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Re: The $500 Chinook takes a trip
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Dick Rettke
开云体育
-------Original Message-------
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From: W0AH@...
Date: Wednesday, July
18, 2001 12:02:12 AM
Subject:
[toyota-campers] The $500 Chinook takes a trip ? After buying the
1976 Toyota Chinook that lay abandoned in a neighbors field for over 4 1/2 years (reported here a couple of weeks ago), I finally got it ready for it's first trip this past weekend to Panarama Point, the highest point in Nebraska, where I operated a ham radio contest. ?I had this unreasonable, compulsive desire to drive her to Nebraska for the contest since I bought her July 3. ?The round trip distance was almost 500 miles from here near Pikes Peak. ??In the past two weeks I spent over 20 hours cleaning the cabin and cab, rewiring the tail lights, replacing the horn, adding a new 12 volt battery, making sure the electrical converter was wired and working properly before using it, replacing some of the water tubing to/from the sink, and replacing many of the rusting nuts, bolts, and screws. I also bought a porta potty at Walmart. ?I also bought the Chilton Toyota pickup repair manual and intended to try to to some of the maintenance, but ran out of time- and had the wheel bearings repacked and the right front caliper and front rotars and break pads replaced at a local repair shop where they also took the good 16-ply tires off the dualies and put them on the four wheels with balancing. ?They also replaced the transmission oil and the belts. ?? Cost was $300. ?At another repair shop, I had the spark plugs, points, and condenser replaced and the timing adjusted and a compression test. ?Cost was $200. I asked both dealers to eyeball the Chinook for any problems. I got fairly clean bill of health, but was told by repair shop #2 that i better take my credit cards with me for the trip! ?I added the Chinook to my AAA coverage for $25, but was told it didn't take effect for 5 days, so I was prepared, if necessary, to spent 5 days with the broken down Chinook ?:-) ?? Luckily, that wasn't necessary, and I didn't need my credit cards either. ?I drove 200+ miles to the Panarama Point in Nebraska, Saturday morning, and returned, via Cheyenne WY, on Sunday afternoon and evening. No problems, except I needed to add a quart of oil every 150 miles, more often than I had to stop for gas! ??The almost clean bill of health included a compression test which was cylinder #1- 85 psi, #2- 105 psi, #3- 100 psi, #4- 95 psi. ? Guess my engine needs new piston rings and probably a lot more. ?The engine starts easily and sounds fine. ?I can go over 65 MPH on the level at 5000' ASL, much less going up hills especially near home at 9000' ASL. ? I paid $500 for the Chinook and have put about $700 in to it since. ?Auto repairman #2 said just drive and enjoy her, but have your credit cards handy...it's not worth putting a lot more money into her. ?Yep, I knew a $500 motorhome would have a lot of problems and also be a good gunea pig for learning a little auto mechanics, maintenance and repair of body rust, fiberglass damage, and motorhome appliances. ?So far it's been a lot of work and a lot of fun. ??Unless the stock market and my stocks (my retirement funding) do a quick reversal, I'll have my gunea pig for a while! ?I may drive her down to Mexico in September where I can have the engine overhauled at a shop rate of $10 or $15 an hour, compared to $60 an hour up here, or maybe I'll just drive her as is. The cabin has actually cleaned up quite nicely and is attractive. ?I'm repairing some of the Toyota body rust and plan to repair a few places where the fiberglass is scraped or cracked. ?Plan to repaint the cab. ?She will look presentable after all that. ?It may be too late for this old dog to learn enough auto mechanics to do anything serious, but I can do all the maintenance from now on and minor repairs. ?Do the affianados here think I should - 1) have the engine overhauled here for mucho $$$$ 2) Buy a replacement engine 3) Put the Chinook camper on a different Toyota chasis with a good engine 4) drive to Mexico- I plan to go there in any case- and have the engine overhauled there for $$ pesos 3) drive her and enjoy her as is 4) put her back out to pasture where she was resting peacefully until July 3rd Doug in Woodland Park CO To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: toyota-campers-unsubscribe@... Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the . ?
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