photo_i
Explorer
I see…
Yep. Most of them were brought into the exUSSR countries by sailors from Asia and were scheduled for scrap metal there.
Life's an adventure expedition
- Thread starter ryanh1006
- Start date
I see…
Yep. Most of them were brought into the exUSSR countries by sailors from Asia and were scheduled for scrap metal there.
arla
Observer
I'm a little bit jealous. it reminded me my MQ Nissan Patrol with SD33T back in the days when I used to live in middle east. however mine was short wheel base 2 door version.And we just added another vehicle to the fleet. We're going to be rebuilding/restoring it and lightly upgrading it to a full expedition vehicle. 1991 Nissan Patrol 2.8TD with manual trans, rear diff lock, and 229,000 kilometers (German origin, I think
Now parked in my carport for the overhaul that starts tomorrow morning with the trans being pulled.
nice ride and really great posts. thanks for sharing them.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
Pulled and rebuilt the transmission (a fun task in a driveway!) on the Patrol...not too much excitement there...just lot's of backbreaking work.
Patrol Suspension
Well the plan to cobble together our own suspension got scrapped when we found a promotion being run over in Almaty by a 4x4 parts company with a lift kit for 75,000 Tenge (about $410). It came with Tough Dog Springs, Profender Shocks, and Ironman Bushings (just the four for lifting).
Not wanting to deal with the border crossing formalities on our company owned cars, my lead driver and fellow truck builder, Azamat, and I drove to the border, walked through and got a shared taxi to Almaty. Quite a fun day. The driver on the way there hadn't gotten enough sleep, so when we got out into the flat land he started nodding off. Azamat talked the guy into letting him drive, so that helped for a while. Of course it's hot this time of year, and of course the guy's AC doesn't work.
In Almaty it took lots of walking to locate the place (we were within 50 meters, but asked the wrong people, so we took a 2 km detour that came back to the same spot). After getting our parts, we shouldered them and walked back to the bus station.
Waiting with the parts at the bus station.
The next shared taxi home was worse than the first. There were three of us guys in the very back seat that was designed for two. The windows barely opened, the AC didn't work, and the driver was slow. Then for more fun we got stopped for a document check. All the Kyrgyz and Kazakh passports were fine, but I, the American, got hauled out and taken to the station for questioning. After an elaborate determination process of shuffling papers to find the "rules" for Americans, he looked through my passport and said he needed money. I asked if we were done, and he said, "No...I need money." I told him my papers were right, he said, "No they aren't." I showed him each page and each stamp and declared them right and finally with a frustrated wave, he let me go.
Some 10-11 hours after crossing into Kazakhstan we were hand carrying the parts through the border and over the river to our Jeep. Not the most pleasant experience, but not a bad way to save a lot of dollars!
We checked the parts...they appear as genuine as can be, it was some kind of promotional deal that's almost over. We ended up with a 2" (50mm) lift and 300kg uprating. Should be a bit stiff, but will work great when loaded up with 6 people and luggage.
Patrol Suspension
Well the plan to cobble together our own suspension got scrapped when we found a promotion being run over in Almaty by a 4x4 parts company with a lift kit for 75,000 Tenge (about $410). It came with Tough Dog Springs, Profender Shocks, and Ironman Bushings (just the four for lifting).
Not wanting to deal with the border crossing formalities on our company owned cars, my lead driver and fellow truck builder, Azamat, and I drove to the border, walked through and got a shared taxi to Almaty. Quite a fun day. The driver on the way there hadn't gotten enough sleep, so when we got out into the flat land he started nodding off. Azamat talked the guy into letting him drive, so that helped for a while. Of course it's hot this time of year, and of course the guy's AC doesn't work.
In Almaty it took lots of walking to locate the place (we were within 50 meters, but asked the wrong people, so we took a 2 km detour that came back to the same spot). After getting our parts, we shouldered them and walked back to the bus station.
Waiting with the parts at the bus station.
The next shared taxi home was worse than the first. There were three of us guys in the very back seat that was designed for two. The windows barely opened, the AC didn't work, and the driver was slow. Then for more fun we got stopped for a document check. All the Kyrgyz and Kazakh passports were fine, but I, the American, got hauled out and taken to the station for questioning. After an elaborate determination process of shuffling papers to find the "rules" for Americans, he looked through my passport and said he needed money. I asked if we were done, and he said, "No...I need money." I told him my papers were right, he said, "No they aren't." I showed him each page and each stamp and declared them right and finally with a frustrated wave, he let me go.
Some 10-11 hours after crossing into Kazakhstan we were hand carrying the parts through the border and over the river to our Jeep. Not the most pleasant experience, but not a bad way to save a lot of dollars!
