Builds DMC South America Expedition and ROTW write-up

[elmariachi]

Funny you mention this Jim. Not 2 minutes before I read your post I clicked on that image, got a bit larger version, and saved it as my desktop. A high-res version would be great but that version works OK 'stretched' to 1280x1024.
-B-

Bright minds think alike. Looks like something from another planet.

Come on Dave, help a brutha OUT!

 

[dmc]

Bright minds think alike. Looks like something from another planet.

Come on Dave, help a brutha OUT!

if you kids want to pm me your email address i'll send over the full res version. i'll have internet until about 10am (atlantic time) then i'm off for another week of camping. i'll make a post later tonight about some cruiser related stuff and add some more info to the blog.

oh and thanks for the compliments on the pic. i took 4 or 5 with my lights on and they all seemed to wash out but that one turned out really well. once i get home and sort through all 8k pics i hope to be able to frame and sell a few of them. we'll see.
dmc

 

[TEPUI]

Tepui,

I know you are in Cali right now but i'm sure you'll see this eventually. it's too bad things didn't work out with us hooking up. but chances are i'll be back before too long. i had lunch with Patricio Rios Garay and he invited me back for the Raid de Atacama and to watch the 08 Dakar. if finances allow i'll be back.
dmc

Well Dave, too bad we didn't hook up but I'm sure Pato showed you a good time. See you next time.

PS. California was great!

 

[Grolar]

Dave,

Been keeping up with your expedition for a couple months now. THIS PICTURE is without a doubt one of the coolest I have ever seen.

x2. Everyone in my office had their jaws dropping three feet looking at that pic. Worth the journey by itself IMHO.

 

[NLXTACY]

x3 we are in awe looking at that image. Please oh please make that available in hi-res when you get back. I'm thinking about putting the LandCruiser logo on it and then printing it on a large inkjet, laminating and mounting on gator board to mount in my garage. It will be my own motivator poster.

 

[dmc]

x3 we are in awe looking at that image. Please oh please make that available in hi-res when you get back. I'm thinking about putting the LandCruiser logo on it and then printing it on a large inkjet, laminating and mounting on gator board to mount in my garage. It will be my own motivator poster.

you're not talking about a HP Z6100 Designjet with 14 inks by chance are you? oh wait i just slipped back into my old life. i got a decent connection tonight and upload the full res version. i've put my logo on it just so you all remember where you got it?

right click save as
dmc

 

[dmc]

some tech?

maybe I'll post a little tech here while I have a chance.

I realize this is NOT the reason you put a dual battery setup in your truck but you just never know when you may have to use it. One of the reasons I went with the National Luna over the Hellroaring or others was the monitor. Just a little more peace of mind. I had a 5.5 hour ferry ride the other day and I had only driven about 5 miles the day previous so the fridge was starting to take it's toll on the second optima. During the ferry ride I chose my truck over the overcroweded deck. I watched a few movies, charged my laptop (my inverter requires the key in the on position) and my phone. the fridge also cycled a dozen times or so.

As the night went on I watched both batteries deplete but not to critical stage. regardless as the ferry approached the dock, i reached down, push the button to join the two batteries and started the truck. the monitor took any stress off of being the gringo stuck on the boat.
dmc

 

[robmir]

maybe I'll post a little tech here while I have a chance.

I realize this is NOT the reason you put a dual battery setup in your truck but you just never know when you may have to use it. One of the reasons I went with the National Luna over the Hellroaring or others was the monitor. Just a little more peace of mind. I had a 5.5 hour ferry ride the other day and I had only driven about 5 miles the day previous so the fridge was starting to take it's toll on the second optima. During the ferry ride I chose my truck over the overcroweded deck. I watched a few movies, charged my laptop (my inverter requires the key in the on position) and my phone. the fridge also cycled a dozen times or so.

As the night went on I watched both batteries deplete but not to critical stage. regardless as the ferry approached the dock, i reached down, push the button to join the two batteries and started the truck. the monitor took any stress off of being the gringo stuck on the boat.
dmc

Gee, now you understand why people should not make fun of me because I managed to install 3 deep cycle batteries under my hood and make the best of them

Following your drift about the refrigerator when my first 60 qts Engel give up after 15 years of service I replaced it with a 45 qts which I sold only after 1 trip. I choosed again the 60 Qts Engel over the taller 45 qts because it was hard to reach for food in the bottom, which make me keep it's cover too much time open, cycling more often it's compressor. Just a tip if you are looking to purchase one.

Looks like adding a solar panel is not such a bad idea as to top up the batteries during the day.

 

[dmc]

Gee, now you understand why people should not make fun of me because I managed to install 3 deep cycle batteries under my hood and make the best of them

Following your drift about the refrigerator when my first 60 qts Engel give up after 15 years of service I replaced it with a 45 qts which I sold only after 1 trip. I choosed again the 60 Qts Engel over the taller 45 qts because it was hard to reach for food in the bottom, which make me keep it's cover too much time open, cycling more often it's compressor. Just a tip if you are looking to purchase one.

