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- Sep 9, 2004
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- Boise - Idaho
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- www.snlandcruisers.com
Princess Rig: Diesel Manual Troopy-Style Pop-top Conversion and Off to Adventure
- Thread starter CaptBeardilocks
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #102
That assumes I did it, like, “correctly”…. Lol. I mean my OCD kicked in and I did check it like 12x. But that’s 12x for the first time.Good man.
Cheers
jkeithw
Supporting Vendor
- my new favorite thread.
Epic thread!
- Thread starter
- #105
I just got done with a 4-door refurb. Noico sound dead in each door and general door maintenance & cleaning. RR door had a weak locking motor and I stole a replacement off my parts truck. First time that giant pile of crap has had what I needed in a pinch. Lol I cleaned the window tracks the best I could and lubed them with graphite. They work a bit better now but I’m afraid the only real fix is new window track. :-/
One thing I noticed was that every single Phillips head screw on the back of the panels was very very loose. The map pocket on the passenger door was rattling something fierce. Every single door was loose in every way. I’ve never experienced that on another vehicle. I also unplugged all the "courtesy light" in the panels. I prefer stealth mode, especially when camping. Fun Fact: before I disconnected these I had pulled the Dome Fuse so they wouldn't be on while I was working with the doors open all day. I noticed my clock in the truck was zeroing out at weird intervals and worked with the truck running but not with the key on/engine off. Turns out the clock splits it's power from that fuse and another fuse in a weird way. Odd.
Does anyone else HATE cleaning other peoples dead skin out of these groves?
One thing I noticed was that every single Phillips head screw on the back of the panels was very very loose. The map pocket on the passenger door was rattling something fierce. Every single door was loose in every way. I’ve never experienced that on another vehicle. I also unplugged all the "courtesy light" in the panels. I prefer stealth mode, especially when camping. Fun Fact: before I disconnected these I had pulled the Dome Fuse so they wouldn't be on while I was working with the doors open all day. I noticed my clock in the truck was zeroing out at weird intervals and worked with the truck running but not with the key on/engine off. Turns out the clock splits it's power from that fuse and another fuse in a weird way. Odd.
Does anyone else HATE cleaning other peoples dead skin out of these groves?
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SteelHunterFJ80
SILVER Star
Well done your build is coming along very nicely
alia176
SILVER Star
I read the entire thread, and very impressed with the OPs work and can only imagine the outlay of funds it must've took. While I visit DV quite frequently, coming from NY is quite the deal, I gotta say.
- Thread starter
- #108
Shhhhhhhhhhhh…. We don’t mention cost. Lol. It’s actually not nearly as bad as it could be. It’s exponentially more for me in hours than in Pesos.
All 3 of my visits to DV lasted around 3mo each. I wasn’t messing around. Lol. My heart is in that desert. What’s you favorite back country spot?
New updates coming soon. Lots has still been happening and not enough has been happening. But 2mo is way too long without an update.
alia176
SILVER Star
I have several spots in DV and try to exploit each area during a visit. Granted, I only get less than a week of exploration but I try not to bounce around much. Saline valley hot springs seems to be a popular stop of mine, even though it's far from everything. I also have a factory subtank with the transfer system similar to yours so that helps.
- Thread starter
- #110
I always have grand plans to update this day to day as I go along and... yeah, I'm not built like that. So let's try to catch up a bit.
But first, I was looking to add a compass/outside temp rear view mirror and I knew I'd need a mirror arm/stalk like the one Joey sells at Wit's End. Digging through my scrap metal pile I found this weird piece of aluminum from Lord knows what that was almost perfect without touching it. A little bend, a couple of holes drilled, and a universal mirror puck and viola, modern mirror. I've also hung my Ram mount phone holder off of it now as well. So I don't have to deal with my suction cup mount falling off constantly on the trail.
Then I welded up a mount for my old Viair pump under the hood. It always worked great mounted under the hood on my Tacoma and had no problem airing up 4 or even 8 tires. Well see how it handles the heat of the 1HDT here…
Added a Blue Sea USB and my Blue Sea ACR switch to my @Deltavs console panel.
But first, I was looking to add a compass/outside temp rear view mirror and I knew I'd need a mirror arm/stalk like the one Joey sells at Wit's End. Digging through my scrap metal pile I found this weird piece of aluminum from Lord knows what that was almost perfect without touching it. A little bend, a couple of holes drilled, and a universal mirror puck and viola, modern mirror. I've also hung my Ram mount phone holder off of it now as well. So I don't have to deal with my suction cup mount falling off constantly on the trail.
Then I welded up a mount for my old Viair pump under the hood. It always worked great mounted under the hood on my Tacoma and had no problem airing up 4 or even 8 tires. Well see how it handles the heat of the 1HDT here…
Added a Blue Sea USB and my Blue Sea ACR switch to my @Deltavs console panel.