We checked the parts...they appear as genuine as can be, it was some kind of promotional deal that's almost over. We ended up with a 2" (50mm) lift and 300kg uprating. Should be a bit stiff, but will work great when loaded up with 6 people and luggage.
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
Got around to installing the suspension parts a couple days ago. The rear took about 1.5 hours and the front a little over 2 hours. Did it by myself...really a pretty easy swap. The front only gained about 1-2 cm while the rear (which was badly sagged) gained about 5-7 cm. Not sure what springs were in there, but they were definitely not original.
Just finished with the head rebuild (shop shaved it, did the valves, seats, guides, and seals). Re-installing the top of the motor now. The oil pump proved to be shot, found a good condition used replacement to swap in. Tomorrow I pick up the rebuilt injectors and reassemble and we should be back on the road. Next stop tires, then the Pamir Highway (leaving July 10)!
I'm not up for spending crazy money on the tires. Right now the available choices in 32s are: BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A ($225/tire), Maxxis Bravo MA-751 ($170), Maxxis MT-754 Buckshot Mudder ($180), Maxxis MT-762 Bighorn ($185), BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM2 ($215). We'll be doing lot's of gravel roads, along with creek crossings (or small rivers), slightly muddy trails, lots of 2-tracks, etc. Maybe 30-40% pavement. Thoughts? (I know it's a dangerous question...but now it's out there!)
Now if I can just get the transfer case on the Jeep GC fixed...all my cars might actually be running at the same time
And for fun a couple pics from a dirt road we took on the small mountain over my house a few days ago
Just finished with the head rebuild (shop shaved it, did the valves, seats, guides, and seals). Re-installing the top of the motor now. The oil pump proved to be shot, found a good condition used replacement to swap in. Tomorrow I pick up the rebuilt injectors and reassemble and we should be back on the road. Next stop tires, then the Pamir Highway (leaving July 10)!
I'm not up for spending crazy money on the tires. Right now the available choices in 32s are: BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A ($225/tire), Maxxis Bravo MA-751 ($170), Maxxis MT-754 Buckshot Mudder ($180), Maxxis MT-762 Bighorn ($185), BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM2 ($215). We'll be doing lot's of gravel roads, along with creek crossings (or small rivers), slightly muddy trails, lots of 2-tracks, etc. Maybe 30-40% pavement. Thoughts? (I know it's a dangerous question...but now it's out there!)
Now if I can just get the transfer case on the Jeep GC fixed...all my cars might actually be running at the same time
And for fun a couple pics from a dirt road we took on the small mountain over my house a few days ago
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
Just got back from a week in the mountains with my family who came to visit us in Kyrgyzstan for the first time. My dad shot this awesome video of a sheep "moika" (wash) out the window of the Patrol. Watch for the sheep heads popping up from the ditch as they get washed in preparation for shearing. It all felt very "National Geographic." This is in the Song Kul region, a high plateau around a lake.
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
So chronology isn't my strong point. First was a lot of historical stuff, now I'm just doing relatively current events, eventually I'll fill in some gaps. This summer I've been a number of places in Kyrgyzstan, when I'm not under the hood fixing a broken car (I've personally done three head gaskets this summer). I have made two trips through the Song Kul area as well as a new exploration trip through the mountains east of Kochkor/Naryn.
First trip was Song Kul and the Kyzyl Oi area.
Patrol near Kyzyl Oi.
Kara Keche coal mine
Pass from the west into southern Song Kul plateau
Song Kul plateau, south shore
Sunset over Song Kul
The "33 Parrots" (switchbacks) road. I only counted 26-28 depending on your definition of a switchback.
First trip was Song Kul and the Kyzyl Oi area.
Patrol near Kyzyl Oi.
Kara Keche coal mine
Pass from the west into southern Song Kul plateau
Song Kul plateau, south shore
Sunset over Song Kul
The "33 Parrots" (switchbacks) road. I only counted 26-28 depending on your definition of a switchback.
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
Another area we stopped at on the Song Kul trip was the yurt making village of Kyzyl Tuu. We stayed with a family that has taken the yard of their village house and set up a yurt manufacturing facility. Fascinating!
Shaping roof poles
Foreground is a framework for bending the roof poles. In the background a worker is shaping one of the poles by hand.
Better look at the shaping framework
Painted Roof Poles
Steamer used for softening wood to shape it
Homemade welding machine
Homemade table saw
Shaping a "tunduk", the center of the roof of a yurt...kinda like a wagon wheel
Homemade machine for pounding felt. Note that the main drive is built from the axle of a Russian car. Evidently the man of the house designed this machine and has built it for others in Kyrgyzstan as well.
Carding Machine
Example yurt in their yard
Traditional felt carpets called "Shyrdak"
Shaping roof poles
Foreground is a framework for bending the roof poles. In the background a worker is shaping one of the poles by hand.