Looks like adding a solar panel is not such a bad idea as to top up the batteries during the day.

i wanted to pick up a solar panel but sice i was rolling solo this trip I would be on a more conservative route and figured I wouldn't use it. near the top of the list when i get home.

i also have the 60liter but mine is ARB. love the lower height. allowed me to make my whole rear section level and keep decent vision out the back.
dmc

 

[robmir]

i wanted to pick up a solar panel but sice i was rolling solo this trip I would be on a more conservative route and figured I wouldn't use it. near the top of the list when i get home.

i also have the 60liter but mine is ARB. love the lower height. allowed me to make my whole rear section level and keep decent vision out the back.
dmc

My idea is to fabricate a very light and thin slide platform with the solar panel on top of it, under the roof tent structure and that moves and lock forward when I am parked.

It would work as a shade for the front windshield and support the solar panel.

Regarding the refrigerator, the ARB is a rebadged Engel for 110/220 V painted in different color.

Engel by Sawafuji is a very old japanese manufacturer and many people doesn't know they are the one who build the generator section for some of the Honda portable generators, also they build vehicle starting motors for some famous car companies.

In short words you are paying for a refrigerator build in Japan, send to Australia and then delivered to the USA !!!!!

 

[dmc]

yep i know the whole arb/engel/sawafuji deal. i could upset a lot of people and tell you i got mine scratch and dent from ARB on a smoking deal for about $400.

i like the idea of the solar panel. i have unused space between the wrack and the tent. about 2in of air. would be a perfect secure place to store it. the truck is going to get a nice long rest when i get home and i'll worry about it in a few months.
dmc

 

[Romer]

Dave, Can you fill us in on whats next in your Journey?

 

[dmc]

Dave, Can you fill us in on whats next in your Journey?

Well tomorrow I'll be in Ushuaia trying to wrap my head around the fact that there are no roads farther south I can get to. I'm in the process of working on the shipping dilemma yet again. More than likely the truck will be in a container by the end of this week and i'll be on a plane back to the US. Even as I type it the reality has yet to set in that the trip is almost over. I could be to Ushuaia tonight but I'm going to camp and roll into town in the morning.

I started updating my gallery last night but it might be after I get home that all the countries are loaded and organized.

So there you go. A lot of thinking and looking back through pic reflecting on the trip and lots of note taking. Somewhere in there a 20+hour flight back to Utah too.
dmc

 

[NLXTACY]

ROBMIR, DMC- I too am greatly interested in the solar panel solution for our expeditions. Hopefully you guys would be willing to do up an FAQ on the install for us noobs that have no idea what we are doing but know what we want.

 

[dmc]

Well mine is going to be awhile in the future. Since I about about to be penniless and unemployed any mods to the truck are going to be scheduled for 09. Hopefully the cost of solar panels has continued to drop by then. I don't have the link handy but there was a guy I met at the outdoor retailer show in Salt Lake before I left who had a vehicle decked out in panels. He was travelling around the country educating people on solar energy. He was able to run TV DVD PC projector satellite communication and all sorts of other stuff from anywhere he parked. Pretty cool stuff. I think brunson makes one now that will charge a dead battery enough to start your car in just a few hours. It is one of their hard panels not the rollable softsided kind. But the technology can't be that far out. This might be a topic for a those smarter than me though.

 

[robmir]

ROBMIR, DMC- I too am greatly interested in the solar panel solution for our expeditions. Hopefully you guys would be willing to do up an FAQ on the install for us noobs that have no idea what we are doing but know what we want.

Last week end I was with the kids at the beach and noticed in the marina area which is quite big that if not all but 99% of the sailing boats (the big expensive AND the small also) docked there had solar panels so I agree with Dave that their cost dropped a lot.

Since the ones for the marine market are rugged and well sealed, they could be best suited for us.

Unfortunately marine parts manufacturers seems to believe their customers are all rich, so some marine panel cost are a bit unreal but will see.

 

[robmir]

Hi Dave: A couple of days ago I spoke with a friend who was one of the drivers of a team (on a Toyota of course) who attended and finished the Paris-Dakar rally several years ago, and let me point out he just returned from a expedition all around south america including Chile were he was born, on a brand new series 200 cruiser and he was very excited about the idea of attending again the 2009 Rally.

By the way his cruiser has the 4.7 ltr engine and he was very disappointed about it's lack of power and Toyota's decision to market this smaller gas engine all around the world versus the big one only offered in the states.

Changing the subject, after reading all your detailed posts and since you are in Chile, why you don't make all the required contacts there and later offer your services as a reporter for any of the american 4wheel road magazines and cover the next rally ?

 

[Grolar]

So you made it to Ushuaia. Congrats and thanks for sharing the dream with us. Your pics are awesome. Have a safe return home. Planning a book? I'm in line for one.

 

[PScottBx]

Awesome read...

Good luck



Bx

 

[Trunk Monkey]

From Dave's latest SPOT signal.

Congrats Dave, now come on back.