- Thread starter
- #111
The interior build out is … coming along. Slowly. I framed it out with extruded aluminum and my own self-fabricated aluminum fittings to try to keep the bloody cost down a bit. I've been having trouble sourcing facing material for countertop and bench. Between being landlocked here in the middle of nowhere and supply line problems… Top choices are Marineboard or architectural aluminum composite panels. But with shipping at $300/sheet or a drive all the way to the coast as my only options, I'm probably going to have to pick something more boring. Suggestions welcome.
I've also added Backcountry 4x4 tailgate storage that I bought second hand but never installed from someone on Mud here. It's a really fantastic piece of powder-coated aluminum with well designed support that makes it very strong. But I was unimpressed with the aluminum pop-rivets that came with it. So I countersunk drilled all the holes and added my own stainless steel hardware. I'm pretty happy with the results.
I've also added Backcountry 4x4 tailgate storage that I bought second hand but never installed from someone on Mud here. It's a really fantastic piece of powder-coated aluminum with well designed support that makes it very strong. But I was unimpressed with the aluminum pop-rivets that came with it. So I countersunk drilled all the holes and added my own stainless steel hardware. I'm pretty happy with the results.
- Thread starter
- #112
To take a break from searching for materials for the cabinets I got down to tackling the wiring for the solar, inverter, aux battery, aux fuse box, Blue Sea ACR, and new added accessories like the mirror, USB charging, phone charging, sub-tank gauge, Baja Designs driving lights in the front bumper etc etc etc.
- Thread starter
- #113
While I was tearing into the wiring in the cabin, I deleted the power seat wiring and the automatic transmission wiring from the harness properly by un-pinning connectors in case I lose my ****ing mind and decide to add them back later. Loads of fun doing all this.
But the engine bay certainly looks tidy after all that work...
In & around all of this, I've put about 800mi on her so far, breaking it in and testing things. I got 20mpg on the first tank, which was a lot of high boost testing, tweaking, and playing. I think she might be running a tad rich as well. I need to look into that eventually. But she's a BLAST to drive. I can't wait to get off road a bit more than backcountry dirt roads.
But the engine bay certainly looks tidy after all that work...
In & around all of this, I've put about 800mi on her so far, breaking it in and testing things. I got 20mpg on the first tank, which was a lot of high boost testing, tweaking, and playing. I think she might be running a tad rich as well. I need to look into that eventually. But she's a BLAST to drive. I can't wait to get off road a bit more than backcountry dirt roads.
chapel gate
GOLD Star
it does indeed..
Pierce
SILVER Star
Clean looking build all the way around sir.
- Thread starter
- #116
It's been a while since I checked in here. As winter approached I threw the house build into high gear and tried to get it at least 80% finished so that I could get a shakedown run in before the snow started here in the NE.
I painted on 2-3mm of Second Skin Spectrum sound deadening on the pop-top followed up by a piece of Sailrite headliner/insulation. I think it came out pretty nice.
Got the convertible bed in the downstairs finished up.
This happened.
I added some moody black flooring that was left over from my parents doing their bathroom about 5yrs ago. Because FREE. And easy to swap out if I hate it. For the countertop, I found a GIANT piece of pine up in the our old barn that had been used as short wall to keep people from falling into an open stairwell in the loft. That part of the barn probably dates form the early 1900s and was made of mainly reclaimed old wood, so God knows how old it is. In order retain the patina and protect it I lightly scrubbed it down with some acetone to just clean it enough, rubbed it down with Tung Oil to seal it, then clear coated it with a satin poly. It came out really good after a few issues with the Poly and humidity. Have to see how it holds up to abuse.
And then I hit a snag. Time was rapidly running out to get this wrapped up enough to get a decent shakedown in. It was now deep into October and I expected to be out for the shakedown in Aug/Sept at the latest. After WAY too much study and attempts at sourcing some kind of material for my cabinet facing in the house, I had ordered some 6mm White aluminum composite board from a company that promised shipping in a reasonable tie and for a reasonable price. Unfortunately I received an order of 3mm textured aluminum finish. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck.
They promised to rectify this and send the right stuff... When they could. Likely at least a 3wk delay. So I did what anyone would do at this point in a build that was beset by delays and had time running out. I said "**** it" and installed the gaudy shiny blinding aluminum nightmare in my truck. I figured that, having never worked with aluminum composite material before I was BOUND to screw it up royally so I may as well take a practice swing at it and see what happened.
I painted on 2-3mm of Second Skin Spectrum sound deadening on the pop-top followed up by a piece of Sailrite headliner/insulation. I think it came out pretty nice.
Got the convertible bed in the downstairs finished up.
This happened.
