The perfect Pan-American Expedition Vehicle

[mikeincognito]

Can an Orangutan be trained?. I dint even know people have them as pets.

Weird.-

 

[Volcano cruiser]

Can you get 200's down here???
Yeah having a beat up looking cruiser is awesome. One even better benefit strangely enough is having an overly LOUD truck. At check stops they wave you on quickly... nobody ever wants to hassle you because they don't want you stopping near them with all that noise! Old and beat up is the key!

100% spot on Josh. Old and beat up is the key and loud, old and beat up are also great in traffic. Folks drive a little crazy at times in Central American cities and they love to fake like it is Tokyo Drift sliding in front of you and cutting you off in traffic circles etc. There is nothing like my "Mata burros, rompe huesos" moving through traffic. The noise alone makes the freeze before they can make the really bone headed move that they WERE contemplating. I hope that I don't completely lose that advantage after my build is done.

 

[ianfotheringham]

jilt...seriously, whats with this beef you have with the bus idea?

if you're going to be on the road for a couple years as you mentioned - you have to think seriously about what kind of standard of living you are willing to reduce yourself to. i get the impression that you might not have a ton of extended expedition experience - so, let me tell you, that unless you are very comfortable, your trip is going to turn into a PITA real quick. this will lead to you speeding things up, cutting bits from your itinerary and generally having less fun...therefore - i would want to go with something that will allow you the creature comforts im sure you [not to mention all the others involved in this undertaking] are accustomed to. listen to all these ih8muddeers...they know what they are talking about - and if cash is a concern [for who is it not?...] then surely you would want to be able to save as much as possible - and with travelling your biggest costs will be transport and accomodation - and you'd have both sorted real nicely with a bus - and check this out:

eBay Motors: International Harvester (item 230256508151 end time Jun-03-08 08:27:19 PDT)&

a measly six grand and you have a party wagon! - imagine the pimping out possibilities!!! it even has a/c!

back me up here mudders!

 

[Volcano cruiser]

jilt...seriously, whats with this beef you have with the bus idea?

if you're going to be on the road for a couple years as you mentioned - you have to think seriously about what kind of standard of living you are willing to reduce yourself to. i get the impression that you might not have a ton of extended expedition experience - so, let me tell you, that unless you are very comfortable, your trip is going to turn into a PITA real quick. this will lead to you speeding things up, cutting bits from your itinerary and generally having less fun...therefore - i would want to go with something that will allow you the creature comforts im sure you [not to mention all the others involved in this undertaking] are accustomed to. listen to all these ih8muddeers...they know what they are talking about - and if cash is a concern [for who is it not?...] then surely you would want to be able to save as much as possible - and with travelling your biggest costs will be transport and accomodation - and you'd have both sorted real nicely with a bus - and check this out:

eBay Motors: International Harvester (item 230256508151 end time Jun-03-08 08:27:19 PDT)&

a measly six grand and you have a party wagon! - imagine the pimping out possibilities!!! it even has a/c!

back me up here mudders!

As to the refurbished bus idea, this is no joke. I have been through most of South America and am now living in Central America. I haven't seen a mountain road yet that one of these school buses was afraid of. On my last road trip driving through mountains in Costa Rica, school buses and tractor trailers were cutting the switch backs like it was water running out of a faucet. My view, get the bus and get the mechanicals done on it right. Then take a look at some sites that do RV or marine interior design, places used to doing comfortable space efficient design. Start thinking more RV or sail boat interiors and less about rows of seats full of third graders. With the space efficient fridges, stoves, toilets and showers and seating/dining/sleeping area configurations that they have nowadays there is no end of possibilities. If you guys decide that you will be sleeping in hotels each night then the sleeping area can become sitting/meeting/workspace area. Pack your gear on the roof, accessible through the hatch. You can fab up a box on top for the gear if you are worried about security. Paint it some subdued but agreeable color and roll out. Run the numbers. You probably will see some cost savings from sleeping/eating in the rig 3/4 nights a week.

