Dawn Patrol Build

[Gatorbait]

So I've moved back to FL and I'm finally getting settled in. I haven't been getting much done because it's been pouring every afternoon. I forgot what florida summers were like. Anyway, ALL the cables to the doors were bad so I've replaced a few. I still need to get the handles for the doors. I put on all the aluminess stuff.

The ladder was pretty straight forward, just line it up, drill 2 holes, bolt it on.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/ ... z8ax0b.jpg

Then I worked on the tire carrier and box for my motocross gear.




Take the bumper off


Drill out the bottom 1/4" of the pin and knock it out. Put in the new hardware.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/ ... sgvbds.jpg

[Tienckb]

Stout and bad azz looking, I dig it.

[UJOINT]

Looking good!

[E350]

Can't you get sent to the Base Commander for parking on the lawn? For some reason you seem to prefer tan vehicles... I have one of these and it served us well on a 26-day 2010 pre-Olympic cat skiing trip all around So. B.C.:

http://www.webasto.com/int/markets-prod ... l-top-evo/

I respect what you do buddy. Welcome back and enjoy this Winter with your van!

[Gatorbait]

I'm not on base any more. I just have to answer to mom, she's worse than the base commander some times. I was looking at the dual heaters, but I found a good deal on a Hyd D5 and Air D2 combo. I just opened the packaging today so I'll have to figure all of that out soon.

[Gatorbait]

Put the window in today.. To be honest, I didn't measure shit. I just eyed it level, held up the inside frame and traced it out with a marker. I got pretty close with the saw and only had to use a grinder for about a minute just to smooth everything out. Pretty self explanatory.

[GrumpyBadger]

Helluva continuing story, lad.

WRT skiing... congrats on the Epic Pass... but be advised that overnight parking around the ski towns of CO may be problematical... as in not allowed for the most part. Do some careful research / call ahead to make sure you have a place to land. I had a thread on this subject open last year and never bothered to take my van up for reasons including inconvenient overnighting. YMMV. Just be aware you most likely cannot just hang out in a ski area parking lot or on a town street or even in the friggin WalMarts! (I inquired and was told NO) Hope that caution helps you plan so you aren't caught unawares. It may be possible, just don't assume it is open and free in all cases. You may have to work / look a little for overnighting.

Regardless... give us CO folks a shout when you're in the neighborhood. Who knows... one or more of us might join you for cold BEvERage somewhere after some turns.

[Gatorbait]

Put the vent in yesterday... pretty straight forward. Cut a hole the size of the fitting, put butyl tape down, lap sealant, pilot holes, screws. I'm going to cut down the screws and weld some kind of support for the roof around it. I would have loved to go in between those ribs, but with the other stuff on the roof rack, this was the only location that worked.

[Gatorbait]

Made my first blog post.. check it out.
http://paradise2pavement.com/2015/08/13 ... xperience/

[GrumpyBadger]

Cool rig shaping up.

To follow on from my earlier "heads-up" post about things out west here (well, the skiing thing, anyway), be aware that a number of states require fender flares and/or mud flaps for lifted rigs like this. There have been a number of threads on the topic you might want to look at to maybe save grief down the road. This is part of the reason you see many pics of rigs with the flares I dare say (though I think they also LOOK good on these things). Some folks have had issues particularly in UT and CA (and WA, I think) with cops pulling them over even with out-of-state plates - and even with flares when the cop thinks they should have flaps too.

Not trying to be a downer pill... just trying to help while you're building so you don't get surprised.