superbuickguy
1/2 ton status
Hi. Long time watcher, first time talker... well, maybe not, I've built all sorts of squares... Is another deposited here? I dunno. But I digress. I like car camping... err.. Overlanding (wow, don't I sound special now?) I've built LOTS of them and this one is kind of the one-to-rule-them all. I've had all manner of 'regular' campers but they have 2 problems, 1) they're way too big, and 2) to use them means to go near other people.... which, to me, the point of getting away is to actually not go to some parking lot with a green swimming pool (I'm looking at you Yosemite)...
so first car camper was my H3 Hummer Alpha. I loved that thing for everything BUT camping. the rear sear folds but not flat - so you can't camp in it, thus
it worked, but at the time I had a Mastiff that couldn't get on top with me (200 lb dog), and was terrified to be in the annex - so he'd be inside, away from me and very concerned about lift... he'd move. A lot... I should have brought Dramamine.
So next was a square. a 85 ATS turbo diesel suburban.
it worked well and pulled this just fine
we travel a lot for dogs - my wife is a nationally certified man-tracker who uses bloodhounds as her weapon of choice (and no, I don't get away with anything)... the 85 was our only transportation for those events and simply not comfortable for her to drive. So I got this a 94 TD 'burb
which I still have. All of these rigs had places to sleep, and the suburbans all have running water and engine-off heat (diesel heater). They also get my portable refrigerator and some method of cooking. The problem is I want to stand up inside... I also use a class A to go to race tracks with this beast
I don't need class a room. Also, portapotties are just fine when camping with others - and I have a shovel for the other times. But being able to eat inside with air conditioning and away from bugs would be nice.
I also like Chalet campers but we can do so much better now. Overland campers are pretty sweet, heated, a/c'd, light, well insulated, with water and a shower, and with all the amenities of home (including a cassette toilet)... all in a 6' overhead camper package. Which is what I'm going to build. Whether I show that portion of the build is an open question.
But for now. Say hello to the new hotness
it's not stolen so maybe hotness is a bit bold... but I have plans
It's a 1986 diesel blazer. I like the 6.2/6.5 and think they're a great fit-for-purpose motor. They get good mileage, can be one-wire operation, are reliable, inexpensive, and sound awesome (detroit diesels
) They are not race motors, they are not a semi motor, they are not going to win any competition, however, go back to the great mileage. The 94 suburban has a few mods, a 'stock' cummins 5.7 turbo, I've fooled the PCM into thinking it isn't getting 12 psi of boost, PCM has been relocated and it's probably 280 hp and 400 ft. lb torque. all while getting 15-17 mpg. 13 towing. I wish the Corvette got that kind of mpgs.... There are things, more, that I could do to that 250,000 mile motor but the truck cost me $300 and the motor $1200 - so I'm not going to. It's reliable.
But I do want 18 psi and 350 hp/525 ft lb torque. To do that requires head studs, better head gasket, and a better harmonic balancer (along with the cummin's turbo).
As start to this, I bought a 34,000 mile motor out of a 1999 H1 Hummer. It's not the Optimizer motor, but it's good enough for my plans. The biggest fail of the 6.2/6.5 is people severely overheat them - and when you do that, it's pretty much game over. GM fixed the cooling problem with a far better pump, add to that I'll add a better radiator and this should all be fit for purpose.
I haven't mentioned transmissions because I have options. a NV4500 or 4L80e... the motor came with a 4L80e but my first love is gear rowing - so I may convert it to manual.
as far as suspension. Rear will be boring leaf springs, front will be radius arm with coil springs. The FJ40 pictured above is fully linked and fully built by me. The Corvette above has a C5 front suspension and 5th gen Camaro rear.... all done by me. I know a couple things about building suspensions that work. I say that not to brag but to plead that the self-appointed experts just enjoy the entertainment of this build. Not saying there are any here, but just sayin'.... shush.
As far as axles, I have a dana 60 front and corporate 14 bolt rear
4.56 gear, LS front, detroit locker rear (which I may change, long long ago I had the same locker in the rear of a 74 Blazer on 44s... I swapped ends going down a wet hill on the freeway - not looking forward to a repeat of that.
as far as tires... something in the 38 range.. probably 37s and likely the toyo's that are currently on the FJ40. I don''t like them as a wheeling tire, and will go back to Swamper SXs or something similar.... but they would work great for what I'm doing here.
