Dan's Excursion/Beater Wagon.

Jerd said:

Sounds like a good solution.

I forgot to mention that i like your stereo setup i need something like that in my DD. Is that what was in the blue wagon?

Click to expand...

For the most part it's the same setup. I used better, larger speakers in the doors, and the sub isn't in the buttcheek like it was because the box was broken. Once I build a tire carrier/bumper I'll build a box to go in the spare tire well. I hate having a big box taking up my cargo/sleeping space.

Updates. Had some time to get some work done on this thing finally. Installed the 4.10 gears, G80, poly motor mounts, and strut brace.

Lopped about half of the flyweight off of the locker and cut out the teeth to make the speedo work.



Poly mounts, these are BMW e30 mounts that I bought from Ireland engineering about 5 years ago. I put one of the heat shield/oil deflectors from a turbo car on there to help keep the mount in good shape.




Installed the strut brace that I've had for a while. It's been on the last three cars i've had, it works pretty well.



Work continues on the rack. I didn't like the kick up for the lights on the front because it made the thing sit super high off the roof, so I made it drop down to keep a lower profile. Here's a couple pics of test fitting.

Before I reworked the light hoop area.



And after



I welded these plates in so that I could use a set of Yakima load bars with shear blocks. This will allow me to use Yakima snowboard and bike attachments.




And here's a short video of me making sure the locker works.

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Excellent! The rack system you put together looks incredible! This is a project full of gnar!

noiiiiice!

fantastic car! I'm hoping to lift my 244, but I'm going to space the front strut rather than relocate the perch. Don't plan on running burly tires like you, so I should be good.

Love it!

Sooo sick!

Welp, the speedo's all crazy. It was completely inop at first with the 240 stamped steel diff cover and sensor, so I used one the cast aluminum covers from a 1041 axle and now the speedo bounces around all over the place. I think it has something to do with the air gap between the tone ring and the sensor. I din't use a paper gasket for the diff cover, just sealer, so I think I may need to put a shim between the sensor and cover to correct the air gap. Anyone else have this problem?

can't comment on the speedo problem, but I've got some questions regarding your suspension.

You left the jeep springs stock length, correct? Did you have to lengthen the arms? Could I just use the jeep springs and longer shocks with stock length arms? Did you think about spacing out some overload springs rather than go with the jeep ones?

Yep, stock cherokee front springs. Arms are stock length, so yes, you can use jeep springs, longer shocks and stock arms. When I first put it together I was using stock length shocks and they would bottom out, plus they were trashed. The pro-comp ones seem to work well and were only $35 or so from summit. I went with the jeep springs because I got them for free. I'm going to be putting spring spacers (hockey pucks) in the rear at some point because the rear sits a bit lower than I'd like. I have a set of torque rods and panhard bar that I will be making adjustable as well, right now the panhard bar is too short and the car drives crooked down the road.

updates?

Working on a big update, waiting on strut inserts to show up (220mm travel adjustable monotube) to start on the front coilovers. Have to do some measuring on the rear to see if I can fit an 8" travel coilover back there. Might end up building new trailing arms and running coilovers in front of the axle where the stock shock mounts. Roof rack and lights have been mounted for a while, guess I should get some pics of that up.

I love this! You don't see many lifted wagons like this. Way to go. Hope this project goes smoothly for ya! Looks like it's gonna be a good one.

Nice, Dan!

dude your

Took a few pics this morning. Also took the rear springs out to see what kinda travel I'm working with and see what I'm gonna do about the rear suspension.

Here's how it looks right now.





Took some pics of full bump and droop. With the current shocks the rear has 8.5" of available wheel travel, although, I don't think the springs will allow that.

Full bump, the tires are rubbing pretty good at this point, I'll definitely have to do some more hammer action.



Full droop.



The plan for the rear is to build new trailing arms that will be strong enough to use a 6.5" travel truck coilover in the stock shock position. I'll have to make a mount on the "frame rail" to move the mounting point inboard because the stock shock mounts to the outboard side of the frame rail in single shear. Not so good for mounting a coilover. I'll build pads on the axle end of the trailing arm for hydraulic bump stops that will be mounted in the stock spring location.

Coilovers I'll be using



Bumpstops

This is ****in' rad. I want one.

So bad ass dude. What are your plans for power? Im sure its pretty slow as is??

Got a mitsu hybrid something or other, ebay ic, and pretty much all of the necessary items for the installation. Bought a spec stage 3+ clutch from jordan, hopefully getting a 2.4 flat flywheel pretty soon, should help with the revs. Been hoarding parts for quite a while actually hahaha.

This is looking real good. I am probably going in a similar direction.

That's awesome. Volvo should have sold a 245 like this from the factory.