The overland beater: Dodge 1500

[kraven]

The Camel Trophy course thing was really cool. They built this neat timber bridge and parked some old oil leakers on it. The course looked neat, but I didn't get any time on it. Bought the wrong package.

This neat old Willy's was on a Blazer frame. The owner is a guy who works, I think, at Clemson 4 Wheel Center (http://www.clemson4wheel.com/). I stopped at their booth like 3 times. Super nice and knowledgeable people. They had some pretty good deals on gear, but they didn't bring any beater level stuff. Everything was the swankier Warn product and whatnot. Still, nice folks. I'm going to go visit their shop soon.

This doesn't even need any exposition.

There were a bunch of a these at the show. But this one was pretty unique.

Zombie Apocalypse overlanding with Abraham and Rick

I got to take a drive on the BFG course on Sunday, and got to pilot a Tacoma. The BFG people were burned out by Sunday, but were still keeping a brave face. I did a good enough job on the course that the guy quit giving me cues about 25% of the way through and started talking about maybe moving to Asheville. All the BFG people were great. They were there pushing the K02 tires and had a nice variety of vehicles, including a diesel RHD Rover from the 70's or something like that. There was a line for that. They also had a Wrangler truck, a Wrangler, and maybe something else. I dunno. One of the guys said he did the course backward in his 2wd truck. So, I'm not trying to humblebrag about my skills.

The party at the Wedge Brewery was really fun. I eased in with the beater and parked in the back. The good spaces were already taken by the early birds and commercial people. And the rest of the lot ( a big lot) was packed to the gills.

These rooftop rigs were omnipresent. Must be a big business. Seemed like every other space at the Expo was selling them. This was at the Wedge. People were very excited to show off their stuff.

This was one of my favorite rigs. The paint was like a root beer color and the camper it was sporting was really nice quality. Probably a lot of fun in a place without so many trees as this area.
It was owned by one of the camper vendors and was a dedicated display vehicle. Had a ladder going up and a steady stream of people oohing and ah'ing around it all weekend.

 

[kraven]

Bike night at The Wedge coincided with the overland party. This rig was piloted here for the expo. I was watching that guy work hard at picking up the girl with the green dreds. I don't know if he closed the deal, but I was pulling for him.

A beautiful and clean old GS airhead.

Tons of Rovers, man.

I didn't take a lot of pics of the vendors, but this guy who was selling machetes was really cool when he was doing demos. He was showing people how to properly hold the tool and chop with it, giving a lot o knowledge away. He was very fun to watch, even though I didn't buy one. I wanted to do more bushcraft stuff, but just didn't get there at the right times.

 

[justcuz]

Nice pictures, thanks. I like the slide out idea of the stove table on the Rover. Was the Willys wagon on an S-10 Blazer frame with IFS? I would have never given that a thought, but it's a nice concept. The FJ pickups and wagons are some of my favorites also. People with green hair always remind me of a movie I saw in elementary school called "The boy with green hair" I can't remember what the movie was about, just his green hair.
You may of heard of another guy I know, Bob Nichols. He does a lot of stuff with old Indians specifically. He's 94 now, so others ride his bikes, but he is still actively designing stuff for Indians. Great guy and a wonderful conversationalist, I mostly listen.

 

[kraven]

I clicked on this because you were working on a beater, and then saw you are also in Asheville. I taught at the Expo. I ride what most would call a beater bike, an 05 400 EXC.

Thanks for sharing your project.

Thanks for being interested and reading along! Glad you had a chance to teach at the expo and visit beer city.
The 400EXC is a beast too. Good choice in beater.

 

[kraven]

Had a sticker made for the beater.

Yeah, I don't know Bob personally. But there are a lot of older people who have kept the hobby going and are now sort of aging out of things.
I think that's why I got into Overlanding. The bikes are either too expensive or too difficult to find parts for, or both, to get into and enjoy. It's a weird time to be in bikes, but guys like Bob usually have a barn full of parts and a big network. I'm a little guy among giants.

I should have the heat core done Sunday and the dash back together-ish (It's crispy and breaking in my hands). My radiator hoses showed up today from Amazon on the Fed Ex truck. I use Gates hoses and belts, which are nice to be able to buy from Amazon for less than the Dayco stuff that's about 25% more expensive and not as good quality. (IMO, obviously)

Looking forward to scrubbing the ductwork and getting the nicotine out of it. The heat core is a weird design, or the plenum rather. It slides into an opening in the top, sort of like an 8 track tape. The lines to the engine compartment are the hard part, since they're S shaped and are the reason the dash has to be unbolted, plenum unbolted from the firewall, and everything moved back about 3 or 4 inches.

Looking forward to getting the anti-freeze in it, the heat working, and the blend doors fixed properly so I can have floor, vent, and defrost instead of just defrost.

