Paintlab

The Winch is In!

2006-08-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

Just finished installing my Warn M8000 w/ in-dash winch controls. I'm excited that a major mod is done! With syn line & hawse fairlead, total bumper weight is around 45lbs.

I took my time installing but with the help of my Norcal friends, it all went smoothly and I didn't electrocute myself!

24 with Bobby Lee

2006-08-16T00:20:00.000-07:00

Bobby Lee does a HILARIOUS spoof on the tv show 24.

This is the funniest vid ever!

click the title

Trail tips & tricks from Germany

2006-08-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is Peter from Germany. He is a Cruiserhead w/ a ton of great mods and ideas. Luckily, he documents them w/ alot of photos even if his site is all German.
Here's a neat example- using a bicycle patch repair kit to fix a leaking hose. Very cool idea as bicycle patches are cheap and easy to throw into a kit. I guess larger holes can be fixed w/ a tire plug as well. Anyway, great ideas click the title to get to his site.

Oil Level Gasket

2006-07-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

A simple one bannana fix-

I noticed the oil level sensor gasket was leaking. Not dripping but obviously seeping pretty well enough to cake up

Simply disconnect sensor wire (press tab on wire side of connector) and 4 10mm bolts
I started pulling off the old gasket w/ a flathead carefully. The gasket was brittle and hard.

Here is a full view of the sensor assembly. Just carefully pull it out of the oil pan as the end float is delicate.

New gasket is placed in. Got it from Cruiserdan of course! Flat side down (as seen in this picture) and beveled side of gasket up. It slots in easy.

And simply pop it back in. I tightened the bolts opposing each other to get a even torque all around, not sure if necessary but I figure why not

Baja Taco

2006-07-26T03:08:00.000-07:00

Chris is a real traveller with the 4x4 spirit!
His site is very inspirational and informative. He is very honest with his experience and information- this is a very rare quality. He also pointed me to the best coffee in Flagstaff! As a coffee lover, I am eternally grateful!

You will find alot about his truck on expeditionportal.com forums. Click the title for his great website.

Alaska Trek- The Dude & Desertgirl

2006-07-22T02:07:00.000-07:00

Click the title for a bunch of great photos of The Dude's (&Desertgirl!) Trek into Alaska. It's an incredible journey. Read both their blogs as well, links posted eariler.

Here is a homage pic to Windex Scott! I laughed when I saw it.
Photo by Pasquale&Kristina

Hollister Redux

2006-06-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

I got some great pics by Amando Mendoza (yourphoto.com) A professional photographer, here are a few!

Hanna Quality catalytic converter protection doing it's job!

Big Bear Braai

2006-06-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

Big Bear with friends and new friends. It was a fun and educational weekend
Some pics from Holcomb and Gold Mountain
(pics by Joel Rasmus & Gina)

Some pics I took below

Hollister Hills Wheeling

2006-06-15T23:06:00.000-07:00

Weekend in Norcal w/ friends.
Andries and I put in a OME lift into Mark's 4Runner. BBQ, hanging with friends and wheeling at Hollister w/ a bunch of Toyotas.
Afterwards, the Cruisers hit SJ Bautista for lunch.

Also hung out w/ Amando for covert 100 series front suspension work. Fox remote resivoir bad boys for the best setup I've seen! Amando has wheeled thru the Rubicon and all kinds of terrain, these are the next step as he's outgrown the usual options.

It's always great to hang out w/ good friends and get away from the grind!

pic by Demy Mendoza (pic is a bit crooked b/c she was putting on chapstick)

Lots more pics, click the title.

North to Alaska!

2006-06-13T22:33:00.000-07:00

The Dude and Desertgirl are on their way to Alaska via their FZJ80!
Follow their blogs, it is very cool!

Desertdude's Blog

Desertgirl's Blog

Gatekeeper Before and After

2006-06-08T04:29:00.000-07:00

Some of the Norcal Crew went thru part of the Rubicon. Alvaro took this photo of the Gatekeeper. Click title for whole story and more pics

I went back into my Rubicon photos for comparison below. First photo is if I were further in the trail looking back at Alvaro's tailgate. Notice the tree next to Andy's green 40 and Andy (tan shirt) standing in front of it. That is the same tree as above, Alvaro's 80 is next to. If you overlap pics, Alvaro's 80 would be roughly between the 60 and 40, pointed the other way.

Doug in roughly the same spot (next to tree) as Alvaro in first photo. Behind Doug's rig, you can see the trail condition compared to Alvaro's first photo.

Amando, again, same spot.

Cruiser Curtains

2006-06-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

What with all the desert trips and general desire for some privacy (camping, changing clothes at bike races, mtb) I decided to get some curtains. I figure they will help save the interior from the sun as well as keep it cooler.

One benefit on road trips is you can draw the front curtains and keep the sun off you. You know how the visor never blocks enough sun and it gets hot w/ the sun beating on your legs or arm!

