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2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans
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BCgee
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 8:40 am    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

Around a dozen family 1-2 nighters this year, 1x 3,000 mi roadtrips sans mechanicals, and lots of kid/dog commuting.

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Top upgrades:

1) New front end bushings, rods, T3 sway bar/end links & Burley UCAs (totally worth it)
2) Knocked out seam rust and repainted
3) New to me rear bumper, built DIY swing away carrier, built custom NAHT roof rack, added semi-permanent solar to aux battery system

Also rebuilt my Espar B4 heater, a nice confidence booster for a nice van luxury.

2021
1) More short(er) roadtrips with the family
2) Finish suspension overhaul
3) Revive stock AC system
4) Build DIY overland trailer for the van and family gear and find NOS 16" Mefro wheels
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Squidfish
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:52 am    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

Great thread Brandon!

2020: Favorite Things -- (only 4 nights camping, but plenty of day trips)
1. Old school RMW locking battery box/console for in back of passenger seat found on theSamba classifieds, absolute game changer...wish it was still made.
2. EV steering wheel
3. Passenger bolt-on swivel seat
4. RMW ladder
5. Extended spare latch from BenT / Modified carrier with u-bolts for full size spare 215 75 15
6. Hatch struts!! haha
7. Uniwerks Design goodies all over, door lights are great!

2021: To Do
1. SA Behr Radiator/SS Coolant Lines/Heater lines/ Wahler Switch/Relay/Paint Fan Housing
2. Second Battery set up with isolator, fusebox
3. Chinese diesel heater with tank in back of pass tail light

Hoping to keep using it every weekend with the family and go on some bigger trips! Baja keeps calling in Feb/March, every year...
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bobbyblack Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 12:46 pm    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

Still planning the last few remaining days of December, but:
2020:
18,000(+) miles driven.
Camping trips to the North Shore of Superior, multiple times.
Camping trip to the Rockies.
Daily drive for all but 2 days at office, yes, I have been 'essential' for the entire mess.
Days NOT driven thus far: 22 (and all but 2 of those were due to just staying home)

House LiFePO4 system (120AH)
CDH Heater/AfterBurner
Purchased RJE components for engine build
Jalousie on Slider
Pulse Width Modulator for A/C motors
NightLight/USB mod in fresh air vent above Slider
Fridge Vent (side by table) Power+USB+switches mod
Phil Eslin TB rebuild installed + Hall TPS
All fluids changed (at least once)
Good Speakers in A/C cabinet with baffles
Cheapo Stereo

2021:
Plan to record album in Denver -- February (2 trips)
North Shore of Superior (more than 2 trips)
Vacation to Rockies in Summer

Build engine from (mostly) RJE parts
Replace the rest of the suspension rubbers
Fridge Project
Awning, either same as Kamz, or the 11'6" unit, order and install
New tires // size to be determined on how the engine build works out.
Follow Sanchius' ideology of installing all parts ordered previously before spending more on new projects. (of course, allowing for above list to interfere as appropriate)

-bobby
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joetiger Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 1:25 pm    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

Great thread!

2020:

Trips:

I got in a few trips to the desert, Four Corners loop in February and Moab in October; took the family around Colorado in June and had a SUP trip in September. I was able to get a few solo trips to the mountains in as well. I'm grateful to have gotten to do so much, and happy that we did it all responsibly.

I know Monument Valley is a bit of a cliche at this point, but on a bluebird late-February Friday morning heading south on that empty highway...I can't begin to describe how it felt.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I also used my van as an office for three months and loved it.

Projects:

--added my little cobbled-together cabinet/sink.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


--Various small projects on the engine, motor mounts, redesigned intake (again,) fuel rail, exhaust...

--added in-dash AC with all the trimmings (rad, condenser, compressor, etc.) which, with enormous assistance from the Samba, actually works. Shocked

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2021:

--Go back to the desert at the end of February if possible.
--Go back to the desert in May for Syncro Solstice if possible.
--Sell the 928 and find a workable Eurovan for my daughter.
--Be on the road when I can. Camp more, fix more, read more, write more.

I don't know about projects yet. Keep it going, fix what breaks.

Happy New Year!
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"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

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dabaron
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 4:33 pm    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

February 2020 - bought a bit of a project

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October 2020 - first camping trip in the project, it was glorious.

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Dave would not have a Vanagon if i passed on the Westy and went to town on the tin top instead.

so both Dave and myself scored big this year! looking forward to Dave's 2021 year end review.

my plans are to get all the parts in the dining room installed (suspension rebuild), camp way more, like 2 weekends a month, and try to be a better person. the Westy is teaching me patience and good manners while driving, so that's a start.
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Love My Westy
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 6:15 pm    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

2020 has been a year filled with drama. Started out spending New Years with my wife at a Air B&B in Tucson. I then flew home to Salt Lake City and picked up my truck and camper and headed to Baja until I was forced to leave March 1st due to Covid and the threat of the border closing.