I added some moody black flooring that was left over from my parents doing their bathroom about 5yrs ago. Because FREE. And easy to swap out if I hate it. For the countertop, I found a GIANT piece of pine up in the our old barn that had been used as short wall to keep people from falling into an open stairwell in the loft. That part of the barn probably dates form the early 1900s and was made of mainly reclaimed old wood, so God knows how old it is. In order retain the patina and protect it I lightly scrubbed it down with some acetone to just clean it enough, rubbed it down with Tung Oil to seal it, then clear coated it with a satin poly. It came out really good after a few issues with the Poly and humidity. Have to see how it holds up to abuse.
And then I hit a snag. Time was rapidly running out to get this wrapped up enough to get a decent shakedown in. It was now deep into October and I expected to be out for the shakedown in Aug/Sept at the latest. After WAY too much study and attempts at sourcing some kind of material for my cabinet facing in the house, I had ordered some 6mm White aluminum composite board from a company that promised shipping in a reasonable tie and for a reasonable price. Unfortunately I received an order of 3mm textured aluminum finish. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck.
They promised to rectify this and send the right stuff... When they could. Likely at least a 3wk delay. So I did what anyone would do at this point in a build that was beset by delays and had time running out. I said "**** it" and installed the gaudy shiny blinding aluminum nightmare in my truck. I figured that, having never worked with aluminum composite material before I was BOUND to screw it up royally so I may as well take a practice swing at it and see what happened.
- Thread starter
- #117
I mounted some soft warm LED interior lighting and added a dimmer switch so that I can set the right mood for romantic evenings with... myself.
Interior slowly coming together.
Sometime around here I started work on the headliner as well. I guess I didn't take any photos of that. Essentially I took the original headliner and cut a big hole in it for the pop-top, leaving the edges around the sides and the back and the front cabin over the drivers seats intact and remounted it in the truck. I had to lay the moonroof sliding panel back in and secured it for the time being with stick-on velcro. This adds a level of sound deadening in the driver's seat and gives me a convenient place to store my SolarScreen panels that I have for every window. That ended up working out great. I still need to finish the edges on that. Or live with it as-is.
Interior slowly coming together.
Sometime around here I started work on the headliner as well. I guess I didn't take any photos of that. Essentially I took the original headliner and cut a big hole in it for the pop-top, leaving the edges around the sides and the back and the front cabin over the drivers seats intact and remounted it in the truck. I had to lay the moonroof sliding panel back in and secured it for the time being with stick-on velcro. This adds a level of sound deadening in the driver's seat and gives me a convenient place to store my SolarScreen panels that I have for every window. That ended up working out great. I still need to finish the edges on that. Or live with it as-is.
- Thread starter
- #118
Finally out for a shakedown!
It really performed better than expected in a lot of ways. I did some great trails in VA/WV on the way to NC to visit my buddy that is babysitting my as-yet-unseen-in-person LX450. It really amazes me how the 80 is incredibly bored on the trail. Lol. Just gives zero ****s about whatever you want it to drive over. And the 1HDT/manual combination is great on the trail and on super fun on the road with the G-turbo set up. Well, it's fun everywhere but on the highway. At 65-75mph she's really not relaxed. Next time I need to get into the transmission I guess I'll have to add the longer 5th gear.
I LOVE the Solarscreen window coverings. Especially as someone who sleeps in my truck often. This shakedown trip was 18 days and these things are easy to use, insulate great, block out sound, just perfect. ...Except for the back window with the defroster wires in it. I talked to Solarscreen about it and they're sending me a kit of stick on film rounds to help secure each individual suction cup. I'll post up when I get that and see how they work.
It really performed better than expected in a lot of ways. I did some great trails in VA/WV on the way to NC to visit my buddy that is babysitting my as-yet-unseen-in-person LX450. It really amazes me how the 80 is incredibly bored on the trail. Lol. Just gives zero ****s about whatever you want it to drive over. And the 1HDT/manual combination is great on the trail and on super fun on the road with the G-turbo set up. Well, it's fun everywhere but on the highway. At 65-75mph she's really not relaxed. Next time I need to get into the transmission I guess I'll have to add the longer 5th gear.
I LOVE the Solarscreen window coverings. Especially as someone who sleeps in my truck often. This shakedown trip was 18 days and these things are easy to use, insulate great, block out sound, just perfect. ...Except for the back window with the defroster wires in it. I talked to Solarscreen about it and they're sending me a kit of stick on film rounds to help secure each individual suction cup. I'll post up when I get that and see how they work.
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- Thread starter
- #119
It was a perfect time to be in the mountains.
A bit wet sometimes.
And occasionally a bit cold.
A bit wet sometimes.
And occasionally a bit cold.
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NorCalFJ100
SILVER Star
Man that is awesome! Great work!!!