 

[umpqua]

Can an Orangutan be trained?. I dint even know people have them as pets.

Weird.-

Yes, I have a friend in Arkanas that has trained two Orangutans. He normally has Spider Monkeys but has access to the larger breeds as well. He sells insurance and takes them on calls. People remember him that's for sure.

PM me if you want his contact information.

Did someone mention a Landrover in this thread?

 

[FLFJ40]

Security seems to be a big deal for you. Experts in security will tell you the best thing you can do for security is to be inconspicous. Brand new shiny trucks no mater where you get them from are not going to be inconspicous. A bus in CA is one of the most inconspicous things. A bus solves most of your problems. You can stay with one truck, you can register it in the US, it is way safe (it was built to hual kids), they are heavy duty truck chassis, you can outfit it however you want. It seems like you are dead set against it, but for what you want to do the bus is the best thing for you. You may be surprised at how little you use the front wheel drive of a four wheel drive truck down there. I can tell you for sure that you will need a safe place to sleep every night. If you have a flat tire or any other mechanical problem in a bus, someone might stop to help you. If you break down in a shiny new truck, someone WILL stop to help themselves to everything you own and maybe even your life. You need to try to remember that things will NOT go as you plan. If you think you have a safe place to stop you will get stuck behind a herd of cows and not make it to your safe place. What are you going to do about water? Enough water for 6 people for 3 days will break any regular truck. I think you should make a list of reasons against a bus an see if we can't change your mind. Remember just because it is new doesn't mean it won't break. You may have a small problem and try to take it to a mechanic and him tell you "I don't work on TACO's".

 

[FLFJ40]

As if my last message wasn't long winded enough but I thought of some other things. Most buses use heavy duty truck transmissions and rearends, the med sized ones anyway. You should be able to find lockers for Dana 80's. And a PTO for the transmission. Take some time to look at all of the cool hydrualic stuff you can buy to go witha PTO and just remember that you will have tons of room to store that stuff on a bus. I wouldn't go with a four wheel drive bus, it's not like you can hide that big pumpkin up there and it will just make you a target. Another great thing about a bust is all of the roof space available for luggage. When you go south you will see the tops of buses piled with stuff. A few more security features of a bus, they are tall, and harder to break into than a car or light truck. They are tall so you will have an advantage in the traffic. Another thing, if some guy on a moter cycle squezzes past you and ruins the paint on your new taco you are going to be way bummed, on an old bus "so what?" And lastly in the spirit of IH8MUD you can always build a bus to be stronger than when it was new, but who wants to go modifying a brand new import truck.

 

[joshoisasleep]

Can your friend's orangutans drive? Orangutan valets/security guards could be a real niche market, or revolutionize the industry!

 

[Topmounter]

I just happened to bump into this thread and it is full of amazing information from some very experienced people. I'm more than a little befuddled that this level of experience and knowledge presented in this thread merely swayed the OP from a mediocre American jobsite pick-up to a moderately better American jobsite pick-up truck. It sounds like they have plenty of money and time to throw at a problem when they break down, but wow, why make life so hard on your self?

What I wouldn't give to take a couple 80's to Slee4x4 and say give 'em the works and then spend two or three years wheeling and cycling around CA and SA in them. And yes, if I put aside my love for LC's, the bus idea makes an asston of sense.

Thanks for the read!

 

[sandcruiser]

the doors said it well: People are Strange

I sure hope that the group in question gives us updates that demonstrate that the pickups outperformed all of our expectations, but I'd be more excited for them had they taken the 80 route. Ah, well, at least they are planning an awesome trip! That counts for a lot.

 

[GXV-Mike]

South American Odyssey

What a great trip you have plannedFor your vehicle try www.globalexpeditionvehicles.com we build them and we believe in them and we use them.
My wife and myself spent almost 1 year or traveling through South America and Mexico in our global expedition vehicle. This was built on a Unimog Chassis and it is in my opinion the absolute best chassis available in the world for this type of travel. You may go to the travel section of this website and see photos and journals of the trip. Also click on the tab " where are we" for a map of the main travel. There are some places that will require a heavy off-road vehicle. But most of the time something simpler will work however if you're planning on using diesel fuel try if at all possible to use a pre-2007 model vehicle you will not find ultralow sulfur diesel in South America and high in sulfur diesel will take you out of business "in the newer post 2007 models" before you get started. You may e-mail me at your convenience for any additional information that you may wish to have. I believe the trips like this are essential for people wishing to expand their horizons and become more globally aware.

