I know that's why the sometimes parts come in. I think Jerome is way cool the other ghost towns and mines are always fun.
CK5
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The Story Of A Cummins Suburban (Lots Of Pics)
- Thread starter mosesburb
- Start date
Ok, so I guess I am technically caught up to December now. They are a little out of chronological order, but meh. Anyways, around 01 Jan, I found myself in a parking lot in Casa Grande at 0900 to make an equipment purchase. That purchase took all of a few minutes, so here we are (my boy and I), in Casa Grande at 0915 and we do not have to be back in town until 1400 for a dentist appointment for my boy. Hmm what can we do?? We decide to head over to Florence to check out the Casa Grande ruins--yes, the Casa Grande ruins are not in Casa Grande <dunno>.
Now, a quick disclaimer--this run consists of no dirt. If this is an issue, you may want to skip the rest here. If you are still with us, here we go.
This is rolling in on the access road. The largest ruins are under that canopy:
So we get inside and pay our money and are allowed to go outside and look around. We silently "crash" a guided tour that had recently started. There was some interesting information being presented by a nice old lady.
Here is what we got to see:
The canopy was built in the late twenties or early thirties to protect the structure from erosion due to rain. Obviously we don't get that much rain, but still we get enough to warrant the canopy.
The site was on a stage coach line long ago that ran from Casa Grande to Florence. The stage would stop and let travelers roam around the site to check it out, steal artifacts and perform 19th century graffitti. My boy was elated to find his name in 19th century graffiti on the wall.
Interior wall with holes for tree branch floor supports:
There are several other structures on the site:
Map of the site:
How they built it:
Ths pic was in the visitor center. It was an old pic of the site prior to the construction of the large canopy:
The ball court mentioned on one of the earlier information plaques is off in another area of the site. This is what they think it looked like:
What it looked like today:
So, no dirt, but we had fun anyways. We even made it back to town to deal with his dental appointment which went much better than the last one (and a whole lot cheaper...)
Now, a quick disclaimer--this run consists of no dirt. If this is an issue, you may want to skip the rest here. If you are still with us, here we go.
This is rolling in on the access road. The largest ruins are under that canopy:
So we get inside and pay our money and are allowed to go outside and look around. We silently "crash" a guided tour that had recently started. There was some interesting information being presented by a nice old lady.
Here is what we got to see:
The canopy was built in the late twenties or early thirties to protect the structure from erosion due to rain. Obviously we don't get that much rain, but still we get enough to warrant the canopy.
The site was on a stage coach line long ago that ran from Casa Grande to Florence. The stage would stop and let travelers roam around the site to check it out, steal artifacts and perform 19th century graffitti. My boy was elated to find his name in 19th century graffiti on the wall.
Interior wall with holes for tree branch floor supports:
There are several other structures on the site:
Map of the site:
How they built it:
Ths pic was in the visitor center. It was an old pic of the site prior to the construction of the large canopy:
The ball court mentioned on one of the earlier information plaques is off in another area of the site. This is what they think it looked like:
What it looked like today:
So, no dirt, but we had fun anyways. We even made it back to town to deal with his dental appointment which went much better than the last one (and a whole lot cheaper...)
ekajkrats
1/2 ton status
living vicariously...
Love your suburban, and thanks for sharing all your adventures.
Definitely inspiring, and can't wait to go on some with my son and our blazer when he is old enough.
Love your suburban, and thanks for sharing all your adventures.
Definitely inspiring, and can't wait to go on some with my son and our blazer when he is old enough.
CUCV2
5/4 ton fun
So how does the Casa Grande differ from the other buildings in the compound (other than it is four times larger)?
That is really it, and its still there.
Love your suburban, and thanks for sharing all your adventures.
Definitely inspiring, and can't wait to go on some with my son and our blazer when he is old enough.
I'm glad you like it. It's hard to beat rolling around out in the wilderness compared to sitting on a couch watching some brain-poison on television. Oftentimes I will ask my boy if he thinks any of his friends have ever seen this or done that or what he thinks they are doing right now. It really puts things in perspective for him.