These are like a football jersey material- you can see thru it pretty easily from the inside. The rear quarter windows were a bit tricky b/c you have to stick tracks to the rubber. You have to clean the rubber well for the tape to stick. The top is a bit long so I trimmed the track a tad so it sits better- simple.

They are pretty well fitted so they don't look sloppy or like house curtains or something.

They draw open like so. There is a little strap, but you don't really need it to hold the curtain.

From the outside it just looks like dark tint. You can't really see inside at all but from the inside you can see out clearly.

There are 2 plastic tracks that stick w/ 3M double-stick. The curtains have little U-clips that slide easily in the tracks.

It comes with all 4 doors (front doors stop at 3/4 so you can see the rr view side mirrors), rear quarter glass and hatch. It is a really clean install and people have asked if it is OEM, that the Cruiser came with them. Very happy w/ the purchase.

*It came with curtains for the rear hatch but it doesn't fit. The third brake light is in the way so I modified the track to work with it.

Galco's Old World Grocery

2006-05-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

I met John Nese, owner of Galco's in Highland Park. He's the Soda King! He's been on Huell Howser, History Channel and tons of magazines all over the world. His store stocks 300 kinds of soda pop! All great, unusual brands. He also has a great selection of beers too.

This is one of the few places I can get REAL COCA-COLA! See, real sodas have pure cane sugar. NOT corn syrup!

It takes 3 times the amount of corn syrup to equal sugar. That means if you drink a bottle of corn syrup Coke, it's the same as drinking 3 bottles of Real Coke! No wonder kids have diabetes! Avoid the corn syrup!

Anyway, great sodas from small bottlers all over the country. Click title for his website

Nipton, Mojave Desert

2006-05-20T20:50:00.001-07:00

A wonderful trip to a strange but charming place. You better love trains if you stay in Nipton!

some photos by Mary & Scott

Windex Scott had us on plenty of dirt roads so even tho there wasn't alot of "wheeling", it was lots of fun and gave us great views of the Mojave.
A good group of the Fajack-Sainz-Klein annual clan; Rick, Scott & I were the only Cruiserheads but it didn't matter. The trip was about enjoying the area and people. Very special and tranquil. My favorite moments were probably sitting on the porch of the Hotel Nipton in the morning w/ some coffee. Actually, any morning w/ coffee and staring out into the wild is perfect for me. I must be autistic.

Click the title to see more of Windex Scott & Mary's pics.

worst singer EVER

2006-04-24T22:54:00.000-07:00

Worst singer ever! So funny and so sad at the same time. Click title to watch and hear the train wreck

FJ Cruiser Slee Mods

2006-04-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

Slee has fitted the African Outback drawer system and Milford cargo barrier in the FJ Cruiser! Man, it looks great. For those that don't know, Slee Offroad is the premier outfitter of Toyota offroad trucks & suv's. Click the title to visit the site.

Real Coca-Cola

2006-04-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

I got a small stash of REAL Coke! It's made with real cane sugar and not high fructose corn syrup. It's only avail in S. America I guess. Even at my friend's wholesale cost it breaks down to about a $1 a bottle!
Tastes really good, clean and no aftertaste or film you get with normal USA Coke.

Help Us Help you, Help Us!

2006-04-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

Listen this is a big deal with no effort from you. Join the Blue Ribbon Coalition. Click the title or here is the address
http://www.sharetrails.org/

Public access to the wilderness and existing trails is a everyday fight. A fight not only 4wheelers have but mountain bikers...any activity! Part of enjoying this amazing country of ours is to use it and tend it so future travellers and generations can do the same!

Get informed, get to travelling and just paypal or snail mail a check to help the BRC fight the battles we need fought.

This isn't about giant monster trucks tearing through mud bogs, this is about you taking your family on a trip into the mountains. This is about being able to see the USA!

INTI roofracks

2006-04-09T17:30:00.001-07:00

Can your rack hold this much weight?

Venezuelan on a Venezuelan rack!

Alvaro Rodriguez has brought in the long awaited, famed INTI roofracks from Venezuela! These have cool, flip-down sides and a mesh frame for offroad light protection. The front part of the rack is a bit higher- this is designed to hold jerry cans. It's a very well thought out design and very tough.
Alvaro has been using a INTI rack on his 80 for the last year. It has been thru the Rubicon, Death Valley and many other trails. It definitely has withstood all the abuse including 3 full-grown, big guys standing on it!
They are available through Mudrak, click the title.

Sedona wheeling

2006-04-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

photo by Pasquale, The Dude

While visiting my parents, I went to Sedona to wheel with The Dude and Christina. We did Broken Arrow, Greasy Spoon and Soilder's Pass. Very fun and different kind of wheeling from CA

Broken Arrow was fun. There was a "baby Lion's Back" that some Jeep/Domestic guys did and watched us as we easily cleared it as well as fun slabs that kick you straight up/down ledges.

