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Camping had to happen..
So Bruce and I agreed, here was here for a week, camping was the plan, but it did not happen because of mechanical issues, so I took my big blue truck and we camped out behind the big horse ranch. We smoked our Punch cigars, drank Mexican beer, and ate spaghetti-o's like bosses.
Category Photography / Miscellaneous
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Pal, can it be any more American than this? :b I am dreaming of such things to do in the future when moving from Germany to the States. And dude, I like such trucks, that thing is awesome. Today you will quite sometimes get to see the more modern Dodge Rams, and here and there a GMC, but nothing like this. Classic American pickup, sweet shit. Looks good aside from the thing with your tail light. Seems like missing.
My friend, you are correct, camping is a past time here. it connects us back to nature, calms the nerves. I find it impossible to be down or blue while I am in the forest.
Thank you for the compliment on my truck!!! It's an 84 K1500 automatic 4x4 with the 6.2L Diesel V8. I love it. I got 26 MPGS out of it, once,but usually gets near 20. Unfortunately when I go off road I take it places that scratch it and dent it, there are a few dents on it, however, I am going to replace the front quarter panels, hood, both doors, pull the dings in the cab, and finally, replace the bed. Then, I am going to fabricate a cage for the outside and keep it as a "Mall rated" 4x4 truck.
Right now I am working on buying a beater 4x4 that I can smash and not worry about, something I can cut the roof off of, or weld a cage to, something I can really take on those trails and not feel bad about it being dented or dinged. But this blue truck will be restored and brought back to a beautiful condition. And yes, the front passenger side tail light got tore off on the latest offroad excursion.
I am surprised to hear that there are more Dodge's in Germany than GMC trucks! Wow. I've worked on both vehicles, and I prefer the GMC :)
Hey man... you are welcome to stop by here when you get here, I hope you can make it out here! My country isn't perfect but I do love it, and I love it when people who want to live here come here and make a good life for themselves. I also have 5 acres 30 miles away, in Paulden, beautiful land butted up against the mountains. When I build a house there you're welcome there, too :)
Thank you for the compliment on my truck!!! It's an 84 K1500 automatic 4x4 with the 6.2L Diesel V8. I love it. I got 26 MPGS out of it, once,but usually gets near 20. Unfortunately when I go off road I take it places that scratch it and dent it, there are a few dents on it, however, I am going to replace the front quarter panels, hood, both doors, pull the dings in the cab, and finally, replace the bed. Then, I am going to fabricate a cage for the outside and keep it as a "Mall rated" 4x4 truck.
Right now I am working on buying a beater 4x4 that I can smash and not worry about, something I can cut the roof off of, or weld a cage to, something I can really take on those trails and not feel bad about it being dented or dinged. But this blue truck will be restored and brought back to a beautiful condition. And yes, the front passenger side tail light got tore off on the latest offroad excursion.
I am surprised to hear that there are more Dodge's in Germany than GMC trucks! Wow. I've worked on both vehicles, and I prefer the GMC :)
Hey man... you are welcome to stop by here when you get here, I hope you can make it out here! My country isn't perfect but I do love it, and I love it when people who want to live here come here and make a good life for themselves. I also have 5 acres 30 miles away, in Paulden, beautiful land butted up against the mountains. When I build a house there you're welcome there, too :)
Well, thank you for the offers, bro =3 Which state is this anyway? I have been to NM and CA so far. This area looks........ similar to those both.
6.2L Diesel, that is sick. In Europe, the magic word is downsizing. Engines are getting smaller and smaller, yet having more and more power. Every second 2L 4 cylinder machine here might be more powerful than your truck, at least on the road. Not necessarily off road. But hell, I can tell you stories. For example that this truck would cost you EVERYTHING in Germany, because car taxes are rated by their machines. And Diesel is the most expensive here, for a V6 Diesel you already pay 600 bucks a year. For nothing, the country taxes you for simply owning this machine. A V8 of that size..... Kiss good bye 2.000+ bucks.
And you know, you are lucky living in a country of far less regulations than I do - major reason why I wanna move there. The US really stands for freedom, they let you do whatever you think is awesome. I say that because the modifications you are mentioning about that truck, you are allowed to do NOTHING with your car in Germany. Every damned little detail about a car is regulated, and when you change a tiny little detail by yourself, you are not allowed to move it anywhere public anymore, not even PARK it in public. You will get stopped by cops instantly.
The automotive story is one of the major things why I enjoy the States. Actually I am also intending to get me a sweet pickup once being there, because those types of car are simply damned handy. You can sleep in them, you can carry lots of shit, just perfect for most situations in life. I enjoy watching "Top Gear USA", and that episode, where they were trying out, which one is the toughest truck in the US, that was awesome. They really tortured those poor cars, but the winner was some classic American model from the 70s, which they could not get killed. The car was getting managed anything they came up with.
Yeah, both GMC and Dodge are not that common in Europe anyways. Dodge is now having a few dealers here, but I guess GMC as well as non-European Chevy models are simply getting imported. I guess the Ram is being liked by so many people here now, is because it's just that rediculously big compared to most cars in Europe. European models, which can compete with that size are usually at least twice as expensive. I personally don't like the Ram, but basically because of it's design. If I owned one, I'd have my fun with it still.
Oh and 26 MPG for such a damned big machine with 4x4 is pretty good I'd say. I'd have expected the car to take much more, maybe even the double amount. What's the Diesel price in your area currently? Re-calculated, it's around 4$ a gallon in Europe (around 1.05€ per liter, as we calculate it)
6.2L Diesel, that is sick. In Europe, the magic word is downsizing. Engines are getting smaller and smaller, yet having more and more power. Every second 2L 4 cylinder machine here might be more powerful than your truck, at least on the road. Not necessarily off road. But hell, I can tell you stories. For example that this truck would cost you EVERYTHING in Germany, because car taxes are rated by their machines. And Diesel is the most expensive here, for a V6 Diesel you already pay 600 bucks a year. For nothing, the country taxes you for simply owning this machine. A V8 of that size..... Kiss good bye 2.000+ bucks.
And you know, you are lucky living in a country of far less regulations than I do - major reason why I wanna move there. The US really stands for freedom, they let you do whatever you think is awesome. I say that because the modifications you are mentioning about that truck, you are allowed to do NOTHING with your car in Germany. Every damned little detail about a car is regulated, and when you change a tiny little detail by yourself, you are not allowed to move it anywhere public anymore, not even PARK it in public. You will get stopped by cops instantly.
The automotive story is one of the major things why I enjoy the States. Actually I am also intending to get me a sweet pickup once being there, because those types of car are simply damned handy. You can sleep in them, you can carry lots of shit, just perfect for most situations in life. I enjoy watching "Top Gear USA", and that episode, where they were trying out, which one is the toughest truck in the US, that was awesome. They really tortured those poor cars, but the winner was some classic American model from the 70s, which they could not get killed. The car was getting managed anything they came up with.
Yeah, both GMC and Dodge are not that common in Europe anyways. Dodge is now having a few dealers here, but I guess GMC as well as non-European Chevy models are simply getting imported. I guess the Ram is being liked by so many people here now, is because it's just that rediculously big compared to most cars in Europe. European models, which can compete with that size are usually at least twice as expensive. I personally don't like the Ram, but basically because of it's design. If I owned one, I'd have my fun with it still.
Oh and 26 MPG for such a damned big machine with 4x4 is pretty good I'd say. I'd have expected the car to take much more, maybe even the double amount. What's the Diesel price in your area currently? Re-calculated, it's around 4$ a gallon in Europe (around 1.05€ per liter, as we calculate it)
Arizona my friend! More specifically, Prescott, home of the world's first rodeo, and as we say, "Everybodie's hometown"!
Oh yes I agree my friend. Smaller is better! I have a small Japanese truck from the eighties that has a 1.9 litre 4 cylinder engine that is super reliable and gets mid-high 20's in fuel mileage.
Yes, my engine actually is surprisingly underpowered for something that is so big. It's specs are not impressive at all... My Chevy S10 had almost as much torque as this big V8. But it is efficient...
And yeah man that's crazy. We don't even have emissions testing here. In fact, my registration just came in for my Toyota RV. Guess how much the state wants to register my Toyota for 5 years?
$3,000? $300?
Nope.
$65.
I don't owe the state a penny for five years if I pay $65. If I want to reg it for one years, it $19 USD.
Diesel here is a hair over two dollars a gallon, you can still find it for under two if you look. By my house it's like $2.27 a gallon. Insurance for my truck is like $40 a month. So $65 every 5 years, no inspections, $40 a month insurance, and $2 a gallon for fuel. Pretty cheap if you do the work yourself, which I do... I have been wrenching on cars for over twenty years... Rebuilt engines, transmission, differential, driveline, you name it. Yeah brother. It is CHEAP here to drive. Yes, freedom!
And if you wanted to carry a gun, as long as you are not a felon, you can carry openly or concealed, no paperwork. It's your choice. I've been pulled over by the police and they will take your gun temporarily while they do their business, but you get your gun back.
And bro, a pickup is great. Even the small ones can go on trails the big one's cant. But the big ones can tow and haul. I love both of my trucks dearly...
My GMC K1500 is so basic, so easy to work on, just one +12v wire is all that's needed to keep the engine running. And my Isuzu PUP (I call it the PUPPY truck :3 ) is so reliable and so efficient. I've had it packed to the brim before and she got me where I needed to go. She's a 4x4 so she goes everywhere. Who's ever heard of a capable 4x4 pickup that gets close to 30 MPGs? Not many people... But in 1984 they did it...
TONS of older pickups here you can buy for CHEAP. And fix up. Do you know anything about mechanics? Have you ever wrenched on a car?
I am not a big fan of Dodge. The only Dodge I'd ever own would be one with the Cummins diesel motor in it. It's one of the best Diesel engines ever made. Like a diamond in a turd. But if someone gave me a Dodge I would sport it. Or sell it and buy a Chevy XD Ford is making some good stuff these days. It's hard to hate on them anymore. I used to dislike them, but I love the Ford Raptor. And F150's are solid. But the newer Ford Diesels have major problems with the high pressure oil pumps, thousands of dollars in repairs.
I have spoken to people from Britain who tell me the horror stories of their MOT and their inspections. You can modify your car here, if you have smog inspections, if you use smog compliant parts. If not, you can petition for an allowance in communist places like California. I don't recommend living in California, the weather is great but the politics are shit, and it is so expensive to live there.
I bought 5 acres in Paulden, AZ for $40,000. It has two wells on it, and two corners of the land are against government land, which means I'll never have neighbors there. The other two sides have desert views. But the point is it's good land, and cheap. Prescott doesn't get as hot as Phoenix. We have great weather here. Mild winters, and mild summers. There's beautiful forests within driving distance. Beautiful waterfalls, great offroad driving, some of the best hiking in the world, here. People are very kind, and polite. I like it here a lot better than CA, where I have lived most of my life.
So American trucks are cheaper to buy than European models? But more expensive to register. That is a gosh darn shame my friend. How gosh darn greedy of them to charge all that.
My stepdad bought a brand new Dodge (After having so much trouble with his other one! I told him not to buy another Dodge!) and it gets 14 MPGs with a gasoline (Petrol) engine. Mine is a 4x4 and it gets better mileage than his does XD Gotta love those older truck, bro. Cheaper and easier to work on, too. His other Dodge (Like a 2004??) had trouble with it's transmission and with it's drive by wire system. We replaced the throttle butterfly and TPS and it STILL had issues, ugh. Likely a short in the wires.
So when are you planning on coming over to the land of burgers and freedom?
Oh yes I agree my friend. Smaller is better! I have a small Japanese truck from the eighties that has a 1.9 litre 4 cylinder engine that is super reliable and gets mid-high 20's in fuel mileage.
Yes, my engine actually is surprisingly underpowered for something that is so big. It's specs are not impressive at all... My Chevy S10 had almost as much torque as this big V8. But it is efficient...
And yeah man that's crazy. We don't even have emissions testing here. In fact, my registration just came in for my Toyota RV. Guess how much the state wants to register my Toyota for 5 years?
$3,000? $300?
Nope.
$65.
I don't owe the state a penny for five years if I pay $65. If I want to reg it for one years, it $19 USD.
Diesel here is a hair over two dollars a gallon, you can still find it for under two if you look. By my house it's like $2.27 a gallon. Insurance for my truck is like $40 a month. So $65 every 5 years, no inspections, $40 a month insurance, and $2 a gallon for fuel. Pretty cheap if you do the work yourself, which I do... I have been wrenching on cars for over twenty years... Rebuilt engines, transmission, differential, driveline, you name it. Yeah brother. It is CHEAP here to drive. Yes, freedom!
And if you wanted to carry a gun, as long as you are not a felon, you can carry openly or concealed, no paperwork. It's your choice. I've been pulled over by the police and they will take your gun temporarily while they do their business, but you get your gun back.
And bro, a pickup is great. Even the small ones can go on trails the big one's cant. But the big ones can tow and haul. I love both of my trucks dearly...
My GMC K1500 is so basic, so easy to work on, just one +12v wire is all that's needed to keep the engine running. And my Isuzu PUP (I call it the PUPPY truck :3 ) is so reliable and so efficient. I've had it packed to the brim before and she got me where I needed to go. She's a 4x4 so she goes everywhere. Who's ever heard of a capable 4x4 pickup that gets close to 30 MPGs? Not many people... But in 1984 they did it...
