Builds Portland Troopy Build (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Cool. We drove through Oaxaca in 2017 during Halloween. I know several people in Guatemala and Honduras if you need help.
Great to know. Any intel of off track must sees is appreciated.
 
Been in Baja for two months. In Los Barillos now. Next week I’ll ferry to mazatlan from La Paz. Head south to Oaxaca for language school then on to Guatemala. The current plan which is subject to change.
This is so cool you are doing this! I met my wife and ended up in Switzerland thanks to a language school in Costa Rica 22 years ago. Enjoy wherever your life takes you!
 
Ferried from La Paz to Mazatlan on Monday. Spent a night there then on to Lake Chapala for two nights. Arrived in Guanajuato today and will stay here a couple of weeks for language school before continuing south. Have to be out of mx by July. Guatemala at some point.

The Troopy is a champ at this kind of travel. Been in it every night but 3 since January. It especially adept at tight, narrow streets which is Guanajuato. The BMW dual sport vehicle for overland travel.

CB50C58C-7EE3-496C-B333-FAE926813679.jpeg


521ABEF0-7B89-412D-A498-B7C57A116AB0.jpeg


F0F86FD9-97E3-433F-BD47-4EE7100742B1.jpeg
 
Camp in Guanajuato

A33B7BFC-FB6D-4AC5-AAB5-557AC3A5A0FB.jpeg
 
It’s been a while so I thought I’d provide an update.

We (Heather,Dixie and I ) are in San Cristobal de La Casas in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. We are camping at a place called Rancho San Nicholas. It’s a convenient walk into town, has hot showers, secure parking and a common area with a fireplace. The town is at about 7k feet so it’s cool which is a welcome relief from the very hot/humid conditions on the Oaxaca coast. We’ve been here a couple of weeks which has provided a chance to receive some Amazon mexico shipments ( dog food/treats, a 12v FAN, dash cam, etc.). We also had the oil changed in the troopy and the tires rotated. Finding the Toyota oil filter was a real adventure but after perseverance we got one and an extra.

Earlier this week hurricane Agatha passed over Mexico a few miles to the north of us. It turned out to be a non-event for us other than about a foot of rain over the last 24 hours or so. The alucab Hercules top has remained “bone dry.”

Since arriving via ferry in Mazatlan we have visited the cities of Lake Chapalla, Guanajuato, San Miguel, Oaxaca and now here in San Cristobal. Lots and lots of little towns along the way.

We have wild camped some but in the mex mainland we’ve paid to camp quite a bit. $15 a night seems to be the going rate. Air bnb’s in the larger cities with a hotel stay in Oaxaca.

The people that we’ve met along the way have been warm and welcoming. Absolutely no safety concerns.

We will leave San Cristobal early next week and should cross into Guatemala in another week. The plan is to spend the next couple of months in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua before meeting my daughter in Costa Rica in August. These plans are of course subject to change.

Long range shipping across the Darian Gap from Panama to either Colombia or Uruguay in September.

593B5C30-95D5-409E-A59C-065CD596AEC1.jpeg


5284BBD8-F347-4F9C-BB11-271969C5C5E0.jpeg


CD619234-0622-489B-9E8B-6D2E6B5A8D7F.jpeg
 
Last edited:
A little update.

Crossed into Guatemala a couple of weeks ago. The pics are leaving Mx, our campsite at Lake Atitlan and a ceynote in Mx.

Currently in Antiqua, GT which is a super nice town. Staying at a hostel in the middle of town. We sleep in the troopy and use the common area and hot showers at the hostel. Secure parking and it cost $6usd a night. We’ve been here a week and will shove off tomorrow headed to the north and east, eventually into Honduras.

Observations about Guatemala. Diesel is running about $4.25 a gallon. There are a HELL of a LOT of Toyota trucks in this country……like every single one is a Toyota. We’ve seen 2-3 Troopy ambulances and plenty of 70 series.

This is the rainy season in Central America and boy has it rained. Starts about 2pm and rains until sometime in the early morning hours. Staying completely dry in the alucab tent however I’m getting water intrusion on the passenger floorboard. I cleaned the drain under the hood thinking/hoping that would do it but no dice. I’ve already addressed rust behind the windshield and a new gasket. If anyone has suggestions I’m wide open. Otherwise a tarp may be in my future for when parked. Either that or head to a dryer climate……wherever that might be.

470A5B9B-9AD4-4008-B43E-0D898F005D81.jpeg


2554AE09-6AD6-45CE-BFA7-14029AF9136B.jpeg


D0321D61-DBB7-49B8-B470-48D549E42E49.jpeg
 
I do have significant plans for the truck and will post pics here as the build progresses.
I quoted this from your first post back in January 2018.

I remember you giving me a ride to the airport in this truck back in July 2019. This truck is fantastic and I think this has to be one of the best threads on Mud.
 
I quoted this from your first post back in January 2018.

I remember you giving me a ride to the airport in this truck back in July 2019. This truck is fantastic and I think this has to be one of the best threads on Mud.
I think my favorite part of this thread is how it has slowed down because your build is done and you're properly using it. Inspiring to see the occasional update demonstrating what this truck has enabled you to pull off.

Keep it coming... when you get around to it.
 
