Hackster's crew cab first gen cummins

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
Sometimes I read a fabrication thread and think to myself, "man I wish this guy was one of my neighbors"! Once we build our new house in 2 years my garage will look like that with room for at least 3 of our 5 cars, a plasma or water cutting table, welding space, and a few other fun accessories.
 

hackster

Adventurer
Funny how us car guys think of it......I had a guy move in to my neighborhood a year ago and they bought a house three up from me and started putting a shop up before he moved anything in. I walked by the house every day to check out the project and see who was moving in and what they were going to be doing in the shop.

He is a total gear head like me and we chat all the time, even helped him out a couple times and likewise.

However, every other neighbor I have has got to hate me. I try and keep my place looking nice and everything put away either in the garage or behind my shop or fence but on occasion, there is the Gantry or crane setup in the driveway and parts all over the yard.

Thanks for all the kind words, its still kind of weird to see the old girl in print when it was two totally different trucks less than a year ago.

Now to get the rest of my rack built and get ready for the trip!!!

Sean
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
However, every other neighbor I have has got to hate me. I try and keep my place looking nice and everything put away either in the garage or behind my shop or fence but on occasion, there is the Gantry or crane setup in the driveway and parts all over the yard. Sean

Pretty sure my neighbors hate me sometimes as well. Between the 2 Jeeps, a Chevy diesel, and the Miata turbo project I tinker with one of our cars at least twice a week, but my wife's Mazda 3 is off limits to me aside from just driving it. My biggest problem is that I typically start one project before another is finished, so I will leave things out longer than they need to be.
 

hackster

Adventurer
A year turned into months, months turned into weeks and it is down now to just days.

We are heading out on our trip soon, finalizing the planning now and finishing up on the bed work. Today was spent building attachments and racks for two 24 gallon action packers, two 5 gallon diesel cans and one 5 gallon gasoline can, a chainsaw and one small cooler.

Still need to build some mounts for 2 bicycles, two separate coolers, one for frozen foods and one for refrigerated just cold foods.

Still have a few things to do to the truck to get it ready but its getting close!!!

6,000 miles is a long way for this old girl =)

Sean
 

hackster

Adventurer
Got some stuff painted and mounted up last night. Still need to get the ARB Fridge here and installed as well as a jack and mount for it and a mount for the spare tire on the trailer.

Getting pretty nervous about the trip, did not sleep much last night thinking about all the stuff I still have left to do. Am I the only one that does this?

Sean









 

redthies

Renaissance Redneck
No, you're not the only one. Wishing you built the longer bed yet? I know you mentioned it at some point, but where are you headed on the "trip"?
 

hackster

Adventurer
Homer Alaska, then up to Denali. Total trip mileage should be just north of 6,000 miles from Portland and back.

Not regretting the bed length much right now, I might sing a different tune in two weeks though =) Love the flat bed for building racks and stuff and having the ability to bolt stuff onto it. Miss the real bed for being able to just toss stuff in there.

Taking three weeks off work for the first time in my life I will be gone longer than a week from the office.

Sean
 

bftank

Explorer
im the same way, after awhile i just say screw it and go other wise, i will have unnecesarily packed my entire house and missed the adventure.
 

Metcalf

Expedition Leader
Try and just relax. There isn't much your going to do now that is going to make a huge difference in prep most likely. I just did about 2300+ miles in my flat fender....

http://2000milesofnervousnirvana.blogspot.com/

What I learned. Slow down. Stop and see things you normally wouldn't. Take more cash money than you think you need, having issues with a card in the middle of nowhere sucks. You don't need as much stuff as you think you do. Bugs suck, take a head net. Give the vehicle a good look over at fuel stops....engine oil, belts, hoses, undercarriage, drivelines, and feel the hubs at all four corners. Get off the dang interstate....you can't stop for the cool stuff.

Have a great trip!
 

redthies

Renaissance Redneck
Love the flat bed for building racks and stuff and having the ability to bolt stuff onto it. Miss the real bed for being able to just toss stuff in there.

This is why I traded the flatdeck on my 3500 for a factory box. I haul random crap everyday, and hate having to strap it down all he time. Plus I have access to an '08 3500 Dodge and a 4x4 Mitsubishi Fuso, both with flatdecks.