Right now I'm searching for some stuff to aid with nav and farkle the interior a bit. CB/weather/shortwave radio, antenna, tablet computer for nav and stuff, tablet mount, phone mount, maybe a forward facing camera to record some action, and I need a new door for my overhead console (a regular fail item on 2nd gen Ram).

I might be heading down to the coast to help with disaster relief, so I may have to get on the gas and quit assing around with the above items and front axle seals, etc.

 

[Buddha.]

Looks like a good time at the expo.

 

[kraven]

Yeah, it was pretty cool. The real fun is in the camp areas and probably after the vendors close up shop. I might camp next year, so I can have the full pass, instruction opportunities, and all the wheeling fun.

Got the heat done.

Took about 6 hours total. Now that I've done it, I could probably do it in 3, if I still had a dash I didn't care about.

Swapped the radiator hoses for the new Gates parts and filled with Glycol/distilled water 60/40 mix that I made from concentrate and a jug o water.

Now the heat will run you out of the thing, but I still don't have floor and dash vent heat. I think I have that figured out and need to mess around with the plenum's blend and trap and whatever doors, but I won't be freezing my butt off this winter in the thing.
Default in these mopars is defrost. So, it'll blow on the windshield no matter what, til I fix it. That's fine for now. Defrost is important. Importanter than hand warmers.

 

[Buddha.]

I think most makes default to defrost. On my s10 pickup i used to have a vacuum hose would fall off the intake manifold sometimes and then i could only get defrost.

 

[justcuz]

Yea it's crazy how some stuff has increased in value. Good if your in the business, but tough as a collector.
I have a vacuum switch problem in my 73 Suburban, going to have to change it out to a later cable system. The vacuum switch is no longer available as I recall.

 

[kraven]

Yeah, I've been reading up on the system and it apparently has a lot of gears and stuff that strip out in the plenum, leaving the doors inoperable. There are a couple of cheap-ish fixes with companies like Heatertreater who make upgraded parts.

All I know is that the heater works like a champ now. It'll dry your sinuses right up. Only takes a couple of minutes to get going. Really stoked about how well it works.

I'm ready to go wheeling in the cold weather, now. I gotta get my camping gear together and get ready to hit the road.

 

[chilliwak]

The beater is looking good Kraven. Good to have some heat for the winter. Cheers, chilli..

 

[kraven]

Thanks, Chili.
Got some medical stuff today and tomorrow, then hoping to meet up with 35xj and pick up some parts from him for the beater. :victory:
This weekend I hope to be on the road with camping gear and doing some overnighting, wheeling, and whatnot. I have some projects to get finished Thursday and Friday, but it's time to get that thing dirty again. Plus the leaves look great right now in AVL. But dang its warm still. Probably will be til Thanksgiving.

Been considering that my truck is low, and maybe I need to do something to protect the front axle and vacuum lines. I've been looking at those bolt on skid plate things by Rough country ( https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00B2T27EK ) But I noticed a lot of people just don't use those. At least what I saw at the expo.
Also considering adding more light. But I really want to take it out and see what I really need and don't need.

 

[chilliwak]

Kraven its always a good idea to see exactly what you need. Those old school difs are pretty stout and unless you are rock crawling I cant see you needing that kind of armor. My old 79 was a $2000 beater when I bought it almost 20 years ago. I slowly saved it from the graveyard by fixing things slowly much like you are doing untill it became a reliable vehicle. 3 years ago I had some extra cash so it got everything rebuilt or changed out, including 1 ton running gear and a new 327 that has a 100 more horsepower than the old tired 350. Its all about finding out your needs and making it happen slowly but surely. I think you are doing it right and getting a truck that is built just how you want it. Cheers, Chilli...

 

[kraven]

Yeah, Chili I think you're right about that stuff. My biggest problem is the stupid vacuum switch. But if it becomes a big problem I'll just upgrade to a cable or a late F250 front end with manual hubs I can lock/unlock.

I did fall prey to the need to have it not look quite so shabby. That bumper piece was bugging me because the inner fenders hook to it, and a lot of stuff was flapping in the breeze as I drove. So...

Only cost 35 bucks and snapped on in about 45 seconds. Need to get some fasteners and get everything snugged up with that piece on the underbumper and fenderwell. But so far it's a big improvement. Looks much better.
I'm also looking into replacing the now non-existent dash. It's like 300 bucks delivered, but even the wife is on my back about how bad the interior looks. hahaha.

One day at a time.

 

[kraven]

So, 35xj is a super nice guy. Unfortunately, I talked his ear off because he is such a nice guy. He was nice enough to let me have some of his derelict parts though. So, I have a new bumper and a swing out spare tire carrier, along with a nice bed mat. What a guy.

I need to get this stuff mounted when I return from Thanksgiving.