Builds complete BJ45 rebuild start next week in Bolivia

[mailking]

Nice car that Trekka!

 

[78fj40mg]

mailking - WOW!! What an adventure! Thank you for making this thread possible so we can see what you see around the world, this is an amazing thread! Thank you Coen!!

 

[Falco80]

Driving of the ferry crossing backwards.

Rain turns roads into a slide.


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

I love these two pics. They just scream adventure, and you two are living the dream! Always love the updates.

 

[mailking]

LIVE UPDATE - LIVE UPDATE - LIVE UPDATE - LIVE UPDATE - LIVE UPDATE - LIVE UPDATE:

Currently we are in Belem, Brazil and experienced some bad cracks in the aluminum roof extension. So luckily for us the local 4x4 club came to the rescue and offered us a place to stay and excellent tools.

How much stuff can you keep in a Land Cruiser?

Coen in action in yet again an empty Land Cruiser.

Getting the roof off requires awesome power and some tools.

You can see clearly through to the other side.

Super tools have been lend to us.

Really speechless to see this kind of wear so short after a complete body work job in Bolivia!

Using brains not power, makes us who we are.

Preparing the Tig welding equipment.

Getting the reinforment in place and opening the original piece to "pull" in the new aluminum.

Tig welding is an art and Carlos is a master!

Immense heat is produced with Tig welding. Protective gloves and leather jacket are a must.

This is the finished weld. Looks great!

In the meantime we are driving around town topless!


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[24vRHD]

Cruiser looks great topless. Mine is about to go through the exact same process. I am similarly scared of what I'm going to find when I pop off the roof. All I know now: When it rains outside... it rains inside

 

[Falco80]

Bad luck, hope you get the roof extension fixed all right. Back in my Navy days I served on frigates which had steel hulls and aluminium superstructures. In very large sub-antarctic southern-ocean swells, we experienced cracking along the joining of the hull and superstructure, due to the hull flexing and the superstructure staying rigid. That was exciting!
This might be what happened in your case?

 

[crushers]

you need to install a fex joint. a place where the twist of the body isn't passed on to the aluminum peice.
if you look at your hardtop, the rear sides are bolted to the upper door runner which is bolted to the windscreen. above the doors at the back between the hard top sides there is a runner that is bolted to the sides.
this is to allow flex. you are now trying to stiffen that point. not advised.

 

[mailking]

Thanks guys, for the advice. This "engineering" was done by the previous owner, and we like the comfort to much of the higher roof. Very difficult to make it flex the way the roof does. I am going to install some thicker rubber between it, that might help?

 

[Pistorman]

Thanks guys, for the advice. This "engineering" was done by the previous owner, and we like the comfort to much of the higher roof. Very difficult to make it flex the way the roof does. I am going to install some thicker rubber between it, that might help?

Hopefully it does. Very thick with some give or play when bolted back in.

The Landcruiser does flex a bit. That is the reason why the front fenders are separate from the cowl. Its amazing that such a strong chassis still has a body that flexes. Also, the hard bumps don't help much in that matter. But it is still a master of engineering for a 60 year plus original design.

 

[mailking]

Back to Guyana:

We have been in the mines today! Almost a kilo of gold!

Frontier messaging. On the Amazon riverfront checking emails at the KFC wifi

Aids and Malaria, not unknown here.

Beverly, owner of a shop that caters to goldminers.

Real gold, just have to look good.

Potholed roads are not our favorite. Yours?



Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[mailking]

New calendar: Legendary Roads series: Transamazônica

Hello all,

It's that time of the year again where I start thinking about making a new calendar. And while driving on the famous BR230 - the Transamazônica - the idea presented itself. Live on and along the Transamazônica brings progress and destruction at the same time. It's still a wild west, with cowboys and gold, burning forests and pristine pieces. Difficult stretches and asphalted bits. Overall it's a machine wrecking road, especially during rainy season when it's nearly impassable.

