't use it for anything illegal. Most of the time it will be stored in a bag until we are parked and can set it up. I believe you, but man! We don't need that trouble.