That pretty much sums it up. The other remnants are those little stub-wall looking things--no height or roofs left.
So during our exit from Fossil Creek, the last remaining piece of foam insulation between the hood and inner hood structure fell out and landed on the turbocharger. This was not an ideal place for flammable material to ride. I removed it and threw it in the back and tossed it when we got home. This created a problem. A loud, obnoxious problem. To say the hood would oil can would be a tremendous understatement. Holy cow. It is a Suburban with a straight piped Cummins in it and the hood could be heard oil-canning for a long way before the motor could be heard. Man, it was terrible.
So, what to do?? I thought about a replacement foam kit. I wasn't to keen on that one as it seems everything sold as replacement foam or rubber for these trucks is junk. No longevity whatsoever. Once again, if this falls out, it lands on the turbo and can start on fire. Underhood fire is bad, m'kay?? I figured out a way I could glue it, but I still wasn't sold on the idea that this is the best option. I kept pondering the subject and remembered back in my body shop days that a foam was used on new cars for this purpose. I did some research and found that SEM 39357 Flexible Urethane Foam was the product to use now. I did some more research and found that the stuff is not cheap. I also found that you need a special caulking-gun-type tool to apply the stuff. That thing is way expensive. More than double the price of the goo-in-a-tube. I started calling around and I found a place that would sell me the urethane foam and let me "borrow" the applicator device with a securing deposit. This was the best option for me as I don't need that gold-plated tool hanging on a hook gathering dust.
Product and dispenser:
So here we go. I tried applying the foam to the hood while it was on the truck. This did not end well and I don't recommend this method. I pulled the hood off and laid it upside down for the next attempt. This worked much better. This stuff has a very limited working time. If you stop to think while you are using it, it will go off in the mixing nozzle and no more material will pass at that point. Continuous movement is required. Get everything clean. Have some rags nearby.
The product comes out and takes a moment or two to go off. In this time the thought of not having put enough in the gap comes to mind. This can be a bad thought as too much stuff looks terrible. It is best to keep going and see what happens after it expands. I put too much in a couple areas and had to trim it off. It doesn't look as nice as the areas where it is just "as caulked". This stuff expands more that I thought it would.
Here is what I ended up with:
Not too bad--here. Some thoughts one the product. Easy to work with?? Not too bad, I have dealt with worse. Wear gloves!! Wear some gloves!! Put some gloves on!! Seriously. You don't want this stuff on you. Other than what is mentioned, it is not too bad.
Now, with all of that said, does it work?? Holy cow!! If someone would have told me the difference I would experience after installing this magic-goo, I would not have believed it. No way. Unbeliveable difference. I wish I would have done it sooner. On the trail the hood is silent. Around town the noise level in the vehicle is reduced dramatically. I never knew how much noise came from the hood itself. In the end it was worth every penny and the week after of picking that foam crap off of my hands. Wear gloves. Seriously.
So, what to do?? I thought about a replacement foam kit. I wasn't to keen on that one as it seems everything sold as replacement foam or rubber for these trucks is junk. No longevity whatsoever. Once again, if this falls out, it lands on the turbo and can start on fire. Underhood fire is bad, m'kay?? I figured out a way I could glue it, but I still wasn't sold on the idea that this is the best option. I kept pondering the subject and remembered back in my body shop days that a foam was used on new cars for this purpose. I did some research and found that SEM 39357 Flexible Urethane Foam was the product to use now. I did some more research and found that the stuff is not cheap. I also found that you need a special caulking-gun-type tool to apply the stuff. That thing is way expensive. More than double the price of the goo-in-a-tube. I started calling around and I found a place that would sell me the urethane foam and let me "borrow" the applicator device with a securing deposit. This was the best option for me as I don't need that gold-plated tool hanging on a hook gathering dust.
Product and dispenser:
So here we go. I tried applying the foam to the hood while it was on the truck. This did not end well and I don't recommend this method. I pulled the hood off and laid it upside down for the next attempt. This worked much better. This stuff has a very limited working time. If you stop to think while you are using it, it will go off in the mixing nozzle and no more material will pass at that point. Continuous movement is required. Get everything clean. Have some rags nearby.
