Dusty's Bus

[Dusty]

Thanks for the nice words guys , it was a great trip.

There were 4 Chevs there , 2 x 1939 , the yellow and the blue ones (both lovely restorations) my '40 and an original '47 (the owner and his wife were nearing their 80's ! All have the original 216 engines and all performed well. There were 2 Fords but later models , late 70's early 80's I think.

This pic is near the summit of the Nevis , looking back over Cromwell to Lake Dunstan .

[ol trunt]

Made me laugh-- "the owner and his wife were nearing their 80's" -- as we fall into this category as well though I've never really thought about it much.

I don't know where I'd look to find a group like that to travel with. Too much fun!
Jack

[Dusty]

Thanks Jack , it's always good to give someone a laugh
This was a very mixed bunch from all corners of our country . There is a proposed "top of the south" trip being planned ............

I found another nice pic of a gentle crossing



I recently had a large stone damage to the drivers side w/screen , been 10 days waiting for my new center divider bar to be cleared thru our customs

[ol trunt]

Dusty, you certainly are braver than I am!
Jack

[somewhereinusa]

I love your pics and trips. I think those adventures would be right up my alley, mumsywumsy not so much. Or should I say "It ain't gonna happen, ever". We're getting near the 50 year mark, met in high school. And while she has never discouraged me from doing things she has never actually enjoyed the things I have done. At least with the bus she enjoys going and even has been heard to say "When are we going again?". We are planning on some week long trips this summer with a few one or two day things too.
We are going to an antique tractor pull the first of next month and the biggie in September. The classic bus rally in Evansville in Sept. (Jack you should come out to that one) Our farthest trip of the year will be the solar eclipse bus rally in Tennessee in August. I'm sure the rules still apply that I first had to go by the first time I got her to go on a trip in a camper. I had to do all the cooking, all the cleaning and not drive more than 400 miles a day. I think she enjoys the small trips we take to a state park the most though. We just go for one night during the week. Most of the time we pretty much have the whole place to ourselves and it's cheaper.

Dusty, keep the pics coming so that we can live vicariously through them.

Dick

[Dusty]

Jack , there is a thread over on http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threa ... ew-Zealand with some pics of my off road experience , it might be an interesting read for you . The skills developed then, sure help with my exploring in the truck

Edit , that link is now dead .

[ol trunt]

Thanks Dusty.I went through the pics several times and I'll say it again, you live in a beautiful place! If I read it right you said the FJ (they were called FJ s here) was 3 years old when you bought it. That would make it about 1981 at which time I was busy beating the stuffing out of a 10 year old Chevy Suburban 4x4 in high desert terrain here in California. Our camp sites looked very similar except our tent was of the nasty smelling green canvas variety. Same red and black or blue and black or green and black checked wool shirts though. Jack

[Dusty]

In the middle of our winter , we have a holiday weekend (3day) so the local Vintage car club conduct the annual "Irishmans Rally" .

Mostly centered about Fairlie thru to Tekapo area.

I have attended a couple of these in the past , but as my truck is too new , I have had to go along as "crew" (backup).

It's a lot of fun, bloody cold (-11 in Fairlie and the beer froze in the bottles) !, and the winner is chosen by the last organiser , 1st prize is to organize next years Irishmans

Normally , you would take your second vintage on the trip. Some of the roads and tracks are a bit primitive , like the owners and their cars LOL

I have found a clip for your entertainment .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkJuRAbTQKs

[somewhereinusa]

What fun. Nice to see that they use their cars. Those are probably what the roads were like when those cars were new.
I was just at a vintage bus rally. There were some school buses there that had better paint jobs on them than they had when new. Trailered them in.

[Dusty]

Trailered them in.

[Dusty]

I've been contemplation the chore of mounting and dismounting the camper to the truck .

It seemed easier 5yrs ago .

Need a dedicated vehicle for the camper .....................

LOL .

Always liked the '37 Chev ....

[Stealth Camper]

I've been contemplation the chore of mounting and dismounting the camper to the truck .

It seemed easier 5yrs ago .

Need a dedicated vehicle for the camper .....................

LOL .

Always liked the '37 Chev ....

Nice....love that truck!

[ol trunt]

Hey Dusty. What progress have you made on the camper swap?
Jack

[Dusty]

Progress .... LOL .... I SO like your sense of humor Jack .

I was at the dog park doing the usual , got bowled over by some over-enthusiastic mutt , cracked a rib .

Just a bit slow getting under the truck for now .

On the plus side , I fitted a new door glass in the drivers side , replaced the window track , secured the door hinge ( the door dropped an inch due to wood screws coming loose) I shifted stuff and got the '37 into the shed , I've pulled the front axle apart to fix the floppy king pins , sort the brakes , new hoses etc, etc , so some stuff has happened , I'm hoping to pickup some running boards , maybe even some rear fenders at next weeks swap meet .

[Dusty]

No luck at the swap meet for '37 parts , but it was nice to be away in the camper .

Still picking away at parts of the job under the front end .



They say things happen in 3's .

So I did the shoulder injury , nearly got better , got tossed at the dog park , did the rib and wrenched the shoulder again ........................................... then wasted my easter weekend laying in hospital recovering from a stroke .

Not in the slightest bit impressed , every thing is now a bigger challenge , I'm really over it .