One funny part is one of the Jeep tours came by and pointed at our rigs and told the tourists, "Look, that's called Arizona pinstriping". We smiled and said, "That's Death Valley pinstriping!"
The next Jeep tour I was going to ask them, "Is this the way to Starbucks?" but didn't see anymore...next time tho!

We also checked out the FJ Cruiser that was very cool. When we pulled out, Pasquale said, "80's rule!" which was funny but true!

Mystery of DV Racetrack solved

2006-03-27T13:24:00.000-08:00

Click the title for videos on various desert mysteries- like the Racetrack at Death Valley and how the rocks move bythemselves.
Pretty cool stuff

Lightforce 170

2006-03-26T18:57:00.000-08:00

I found some used LF170's for sale and snapped them up. Unfortunately they came after my big DV trip but I'll test them out as needed and see how they perform. From the driveway test, they are super. I like the twist focus to fine tune the spread.
I don't like night wheeling but I always seem to end up doing some night wheeling or chasing daylight/dusk so I figured it would be a good idea.

I like the 170's they stick out just past the ARB uprights so I get max. light fill on the trail. The other lights were thin and the ARB bullbar cut off the side fill. As you guys know, a pitch black trail, you want plenty of fill and I am not so concerned with max. distance. The 170 and 240 use the same bulbs but the 240 has a massive reflector to throw more light.

Death Valley Daze 2006

2006-03-21T16:10:00.000-08:00

An epic journey through Death Valley with the Norcal Land Cruiser group. More details will follow later...

Norcal Rubicon Run

2006-03-12T19:37:00.000-08:00

Photos from the Sept 05 Con Run are up! This was a great adventure and it was a priviledge to tag along

Hanna Quality Rear Bumper

2006-03-12T16:17:00.000-08:00

Picked up the HQ bumper, it's great. I will be using it very soon and I'll update with some real-world testing.
The craftsmanship and thought in design is incredible. The wings are boxed, underside "slider" plates and many great features. The strength is amazing.

Toyota Bottle Opener!

2006-03-09T23:35:00.000-08:00

Way cool bottle opener! In one push action, it opens any metal-crown cap!
It doesn't look ghetto in the house either. I plan on leaving one on the counter and one in the chuckbox.
A steal for $10, only place you can get it - click the title to get one!

Just place over the top and push...

cap pops off and a magnet holds it so it doesn't drop! cool

click title to order, I know the guy who is selling these and he's top notch

NBC sucks

2006-03-08T01:39:00.000-08:00

After SNL got tons of press and even used it to promote SNL, they threatened all hosting of the Natalie Portman rap! So youtube no longer carries it.

Here's more info, click the title.

You can still see the Natalie Portman Rap on NBC's site
http://www.nbc.com/Video/videos/snl_1439_natalieraps.shtml

Natalie Portman Rap

2006-03-05T16:53:00.000-08:00

Funny rap from SNL spoofing her squeaky clean image. I cracked up watching it. Good follow up to the Narnia Rap

Here's Natalie's opening monolouge that spoofs Star Wars- very funny
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UhFln_ZAaN4

Also, Walker Brokeback Ranger. Dunno why b/c there's no gayness but it's funny anyway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irI-T9zq2Po

This is Gucci, dude

2006-03-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

The Dude is nearly done with his 80! 4" Slee kit and 35's, full drivetrain maintence and a bunch of other stuff! Gucci, man, Gucci

Enjoy the continuing fruits of The Dude and DesertGirl on their site- This has got to be the closest thing to a brand-new USA 80 series I have ever seen!

It's The Dude, Man!

2006-03-03T11:03:00.000-08:00

Ok man, you want to see a fast, kick butt buildup of a pristine 1997 40th Anniversary w/ 40K miles?!
The Dude has you covered, man.

Click the title and look for several pages of the rig in original Bling-mode, tear down and the buildup including ARB lockers, 35's and all kinds of Dude-like coolness!

Free Identity Theft Advice

2006-02-24T07:37:00.000-08:00

ATTORNEY'S ADVICE-----NO CHARGE

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his
company.
1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of
first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook,
they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your
first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.

2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID
REQUIRED."

3. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts,
DO NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check-processing channels will not have access to it.

4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone.
If you have a PO Box, use that instead of your home address. If you do not
have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks, (DUH!). You can add it if it is necessary. However, if you have it printed, anyone can get it.

5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both
sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in
your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and
cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. Also carry a photocopy of your
passport when traveling either here or abroad. We have all heard horror stories about fraud that is committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.

6. When you check out of a hotel that uses cards for keys (and they
all seem to do that now), do not turn the "keys" in. Take them with you
and destroy them. Those little cards have on them all of the information you
gave the hotel, including address and credit card numbers and expiration
dates. Someone with a card reader, or employee of the hotel, can access all that information with no problem whatsoever.

Unfortunately, as an attorney, I have first hand knowledge because
my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an
expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card,
had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer and received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online.

Here is some critical information to limit the damage in case this
happens to you or someone you know:

1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately.
The key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

However, here is what is perhaps most important of all (I never even
thought to do this.)

3. Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had never
heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an
application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert
means any company that checks your credit knows your information was
stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the
alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have
stopped them dead in their tracks.

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your
wallet and contents being stolen:

1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742

3.) TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

Andries' 4Runner site

2006-02-22T23:54:00.000-08:00

My friend Andries is a South African transplant that now mods and offroads in the bay area! He's done a great deal to further the development of the 4th gen (2003-2006) Toyota 4Runner. We were the first two 4Runners to run Prado 120 OME suspensions. Slee Offroad was instrumental in carrying this product at the time but had no idea if/how it would fit.

Andries now runs a Donahoe 2.5" coilover/ custom rear setup and is making further inroads to bring up the capability of the 4Runner. This directly benefits GX470 and FJ Cruiser owners as they share platforms.

Click the title to roam his site.

Hanna Quality Rear Bumper New Design

2006-02-22T21:39:00.000-08:00

Ken Hanna has revealed his new design rear bumper! It's lasercut wings are shaped to flow better with the body and I think it looks great! He constantly refines a perfect product so I'm proud to say I'm in the cue to get this bumper.
Shown below are the raw steel protoypes.

Good view of the optional side protection hoops. I think the side wings look perfect for people that don't want the hoops. Cool stuff huh?

I'll post up when I get mine!

American Stitches Update

2006-02-20T21:07:00.000-08:00

Damn man, I have officially given up on this!
After a long time waiting for a temporary steering wheel, they send me a OLD Land Cruiser 90-93 wheel! All jacked up with rust and dirt to boot.
I'm officially fed up with this- not worth all this hassle.
I should add that American Stitches was always in good service/communication. I was actually dealing with "Tricked Out Steering" from TX (a American Stitches rep) and they were very good with calls/communication. They jobbed it out to another vendor for the core replacement- this other vendor is the one that kind of decieved everyone.

I think A.S. and Tricked Out Steering are both reputable and have followed thru w/ good communication and did what they promised.

However, I'm going to continue to try other options. I have discovered which steering wheels are compatible and which are not thru some investigation. I'll update as I progress a DIFFERENT path...again!

Fixing RR Locker Switch

2006-02-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

Symptom: Rear Locker would engage but the dash light would remain flashing and not go solid red.

Diagnosis: Jack up all 4 wheels, hand spin tires as you engage the locker. This way you can determine that it is actually locking.
Pull out the locker switch from rear diff. As you engage the locker, push in the ball-bearing button to see if the light turns on/off.
THis is how I found out my switch was bad. (thanks to Cruiserhead Joe Somerville for the diagnosis!)

Fix: Luckily a new switch is approx $30. I stumbled across a home fix on George Scolaro's site. He fixed the Center Diff switch by hitting it w/ a hammer! It looked nearly identical to the rear switch and since I was going to replace it anyway, I gave it a shot.

- Sprayed electrical cleaner while pushing bearing in/out
- tapped the flat w/ a hammer a couple times (http://paintlab.blogspot.com/2006/01/george-scolaros-fzj80-site.html)
- the switch worked! So I saved some $ and learned a bit about the locker thanks to Joe.

If it goes bad again, no biggie. At least I extended the life of what I have.

The Dude Abides, man

2006-02-09T01:11:00.000-08:00

Check out DesertDude's site. Especially check out his Tacoma buildup and all the mods. He has great step by step photos. He is a professional builder so his craftsmanship shows in the build!

Click on the title to go to his site

Work

2006-02-06T17:52:00.000-08:00

A sample of the current film I'm working on. It's a fun project and have no complaints but the office is going to be setup across town so I'm in for a bitch of a commute... still at least a couple weeks away.

Roberto & Carolina

2006-02-04T02:14:00.000-08:00

Roberto has been building up 'Buttercup' and has become the beast you see here!
Click the title to see more details of his buildup

Homage to Windex

2006-02-03T00:24:00.000-08:00

I was reminded of this image today.
Do not fear the Windex. Be the Windex.

Click the title to go to the temple of Windex Scott

Rubicon Run

2006-02-01T02:54:00.000-08:00

Snookoffroad.com has a great video of the Rubicon trail- I recommend buying the DVD
It gives a great sense of what it is like to go thru there with a wagon

Click on title for a preview of the video

American Stitches Steering Wheel

2006-01-31T21:07:00.000-08:00

After a very disappointing experience with AGLA leather, I am going to go with http://american-stitches.com/
Very professional on the phone w/ immediate followup. I am hoping this is a good experience.

