"One Piece At A Time" Build

Mat Mobile

Adventurer
I got these from another post on ExPo, so not my idea, but here is how they added photos (sadly, I copied the instructions into a Word document, but not the link I got them from ) - Ive tried it and it works, but it is tendious - not like photobucket

Instructions for Inserting Google photos into Forum Posts:


Go in your Google drive account and find the photo you want to share.
• Double-click the photo so that it appears full size in the middle of the screen.
• Click on the 3 dots at the top right to open the menu and choose "Share".
• Make sure the top right "Get shareable link" is on.
• Click "Copy link".
• Open another tab or webpage and go to the Google Drive Direct Link Generator.
• Paste the link from your google drive to the "Enter your sharing URL" field.
• Click on the "Create direct link" button.
• Click anywhere in the "Output link" field. It should be fully selected. If not, press Ctrl-A.
• Press Ctrl-C (or right click and click on "Copy").
• Come back to the Expedition Portal and click on the "Insert Image" button.
• In the pop-up, go in the "From URL" tab.
• Click in the field and press Ctrl-V (or right click and click on "Paste").
• Click "Ok"

Here's the link: https://sites.google.com/site/gdocs2direct/
 

Corneilius

Adventurer
How are these attached through the fiberglass top? With the conversion tops, are the rain gutters still accessible for mounting a rack?

They are drilled through the fiberglass with a big backing plate on the inside. They (the gutters) are useable but much narrower than a non-hightop because the trim strip takes up space.

Would I drill the roof again? Maybe. It was quick and easy and my roof is 1.5" honeycomb (strong) but I've chased a couple leaks and Ive got a few design changes that are hard to implement now.

Ive been chewing on removing the rack and filling the holes with epoxy and starting over from the gutters....but thats a lot of work and the rack works really well as is.
 

mothgils

Member
They are drilled through the fiberglass with a big backing plate on the inside. They (the gutters) are useable but much narrower than a non-hightop because the trim strip takes up space.

Would I drill the roof again? Maybe. It was quick and easy and my roof is 1.5" honeycomb (strong) but I've chased a couple leaks and Ive got a few design changes that are hard to implement now.

Ive been chewing on removing the rack and filling the holes with epoxy and starting over from the gutters....but thats a lot of work and the rack works really well as is.

Got ya. I am hoping to work a deal on a E350 with a conversion top similar to yours. I haven't seen it in person so I wasn't sure on how much room there was for brackets. Keep me posted if you go that route. That will be the direction I go...luckily I have lasers and press brakes at my disposal:sombrero:
 

Corneilius

Adventurer
Got ya. I am hoping to work a deal on a E350 with a conversion top similar to yours. I haven't seen it in person so I wasn't sure on how much room there was for brackets. Keep me posted if you go that route. That will be the direction I go...luckily I have lasers and press brakes at my disposal:sombrero:

Cool, yeah we had a van here at the shop the other day, he used a universal gutter mount (smittybuilt, JCR etc) then 1/4" aluminum uprights and square alum crossbars. It worked and was reasonably stout, but not very sexy. Id probably incorporate a couple of bends to keep it tight to the top.
 

mothgils

Member
Cool, yeah we had a van here at the shop the other day, he used a universal gutter mount (smittybuilt, JCR etc) then 1/4" aluminum uprights and square alum crossbars. It worked and was reasonably stout, but not very sexy. Id probably incorporate a couple of bends to keep it tight to the top.

Yeah, I think a clean bracket with small offset bends could keep it tight while still retaining it's strength.
 

Corneilius

Adventurer
Hey can someone let me know if the pictures on the last page showed up? Hopefully figured out google drive sharing. Thanks for the help

test

uc
 

Corneilius

Adventurer
2 years now Ive been running around with 4.10s, 215k miles on the motor. Im happy with them.

My axles were 4.10 already, and looking at the $$$ to go 4.56 vs Gas/Travel money, I'm not changing. I daily drive it at 7500ish pounds, loaded for bear is probably closer to 8500.

4.30 will be great, don't hyper focus on your gearing.
 

KYC

Adventurer
What's up with your rear bumper? Mine is a chrome one. Can I find that same bumper from a 250 or 350 and bolt it in?
 

Corneilius

Adventurer
What's up with your rear bumper? Mine is a chrome one. Can I find that same bumper from a 250 or 350 and bolt it in?

Yeah its a factory step bumper with a custom tire swing out. I wanted the grey so I saved one off base model van, they also came in chrome.
 

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