Better look at the shaping framework
Painted Roof Poles
Steamer used for softening wood to shape it
Homemade welding machine
Homemade table saw
Shaping a "tunduk", the center of the roof of a yurt...kinda like a wagon wheel
Homemade machine for pounding felt. Note that the main drive is built from the axle of a Russian car. Evidently the man of the house designed this machine and has built it for others in Kyrgyzstan as well.
Carding Machine
Example yurt in their yard
Traditional felt carpets called "Shyrdak"
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
Over the past week we explored a new area east of Kochkor and Naryn. We were looking for a new route to use for the business and to make contact with people in the villages who would be interested in working with tourists. The trip was an outstanding success. The drive was breathtakingly beautiful and we met a wonderful family half way through who are interested in working with tourists and hosting them in their home.
This is the route map: Naryn Region route
Patrol on the top of the world, around 11,000 feet (I think it was 3600 meters). It was the side road we took into a central valley populated only with yurt camps.
Yaks along the road
Yurt camp plateau
Stunning location for a yurt camp near the headwaters of the Little Naryn River
"Tian Shan" means Celestial Mountains for a reason
Another yurt camp
The start of the first gorge
As evening started to descend, we found a village with 5 houses and asked about a place to stay. We were sent to this awesome little house and the very sweet family that lives there. They want to host tourists, so my company is going to try and send them more visitors. Their house is right between two stunning and very different gorges.
The village where the guesthouse is located
The southern gorge of the Little Naryn River
This is the route map: Naryn Region route
Patrol on the top of the world, around 11,000 feet (I think it was 3600 meters). It was the side road we took into a central valley populated only with yurt camps.
Yaks along the road
Yurt camp plateau
Stunning location for a yurt camp near the headwaters of the Little Naryn River
"Tian Shan" means Celestial Mountains for a reason
Another yurt camp
The start of the first gorge
As evening started to descend, we found a village with 5 houses and asked about a place to stay. We were sent to this awesome little house and the very sweet family that lives there. They want to host tourists, so my company is going to try and send them more visitors. Their house is right between two stunning and very different gorges.
The village where the guesthouse is located
The southern gorge of the Little Naryn River
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
I've been a bit tied up lately working on cars (that's what happens when a Jeep 2.7 CRD decides to melt two of it's pistons and a Nissan Patrol blows a head gasket, again!). Azamat, our lead driver and a close friend of mine has been giving me some great pictures of some of the trips he's done for our clients this summer. Here are a few from his trip to Tash Rabat and Kel Suu.
Tash Rabat is an ancient caravansarai from back in the old silk road days (a caravansarai was their version of a truck stop and a motel fortified and rolled into one).
Statue in the center of the frontier town of At-Bashi (the town name means "horse's head" in Kyrgyz).
Camels and horses along the road
Bridge on the road
The 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2.7 CRD used for the trip (it's the one that now has two melted pistons)
Almost trackless wasteland on the way to Kel Suu
Gorgeous, remote area
The Jeep again
Kel Suu is supposed to be a lake filling this gorge, but for the first time in 18 years, it has no water!
On the upside you can now drive on the lake surface
The way coming back out to civilization.
Kel Suu is located in the Naryn Oblast, At-Bashi region, very close to the Chinese border.
https://goo.gl/maps/rg7kL
Tash Rabat is an ancient caravansarai from back in the old silk road days (a caravansarai was their version of a truck stop and a motel fortified and rolled into one).
Statue in the center of the frontier town of At-Bashi (the town name means "horse's head" in Kyrgyz).
Camels and horses along the road
Bridge on the road
The 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2.7 CRD used for the trip (it's the one that now has two melted pistons
)
Almost trackless wasteland on the way to Kel Suu
Gorgeous, remote area
The Jeep again
Kel Suu is supposed to be a lake filling this gorge, but for the first time in 18 years, it has no water!
On the upside you can now drive on the lake surface
The way coming back out to civilization.
Kel Suu is located in the Naryn Oblast, At-Bashi region, very close to the Chinese border.
https://goo.gl/maps/rg7kL
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
Still haven't resolved the melted pistons...but such is life. Found a Sprinter engine rebuilder, so hopefully we'll get something going on that Jeep soon. In other vehicle news, traded a 2003 Subaru Forester for a 2002 Mercedes Vito 2.2 CDI with manual trans and 9 seats. Hoping next summer to make a modular camper, basically it can be configured to 9 seats, 6 seats, 3 seats, or 3 seats and a miniature camper.
