Van Action!!!

[ujoint]

Hit a few trails around Mammoth this past weekend, so I figured I'd start this thread to show you guys & hope to see more photos of our vans in action! Lets see some pics!

 

[adventureduo]

More pics please!:26_7_2:

 

[ujoint]

I didn't take many, still teaching my girl how to take a good pic. Also, didn't do anything crazy. This is Laurel Lakes Trail. I also had some sideways fun on a few dirt trails in the Alabama Hills. It was a blast. Nothing like dirt drifting an 8K lb van!!

 

[BajaTaco]

Awesome

Let's see some more van pics :lurk:

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Yes, more pics please!!!

 

[ujoint]

here's a little Azusa action. BTW, my van is going to be in the Oct issue of Petersons 4Wheel & Offroad. I'll create a post when I know it's on newsstands.---------------Chris

 

[adventureduo]

I've seen you post many times, but have you done a writeup or a rig post on your van with specs?

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Chris-

I think we passed along the Mojave Trail (actually nearer the Colorado River just a few miles from the Avi) a few months back, we had 8 vehicles all with Adventure Trailers in tow. Your van looks even nicer in person, at least the few seconds I got to look!

 

[ujoint]

Chris-

I think we passed along the Mojave Trail (actually nearer the Colorado River just a few miles from the Avi) a few months back, we had 8 vehicles all with Adventure Trailers in tow. Your van looks even nicer in person, at least the few seconds I got to look!

Yea, I remember!! All the rigs with trailers. Alex was actually at the shop this morning picking up some fenders for his Jeep. That was a fun trip, trying to keep up with a bunch of Jeeps. Those guys were haulin ********. Everything in my cooler was destroyed, I was workin the van pretty hard, had to be very careful in the areas with trees. I wish we could have all hung out, maybe even camped, but I wasn't in charge. It would have been cool to check out everone's gear.--Chris

 

[ujoint]

I've seen you post many times, but have you done a writeup or a rig post on your van with specs?

Is there a particular place to do that? Or should I just do it here?


Also, I have the complete buildup with details on my website under the vanaconda page. www.ujointclothing.com

 

[haven]

great work

Thanks for sharing the details of the build on you web site.
Looks like a first class job!

Do you have any interest to build replica vans? Now that
you've had time on the trail, would you change any part
of your build?

Chip Haven

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Yea, I remember!! All the rigs with trailers. Alex was actually at the shop this morning picking up some fenders for his Jeep. That was a fun trip, trying to keep up with a bunch of Jeeps. Those guys were haulin ********. Everything in my cooler was destroyed, I was workin the van pretty hard, had to be very careful in the areas with trees. I wish we could have all hung out, maybe even camped, but I wasn't in charge. It would have been cool to check out everone's gear.--Chris

Yep I would have loved to have hooked up for a camp fire with you, but we were in the relaxed mode putting around. Next time we'll have to hook up for a few :beer: !

 

[ujoint]

Thanks for sharing the details of the build on you web site.
Looks like a first class job!

Do you have any interest to build replica vans? Now that
you've had time on the trail, would you change any part
of your build?

Chip Haven

I would love to build more vans, and I've done a few projects since building mine. I've done 4 conversions, and done some upgrades on a few Quigleys recently. I've built a small production run of the front leaf spring hangers, I made 15 kits. That alone takes ALLOT of work out of the 4x4 conversion, saving $$ and speeding up the process. I've only sold a few, the van market just isn't that strong. Actually, the entire industry is down right now. If the kits sold better, I would develop more product for 4x4 vans. --- As far as my van, there isn't anything I would change suspension wise, it does everything I need it to do pretty well. I'm going to work with a local sway bar manufacturer to develop an electronic sway bar disconnect, and add some other things like my onboard air & water tank, rear bumper & some rocker protection. All major projects are on hold right now, I've got some other things that require some $$, and I can't be pissing a bunch of $$ on the van, as much as I want to.

 

[Scott Brady]

Did you make it up the shelf road to the lakes? You drove past one of my all-time favorite campsites!

 

[ujoint]

I drove a JK down to the lakes last month, and we had to 2 point turn that rig. So there's no way the van is getting down there, that last turn is pretty tight. It was getting late, so I only went to the meadow where the campsites are.