Many people use wheelskins.com and I think they are a great quality with the advantage of DIY within an hour or so. I just dont like the fact the spokes are not covered. If that's not a big deal, it might be a good solution that doesn't take as much time and costs much less.

American Stitches is sending me a spare steering wheel for $100 (fully refunded w/ return). This requires you to remove your steering wheel and send it to them, thus the need for a core swap. They were adamant about using OEM steering wheels. The risk of sub-standard quality on aftermarket wheel cores meant they only deal with the OEM stuff.
Be wary of cheap aftermarket steering wheels that pass for OEM, they may use a sub standard core.

They will tear down my steering wheel to the core and totally rebuild it, padding and all w/ vat dyed leather of "better than oem" quality. They use Katzkin leather and do not use spray-on dyes.
They also have a 1 yr warranty on materials & work. If you damage it yourself (scratch,rip,stain) they charge a small fee to repair it. I think they said $80 or something.

Full leather is $279
Wood & Leather is $451
shift knob is $79
wood/leather shift knob is $100

I would like the shift knob but they dont have a core replacement at the moment. The company said the problem is Land Cruisers dont die and most are still on the road!
I like leather but my g/f likes the wood/leather so bling it is.

Here are some sample photos they sent me of their work. You can see more on their website as well. I'll update as I go along.

Prado 120 commercial

2006-01-29T23:21:00.000-08:00

Click the title for a South African LC Prado commercial. Pretty cool

Saturday Night Live

2006-01-29T01:01:00.000-08:00

Classic Saturday Night Live- they just loose it halfway into the skit, hilarious.
Debbie Downer skit

This was voted #1 SNL skit- "Delicious Dish on NPR" with Alec Baldwin
Schweddy Balls skit

George Scolaro's FZJ80 site

2006-01-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a wealth of info and custom products you can buy to better the 80 series experience. George is a long-time Cruiserhead and has been around for a long time. Many people have used his site and he's very well known.
Many of his mods are innovative and very well thought out. They might help you solve some issues you may have.

Click on the title to go to his website.

Triumph the Insult comic dog

2006-01-25T02:18:00.000-08:00

These are the two most hilarious clips that Triumph from the Conan O'Brien Show has done
Triumph vs. Star Wars geeks
Triumph at Michael Jackson trial

Plus here's another vid of Elsewhere at Kollaboration 4
more D. Elsewhere popn' lockn'

Hanna Rockslider update

2006-01-24T23:22:00.000-08:00

I managed to take out the little trim piece next to the catalytic converters (that I was too lazy to do in the first place).
Joe bent it a bit so it didnt squeek but I decided to try to unbolt it now that the cats were cold.

You must reach above/around the cats w/ a short socket and it's simple 3 12mm bolts. You must put back at least the center bolt b/c the center bolt also holds part of the heat shield above the cats as well.

Pictured above, the red arrows are where it was touching and squeeking against the sliders. The yellow arrow is the one bolt you should put back at least.

total time-10 min job. alot easier if you pay attention (unlike me) and do it before you install the sliders :)

AGLA Steering wheel leather update

2006-01-24T12:38:00.000-08:00

YES they are crappy. Alan Gun leather likes to tell you whatever you want to hear on the phone but won't do what they say. I just want to buy a piece of leather, not a politician! Absolutely the worst service I have gotten from any vendor.

They insisted on sending another piece of leather (would not refund). Well, they sent the wrong color and wrong pattern. I think they just threw a random one in the mail. Again, crappy quality (crooked stitching, randomly cut spokes, poor sewing) there is no way this would go on with a straight seam. Doesn't matter because it doesn't even fit my steering wheel pattern or color. The leather was thicker on this one but it is still poor quality hide.

After that, they finally relented to giving me a refund. Now will I actually GET a refund? Remains to be seen...

I have heard good things about american stitching (?) for custom and also wheelskins. Your local auto upolstery shop would be good to try. Do not go with AGLA

Pop n' Lock and some Drifting

2006-01-24T01:51:00.000-08:00

This guy is great at pop n' lock. Not the first guy but the one in the orange shirt
Click here for David Elsewhere pop n' locking

And some cool drifting videos-
Rally Drift compilation
Acropolis Rally compilation
Skyline & Silvia drifting

WRC Rally Racing compilation
WRC Rally Racing Cyprus
WRC Rally Racing Sardinia

lost tool found

2006-01-22T14:18:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Joe was helping me out and gave the underside a once over look. He spotted a socket sitting atop the bellhousing! I thought that was pretty funny.
After a bit of wrangling, we managed to get it out. A Craftsman 5/8 socket. Been there for awhile by the looks of the coating of oil/dirt on it- well before the valve gasket change. Most likely dropped back there when they last changed the plugs or something. Who knows how many months/years it's been there! hahaha

The things you discover...