In more interesting things, we've been exploring an area near Bishkek that is still traditional and looking to work with families there year round. They have a spectacular jailoo (summer pasture) above their village of 65 families. There are miles and miles (kilometers and kilometers) of trails through the pasture lands that are perfect for cross country skiing, horseback riding, and mountain biking. So in partnership with the local Trekking Union and some village residents we're opening it up as a recreation area. It has been an absolute blast exploring the area! I know it's my job, but it really doesn't seem like work! Here are some pictures from the past few weeks.
The first few pictures are from a few weeks ago before it really started snowing here.
Picture perfect Kyrgyzstan jailoo:
Backdrop of the jailoo:
Panorama of the whole jailoo area:
Now a few pictures from yesterday exploring the area on horseback scouting cross country ski routes before the snow gets too heavy.
Some of our group taking a break:
Your's truly
Heading down one of the jailoo roads:
The director of the Trekking Union of Kyrgyzstan (TUK) surveying a small valley:
Heading back toward the village:
The village of Arpa Tektir
In more interesting things, we've been exploring an area near Bishkek that is still traditional and looking to work with families there year round. They have a spectacular jailoo (summer pasture) above their village of 65 families. There are miles and miles (kilometers and kilometers) of trails through the pasture lands that are perfect for cross country skiing, horseback riding, and mountain biking. So in partnership with the local Trekking Union and some village residents we're opening it up as a recreation area. It has been an absolute blast exploring the area! I know it's my job, but it really doesn't seem like work! Here are some pictures from the past few weeks.
The first few pictures are from a few weeks ago before it really started snowing here.
Picture perfect Kyrgyzstan jailoo:
Backdrop of the jailoo:
Panorama of the whole jailoo area:
Now a few pictures from yesterday exploring the area on horseback scouting cross country ski routes before the snow gets too heavy.
Some of our group taking a break:
Your's truly
Heading down one of the jailoo roads:
The director of the Trekking Union of Kyrgyzstan (TUK) surveying a small valley:
Heading back toward the village:
The village of Arpa Tektir
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
A video of driving through the Kyzart/Kyzyl-Oi area during the dead of winter last February. High temperatures in the afternoon were around minus 22 Celsius.
Hoping to be able to do a lot more exploring this winter. Cross country skiing and frozen waterfalls are on the agenda.
Hoping to be able to do a lot more exploring this winter. Cross country skiing and frozen waterfalls are on the agenda.
ryanh1006
Kyrgyzstan Expat
Been a slow winter. The Jeep with melted pistons is back together...ran for one day and the turbo went:violent-smiley-031: New turbo cartridge is going in and we should be good.
The Patrol should be more interesting. I'm finally fed up with the 2.8 engine eating head gaskets. I've had a hard time making it oil change to oil change without needing to pull the head. So a great alternative has come up. Gonna swap the engine for a Mercedes OM602 2.9 turbo diesel built under license by SsangYong. Like the old 2.8 it is non-computerized. The specs are very similar and it makes torque about 150 RPM sooner. Anyway, will post pics when we get the swap going. Does anyone have info on using the SsangYong T5 transmission in place of the Nissan FS5R30a that is in the Patrol? Here's for a hybrid Japanese, German/Korean, American truck!
The Patrol should be more interesting. I'm finally fed up with the 2.8 engine eating head gaskets. I've had a hard time making it oil change to oil change without needing to pull the head. So a great alternative has come up. Gonna swap the engine for a Mercedes OM602 2.9 turbo diesel built under license by SsangYong. Like the old 2.8 it is non-computerized. The specs are very similar and it makes torque about 150 RPM sooner. Anyway, will post pics when we get the swap going. Does anyone have info on using the SsangYong T5 transmission in place of the Nissan FS5R30a that is in the Patrol? Here's for a hybrid Japanese, German/Korean, American truck!
Ray Hyland
Expedition Leader
I drove the SsangYong mercs a bit when I was working in Korea and also in Malaysia when they were exporting them to Asean. It was a solid engine, simple and had a good reputation. Sadly I know nothing about that tranny other than it was basic, and a bit notchy. The automatics seemed solid though. You may want to consider one of those too.
I love the pics. I spent some time in XinJiang and in the Flaming Mountains (火焰山 on the Chinese side of the Tian Shan in 2006/07.
Beautiful region, and I loved the history around every corner.
If I make it to Kyrgyzstan (If I have trouble driving from Iran to Pakistan this fall I may come up and over) we will definitely stop in and see you and get a tour!
Have fun!
I love the pics. I spent some time in XinJiang and in the Flaming Mountains (火焰山
on the Chinese side of the Tian Shan in 2006/07. Beautiful region, and I loved the history around every corner.
If I make it to Kyrgyzstan (If I have trouble driving from Iran to Pakistan this fall I may come up and over) we will definitely stop in and see you and get a tour!
Have fun!