I think my favorite part of this thread is how it has slowed down because your build is done and you're properly using it. Inspiring to see the occasional update demonstrating what this truck has enabled you to pull off.

Keep it coming... when you get around to it.


Me looking at my thread after reading this...

guilty.gif





I love this thread.
 
You are visiting a lot of places I have been on my trips down to Panama and back. Are you using iOverlander? It can certainly be helpful. I would also just sim card a phone in each country I planned to stay in. Used wifi on a laptop otherwise.

FYI, if you don’t have service in such and such country. Get on some wifi, use google maps or whatever to get a route to your next destination. Start the directions and don’t close it until you have wifi again. You can navigate with gps this way without service. 😉

Another tip, make a sign and put it in the window that says in Spanish Cuidado con el perro! Which means beware of the dog, nobody will mess with the Troopy.

I recommend checking out Northern Nicaragua. If you want a contact I can give you a few. Also El Tunco on the El Salvador coast is safe and worth a visit.

I would recommend a stop at Santa Catalina in Panama. Camping there and lots to do. San Migel in the Mountains as well. If you want to get adventurous you can camp on top of the mountains above Boquete. There is a 4wd trail to the top and you can not only watch the sun rise and sun set if it is clear enough you may be able to see from Caribbean to Pacific. 🤙

Cheers
 
Also once you hit Panama and Panama City, hook up with @Tapage .

Hardcore Cruiser who guy lives in Panama City and been on the forums like 20yrs. He is a good guy. 🤙

Pm me for more tips, locations or contacts. I have done nearly 18 months on the road to Panama and back and lived in Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama.

Cheers
 
Lastly, apologies for spamming your thread. 🤗

I hope you are permitting your dog for each country? If not you are going to open yourself up for bribes and hassles as you make your way south. If you permit the dog at each border and ever get hassled by cops you can simply stuff the dog permit in their face and they can take a hike! 😂

If you don’t have correct docs they will use it against you for bribes, even if you have the correct docs they may try! Don’t give cops or border officials any money unless you have no choice. There is an unspoken rule of the road, “people will come after you, set an example for them.”. If every “westerner” tosses money around in Latin America it is not a good thing. I have been robbed by the cops and border officials but once I stood my ground, always had correct docs and educated myself they stopped getting any money from me! 😂

If you plan to bring the Troopy back through Guatemala within six months don’t cancel the vehicle permit, or you will be screwed. Just put the permit on hold if that is the plan to drive back.

I also have contacts in Bogota, Colombia if you want them? Even for just Troopy maintenance?

Cheers
 
X2 on bribes. I haven’t done as much as @SNLC but we lived in Guat and HND and drove through to Texas from HND and you have stand your ground. I’ve even firmly demanded my passport from police before as they attempted to harass us. I told them they aren’t getting anything and give me my passport because I’m leaving. They looked kinda shocked, handed me my docs and waved us on.
 
First, I want to thank this group for all of the help and inspiration that has been provided over the last many years. From the beginning with the 40, then on to the 62 and forward to the Troopy. You know this but it’s social media and the opportunity to run into people that are not so nice behind a keyboard is great. I can tell you that not one single time has anyone in the Land Cruiser community been anything other than helpful; seriously “thank you!”

SNLC you‘re not hijacking the thread and I appreciate your comments and suggestions. I’ve noted the places to see that you’ve mentioned. I’ll go there and update with photos from my visit. You too Jade.

Great idea on the beware of dog in espanol sign…..I’ll do that! Dixie is muy tranquila but people don’t know that. When I’m asked if she bites my standard response is that “she doesn’t bite me.”

Dixie has all of the paperwork needed for entry into each country. We’ve checked her in, paid her way and have the appropriate receipts.

I’ve been pulled over 3x in Mx by the police for driving while gringo. Each time I’ve asked for a ticket that I will pay at the station. After a while they get frustrated and let me go. Paying bribes is illegal and I don’t do it.

We use iOverlander constantly. Much respect to those have gone before without it. A lot of wandering was done I’m sure to discover the off-track places.

We use country specific sims and run maps off the tablet. Anytime there’s Wi-Fi we use it.

Cancelling tips as we go as we will be away longer than 6 months. Right now we’re tracking to ship from Panama to SA in September.

We will make contact w tapage in Panama. I recognize the user Name from many years on mud.

The troopy is pretty much the perfect platform for the trip. It seems to have everything we need and nothing we don’t. Decent fuel economy, tough as nails an a very nice, comfortable DRY place to sleep at night.

The photo is a local traffic jam on the road into Sumec Champey. Look closely for the NEW 70 series pickup. Sorry I didn’t get a better photo but wanted to avoid the pig.

51B580FE-2E3F-4505-B87C-6CA0ACACDF63.jpeg
 
Into Nicaragua today.

27BFC434-32A8-437A-80B4-60D12F428FB1.jpeg
 
Nicaraguan beach.

Seeing more and more Troopy ambulances. Tons of 70 series here.

0898E2F8-775F-4D22-965C-6FF7138A426B.jpeg


986F4310-01AC-44F0-B5CD-3C48A07DB0F5.jpeg


D9C14C38-DD04-417F-A585-8C13B9B83FA9.jpeg
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom