Auto Enthusiasts/gear Heads

[davethailand]

same car and bikes, unless a major problem i do everything myself, unless major or lack of correct tools.

[Pepe']

Now that I've finally been talked out of a 4x4 thanks to Kevin a fellow San Diegan

we've decided to go with a Benz.

My wife used to work for Bangkok Mercedes and her best girlfriend still does. We can get a good deal on a lease return or something else that may come through the dealer.

She's always wanted one so now she can have the big face and I can continue driving a German car.

Although I'd rather have a bimmer.

I'm thinking turbo diesel is the way to go. Any suggestions?

[taxexile]

Now that I've finally been talked out of a 4x4 thanks to Kevin a fellow San Diegan

She's always wanted one so now she can have the big face

were you talked out of the 4/4 by kevin or were you really talked into the benz by mrs. pepe ?

who's wearin the trousers here ?

i think we should be told.

[Pepe']

Actually, no talking into needed. She's an incredible person and deserves the best.

[taxexile]

good on you both.

[KevinN]

TAX, It is not an issue of who wears the pants,it is the issue of who controls the PUSSY, same at my house, and pobly at yours.

I have found a couple of good mechanics at A-T auto here in Phetchabun.,they do all my work and service,the first time in they thought that I was nuts,who ever heard of a rig getting the tie rod ends and ball joints greased?silly farang ######.but now they do not blow the dirt thru the air filter and put it back in,always check and grease the whole front end and replace any parts that are worn.

But another tool I have not seen,even at the dealers is a wheel cyl/master cyl. hone,they use their finger and some fine grit paper to hone em. ###### that makes me mad but they dont even know what you talkin about when you ask em about a hone.

Went down last night and met a friend at BKK int, airport,left there at 2200 and got in the gridlock til clear past LOP BURI comin north,and you know,the BIG 4X4s wern't going any faster than the TOYOTA diesel van that I hired to make the trip.

[Crash999]

Although I'd rather have a bimmer.

I'm thinking turbo diesel is the way to go. Any suggestions?

Haven't seen too many Benz turbo-diesels around, at least for late-model cars.

Really depends on your budget, but if you go for anything larger than a 1.8 liter engine in the Benz you're going to be paying lots of cash to do it.

Check out www.rodthai.com for an idea of current pricing.

Cheers!

[Kringle]

Kevin n, as far as a cyl. hone for brakes, I wouldn't use em. The new seal kit you get doesn't have larger seals and the price for new cylynders in the States is less than the labor and new seal kit. Of course here the labor"s not the point but the replacement seals will be the same size as OE, so using a "fine" wetsand on the cylynders wouldn't make much difference. I've done the job myself when new cylynders were not available and worked fine. As long as the cyls. aren't pitted then it should not be a worry. I'm still trying to figure out how to get a 1968 Shelby here from the States without out paying for it three times. Beauty of a car 428ci, 4speed with OE aircon, RARE bird according to Shelby and all the numbers match.

[Polo]

I think i have a good Motor for Thailand:

Toyota Tiger SR5 4WD Pick up, it's a great Motor.

By the way, does anybody know if there are any 4WD clubs or events around Pattaya Area, or in Isaan.

When i had Big Bikes it was easy to Join up with a Bunch of guys and go for Runs, how about 4WD clubs?

[taxexile]

By the way, does anybody know if there are any 4WD clubs or events around Pattaya Area, or in Isaan.

there is a thai company that organises trips from bangkok to laos,cambodia and vietnam. driving in convoy (or caravan as the thais call it.)

sometimes they have trips to out of the way places in thailand.

the routes and hotels are all organised and pre-booked.

the trips are usually 4 to 5 days and the roads are rough in parts.

i've been tempted to book with them but the timing has never been right.

they advertise in the thai 4/4 magazines and in the thai newspapers.

when i called them up once they told me falangs are very welcome and often participate.

they sound like great trips with a bunch of knowledgable and dedicated adventurers and 4/4 nuts.

if you are interested i will try and find the contact number. pm me.

[davethailand]

i keep seeing trucks around pattaya with pattaya off road club, i'm not sure where it is, but it exists.

[Pepe']

Wow, a 68 Shelby with matching numbers. You're getting me all excited!!! How about parts, service and just driving on the roads in LOS? I'd be afraid to trash it.

I remember honing wheel cylinders when I was a kid and using the rebuild kits. They worked great with the two littlestones o the drill end. I didn't think they were still in existence.

Even costly calipers are throw away now. Do they rebuild them in Thailand?

I have a buddy that is a Bimmer mechanic. He said repairing a caliper is like using a used condom?

One business I thought of in Samusakorn was auto parts sales, retail, wholesale mabey auto repairand used sales? My wife did work for Mercedes for years.

Not a bad business to be around if you love cars. What do ya think?

[KevinN]

Sounds like a ###### good idea,they have parts houses here,but if they don't have what you want on the shelf,you are out of luck,because the Thai way is "If we aint got it,then it don't exist in thailand and so there fore you dont need it".

I always use the 2 or 3 stone hones when ever I rebuild a cyl,even if not pitted,just to break the glaze and it is to ###### easy to get it out of round or miss a spot of glaze with sandpaper on your finger. And I know that now it is so much easier and as cheap to just trade the wheel cyl. in for rebuilt.

Shelby cobra sounds great,but I don't think I would ever bring one over to this humid country where the use of it is so limited and danger of damage so great.

And as far as OFF ROAD,that is sure a macho sound,but where you gonna OFF ROAD,I see it on the side of a lot of rigs and advertisements for OFF ROAD gear,but where ya gonna do it in a country that is heavy forested and jungle?

Does not make any sense,even thru the jungle.you would have to be "on a road",no matter how rough,maybe off road on the beach at Pattaya and you could take the BGs with you to show em how fukin macho you are. You wanna go offroadin,then go to the sahara or down to BAJA CAL.or out to the mojave or death valley or sonora desert.but you ain't gonna off road where the country is covered with trees.

When we first started to go to the cape,we went in 4X4s as there was no road down BAJA,so we off roaded. Now tell me about OFF ROAD.

[chonabot]

Sounds like a ###### good idea,they have parts houses here,but if they don't have what you want on the shelf,you are out of luck,because the Thai way is "If we aint got it,then it don't exist in thailand and so there fore you dont need it".

I always use the 2 or 3 stone hones when ever I rebuild a cyl,even if not pitted,just to break the glaze and it is to ###### easy to get it out of round or miss a spot of glaze with sandpaper on your finger. And I know that now it is so much easier and as cheap to just trade the wheel cyl. in for rebuilt.

Shelby cobra sounds great,but I don't think I would ever bring one over to this humid country where the use of it is so limited and danger of damage so great.

And as far as OFF ROAD,that is sure a macho sound,but where you gonna OFF ROAD,I see it on the side of a lot of rigs and advertisements for OFF ROAD gear,but where ya gonna do it in a country that is heavy forested and jungle?

Does not make any sense,even thru the jungle.you would have to be "on a road",no matter how rough,maybe off road on the beach at Pattaya and you could take the BGs with you to show em how fukin macho you are. You wanna go offroadin,then go to the sahara or down to BAJA CAL.or out to the mojave or death valley or sonora desert.but you ain't gonna off road where the country is covered with trees.

When we first started to go to the cape,we went in 4X4s as there was no road down BAJA,so we off roaded. Now tell me about OFF ROAD.

Up and down Doi Suthep?

[KevinN]

Pip Pip ol Chap, well cheerio and all that sort of rot.

Dio Suthep indeed,,you are a card ain't ya

[Pepe']

KevinN,

Actually I'll miss Baja Mexico. I've spent alot of time in Mexico and it was always a blast.

I do see your point about not owning a 4x4 because there will be minimal occassion to use it.

What about the points that have been made about how bad the roads tear up the suspension/front ends on cars and having a heavier duty vehicle for just that reason.

I know in Samutsakorn where we will be living theres so much heavy construction going on it looked like Bierut, Lebannon. No kidding, you know the scene driving for miles on the alternate dirt road next to the new one in progress. Dust clouds for miles like a bomb had gone off!

Some streches were wicked and reminded me of Baja. How about a nice dune buggy. Enclosed with AC of course:lol:

[Kringle]

Getting parts for a 68 Shelby would indeed be hard here but it would still be a beautiful ride. Got a friend back in the states that has a 67 Shelby with 19k original miles on it, guy gets pissed if you even touch the paint job. He bought it from the original owner (in 68) and when his wife said "the car or me, he took the car" Last I heard he still has it (The Shelby).

As far as drill honing goes, still wouldn't do it, taking too much metal off (seals in the kit are still like OE. You would have to have machines for hands to take a cyl out of round when using a fine grade wetsand on it. If the cylynder has that much rust it then you should be doing a complete brake job and blow out the lines and change fluid completely (master cyl also, it's most likely black in color by this time and means it's dirty) because there is too much water in the system. Use brake fluid for the wet part and it should not be a worry.

[davethailand]

what shelby are we talikng here,

gt 350, gt 500, cobra.

[Kringle]

Carrol Shelby made racing cars for Ford Motor Co. to race in Leman. I think it was between 62-65 or 66. He licensed or built a few Shelby's after that from 67 (427ci), 68 (428ci) 69(429Ci) I think that Shelby won a couple of those races in Leman with the cars that he built for Ford. I also think it was a first for any American manufacturer to do. The later models were not to the same specs that he made for Ford but still a lot of muscle and a fun car to run around.

[chonabot]

A Shelby Mustang , that would be nice , very nice indeed....

[davethailand]

this is the baby, shelby mustang gt500

[chonabot]

kin nice that is......

[KevinN]

PEPE, From what I have seen,a 4X4 is still not needed and not worth the added expense or the ride and handling of one, but to each his own, Just like someone trying to tell me that the way I have rebuilt wheel cyl. the last 50+ years is wrong,to each his own.

To see the last ride I built look at the link,35 ford that I bought all rusted and scattered around a farm in MT, Shasta calif.with 18 bullet holes.cab caved in and rusted out.http://public.fotki.com/KevinN/thailand_pictures/

[Kringle]

KevinN, I didn't say you were wrong, I said "I" didn't like to do it. I know it works and probably VERY well but I just don't do it and still think you can accomplish the same job wetsanding. If it's bad enough to take a hone to it then replace it. Just my opinion (I know it's just like asssholes) I'm not trying to be one. I'm busy on another thread but had to pause so I just wanted you know, you're right , I'm PARTIALLY right and that's cool.

davethailand, BEAUTIFUL CAR!

[Begs]

Sounds like a ###### good idea,they have parts houses here,but if they don't have what you want on the shelf,you are out of luck,because the Thai way is "If we aint got it,then it don't exist in thailand and so there fore you dont need it".

I always use the 2 or 3 stone hones when ever I rebuild a cyl,even if not pitted,just to break the glaze and it is to ###### easy to get it out of round or miss a spot of glaze with sandpaper on your finger. And I know that now it is so much easier and as cheap to just trade the wheel cyl. in for rebuilt.

Shelby cobra sounds great,but I don't think I would ever bring one over to this humid country where the use of it is so limited and danger of damage so great.

And as far as OFF ROAD,that is sure a macho sound,but where you gonna OFF ROAD,I see it on the side of a lot of rigs and advertisements for OFF ROAD gear,but where ya gonna do it in a country that is heavy forested and jungle?

Does not make any sense,even thru the jungle.you would have to be "on a road",no matter how rough,maybe off road on the beach at Pattaya and you could take the BGs with you to show em how fukin macho you are. You wanna go offroadin,then go to the sahara or down to BAJA CAL.or out to the mojave or death valley or sonora desert.but you ain't gonna off road where the country is covered with trees.

When we first started to go to the cape,we went in 4X4s as there was no road down BAJA,so we off roaded. Now tell me about OFF ROAD.

I was in Isaan 6 or 7 months ago, in Loei, i got stuck in a soft dirt road after some rain, had to get a lot of people to push the 2WD rented Isuzu pick up out of the mud. I eventually bought a Pick-up and decided on a 4WD, because i do not want to get stuck in Mud, is that OK Kevin, or should i sell the fukking thing and get stuck in the mud again?

[chonabot]

Sounds like a ###### good idea,they have parts houses here,but if they don't have what you want on the shelf,you are out of luck,because the Thai way is "If we aint got it,then it don't exist in thailand and so there fore you dont need it".

I always use the 2 or 3 stone hones when ever I rebuild a cyl,even if not pitted,just to break the glaze and it is to ###### easy to get it out of round or miss a spot of glaze with sandpaper on your finger. And I know that now it is so much easier and as cheap to just trade the wheel cyl. in for rebuilt.

Shelby cobra sounds great,but I don't think I would ever bring one over to this humid country where the use of it is so limited and danger of damage so great.

And as far as OFF ROAD,that is sure a macho sound,but where you gonna OFF ROAD,I see it on the side of a lot of rigs and advertisements for OFF ROAD gear,but where ya gonna do it in a country that is heavy forested and jungle?

Does not make any sense,even thru the jungle.you would have to be "on a road",no matter how rough,maybe off road on the beach at Pattaya and you could take the BGs with you to show em how fukin macho you are. You wanna go offroadin,then go to the sahara or down to BAJA CAL.or out to the mojave or death valley or sonora desert.but you ain't gonna off road where the country is covered with trees.

When we first started to go to the cape,we went in 4X4s as there was no road down BAJA,so we off roaded. Now tell me about OFF ROAD.

I was in Isaan 6 or 7 months ago, in Loei, i got stuck in a soft dirt road after some rain, had to get a lot of people to push the 2WD rented Isuzu pick up out of the mud. I eventually bought a Pick-up and decided on a 4WD, because i do not want to get stuck in Mud, is that OK Kevin, or should i sell the fukking thing and get stuck in the mud again?

Tis true , 4 wheel drive has many uses as well as off-roading.

[taxexile]

if all 4 wheels are stuck in mud then a 4/4 wont help, then you will need a winch.

thats W-I-N-C-H chonabot, not W-E-N-C-H.

[Pepe']

Begs,

As you say you did get pushed out. You bought a 4x4 so I gather you feel that the increased maintanace and other operating cost the rest of the time make it a good vehicle for Thailand?

I like comfort and performance. That's why I drive an M3 here and have a Nissan Frontier Desert Runner 2 wheel drive here.

The only time I got stuck hauling some fire wood I let half the air out of my rear tires and used the "poor man's 4 wheel drive" to get out of the field.

There's really no use for a 4x4 here in San Diego unless you go down to Mexico or somewhere similar.

The roads around Samutsakorn are pretty wicked right now with all the construction.

Oh yeah, I think I've had more than my fair share of wenches. Oh I meant winches

[KevinN]

To the best of my knowledge and I haven't been everywhere,but when it rains here ,do not go off the pavement unless the road has had base rock on it for a few years, when this country gets wet,even the power poles and fence posts lean and some do fall over,no matter how hard it was packed last dry spell. so as far as I can see that just canceled out the neccessity of 4X4.

I was over to my wifes school to give a talk in english to her class of english students and it had rained up there, I went down to a food shop for lunch and saw 2 pickups stuck almost side by side on a dirt road coming onto the pavement at nong maena,,we went and had lunch and as we came back,1 pickup was still stuck and 1 was gone. they continued to dig most of the afternoon and then got a 4X4 to pull out the 4X4 that was stuck after digging trenches from the bottom of the tires to the surface,the other one,they had dug some and the guys shoved the 2X4 out.

It is very easy for the novice 4 wheeler to get in over his head, I still say,if you want a 4X4,then by all means buy one,,but it is an expense that is not needed in a jungle environment. just be careful where you go and stay away from areas that you shouldn't be in and you will be fine. I have been places where I should not have been and blew a 4X4 or got stuck. the getting stuck,you can most times get your self out if you have shovels and a winch with enough capacity to lift the weight plus 1/2 of your rig,trees to hook to or something to bury for a dead man,and a good snatch block, this means that you will have to have a PTO or hydraulic driven winch,not one of those cheezy electric,hot running ,battery eating things that make you look so macho on the front of your macho looking 4X4 but are basically worthless.

Now that takes care of the stuck,but if you blew her up or cant get out,then you are gonna have to walk back or foreward to civilation,and that might take a day or so,so you will have to have rations,cloths and good shoes,and you might have to spend a night alone in the jungle,either in your rig or on the way out, so be prepared.. And welcome to the interesting and enjoyable life of 4 wheeling..

[Pepe']

That CLK is sounding better all the time