TONS of older pickups here you can buy for CHEAP. And fix up. Do you know anything about mechanics? Have you ever wrenched on a car?
I am not a big fan of Dodge. The only Dodge I'd ever own would be one with the Cummins diesel motor in it. It's one of the best Diesel engines ever made. Like a diamond in a turd. But if someone gave me a Dodge I would sport it. Or sell it and buy a Chevy XD Ford is making some good stuff these days. It's hard to hate on them anymore. I used to dislike them, but I love the Ford Raptor. And F150's are solid. But the newer Ford Diesels have major problems with the high pressure oil pumps, thousands of dollars in repairs.
I have spoken to people from Britain who tell me the horror stories of their MOT and their inspections. You can modify your car here, if you have smog inspections, if you use smog compliant parts. If not, you can petition for an allowance in communist places like California. I don't recommend living in California, the weather is great but the politics are shit, and it is so expensive to live there.
I bought 5 acres in Paulden, AZ for $40,000. It has two wells on it, and two corners of the land are against government land, which means I'll never have neighbors there. The other two sides have desert views. But the point is it's good land, and cheap. Prescott doesn't get as hot as Phoenix. We have great weather here. Mild winters, and mild summers. There's beautiful forests within driving distance. Beautiful waterfalls, great offroad driving, some of the best hiking in the world, here. People are very kind, and polite. I like it here a lot better than CA, where I have lived most of my life.
So American trucks are cheaper to buy than European models? But more expensive to register. That is a gosh darn shame my friend. How gosh darn greedy of them to charge all that.
My stepdad bought a brand new Dodge (After having so much trouble with his other one! I told him not to buy another Dodge!) and it gets 14 MPGs with a gasoline (Petrol) engine. Mine is a 4x4 and it gets better mileage than his does XD Gotta love those older truck, bro. Cheaper and easier to work on, too. His other Dodge (Like a 2004??) had trouble with it's transmission and with it's drive by wire system. We replaced the throttle butterfly and TPS and it STILL had issues, ugh. Likely a short in the wires.
So when are you planning on coming over to the land of burgers and freedom?
Yeah, car costs are that awesome in the States compared to Europe. Cars in general are shitty expensive things to have here - which is why I sold my car. I can use my company's truck for any desire. Not a penny to pay for that one. And still a 3.0 V6 Diesel with 190HP. For one year alone I already had to pay 94€ tax for that small car I had. It's awesome in the States, like a buddy of mine in NM used to have 2 cars, and he only had 9 bucks extra a year for the insurance of the second car. Nobody in Germany owns 2 cars, when he's alone.
Interesting that gas is so damned cheap there. I was in NM in 2012, and I still have photos that show the over 4 bucks a gallon. And Arizona is right next to that state, so what is going on? :b
Even though as European, you almost never get in contact with guns, I already know I would have some when living there. Visiting my buddy in Albquerque, we were also going shooting. Basically I don't see guns as something bad, as long as you treat them as some kind of sports, which you need to be careful with. However, I think I would usually carry a gun concealed. Because there is nothing I wanna show to the pulic, but being armed if there is a need for it.
Sadly, I don't know that much about the mechanics of cars. I am very interested in the matter, but lifetime is limited, and I am all the time busy with other kinds of topics, like media work and the like. But at least I am glad I am understanding the functionality of all the car parts, I may even be able to do repairs in the kind of "learning by doing", but I take it as being too much knowledge to get together for doing it just for fun.
Where you mention it, the F-150 is the States' most successful truck. Now that is one, that you find nowhere in Germany (excpet for those people, who are into these kind of cars and don't give a damn about importing costs). Basically American Ford and European Ford are totally different, very different cars are being made and sold in both areas. And European Ford is basically German. The cars are made in Cologne.
I don't have clear plans where to live later in the States. I am definately not going for CA or NM. I am a fan of sun and summer, but California gets boring quickly when being there. At some point you can't stand the heat and the always same landscapes anymore. In 2017 I might have a vacation trip to New York, but I am pretty sure already, that's not a place I would live either. I would go for a less desert-like area, somewhere close to a city, but far enough to be surrounded by nature. Forests and the like. Maybe lakes and rivers. However I won't have that much of a choice where to go, when moving there. Because I am having plans about media which leads me to working together with American companies, which will cause me to settle somewhere close to them, which might supposedly be somewhere around the Silicon Valley. And when that will actually happen, I can't tell, because it depends on how quickly I get together my projects. If I am good, it might be in 5 years, but it should not take longer than 10 years.