Make sure to pm me if you pass through the Whistler area on your way north or south. I can send you to some great free camp spots, and I guess if I have to, I could be forced to spend a long while checking out your truck!
 

redthies

Renaissance Redneck
As Metcalf said, take some extra cash money. I tried to help out a guy from Calif the other day when his credit card wouldn't work, and he banked at a small credit union. Thy didn't have a toll free number available outside the lower 48, so he was having a heck of a time getting fuel. Make sure you take a direct dial number or your bank just in case...
 

phydough

Observer
Old Dodges are my favorite and this is one nice rig. Have any of your neighbors claimed that you are running a chopshop? Happened to me, the responding cop was a truck guy and spent about 2 hours getting details of my build and shooting bull, claimed it in his paperwork as "investigation" time.
 

hackster

Adventurer
Try and just relax. There isn't much your going to do now that is going to make a huge difference in prep most likely. I just did about 2300+ miles in my flat fender....

http://2000milesofnervousnirvana.blogspot.com/

What I learned. Slow down. Stop and see things you normally wouldn't. Take more cash money than you think you need, having issues with a card in the middle of nowhere sucks. You don't need as much stuff as you think you do. Bugs suck, take a head net. Give the vehicle a good look over at fuel stops....engine oil, belts, hoses, undercarriage, drivelines, and feel the hubs at all four corners. Get off the dang interstate....you can't stop for the cool stuff.

Have a great trip!

Thanks for the link, You and I must have been cast from the same mold, we are very similar ideas of "fun". I read through a couple days of your trip, hope to get more time to read through the rest of it today. I am religous about checking stuff out when I stop and the plan is to stop and enjoy things along the way, take side roads and heck even get lost a couple times. Good idea on the head net, that is one thing that did not cross my mind.

This is why I traded the flatdeck on my 3500 for a factory box. I haul random crap everyday, and hate having to strap it down all he time. Plus I have access to an '08 3500 Dodge and a 4x4 Mitsubishi Fuso, both with flatdecks.

Make sure to pm me if you pass through the Whistler area on your way north or south. I can send you to some great free camp spots, and I guess if I have to, I could be forced to spend a long while checking out your truck!

As Metcalf said, take some extra cash money. I tried to help out a guy from Calif the other day when his credit card wouldn't work, and he banked at a small credit union. Thy didn't have a toll free number available outside the lower 48, so he was having a heck of a time getting fuel. Make sure you take a direct dial number or your bank just in case...

I am taking more cash than I should need and am planning to use the debit card where I can and save the cash for when we need it. Banks suck anyways.

We should be going through Whistler either on the way up there or on the way back, Ill shoot you a PM when I know for sure when we will be there =)

Old Dodges are my favorite and this is one nice rig. Have any of your neighbors claimed that you are running a chopshop? Happened to me, the responding cop was a truck guy and spent about 2 hours getting details of my build and shooting bull, claimed it in his paperwork as "investigation" time.

Thats too funny, no I have not had any of them claim I am running a chop shop yet......Couple of them inquisitively look into the yard/shop area and look to see what I am working on but I am sure the day will come when someone will turn me in or call the cops on me for something. Got another truck coming home this weekend for a new build.

Finished round two of spray on sound deadener last night on the entire bottom side of the cab, front to back, rocker to rocker and up to the first pinch weld on the firewall. Also did two coats on the inside of the rear doors and a single coat on the back wall of the cab inside, behind the seat and filled up the rear cab corners.

Did Hushmat Hood liner on the bottom side of the hood as well, cut out and recessed into the triangle openings.

All this in order to create a more comfortable, quiet ride for the wife and dog =)

Took it out for a spin last night and it is definately better than it was before, not 100% sure it was worth all the work and $$$, but rpetty sure it is one of the quietest first gen cummins trucks around.

Muffler and front upper kingpin bushings, springs and seals should be here this morning so I can work on that tonight and tomorrow night.

Bit the bullet yesterday and ordered the ARB Fridge in a 50 QT. Should be here on Friday.

Less afraid of a bear attack today too so that is good.

Sean
 

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