Hanna Quality Rocksliders

2006-01-20T02:04:00.000-08:00

I actually got these the day before Cleghorn. Glad I did because I smacked the passenger side catalytic protection on a dropoff ledge (it's always the easy stuff when you aren't paying attention that you hit). Pictured below- did their job and didn't damage my expensive catalytic converters

I forgot to remove the little OEM cat trim piece. It's a black piece to help hide the cats I guess... I thought it was plastic but it is metal so it's rattling against the slider. Gonna pull that trim off this weekend. Stupid, I should have done removed it in the first place- oh well, impatience is never good.

The sliders are 100% beef.

Cleghorn Ridge

2006-01-18T15:39:00.000-08:00

First real workout for the LX450. It was a fun trail, mostly easy with some tricky stuff at the descent towards the end

There were about 50 rigs so we split into several groups. I was with Evan and Chuck so I didn't have to worry. If I ever got in over my head, I could ask them for spotting.

Lots of off camber stuff I wasn't used to doing. It's got definite pucker factor when you are sitting on the side of the seat on a steep descent! Well another confidence boosting wheeling trip, I learn something new every time out.
Always try to keep your hood level, find those high spots on the trail. On off camber ledges, drive INTO the ledge to go straight-I know it doesn't sound right but it is- or else you will slip into the gully you are straddling... anyway, good stuff.

Click here for more photos

Narnia Rap

2006-01-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

Funniest thing on Saturday Night Live in a while. Check it out here
Click here for Narnia Rap

Also this is hilarious "Korean Madness"- hilarious girls
Click here for Korean Madness

Here's the lyrics to Narnia Rap

Samberg: Lazy sunday, wake up in the late afternoon. Call Parnell just to see
how he's doin'.

Parnell: Hello?

Samberg: what up Parns!

Parnell: Yo Samberg, whats crackin'?

Samberg: You thinking what I'm thinking?

BOTH: Narnia!

Samberg: Then it's happenin'!

Parnell: But first my hunger pangs are stickin' like duck tape!

Samberg: Let's hit up Magnolia and mack on some cupcakes.

Parnell: No doubt that bakery's got all the bomb frostings.

Samberg: I love those cupcakes like McAdams loves Gosling!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Parnell: Two!

Samberg: No six!

Parnell: No twleve!

BOTH: BAKER'S DOZEN!

Samberg: I told you that I'm crazy for these cupcakes, cousin!

Parnell: Yo where's the movie playin'?

Samberg: Upper West Side, dude!

Parnell: Well, let's hit up Yahoo Maps to find the dopest route.

Samberg: I prefer Mapquest.

Parnell: That's a good one too.

Samberg: Google Maps is the best.

Parnell: True that.

BOTH: DOUBLE TRUE!

Samberg: 68th and Broadway.

Parnell: Step on it sucker!

Samberg: What you wanna do Chris?

Parnell: SNACK ATTACK MUTHA-----!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Parnell: It's the Chronic-

Samberg: What?

Parnell: -cles of Narnia.

Samberg: Yes, the Chronic-

Parnell: What?

Samberg: -cles of Narnia.

Parnell: We love that Chronic-

Samberg: What?

Parnell: -cles of Narnia.

Samberg: Pass that Chronic-

Parnell: What?

Samberg: -cles of Narnia.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Samberg: Yo stop at the deli, the theater's overpriced.

Parnell: You got the backpack?

Samberg: Gonna pack it up nice.

Parnell: Don't want security to get suspicious.

Samberg: Mr. Pibb and Red Vines equals CRAZY DELICIOUS!

Parnell: Yo reach in my pocket, pull out some dough.

Samberg: Girl acted like she never seen a ten before.

Parnell: It's all about the Hamiltons baby!

Samberg: Throw the snacks in a bag,

Parnell: and I'm ghost like Swayze.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Parnell: Roll up to the theater,

Samberg: ticket buyin's what we're handlin'.

Parnell: You can call us Aaron Burr,

Samberg: from the way we're dropping Hamiltons!

Parnell: Now parked in our seats, movie trivia's the illest!

Samberg: What Friends alum starred in films with Bruce Willis?

Parnell: We answer so fast that we're scary!

Samberg: Everyone stared in awe when we screamed

BOTH: MATTHEW PERRY!

Samberg: Now quiet in the theatre or it's gonna get tragic.

Parnell: We're 'bout to get taken to a dream world of magic!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Parnell: Hit the Chronic-

Samberg: What?

Parnell: -cles of Narnia.

Samberg: Yes, the Chronic-

Parnell: What?

Samberg: -cles of Narnia.

Parnell: We love that Chronic-

Samberg: What?

Parnell: -cles of Narnia.

Samberg: Pass that Chronic-

Parnell: What?

Samberg: -cles of Narnia.

Engel Fridge Lock

2006-01-11T13:09:00.000-08:00

This has been a little annoyance on the Engel fridge. When you open it, the lid will slide off sometimes.
Engel has just the trick- their little Slide Lock
Picked it up at ExpeditionExchange.com I briefly met John and Ho, they run the place and were good guys.

