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W200 FAMILY ROAD TRIP PROJECT
CHAPTER 1: The Acquisition
I decided I wanted to accomplish one epic family road trip before my kids got married/moved away- so to that end I came up with: southern California to Juneau, Alaska and back.
Now, my wife grew up in a warm, semi-tropical environment, and my kids think their noses will fall off from frostbite if it gets below 45 F, but I don'’t care! The North is a beautiful, awe-inspiring part of this world, and I wanted my kids to see places that don'’t have water rationing, heavy traffic, and millions of people in compact areas. The youngest should be graduating from high school in June 2020, so I have about 18 months to get this truck ready for a slide-in camper and 6,000 miles of highway, back roads, and mountains.
I decided on an early '‘70'’s Power Wagon because I am partial to Dodges, because they are relatively easy to get parts for and fix “in the field”, and because 1975 and earlier vehicles do not have to pass an emissions test. I would have preferred a W300 one-ton model, but this ¾-ton model came up and it seems like a great candidate. It has little rust as a California desert vehicle, and the body is nice and straight.
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The plan is to go through most everything: new brake cylinders, hoses, and shoes and drums (if necessary); new water pump, power steering pump, alternator voltage regulator, pressure and temperature sensors, thermostat, all new hoses, new gas tank (remove in-cab tank and replace with in-frame, 30 gallon+ assembly), fuel lines, fuel pump, new wheel bearings all around, new steering wear parts, new and extra lights. The engine might get new main and con rod bearings. Finally, rebuild the transmission and install a new clutch, pressure plate, throw-out bearing, rear main seal, and if the clutch uses hydraulic master/slave cylinders, all new replacements of those. Of course, new tires and a second spare, with the wheels getting powder-coated. And, freshen-up the interior.
If there is time, the exterior of the truck will get painted!
So I went out to Lancaster, California this last Monday after work to a little property literally in the middle of the desert. Two older guys (California Duck Dynasty stand-ins)
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met me by the truck and we looked at it and b.s.'’d for a minute. Then they went to demonstrate that it would run by dropping in a battery from one of their Jeeps and pouring gas down the carburetor (the truck had been sitting since 2005 so the gas in the tank was bad).
It cranked a little but the battery was mostly discharged so I had to bring my 2012 Ram over and hook up jumper cables.
CHAPTER 1: The Acquisition
I decided I wanted to accomplish one epic family road trip before my kids got married/moved away- so to that end I came up with: southern California to Juneau, Alaska and back.
Now, my wife grew up in a warm, semi-tropical environment, and my kids think their noses will fall off from frostbite if it gets below 45 F, but I don'’t care! The North is a beautiful, awe-inspiring part of this world, and I wanted my kids to see places that don'’t have water rationing, heavy traffic, and millions of people in compact areas. The youngest should be graduating from high school in June 2020, so I have about 18 months to get this truck ready for a slide-in camper and 6,000 miles of highway, back roads, and mountains.
I decided on an early '‘70'’s Power Wagon because I am partial to Dodges, because they are relatively easy to get parts for and fix “in the field”, and because 1975 and earlier vehicles do not have to pass an emissions test. I would have preferred a W300 one-ton model, but this ¾-ton model came up and it seems like a great candidate. It has little rust as a California desert vehicle, and the body is nice and straight.
1.jpg
The plan is to go through most everything: new brake cylinders, hoses, and shoes and drums (if necessary); new water pump, power steering pump, alternator voltage regulator, pressure and temperature sensors, thermostat, all new hoses, new gas tank (remove in-cab tank and replace with in-frame, 30 gallon+ assembly), fuel lines, fuel pump, new wheel bearings all around, new steering wear parts, new and extra lights. The engine might get new main and con rod bearings. Finally, rebuild the transmission and install a new clutch, pressure plate, throw-out bearing, rear main seal, and if the clutch uses hydraulic master/slave cylinders, all new replacements of those. Of course, new tires and a second spare, with the wheels getting powder-coated. And, freshen-up the interior.
If there is time, the exterior of the truck will get painted!
So I went out to Lancaster, California this last Monday after work to a little property literally in the middle of the desert. Two older guys (California Duck Dynasty stand-ins)
2.jpg
met me by the truck and we looked at it and b.s.'’d for a minute. Then they went to demonstrate that it would run by dropping in a battery from one of their Jeeps and pouring gas down the carburetor (the truck had been sitting since 2005 so the gas in the tank was bad).
It cranked a little but the battery was mostly discharged so I had to bring my 2012 Ram over and hook up jumper cables.
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