Mike

 

[Volcano cruiser]

Whatever happened to these guys???

 

[sandcruiser]

broke down in mexico, couldn't get parts, the monstoer-dogs got hungry.... end of story.

I have no idea, but the above isn't the *least* likely answer

 

[joshoisasleep]

broke down in mexico, couldn't get parts

Actually for the sake of accuracy I heard you can't get LC parts in Mexico... Haven't actually tried but that's the word.


On another note, just in case anybody was thinking of bringing an old Ford van down with a V8 gas engine in it... apparently there's no parts down here. I just ran into an American guy... at first I was really jealous of his sweet camper converted van with dirtbike and many other things carried on the outside, as well as all the interior comfort. Then he told me all about how he couldn't get parts, paid $3,500 for shipping RORO one-way on a route that I paid $550 for with the same company (overheight camper!), and frequently attracted thieves/con men... also having to avoid those difficult mountain roads that I love so much... More proof that I was right stick with my dented, go-anywhere, cozy little cruiser

Also it sounded like his Ford gas engine was having some trouble at 14,500 feet ... something that my happy little 3b doesn't, now that it's with turbo...

 

[cruiser_guy]

Actually for the sake of accuracy I heard you can't get LC parts in Mexico... Haven't actually tried but that's the word.


On another note, just in case anybody was thinking of bringing an old Ford van down with a V8 gas engine in it... apparently there's no parts down here.

You're right on the LandCruiser parts in Mexico thing, they were never imported and as such there is no parts support in Mexico. Elsewhere in Latin America you'll have no problems. I see 3B parts littering the junk yard like 350 parts back home and 22R parts are even more common!!

You're also right on the domestic parts availability. There are U.S. made vehicles here but no one wants them 'cause their too big and suck too much fuel, not to mention their reputation on reliability. There are currently two Suburbans here at the school for sale, a 305 gasser and a 6.2 diesel. My bet is that unless the price is cut drastically they'll be here for a while (anybody want a Suburban for a trip around Central America?).

 

[joshoisasleep]

I see 3B parts littering the junk yard like 350 parts back home and 22R parts are even more common!!

I can't wait to get back up there! I've been mostly unsuccessful at finding junkyards so far... and the few little tiny ones I have encountered have not had any 3b stuff.

 

[sandcruiser]

Actually for the sake of accuracy I heard you can't get LC parts in Mexico...

That was sorta my point, Josh.

I know that they aren't in cruisers, but I doubt that Tundra parts are common in Mex either. Ford and VW are the go-to in Mexico. South of that, anything old and Toyota should be pretty easy.

 

[cruiser_guy]

I know that they aren't in cruisers, but I doubt that Tundra parts are common in Mex either. Ford and VW are the go-to in Mexico.

To be fair and up to date in Mexico, you are starting to see more and more HiAce vans and HiLux (not just Tacoma from the US) pickups from the domestic Mexican market now that Toyota is available. I have not seen many Tundras at all in Mexico or here in Guatemala either, they are as we stated earlier a North American (Canada/USA) ONLY vehicle.

 

[marting]

Would a 80 with big roof-rack and a camper-trailer be way to small? And why bring big smelly dogs? (and their food) For sequrity?
I dont get it.. if I was a pirate/robber or heavily armed militant hi-jacker do you really think i would be afraid of two very stupid dogs? no.... they would just be an exuse for me to whip out my ak47 and start killing things..a provocation not a defence.

 

[grease_guzzler]

Would something like this fit the bill?
Outback Imports - Pictures of Toyota LandCruiser HDJ81 LTD VX 4x4 Diesel