Can it be done, (THE BUILD) a little back country trip to the USA

newhue

Adventurer
Hi, I have a thread of smiler name in the back country planning section, but that's for planning. I thought this would be where "the build" part goes. In short-I have a dream; to rebuild the ol Tdi, bring it to the US, holiday in it with the family seeing the USA's best back country the west and Brutish Columbia has to offer. Then sell it to help pay for it all. Any one interested? Don't get too excited, it's not until 2019.
This is it how I picked it up. A stock 94 Tdi with 205K mile on it. Gasp I hear, but I have mates with 270K and have meet people with 600K mile so I think it's just loosened up. I plan by the time I have finish with it, and made it reliable enough for the family to travel in it 6 months, it will be pretty much as good as it will get. I had planned to do other things with it. And have done the timing belt, water pump, and radiator already. But now it's time to pull it all apart and start again.


 

jh.

ambitiose sed ineptum
If you want to wind up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (best of the west by far), then you have a buyer right here.
 

newhue

Adventurer
Well i'll keep you in mind. And google Jackson Hole later, best of the west suits me.

I picked up a known 18k kilometre 4 pin diff centre out of a Tdci yesterday. Plan is to replace the old 2 pin front diff centre while I replace the bearings and seals as well. I'll put a Detroit in the back, that combo has got me everywhere else in my travel.
 

spikemd

Explorer
That is a great truck. I would love to own a 130 so if you pass by Tahoe/Sacramento, I may be interested in purchasing it as well. I would like to put a 4wheel camper on the back.
130camper_lrg2.jpg



Tons of areas to explore in the western US. Must see: Moab, Death Valley, Lake Tahoe, Joshua Tree, can spend some civilized time in Napa and Monterey and drive up the California coast to see the massive redwoods. Lots to see and do.

Good luck with the build.
 

newhue

Adventurer
That looks quite smart. As per unual Landy dealings there are always so many options and ways to build a tourer. Initially I thought I'd look around for a original tub back. I like the look of them as do many others. But then thought of inner mud guards and the filler neck boxing which all take space. Plus the weight of them. Which got me thinking about the alloy tray which is so very practical. I can lift it a little and make a huge cavity for tyres, spares, and a water tank. I could make it lockable, keep the light weight and still keep all of the 1.8 sqr flat tray space. Doesn't look as good bit tourers are about practicality first.

I've swapped the bonnet for a standard bonnet. Cool as a tyre looks up there, they are a pain for lifting the hood, and visibility sometimes if you don't run 7.50x16.
Still dreaming the end truck before I start getting to excited and actually playing with stuff.
 

newhue

Adventurer
Fridges and bears

Hi guys, I need some help with fridges and bears. Down here it's very common to have a fridge in a vehicle. We chuck in cryovac meats, some fruit and veg, maybe a bit of dairy and go back country for a couple weeks. But we don't have animals with a one track mind to bulk up for the winter either. I was thinking of putting a fridge in the tray but wondered about potential smell. Would a fridge be better sealed off in the vehicle to reduce this. Or is it cold enough where bears hang out to bag it and hang it all from a tree each night. What do you guys do.
 

LR Max

Local Oaf
Hi guys, I need some help with fridges and bears. Down here it's very common to have a fridge in a vehicle. We chuck in cryovac meats, some fruit and veg, maybe a bit of dairy and go back country for a couple weeks. But we don't have animals with a one track mind to bulk up for the winter either. I was thinking of putting a fridge in the tray but wondered about potential smell. Would a fridge be better sealed off in the vehicle to reduce this. Or is it cold enough where bears hang out to bag it and hang it all from a tree each night. What do you guys do.

The problem is that bears recognize the shape. So even if it was in your vehicle, you still need to cover it. Also it seems really near Yellowstone national park is it an issue. I spent a week out in the woods in Colorado and never had a problem. Also this year was wet so the bears had plenty of natural food to get, rather than take risks to go after it.

So if they seal well, probably look at having it inside another bag and then covering it. Its a pain but should work. Or email the fridge manufacturer and ask them about how well it seals against smells.
 

Red90

Adventurer
They do not go by sight. They go by smell. There is nothing you can do to prevent a bear from smelling something. In bear country, food should be inside a closed vehicle or hung up away from camp.

In any case, I would not leave a fridge in the back of an open tray to begin with. Someone would steal the fridge. You need to be a lot more worried about security and humans if you want to travel the US....
 

newhue

Adventurer
Thanks guys,
LR Max, I find popular camp grounds is really the problem. Humans are careless and chuck food scraps away which makes easy picking for animals. I know, my wife is one of them so she will have to lift her game. We have possums down here. Not big or dangerous but pesky and always keen to ransack your camp. Move away from popular camp spots and it's not an issue at all.

Red90, yes sadly forget about the human factor. I guess down here in our major cities the fridge may go missing if it were not covered. Bit like the possums scenario really.
 

jh.

ambitiose sed ineptum
Up here (near Yellowstone) you shouldn't have to worry about humans THAT much (every year there is one small run of wallets being stolen from cars near trailheads, but it tends to be a bored 16yo). Bears are a concern...but I keep my fridge inside my RRS with no issues (yet) and did the same with my Disco. I'm more concerned about the garbage bag (don't want that inside the rover while I sleep in there), so I move it about 300 yards away.

Just bring some bear spray and a gun (this is America....we love guns) and you'll be fine. Once a bear becomes a problem (i.e. repeated human/trash encounters), they either remove or destroy the animal.
 

newhue

Adventurer
I have a alloy fridge frame that replaces the 1/4 seat in the rear if the truck. Its provides good access to the fridge via the rear passenger door. Down side is by the time it all comes about the kids will be 10 and 12. And sitting beside each other in the back picking on each other may see Dad go right off his nut more than once or twice.
My other option could be put it in the tray, but house it in a custom lockable metal box with a drop down fridge slide. I could go all out and make the box bear and feral proof, and paint a big berry on the side of it.
 

newhue

Adventurer
It seems the fridges fait has been sorted. The wife wants a freezer as well, so in the back it all goes with it's own bear box of sorts. Will decide if the batteries slip under the tray or in the OE battery box cavity later. Looks like I'll be going solar as well now to keep it all chilli.

Speaking of chilling things down, do you guys get into air conditioning? Perhaps better saying Defender air conditioning. It's going to cost $1000 to overhaul, and doesn't really bother me as we plan to be there tail end of summer, fall, and early winter. I can spend it on other things but it could also be a nice point at the end.
 

jh.

ambitiose sed ineptum
It seems the fridges fait has been sorted. The wife wants a freezer as well, so in the back it all goes with it's own bear box of sorts. Will decide if the batteries slip under the tray or in the OE battery box cavity later. Looks like I'll be going solar as well now to keep it all chilli.

Speaking of chilling things down, do you guys get into air conditioning? Perhaps better saying Defender air conditioning. It's going to cost $1000 to overhaul, and doesn't really bother me as we plan to be there tail end of summer, fall, and early winter. I can spend it on other things but it could also be a nice point at the end.

Completely depends on where you will be and when. I am always over 6200' and never need A/C....but the second I drop into the high desert (ironically a bit higher elevation that where I live), it's sweltering in August. You will appreciate the A/C on nearly every mile of interstate in the summer, but can live without it on mountain trails.
 

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