Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 12-07-2016, 09:49 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Glider's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 601
Garage
The Silver Streak

I bought a 2006 SMB about a month ago, and somehow 86Scotty got his mitts on it...the short story is that I have yet to lay eyes on my new van, and 86Scotty is playing with it daily. It hardly seems fair. But you know how that guy is...

Well, it's not all bad. 86Scotty is doing some lovely work on my rig. Including the most beautiful rain gutter protection job ever witnessed on this continent. I am going to post the photos, and then I’ll step aside and hope that the man himself will chime in with a few words to describe his masterpiece.
Attached Thumbnails
27187.jpg   27189.jpg   27197.jpg   27198.jpg   27199.jpg  


__________________
OMG, the Silver Streak is Sold!
2006 SMB EB45ish.
5.4L, QuadVan 4x4
Ready to Rumble!
Glider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-07-2016, 10:27 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
Well, let me finish it first. I'll post some pics tomorrow. It will be prepped, primed and painted with factory paint overlaying the edges of the POR15 and then SMB roof tape so all of this work shown will be covered. That's why it's not perfect btw. Should be rather bombproof by the time it gets on a truck this weekend.

Glider, you should back up a bit and share about your long patient quest for the right rig and how I sent you this CL link on a whim. There's a lot more to this story than rain gutters.

Glider's van is a real gem. I'm honored to get to toy with it for awhile.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-07-2016, 11:48 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Glider's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 601
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by 86Scotty View Post
Glider, you should back up a bit and share about your long patient quest for the right rig and how I sent you this CL link on a whim. There's a lot more to this story than rain gutters.
Well, you know how it goes...it just takes awhile to find a rig that ticks all of the right boxes.

I'm a paraglider pilot. All of my flying sites are long drives from home. And flying a paraglider is a fickle business. The weather has to be just right. It can look great in the morning, but by the time you get to the launch site, it can be all wrong. Launching a paraglider when the weather is wrong is not just foolish. It is literally a suicide mission.

Bottom line: I decided that the best way to support my paragliding habit was to get a van that I could live in on long weekends. That way, I could hit the road on a Thursday or Friday night, not knowing exactly what flying site I would end up at, but waking up the next morning much closer to likely sites. Spend the day flying, snooze in the van, and get up the next day and do it again.

So I bought a 1997 Roadtrek with 120,000 miles and a lot that didn't work for $6,800. And I learned a lot. By the time I was done, I had installed a new propane tank, and gone through nearly every system in the rig. Once I started driving it, I realized two things: first, I needed four wheel drive in order to have a useful paragliding base camp. (Honestly, I don't know why I failed to consider this before buying the RT. I certainly knew better. Oh, well. Live and learn.) Second: The RT made a fantastic mobile office for me. I spend a lot of time at remote project locations. The RT was a fantastic business tool.

But it wasn't 4WD. So when someone I knew fell in love with it, I sold the RT, and began my hunt for a combination paragliding base camp and mobile office.

I have binders full of information about pretty much everything there is out there. XP Camper, Earth Cruiser, 4 Wheel Camper...I looked at 'em all. I drove a bunch of different rigs. But I kept coming back to Sportsmobiles.

The search continued. I checked out a lot of SMBs. Drove a few. Came close to buying Mobi, the Jackson Kayak rig, but it wasn't quite right. Came really close to buying Rusty. But once again, the stars were not in alignment. There was a rig at SMB North that I thought about for quite some time--it had a lot going for it, and it had been on the list for many months. I called Nancy to make an offer two days after someone else had stepped forward. Then I visited SMB Austin, and really liked a 6L EB they had parked out front. Which led me to doing a ton of research on the 6L Power Strokes. In the end, I decided that a gasser was a better choice for me.

Many wonderful people helped me along the way. Ramsey stepped up early in the process, and was always around to offer advice. 86Scotty jumped into the game, and sent me leads and ideas. John McKee, of Quadvan, shared his expertise. And many other forum members answered questions and shared their knowledge.

In mid-October this year, 86Scotty sent me a link to a CL listing for a 2006 SMB in the DC area, with 39,000 miles on the odometer. One week, and much research later, the seller and I came to terms. 86Scotty hopped on an airplane, picked up the Silver Streak for me, and made the 8 hour drive back to his place, sending me photos, videos, and texts the entire trip. That was a very fun day.

So now the Silver Streak is mine. 86Scotty has gone through her from stem to stern, and with every bit we learn about her, I am more and more impressed. She is in lovely shape. I asked 86S to do a rather full list of maintenance items--changing the fluids, servicing the generator, installing new coach batteries, installing replacement tires, checking function of all systems. He is also doing a full POR 15 sealing of the rain gutters as a preventative measure, and is doing some interior work for me, as well.

The SS is going to hop a ride to my place with a transport company sometime late this week or early next week. Once she arrives at my place, the next step will be the 4X4 conversion. And then I think maybe I'll go flying...

I am very excited about my new van. Many thanks to 86Scotty for all of his help. My friend, you are the master!

Bianca
__________________
OMG, the Silver Streak is Sold!
2006 SMB EB45ish.
5.4L, QuadVan 4x4
Ready to Rumble!
Glider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2016, 09:11 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Flux's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 1,420
Congrats on that awesome rig!!
Flux is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-13-2016, 05:49 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
So I finished with Glider's rig last Saturday morning about 4:30 so it could be on a flatbed at 8 a.m. Glider had an unfathomable good luck streak with shipping. Her van left Tn Saturday morning at 8 and was delivered to her outside Seattle today at noon. Given all the winter storms across the country right now the driver smoked it, covering the 2500 plus miles in 3.5 days. I could barely do that in a car.

Sooooo.....yet another dreamer has taken delivery of their dream van today. It's not new, not perfect but pretty nice being an 06 with only 39k. Hopefully she'll be sharing more impressions here soon. I was honored to be a part of the experience. Hang in there if you're looking for the right van for yourself. It will happen.

86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-13-2016, 08:23 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Glider's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 601
Garage
I am sitting in a parking lot with the PH up, in 40 degree weather, having my first dinner in the Silver Streak. I am stretched out on the gaucho, warm, comfy, and totally, deliriously happy. It doesn't get much better than this.
Attached Thumbnails
148168556776516347916.jpg  
Glider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-13-2016, 10:19 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
larrie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Oregon Ciry Oregon
Posts: 2,843
I hope the parking lot has an ocean or mountain view.
__________________
Larrie
Read detailed trip reports, see photos and videos on my travel blog, luinil.com.
Current van: 2002 Ford E350 extended body camper with Colorado Camper Van pop top and Agile Offroad 4WD conversion.
larrie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-13-2016, 11:11 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Glider's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 601
Garage
No view at all, larrie. That will come another day, and I'll be even more deliriously happy. Tonight, the best I could do was the parking lot at the local food coop. But even that was awesome!

There's just something about a van.
__________________
OMG, the Silver Streak is Sold!
2006 SMB EB45ish.
5.4L, QuadVan 4x4
Ready to Rumble!
Glider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2016, 06:21 AM   #9
Site Team
 
BroncoHauler's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
So, what is Eric's next project?
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
BroncoHauler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-14-2016, 07:03 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
Quote:
Originally Posted by BroncoHauler View Post
So, what is Eric's next project?
His own van I hope, but I'm easily distracted.
86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:44 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.