So 13 awesome images put in a large format [Measures 17" x 22" when hung on wall] calendar. Now a new feature at Cafepress let's you choose your own starting month and year.

http://www.cafepress.com/landcruising.709434129

Legendary Roads calendar: the Transamazonica
Follow us as we drive 1200 miles of the Transamazonion Highway through Brazil's Amazon; a fascinating journey through protected rainforest but also through deforested regions where cattle reigns.

Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[mailking]

More on Guyana!

Rain in the jungle brings out vivid colors. Do you like rain?

Getting into the interior requires some MMC ferries

The thick jungle opens up and shows us this.

The worn roads in the south of Guyana!

Dragonfly hitching a ride on the winch.

A local made dredger in a gold town. How do you like that color?

Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[crushers]

i have no issue with rain, rain coupled with sunshine = beautiful pics and scenery.

as always, love it when you update.

 

[goneloco]

As always, Beautiful photos. I received two of your Calenders and they are great. Prefect for Christmas.

Keep exploring and posting!

 

[mailking]

as always, love it when you update.

It gives me pleasure to give you all satisfaction

As always, Beautiful photos. I received two of your Calenders and they are great. Prefect for Christmas.

Keep exploring and posting!

Thanks, I hope you will make someone happy with those calendars. I should make more of them, but time is factor and internet as well...

Soon some more images, I promise.

 

[mailking]

We are working hard on our new website while lingering on the beach in Brazil!

More jungle in the Amazon rainforest in Guyana:

Karboura is a nasty little fly that leave itchy bloodmarks.

Stocking up in a gold town. Pure basics

Gold = money!

Entering Madhia; absurd amount of potholes

Another Toyota: detail: 3 different tires.


Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[mailking]

Back at it again... Enjoying the beach in Brazil while bringing you up to speed with some more images of Guyana. The bush is really where it is happening. Great people, great adventure to be had. I imagine this would be like in the US during the gold rush days...

Driving through a lot of waterholes.

Toyota Hilux: Jungle ready drives around in the gold town.

Find the hidden Sackwear 100 series!

Playing in the mud to get gold.

Local made tools, my favorite. Which brand tools do you use?

A lady of the evening during the day looks different!

Guyana, has sheep running amok everywhere.

Silent evidence of a eventful night...

Burning gold.

Playing pool in a gold town.



Adventurous greetings,
Coen

 

[guacharin]

The best in Sudamérica Is the color of everything! Simple of the people and the problems they have every day! The simple for you Is very strange and dificult to they! But Is asome!

 

[SNLC]

I have been following your trip for sometime on Facebook and ExPo. It is superb! Most overlanders don't explore the east side of South America but rather stick to the Pan-Am and the west side. I myself really want to explore the areas of South America you are exploring, I badly want to go! As such I greatly enjoy your trip updates and pictures.

You often comment about the potholes and or bad roads. Well, I hope they stay just like that for many years. I hope everything stays wild, rural and just like it is for sometime. I want to explore South America and I don't want to do it on paved roads. I have always dreamed of visiting the Amazon and doing it in my own truck sounds perfect as well as a lifelong goal worth achieving! The truck I am building now I hope will take me there some day!

 

[mailking]

GREAT NEWS! We secretly have launched our new website:

landcruisingadventure.com

We would be honered to have you as our first test-drivers, so please step aboard, buckle up and drive! Let me know what you think...

Adventurous greetings,
Coen

But Is asome!

We agree!

I have been following your trip for sometime on Facebook and ExPo. It is superb! Most overlanders don't explore the east side of South America but rather stick to the Pan-Am and the west side. I myself really want to explore the areas of South America you are exploring, I badly want to go! As such I greatly enjoy your trip updates and pictures.

You often comment about the potholes and or bad roads. Well, I hope they stay just like that for many years. I hope everything stays wild, rural and just like it is for sometime. I want to explore South America and I don't want to do it on paved roads. I have always dreamed of visiting the Amazon and doing it in my own truck sounds perfect as well as a lifelong goal worth achieving! The truck I am building now I hope will take me there some day!

I hope your truck will be ready soon, so we can meet somewhere on the road!