The product comes out and takes a moment or two to go off. In this time the thought of not having put enough in the gap comes to mind. This can be a bad thought as too much stuff looks terrible. It is best to keep going and see what happens after it expands. I put too much in a couple areas and had to trim it off. It doesn't look as nice as the areas where it is just "as caulked". This stuff expands more that I thought it would.
Here is what I ended up with:
Not too bad--here. Some thoughts one the product. Easy to work with?? Not too bad, I have dealt with worse. Wear gloves!! Wear some gloves!! Put some gloves on!! Seriously. You don't want this stuff on you. Other than what is mentioned, it is not too bad.
Now, with all of that said, does it work?? Holy cow!! If someone would have told me the difference I would experience after installing this magic-goo, I would not have believed it. No way. Unbeliveable difference. I wish I would have done it sooner. On the trail the hood is silent. Around town the noise level in the vehicle is reduced dramatically. I never knew how much noise came from the hood itself. In the end it was worth every penny and the week after of picking that foam crap off of my hands. Wear gloves. Seriously.
Good stuff.
But for reference, while not as good as what you used (no surprise there), the common urethane glue/sealer used for late model windshields works very well. My cut down and skinned truggy hood had a square tube frame with the skin glued on and held almost exclusively by the urethane. I've used it for all sorts of stuff, never been disappointed yet. Not cheap, but no where near the cost of the 2 part stuff, and uses a common caulking gun.
But for reference, while not as good as what you used (no surprise there), the common urethane glue/sealer used for late model windshields works very well. My cut down and skinned truggy hood had a square tube frame with the skin glued on and held almost exclusively by the urethane. I've used it for all sorts of stuff, never been disappointed yet. Not cheap, but no where near the cost of the 2 part stuff, and uses a common caulking gun.
Very good write up. I'm always amazed at how much these old hoods bounce around. I was thinking of some kind of bracing down the road, but if this truly works, that's awesome.
Thanks for sharing...
Thanks for sharing...
sweet! one of the HUGE downsides of driving my blazer is how much noise it makes, making conversation a chore. I'll have to look into this. thanks for the write up.
Is that the stuff that has to be heated?? The last few pieces of glass I had installed in the fleet, they pulled the tubes out of some sort of heater device.
Very good write up. I'm always amazed at how much these old hoods bounce around. I was thinking of some kind of bracing down the road, but if this truly works, that's awesome.
Thanks for sharing...
The reduction in noise is amazing. Even in town it is VERY noticable. On the trail it is like a completely different vehicle.
Check it out. It works fantastic!! It is difficult to get a clean outcome on the first try as you don't know how much it is going to expand (and there is no time whatsoever to watch it expand and go from there as the foam will go off in the mixing nozzle thus ruining the nozzle for future use--might want to buy a couple extras just in case). I think I am going to try Russ's idea on another area of the truck because of the propensity for making a huge mess with this stuff. We'll see how that goes.
lectric80
3/4 ton status
Keep posting, it makes me want more and more to get Krusty into the garage and done so I can go wheeling again. Just can't be done very well with 5 people in a Toyota pickup.
Maybe I'm young but what is "oil canning"? 
Roof Rack??
Maybe I'm young but what is "oil canning"?
Old oil cans had a flat circular steel bottom that was "sprung" outward and when you pressed it with your thumb it went click as it went from an outie to an innie, dispensed a few drops of oil, then went click again as the metal sprung back out. Oil canning is a term used in body work when a panel wants to be sprung one way and any amount of force will allow it to spring inward and pop back out to its original shape. It usually occurs on large panels that are relatively unsupported.
lectric80
3/4 ton status
Might work for the wife and then the kids can be in the cab with me.
No heat required on any I've ever used. You can get it at most any body shop supply. Seems like it was $9-$12 or so for the tube. Just like caulk, take it off the shelf and use it. Bonds like nothing else I've ever seen in a 1 part, even on glass (obviously), much less anything where it can get a bite. And like what you used, do NOT get it on your hands. Anybody recall the "hootus" thread? If not, you don't wanna know, and you don't want to learn about it the hard way...
