Just Downsized to a Renegade (build and trips)

[crossed-up]

Love this wee build. How do you go about getting the stickers in the UK?

Thanks, hopefully the lockdown will continue to ease over the coming weeks I'll be able to start travelling about again.

You can get the decals direct from the site's store, the postage is still free even to the UK and they arrive in about a week:

https://overlandjournal.com/decals/

 

[crossed-up]

With the ongoing lockdown on travel we've still not been able get out in the Jeeps. But with some local easing of restrictions my brother nephew and I decided to spend a day at the local off road centre and give the Trailhawks som exercise. The site is basically a quarry with various features set to challenge 4x4s of all shapes and sizes. We kept out of the 4 foot deep 'swamp' and boulder field, but tackled pretty much everything else. As long as you kept out of the deeper ruts the little Renegades just seem to go where you point them in these dry conditions.

Some pics...

We had the whole site to our selves apart from the site owner in his Landy who was giving some instruction to a couple

There was some water to play in.

The customary lunch break.

The Geolanders provided loads of grip on the sandy climbs and decent.

 

[crossed-up]

Spent yesterday starting he cleanup and maintenance following last week’s session at Avalanche. Apart from copious amounts of sandy clay stuck around underside and a few more scuffs and scrapes, the only thing that needed any real attention was the tail pipe. At some point it must have taken a whack that folded the end over.

A bit of work with some pliers and the hammer and dolly soon had it sorted.

Nearly there..

That’ll do.

 

[Mattlodi]

Your build quality is top notch, if i'd have 1/3 of your skill i'll be more than happy!
Just a question, did you spray the bedliner directly on the plywood or did you do some kind of treatment before?

 

[crossed-up]

Thanks Mattlodi. Some of the build was repurposed from the WK where I had used an acrylic clear varnish over the ply, and I continued with this finish for a while with the added components for the Renegade. So when I applied the bed liner finish I was putting it on top of that. But when I built the second version of the drawer I just applied it over the bare ply after the usual sanding. I can't say I have noticed any difference in the final finish with either method.

 

[crossed-up]

Despite Covid 'Freedom Day' being postponed for a few weeks due to the recent surge in Delta Variant cases, recreational travel is still allowed, so we took the Jeeps on a mini adventure up to the Lake District to drive an old coach road. I drove this many years ago in my Niva, so it was nice to go back revisit it. There has been quite a bit of maintenance done on the surface in recent months and the great weather meant it was nice and dry, so it was a nice relaxing day in the mountains taking in the scenery as it passed by, but there was still a few rocky sections to negotiate to add to the adventure.

Some pics.

 

[crossed-up]

It was a public holiday today so we decided to take the Jeeps out for a little green lane trip with the essential lunch stop at an old railway bridge over a disused railway. It was a lot dryer than the last time I drove this track but there were still a few mud holes to undo all the cleaning I'd done yesterday! Met a couple of Land Rovers (a family in a Disco and a guy in a prepped 90) that were out enjoying the same lane too. All in all a great way to spend a day off from work.
Some pics...

 

[billiebob]

I am amazed where that Renegade has gotten you an awesome build, love the cabinetry work and obviously a skilled driver too.
Tread lightly must be the mantra.

 

[crossed-up]

Sorry for the lack of response Billiebob, I hadn’t realised just how long its been seen posting here Yes, tread lightly is definitely the mantra.

Things have been rather disrupted and uncertain with work and COVID so travel plans have been on hold, but we have managed a couple of short laning trips to Northumberland and Norfolk. Since then its been a bit of a rush to prep for a long-time planned, but two-year-delayed return to the Pyrenees to explore Andorra. Just three days left now before we leave!

I’ll post up some more details and pics of the other trips shortly, but here ar a couple from Northumberland so start with.

 

[crossed-up]

Some pics from weekend Northumberland trip back in June. Great weather, so the trails were nice and firm, but it was very windy (nearly lost a drone after it shot off a couple of miles downwind!) Plenty of storm damaged trees too.

Norfolk next...

 

[crossed-up]

Random shots from some gentle laning in Norfolk.

Next up some final fettling and fabbing before heading for Andorra on Friday.

 

[crossed-up]

I didn't get chance to post any final prep. pics before having to leave for the trip as things got a little hectic. Anyway, just got back at the weekend. All in all it was another fantastic trip down through France, exploring the smugglers trials between Andorra and Spain. I have only just started going through the pics but here is one to start with.

 

[JamesReddish]

Fantastic write up of an even better build! Very inspiring! Great to see a UK build on here too.