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I then spent March and April in Tucson with my wife and did a lot of bicycling on the great bike trails. Returned to Salt Lake just as the Covid was really taking off in Tucson. We remained here until July when we had to make an emergency trip to Tacoma, Wa due to a death in the family. We drove my wifes Pleasure Way Class B and stayed at Gig Harbor for 2 weeks. Back to SLC. In August I finally was able to do a Vanagon trip visiting old college buddies in Lander, Wyo a then up to the Tetons where I spent two weeks camping and fishing.

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My wife was going to meet me in Jackson Hole in her PW but changed her mind so back to Salt Lake for me.

In Mid Sept. she decided to she was going to home school our 5 year old grand niece who lost her father in July, so we packed her up and drove her PW and my truck back up to Tacoma where she got an apartment to home school the little girl and her 5 year old cousin. I forgot to mention my wife is a retired teacher.

I returned to Salt Lake again and after doing all the yardwork to prepare for winter I finally got to do another Vanagon trip. This time to South Eastern Utah
camping at:

The Dirty Devil Overlook;

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Near Hite;

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Muley Point;

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plus Moki Dugway, Valley of the Gods and back to Hite.

The Van was then stored in my garage for the winter. I was going to drive back up to Tacoma for Christmas but due to Covid I will be social distancing here in Salt Lake.
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Irishcalifornian
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:18 pm    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

If I didn't have my 87 Westy in 2020, I would have been a total nut job!
What great therapy they are.

I got a lot of little projects done on it, not worth mentioning.
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thatbaldwinlife
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:58 pm    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

Our 2020 trips are pretty well documented on here so I will leave that part out Smile
We refinished the pop top/luggage rack and installed a new tent and seals. That was a fun job Rolling Eyes
Rebuilt the front heater core and installed a BMW booster while the dash was out. Another fun job! Rolling Eyes
But those are out of the way!

For 2021 we plan on camping every month again and hoping to get back to Canada for our summer trip. This may be our twins last trip as they will be 17 this year and will be getting jobs and stuff soon. They are always invited though.

No big Westy upgrades for next year though we may install a TF60 and move away from the ARB fridge.

nate
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markswagen
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 8:26 am    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

Recovered from covid, twice, which cost me half the year Sad
Happy to still be able to look down at the grass.
Camped a bit more than usual, finally got lucy running on EJ power.

Next year, a couple of road trips, hopefully last Paz in February, the wife's wants to take our boy on a road trip this side of the border also.
Getting more of my health back is the biggest priority to next year.
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joetiger Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 9:32 am    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

markswagen wrote:
Recovered from covid, twice, which cost me half the year Sad
Happy to still be able to look down at the grass.


Shocked I'm so sorry to hear that, Mark. Glad you're on the mend!
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Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com
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dplumtree
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 4:58 pm    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

Not to many trips this year, 3-4 2 nighters and one 1 week trip. we usually do more. as for projects, this was the busiest year ever.

-got rid of the scratchy steering wheel noise
-installed big shot shifter
-installed propex
-replaced bearings on sliding door
-replaced gaskets in exhaust system
-installed truck mirrors
-rust repair and full paint job
-gowesty big brake kit
-BFG K02 tires

picture are at #northeastsouthwesty
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2020 10:23 am    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

markswagen wrote:
Recovered from covid, twice, which cost me half the year Sad
Happy to still be able to look down at the grass.

Wow - glad you're still with us, Mark!
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kourt
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 6:58 am    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

2020: a few big road trips, using the van for an office during the pandemic, and some hunting trips.

But 2020 isn't over yet! We are installing a sprinkler system on our lot. We showed up at the equipment rental place to pick up the trencher with the van.

Rental employee: "You'll need to install a ball hitch on your bumper for the trailer to haul this trencher."

Me: "Nah, just put it in the van!"

And they did. And they were awed.

kourt

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djkeev
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 7:33 am    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

No trips (unless you count the trips to dabaron's house, dobryan's house and 4gears house to pickup parts) but hopefully there will be a Vanagon in my driveway by New Years! (Hint, hint)

Plans in 2021 are to get it running during January and then start sorting out things that need sorting, Steve did a lot but he lost his love and found another!
Turning this one into a parts donor and storage shed!

Dave
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rowan
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 12:18 pm    Post subject: Re: 2020 Year in review - upgrades, trips, 2021 plans Reply with quote

2020: Bought Syncro on 23 August. First trip was driving home from New York to Tennessee.
Second trip Tennessee -> Arkansas -> Oklahoma -> Texas -> New Mexico ->
Colorado -> Wyoming -> South Dakota -> Iowa -> Nebraska ->
Missouri -> Illinois -> Kentucky -> Tennessee!
Three additional one or two nights trips around Tennessee.

Work done: Swing away on back, LED headlights, various small things.

2021 plans: Trip to L'Anse aux Meadows.
Work Planned: Some kind of heat - likely gasoline; Kitchen (it's a tintop) with fridge, sink & microwave; Solar panels,etc.
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