Se7en62's '99 Montero Gen 2.5 Overland Build & Adventures
- Thread starter Se7en62
- Start date
Se7en62
Adventure Seeker
I wanted to update the front-end of the Montero while also improving air flow to the radiator, so I found a Russian seller on Instagram and ordered one of his Pajero Evo replica grills. It arrived about 8 weeks later and I added some paint, black mesh, a carbon fiber Mitsubishi emblem, and a nice RalliArt emblem...
...and you couldn't have missed the other addition: (2) 10" Lightforce Blitz with some hi-vize blue filters. I also have amber filters for these and the nice thing is you can swap colors for conditions and cover types for different beam patterns, like the combo filter here, or a straight spot or fog.
...and you couldn't have missed the other addition: (2) 10" Lightforce Blitz with some hi-vize blue filters. I also have amber filters for these and the nice thing is you can swap colors for conditions and cover types for different beam patterns, like the combo filter here, or a straight spot or fog.
Se7en62
Adventure Seeker
The Montero was in need of some general maintenance, so I replaced the air filter with a K&N unit.
Addressing another maintenance item was to replace the brake pads and turn the rotors, so back over to my buddy's shop to knock it out on the lift and the lathe...
Then we headed down to Padre Island National Seashore and setup camp somewhere around mile-marker 30, roughly half-way down the island...
Having a supporting wife who's into offroading and exploring the backcountry makes this lifestyle so much more enjoyable and accessible. This trip's weather was absolutely miserable with 100% humidity, hot hot temps during the day, and clinging crusty sand EVERYWHERE and she never complained once.
A baby Portogese Man-O-War Jellyfish...
A rare shot of me, passed out against the truck in the mid-day heat...
The following morning before we hit the road home...
Addressing another maintenance item was to replace the brake pads and turn the rotors, so back over to my buddy's shop to knock it out on the lift and the lathe...
Then we headed down to Padre Island National Seashore and setup camp somewhere around mile-marker 30, roughly half-way down the island...
Having a supporting wife who's into offroading and exploring the backcountry makes this lifestyle so much more enjoyable and accessible. This trip's weather was absolutely miserable with 100% humidity, hot hot temps during the day, and clinging crusty sand EVERYWHERE and she never complained once.
A baby Portogese Man-O-War Jellyfish...
A rare shot of me, passed out against the truck in the mid-day heat...
The following morning before we hit the road home...
Se7en62
Adventure Seeker
The following weekend after getting home from Padre Island, we began to prep for our 'Baby Moon,' which was a mixed trip of offroading and camping in the Ozarks, then an AirBnB at a nice lakehouse. Which meant I had some maintenance to address, like changing the diff oil.
Se7en62
Adventure Seeker
In June of 2020, there was a group buy going on within the Motero community of these custom radiators using the actual blueprints for the Dakar Pajero's radiator. I ordered one and am REALLY looking forward to installing it, LOL. It's 2023 now and the radiator is still sitting in it's box in the shop.
The radiators are hand-made by CGJ under their Bryce Thomas name. The factory radiator has 190,000 btu/h worth of cooling capacity, whereas these custom ones have 380,000 btu/h. The top and bottom tanks are fully TIG-welded inside and out and feature a 7-plate baffled transmission cooler as well.
The radiators are hand-made by CGJ under their Bryce Thomas name. The factory radiator has 190,000 btu/h worth of cooling capacity, whereas these custom ones have 380,000 btu/h. The top and bottom tanks are fully TIG-welded inside and out and feature a 7-plate baffled transmission cooler as well.
Se7en62
Adventure Seeker
July 2021: So, after a few months of being super busy with our baby boy, then scouting for land and homes in Colorado, we sold our house (pictured above) and started the process of building our new house in the mountains. In preparation for that move, I ordered all the parts and took the Montero over to a trusted shop to have the timing belt, water pump, plugs, wires, valve seals, and all the gaskest from the plenum up replaced. They knocked it out in 2 days and had it back to me ready for the next 60,000 miles of adventures:
Se7en62
Adventure Seeker
All packed up and ready to hit the road! My folks offered to assist with driving some of the vehicles, so my wife and mother-in-law hit the road in the Silverado, I towed the Montero with my Dad's F250, while my folks drove the Penske truck. We were all saddled up for a 3-day drive from Hutto, TX to Fort Garland, CO...
Night 1 was an AirBnB in Lubbock, TX...
Night 2 was at another AirBnB in Santa Fe, NM...
Night 3 was at another AirBnB nearby where our house was being built...Since the house was a behind schedule, Night 3 at this AirBnB turned into Nights 3-7.
Near our gate...
Exploring around the house...
The house was finished and we moved in...
Night 1 was an AirBnB in Lubbock, TX...
Night 2 was at another AirBnB in Santa Fe, NM...
Night 3 was at another AirBnB nearby where our house was being built...Since the house was a behind schedule, Night 3 at this AirBnB turned into Nights 3-7.
Near our gate...
Exploring around the house...
The house was finished and we moved in...
Se7en62
Adventure Seeker
Since we were here with a growing urge to start traveling the state more and figured a van would be the best option, we got to looking. After a couple months, I found the unicorn of Sportsmobile vans in San Diego. After a brief negotiation, I flew down to San Diego, met up with my buddy Andy to pick the van up. We had it for about a year, then as the birth of our daugter neared, we came to the realization we needed more space for the 4 of us, plus our big dog, so we sold the Sportsmobile and bought a new F350. Here's a taste of the van.
It was ************: 2000 Ford E350 Sportsmobile RB50 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel, 4.30 Gears and LSD, 35" Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT tires, 17" ProComp La Paz wheels, and a 55-gallon tank. - I'll make another thread on Expedition Portal with more details on it and link it in my signature when I have time.
It was ************: 2000 Ford E350 Sportsmobile RB50 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel, 4.30 Gears and LSD, 35" Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT tires, 17" ProComp La Paz wheels, and a 55-gallon tank. - I'll make another thread on Expedition Portal with more details on it and link it in my signature when I have time.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
What is the name/location of this DIY shop? Do they have a website?
Se7en62
Adventure Seeker
Friday, August 19th, 2022: It's a long story about getting scammed and lied to about the building I ordered a year prior...but after a year of hassle, a year of waiting on fill-material to be delivered, a year of waiting on the slab, the shop was FINALLY underway!
Builder: Coast 2 Coast Buildings
Dimensions: 24'x50' w/ 14' walls, engineered for our snow load and wind index.
Slab: 24"x50" 5" thick 4,000psi fibermesh-reinforced concrete w/ a 18"x24" footer.
Builder: Coast 2 Coast Buildings
Dimensions: 24'x50' w/ 14' walls, engineered for our snow load and wind index.
Slab: 24"x50" 5" thick 4,000psi fibermesh-reinforced concrete w/ a 18"x24" footer.
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