Simple little tab $4 kit

Just press the tab to release the lid, it just fits under the hinge. Simple.

Just a simple but nice improvement to the Engel.

AGLA Leather steering wheel

2006-01-09T17:23:00.000-08:00

Update on the leather steering wheel cover. It finally arrived. I called several times over this period and it was, "We mailed it overnight" then "We will mail it tomorrow" then, "We are busy with the holidays but we will mail it". Oh yeah, he even pulled the "Hurricane disaster" card...

Opened the package to find a crap-tastic piece of hide. Bargain basement leather, cheap spray-dye and shoddy craftsmanship. I don't even see hand gloves with this poor quality leather so it's quite an accomplishment to find such crap-ulous hide. I don't even know if it's a cow, could be squirrel for all I know.

The samples they sent were drum dyed (all the way thru) and the leather was higher quality and about 3x as thick of a completely different type of leather. Yup, the old bait&switch. I'll be returning and demanding a full refund.

On top of that, I asked for (and paid for) pre stitched leather. Instead I got just the holes punched into the leather w/ no stitching.

Alan Gunn Leather- bad service, bad product but you get to wait months for it.

The color is already cracked and peeling where it was folded in the postal envelope.

Stitching is loose and widely spaced. Combined w/ the thin, low quality leather it will ensure seperation in no time.

Cheap, spray-on dye and paper thin "leather" of sub standard quality

Backside of the seam. Equally poor workmanship

Quality can be seen in the cut of material. No piece is the same shape...

Change switch bulbs

2005-12-15T14:48:00.000-08:00

This was something I did a while ago and forgot about until today. I was reminded by a post on Mud. Anyway, backlighting on the switches goes out so you replace the bulbs. It's not brain surgery so I hope you are excited by the little things in life.

Fixing SLEE AC Dryer Skidplate

2005-12-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

Slee makes a nice skid to protect the A/C dryer but supplies some booty looking bolts with it. Upon seeing it, my friend Chuck suggested some black buttonheads as the Slee bolts are just too goofy looking.

So I got some nice buttonheads since it bugged me after Chuck said that...

(click on pics for a better look)
Much better!! Now it doesn't look like leftover bolts drilled into the ARB. Nice and clean! :) Thanks Chuck!

FZJ80 Valve Cover Gasket replaced

2005-12-04T22:44:00.000-08:00

The biggest thing I had to do was a replace a leaking valve cover gasket. My friend Evan helped me today and then I got to hang and see some really nice fabbing he is doing on his 55

1st pic- Gasket was brittle and no good, leaking at the rear and generally making a mess. If I bent the rubber it cracked in half. It had lost all sealing quality. C-dan recommended I get the spark plug gaskets as well (so I did).

2nd pic- throttle body shown- air intake removed, cover pulled. Everything looked brand spanking new- no wear, no tear. You could see the machine markings from brand new, in fact.
Don't forget to pull the 2 half-round pieces at the front of the vavle cover and reseal them. Having those leak means pulling everything again.

3rd pic- Putting in new plug rubber. A socket makes a nice press to push in the new rubber- gently tap them in. Good tip I will remember. The old ones were brittle and it was good to have these replaced. All the old rubber was hard and cracked/split when pulled out.
As you re-install the valve cover, physically feel the gasket all the around to make sure it is seated. Since the gasket is upside down, a part of it could fall out and not seat properly. This would cause another vavle cover gasket leak...

We also replaced the throttle cable. The new action is now smoother and more responsive. It is a braided steel cable just like a bicycle brake cable. I noticed the metal has a clear, plastic coating for lubrication.

Closeup pic of the camshafts. Everything was as new

Evan working on his rear bumper corner. The 55 is coming to life! I can see the home stretch for this rig and it's going to be awesome.

Funny Repost Image

2005-11-26T09:21:00.000-08:00

This was the reply to someone's repost and it cracked me up! Forums are a harsh world huh?

GateKeeper Update

2005-11-24T11:40:00.000-08:00

Here is some updated info and seems like good reasoning for the destruction of Gatekeeper.
Also a link to join the BlueRibbon Coalition "Preserving our natural resources FOR the public instead of FROM the public" - join up, get out and enjoy our great country!
https://www.sharetrails.org/index.cfm?page=512
and donate to FOTR
http://www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/donate.htm

About Gatekeeper:
"There were several reasons why the Gatekeeper was blasted.
Traffic - The wait was becoming frustrating for everyone. Traffic was backing up on a regular basis. The delays from the slow going at Gatekeeper were causing road rage. People were creating bypasses and driving through private property. By eliminating a few rocks, traffic should flow more freely. This is not something that will be applied to the entire trail.

