Ambition Strikes

"Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness" (long-voyager-2nd-edition) 03/13/2019 at 10:20 • Filed to: wrenching

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Decided to start tearing into my van’s new motor last night after supper. Didn’t take me long to get down to the heads:

Then I removed the rockers and pushrods and kept tearing:

Might as well get the other head off while I’m out here:

So far everything looks good, the top end is very clean, the cylinders still have the factory honing with no signs of wear:

Why I have a new motor for those who don’t know:

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Another thanks to Master Mario:

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random001 > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 03/13/2019 at 07:37

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I read this as “new van’s new motor” and wondered what I missed, but now I remember.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 03/13/2019 at 07:38

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Thanks to you, I had a weird dream last night. It was about tearing out the interior of a minivan that had some seriously funky smells.

I don’t even own a minivan. 

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > random001 03/13/2019 at 07:40

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The new van has been running daily duty since I got it together, so far we love it. It runs perfectly, it’s smooth and quiet on the road, and has been returning excellent economy.

It will need a passenger side hub assembly soon as it’s starting to make noise when cornering at speed, but everything else is in top shape, we’ve put over 1,000 miles on it already.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/13/2019 at 07:41

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Interesting.....

Maybe an old van is in your future ;)

random001 > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 03/13/2019 at 07:47

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This is excellent news

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > random001 03/13/2019 at 07:48

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Can’t wait to get her repainted so she looks as good as she drives!

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 03/13/2019 at 07:49

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Glad to see it’s as clean as advertised

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 03/13/2019 at 07:51

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Very happy so far!

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 03/13/2019 at 08:37

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Wow, that's clean. How many miles on the motor?

TheRealBicycleBuck > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 03/13/2019 at 08:38

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My wife would have a fit. The only thing she hates more than wagons is minivans. :/

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/13/2019 at 10:04

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I’m happy my wife cares about usefulness over some image that no longer exists.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 03/13/2019 at 10:12

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Around 50k according to MasterMario’s father, which I totally believe given what I’m seeing.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 03/13/2019 at 10:24

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Function is one of her primary concerns... as long as it’s shaped like an SUV. We spent a lot of time looking at how her work gear would fit in the back of a variety of SUVs. She picked the Explorer because of the deep well behind the third row when the seats are up. I pointed out that the Odyssey had a similar well and the added benefit of a lower bumper height which would make it easier to load and unload. She wasn’t interested.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/13/2019 at 10:27

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Modern SUVs ( the majority of which are really CUVs at best ) are shaped like minivans.

I honestly don’t understand the hate for minivans, meanwhile people have no issue buying a bloated sliderless minivan.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 03/13/2019 at 10:42

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It’s a circular discussion with some people. I did this with my wife, she absolutely wanted an SUV and would never buy a van. I even used all the logical metrics that vans are better in nearly every way. She conceded some when she asked why they don’t make a S uburban with a sliding door.

ME: “Uhh...you mean a van?”

HER: “No, like a Suburban, but with a sliding door”

ME: “Yea, that’s a van”

Then I managed to find this picture

To which she said “Yes! Exactly that!”

Which is the part where I get confused and say that this is exactly what a full size van is and if you squint a bit it looks like most modern minivans anyways.

TheRealBicycleBuck > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 03/13/2019 at 10:51

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Yep. It’s all about the proportions. Lift them  off the ground a bit, make the front and back ends more truck-like, and people would buy minivans like candy.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness 03/13/2019 at 10:53

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For my wife, it’s a matter of what she was carted around in as a kid. First it was a wagon, later a minivan. She doesn’t want a car that has a strong “mom” vibe.

If this holds true, there’s hope for the next generation. They were all hauled around in SUVs, so maybe they will gravitate towards wagons and minivans. My daughter really likes the Outback that will become hers when she goes off to college.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/13/2019 at 11:02

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I try to use the argument that these ARE the modern mom-mob iles with my wife, but it hasn’t worked yet.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/13/2019 at 12:02

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She doesn’t want a car that has a strong “mom” vibe.

Tell her to look around the school parking lot! LMFAO!

I guess I just don’t give a crap what other people think, I want the best tool for the job. Maybe some of that comes from being raised around/in “Cool” vehicles, maybe I’m just a dick.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 03/13/2019 at 12:04

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Me and my wife laugh at people when they say they don’t want a soccer mom vehicle so they’re buying a CUV. Have you people looked around lately?

After telling a couple to look around at the “Soccer Mom” vehicles at school, at least 1 family went and bought a minivan instead.