Interior is going to be stock plus (heated seats but all done to stock interior)
outside is going to be repainted in the same colors....
anyway, hello. Questions?
so first car camper was my H3 Hummer Alpha. I loved that thing for everything BUT camping. the rear sear folds but not flat - so you can't camp in it, thus
it worked, but at the time I had a Mastiff that couldn't get on top with me (200 lb dog), and was terrified to be in the annex - so he'd be inside, away from me and very concerned about lift... he'd move. A lot... I should have brought Dramamine.
So next was a square. a 85 ATS turbo diesel suburban.
it worked well and pulled this just fine
we travel a lot for dogs - my wife is a nationally certified man-tracker who uses bloodhounds as her weapon of choice (and no, I don't get away with anything)... the 85 was our only transportation for those events and simply not comfortable for her to drive. So I got this a 94 TD 'burb
which I still have. All of these rigs had places to sleep, and the suburbans all have running water and engine-off heat (diesel heater). They also get my portable refrigerator and some method of cooking. The problem is I want to stand up inside... I also use a class A to go to race tracks with this beast
I don't need class a room. Also, portapotties are just fine when camping with others - and I have a shovel for the other times. But being able to eat inside with air conditioning and away from bugs would be nice.
I also like Chalet campers but we can do so much better now. Overland campers are pretty sweet, heated, a/c'd, light, well insulated, with water and a shower, and with all the amenities of home (including a cassette toilet)... all in a 6' overhead camper package. Which is what I'm going to build. Whether I show that portion of the build is an open question.
But for now. Say hello to the new hotness
it's not stolen so maybe hotness is a bit bold... but I have plans
It's a 1986 diesel blazer. I like the 6.2/6.5 and think they're a great fit-for-purpose motor. They get good mileage, can be one-wire operation, are reliable, inexpensive, and sound awesome (detroit diesels
) They are not race motors, they are not a semi motor, they are not going to win any competition, however, go back to the great mileage. The 94 suburban has a few mods, a 'stock' cummins 5.7 turbo, I've fooled the PCM into thinking it isn't getting 12 psi of boost, PCM has been relocated and it's probably 280 hp and 400 ft. lb torque. all while getting 15-17 mpg. 13 towing. I wish the Corvette got that kind of mpgs.... There are things, more, that I could do to that 250,000 mile motor but the truck cost me $300 and the motor $1200 - so I'm not going to. It's reliable.But I do want 18 psi and 350 hp/525 ft lb torque. To do that requires head studs, better head gasket, and a better harmonic balancer (along with the cummin's turbo).
As start to this, I bought a 34,000 mile motor out of a 1999 H1 Hummer. It's not the Optimizer motor, but it's good enough for my plans. The biggest fail of the 6.2/6.5 is people severely overheat them - and when you do that, it's pretty much game over. GM fixed the cooling problem with a far better pump, add to that I'll add a better radiator and this should all be fit for purpose.
I haven't mentioned transmissions because I have options. a NV4500 or 4L80e... the motor came with a 4L80e but my first love is gear rowing - so I may convert it to manual.
as far as suspension. Rear will be boring leaf springs, front will be radius arm with coil springs. The FJ40 pictured above is fully linked and fully built by me. The Corvette above has a C5 front suspension and 5th gen Camaro rear.... all done by me. I know a couple things about building suspensions that work. I say that not to brag but to plead that the self-appointed experts just enjoy the entertainment of this build. Not saying there are any here, but just sayin'.... shush.
As far as axles, I have a dana 60 front and corporate 14 bolt rear
4.56 gear, LS front, detroit locker rear (which I may change, long long ago I had the same locker in the rear of a 74 Blazer on 44s... I swapped ends going down a wet hill on the freeway - not looking forward to a repeat of that.
as far as tires... something in the 38 range.. probably 37s and likely the toyo's that are currently on the FJ40. I don''t like them as a wheeling tire, and will go back to Swamper SXs or something similar.... but they would work great for what I'm doing here.
Interior is going to be stock plus (heated seats but all done to stock interior)
outside is going to be repainted in the same colors....
anyway, hello. Questions?