Gatekeeper is at the begining of the trail and sees unusually long delays on the weekends. Farther in along the trail, traffic naturally spreads out and the delays are less frequent. The Gatekeeper had also become a spectator spot. Guys were trying to show off for the crowd. The bushes were getting trashed and the litter was increasing.

Erosion - There is a natural spring at Gatekeeper. We can't direct the water away. The large rocks were an obsticle that promoted the spining of tires in the wet or loose dirt. This erosion was unacceptable. Concrete was applied (twice) but unsuccessful.

The NEW line - The new line at Gatekeeper became wide right. This was because it was becoming harder and harder to take the obsticle straight on. By driving father right then turning hard left, you got a straighter shot over/between the two big boulders. The problem was the erosion of the hillside. You could measure this erosion in feet not inches.

Something needed to be done. The county did not want a temporary fix. There was some lively discussion on the topic. Ultimately, it was the county's decision. I'm not saying other things could have or should have been tried, but this will solve the above mentioned problems.

The gatekeeper (small "g") aspect will still apply. Drivers will see the obsticles still there. The Alligator Pit will deter those not up to the challenges of the trail"

Gotta do the Thanksgiving Day thing, have a safe one too!

GateKeeper Destroyed

2005-11-24T00:35:00.000-08:00

These pics were posted by Old Scout on Pirate. It is the destruction of the big boulders that are the GateKeeper. I had just been there with the Norcal crew and I am disappointed I will never be able to personally steer a rig through it now

I read a statement from Del of FOTR saying not to complain if you are not active in supporting FOTR. I agree. However I didn't know what FOTR was or what they did until just this incident unraveled. For the record, Friends Of The Rubicon, and I'll join as soon as I find out how.

What is still unclear to me is why the destruction of the large boulders. It effectively makes the trail much eaiser now allowing more people to enter, thus more enviromental impact to the area. If anything, it would seem logical to make it harder to access instead of easier...
I don't know enough to make a judgement but I am very disapointed that one of the famous landmarks of the Rubicon trail is no more. If you have anything to add, leave a comment.

Steering wheel leather

2005-11-18T15:28:00.000-08:00

Got some samples of the steering wheel leather. I guess Lexus is so anal about color, they have many different shades of brown instead of one or two standards like other makes. These are the two closest to my color. Mauve on the top, Taupe on the bottom

Along the door panel, the lighter Taupe (on the left) looked closer but the darker one was almost an exact match to the color of the plastic at the grab handle.

The darker 'Mauve' was more reddish and looked an exact match to the steering wheel but the 'Taupe' was closer to the center steering plastic. I think I will get Mauve (on the left) but man, they are so close it is almost just preference if you want a slightly lighter color steering wheel or slightly darker.
Suppossed to get the steering wheel leather in a couple weeks.

Land Cruiser Swag

2005-11-17T19:06:00.000-08:00

Got my shipment of new TEQ emblems in today. People constantly ask about me making more of them, which is flattering. I haven't made them in a year I think! I just intended to do it once but people keep asking me for it. TEQ Blister stickers (it is actually called "doming" but I call it "blister" 'cause it's cooler, hehe). TEQ is actually a nickname for the Japanese characters, it is the original Toyota Motor Company logo and literally spells "TO-YO-TA"

As a bit of self-promotion, At the time, I saw an opportunity to take it up a notch instead of doing the vinyl sticker thing (which is cool too, not hatin' on that).
Well, it's all good fun. As much as everyone loves their trucks, when I see they find something I made worthy to put on it... I think that's really cool.
I enjoy it too... well except addressing the envelopes and mailing all that stuff out.

I had to update my website html... I SUCK at that! Trying to figure out that stuff is a headache. Oh well I got it done finally.

Here is the link
http://homepage.mac.com/paintlab/teq.html

Praying Mantis

2005-11-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

Check out this Praying Mantis! It was hanging out on my back porch all day in that one spot. It wasn't afraid either, you could go right up to it and it wouldn't move.
His head would follow you around so it was watching... it was big too, I don't think they are afraid of anything.

Later in the day we tried to give it a spider- big, fat spider too- but it just batted it around for a sec and let it run away.

Anyway, never saw one around here before. Maybe all the rain and cool weather this year.

Here's my nephew on his b-day. My sis sent me the pic. Nice combover huh?

2005-11-16T00:23:00.000-08:00

Here's me driving Alvaro's rig up Walker Hill on the Rubicon. Looks cool huh? Well I was teetering on 2 wheels and it was diaper-time! Poquito jumped in my lap and was there the entire climb! That was fun tho.

2005-11-16T00:03:00.000-08:00

I just created this blog so I can mouth off about how great my truck is and post up sketches so that maybe I will be motivated to complete my project. I'll also talk about taking photos since I enjoy that too.

I wish I was a perv or into something weird so it would be more interesting but maybe I'll snap a pic of the freaks on Hollywood Blvd to add some spice.