Interesting that gas is so damned cheap there. I was in NM in 2012, and I still have photos that show the over 4 bucks a gallon. And Arizona is right next to that state, so what is going on? :b
Even though as European, you almost never get in contact with guns, I already know I would have some when living there. Visiting my buddy in Albquerque, we were also going shooting. Basically I don't see guns as something bad, as long as you treat them as some kind of sports, which you need to be careful with. However, I think I would usually carry a gun concealed. Because there is nothing I wanna show to the pulic, but being armed if there is a need for it.
Sadly, I don't know that much about the mechanics of cars. I am very interested in the matter, but lifetime is limited, and I am all the time busy with other kinds of topics, like media work and the like. But at least I am glad I am understanding the functionality of all the car parts, I may even be able to do repairs in the kind of "learning by doing", but I take it as being too much knowledge to get together for doing it just for fun.
Where you mention it, the F-150 is the States' most successful truck. Now that is one, that you find nowhere in Germany (excpet for those people, who are into these kind of cars and don't give a damn about importing costs). Basically American Ford and European Ford are totally different, very different cars are being made and sold in both areas. And European Ford is basically German. The cars are made in Cologne.
I don't have clear plans where to live later in the States. I am definately not going for CA or NM. I am a fan of sun and summer, but California gets boring quickly when being there. At some point you can't stand the heat and the always same landscapes anymore. In 2017 I might have a vacation trip to New York, but I am pretty sure already, that's not a place I would live either. I would go for a less desert-like area, somewhere close to a city, but far enough to be surrounded by nature. Forests and the like. Maybe lakes and rivers. However I won't have that much of a choice where to go, when moving there. Because I am having plans about media which leads me to working together with American companies, which will cause me to settle somewhere close to them, which might supposedly be somewhere around the Silicon Valley. And when that will actually happen, I can't tell, because it depends on how quickly I get together my projects. If I am good, it might be in 5 years, but it should not take longer than 10 years.
Please do. You won't regret it.
Bring with you,
Toilet paper
Plenty of water, a minimum gallon a day per person
Good food you like to eat
A Bic lighter
Tent (Waterproof or with a rain fly... Summertime tents are useless)
Sleeping bags
Pillows
A roll-up mattress
Guns and ammo, don't shoot all your ammo, leave some "Just in case"
A very sharp knife
A cooler and ice for perishable food
Warm clothes even if it's warm out... The temperature drops
Waterproof clothes in case it rains, like a slicker
Trash bags
A shovel to dig your toilet
Medication if you take it, aspirin etc.
A folding chair- very important, there's not always logs to sit on and enjoy the campfire.
A flashlight, with plenty of fresh batteries
Utility rope or better
Beer if you drink
A radio (Remember batteries!)
A book or magazines to read
A med kit with band aids and such
Make sure your car has a spare and plenty of fuel.
I know it's a lot to remember, but it will provide you with a safe, fun time. Remember to turn your gosh darn phone off and enjoy the wilderness.
Bring with you,
Toilet paper
Plenty of water, a minimum gallon a day per person
Good food you like to eat
A Bic lighter
Tent (Waterproof or with a rain fly... Summertime tents are useless)
Sleeping bags
Pillows
A roll-up mattress
Guns and ammo, don't shoot all your ammo, leave some "Just in case"
A very sharp knife
A cooler and ice for perishable food
Warm clothes even if it's warm out... The temperature drops
Waterproof clothes in case it rains, like a slicker
Trash bags
A shovel to dig your toilet
Medication if you take it, aspirin etc.
A folding chair- very important, there's not always logs to sit on and enjoy the campfire.
A flashlight, with plenty of fresh batteries
Utility rope or better
Beer if you drink
A radio (Remember batteries!)
A book or magazines to read
A med kit with band aids and such
Make sure your car has a spare and plenty of fuel.
I know it's a lot to remember, but it will provide you with a safe, fun time. Remember to turn your gosh darn phone off and enjoy the wilderness.
Why does this picture remind me of this scene out of Blazing Saddles? LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPIP9KXdmO0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPIP9KXdmO0
Bruce brought with him a little star gazing chart thing for the months of the year. The sky out here is very clear at night. No light pollution at all. I was surprised to see several constellations named after dogs, and even a wolf! People are so imaginative!
You did mention it, once. My truck is a weird breed, it is only a half ton, so the gearing is shorter, but it is still a 4x4. But it has the diesel. I put full synthetic in everything but the trans and xfer case... I also altered the injector pump timing and fuel delivery to get better MPGs. But I have heard of people getting close to 30 MPGs out of these trucks, which is awesome. These 6.2s don't make a ton of power, but they sure are efficient.
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