Yeah, I was thinking hootus when I was dealing with this stuff.
How is the consistency of it?? Safe for overhead use without "flowing"??
How is the consistency of it?? Safe for overhead use without "flowing"??
It's pretty thick and sticky. From what I recall I would say maybe think of something a bit thicker and similar consistency to Silicone caulk. I wouldn't think it would be a problem, but I would definitely put down some plastic if it was going to be left hanging and globbed. But for what you were doing, I think it would have worked fine without removing the hood. Then again, you know my memory...
So back in January, yeah, I know I'm slow. I teamed up with another old Suburban ('70 K20 pure stock) and went wandering (mine was the one that was not magnetically attracted to gas stations). We headed out from town up to Wickenburg where he stopped for gas upon entering town. We checked out a really cool museum up there and then proceeded down to Vulture Mine. We promptly found out that it was closed. We left there seeking a scenic lunch spot. We found one nearby and had our lunch.
After we left here we headed down old US60. This section has been bypassed by I-10 so not much traffic flows through here. While cruising low through small towns, stores can be found that make you wonder why stores like this aren't available in the metropolis where you live. Seriously, Ace hardware meets Macy's. Get your hardware and fashion in one easy stop.
Anyways, our destination was not Adolfo's believe it or not, but an old mining town called Swansea. There is some information on it out there, this is a link to a little bit of it. Once we were close to Swansea, I was absolutely amazed at the scenery in the surrounding area. I have run Highway 72 from Vicksburg through Utting and Bouse into Parker many times. Always at high speed as there is really nothing to look at. That was the scenery I was expecting to see just a few miles north in Swansea, but I was very pleasantly surprised at the unbelievable variations in colors. Every hill, mountain, valley, escarpment was a different color than the one in front of it and the one behind it. Absolutely amazing. I took many pictures of it, but it is evidently difficult to capture on electronic film. This pic give an idea of what I am trying to describe:
So we got into Swansea and did some wandering around. There aren't any complete buildings, but there are some pretty good remnants and physical evidence of buildings that were there. This was a neat pile of machine filings:
Random studs:
This is an example of the signs that were at some of the more "important" locations:
This is what the building looks like today:
On our way back we found the pit that held a train scale:
Back at camp we had a very tasty steak dinner complete with shrimp for my boy all courtesy of Lance & Co. After dinner, we sacrificed Frosty The Snowman Peep to the Fire Gods to bless us with safe trail passage tomorrow.
So ends our first day of travel.
After we left here we headed down old US60. This section has been bypassed by I-10 so not much traffic flows through here. While cruising low through small towns, stores can be found that make you wonder why stores like this aren't available in the metropolis where you live. Seriously, Ace hardware meets Macy's. Get your hardware and fashion in one easy stop.
Anyways, our destination was not Adolfo's believe it or not, but an old mining town called Swansea. There is some information on it out there, this is a link to a little bit of it. Once we were close to Swansea, I was absolutely amazed at the scenery in the surrounding area. I have run Highway 72 from Vicksburg through Utting and Bouse into Parker many times. Always at high speed as there is really nothing to look at. That was the scenery I was expecting to see just a few miles north in Swansea, but I was very pleasantly surprised at the unbelievable variations in colors. Every hill, mountain, valley, escarpment was a different color than the one in front of it and the one behind it. Absolutely amazing. I took many pictures of it, but it is evidently difficult to capture on electronic film. This pic give an idea of what I am trying to describe:
So we got into Swansea and did some wandering around. There aren't any complete buildings, but there are some pretty good remnants and physical evidence of buildings that were there. This was a neat pile of machine filings:
Random studs:
This is an example of the signs that were at some of the more "important" locations:
This is what the building looks like today:
On our way back we found the pit that held a train scale:
Back at camp we had a very tasty steak dinner complete with shrimp for my boy all courtesy of Lance & Co. After dinner, we sacrificed Frosty The Snowman Peep to the Fire Gods to bless us with safe trail passage tomorrow.
So ends our first day of travel.
