>>>>>COW- MOO-BILE..... Constructed and Heading WEST...<<<<<

dan brothers

dan brothers

New member
This first post is from another thread that I started when I first bought this Geo. I wanted to add it here in this thread, so that it will all make sense as I explain it's New Construction Makeover, which will start in the second post below.


It seems like I live outside of the box, and this thing makes me feel even more outside...LOL.

Even though I took my Honda 90 on my trip last month, I couldn't make myself take it for a ride in those hills. There was nothing wrong with the bike or the hills, but there was with my Mo-Jo to do it.

After using that rancher's Razr to round up those 3 coyotes on his grassy pivot area... it made me realize that there was a better way to roam those hills...BUT... they cost too much for me. I started looking at Craig's list last Friday in my area, and found this 1997 Geo Tracker UV for $1000. How could I pass that up when everything works, but his custom paint job he did for his wife has to go...LOL. It's a 4 cyl, 5 speed, 4x4, 190.000 miles, good glass, good tires, it even has A/C, but it needs some leak work. It's only problem is a major oil pan leak, which used a quarter of a quart of oil on a 60 mile trip from Charleston, SC at 65 mph.

So I have to fix that...who wants to come help...?

I'll take you hog hunting for labor, while you spend a few days here.

My plan is to tow it on my next trip, and use it to crawl around slowly during my spot and stalk hunting routine. The heater works better than my Honda as well.

This is my first Geo, so if anyone has any tips, hints, ideas, or suggestions of any kind... they are WELCOOMED.

Thanks....Dan

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The first thing I did was get it out of the weather by putting up a Harbor Freight Quonset Hut shelter for repairs and construction.

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I then tore into the front end of the engine so that I could replace the front crank and cam seals that were leaking oil pretty bad... and... while being there... I went ahead and replaced the water pump, timing belt, alternator belt, and power steering belt as well.

Better to fix them now than to wait for a future problem.

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My Wife's Cat... Cinnamon... thought it was all done for him so he could sleep out of the weather every night.

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Good Weather today allowed me to pull her out for some makeup.

I know some of you Guys are in Love with that Pink Melrose Park Place Camo... but it just had to go...LOL.

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Painting and repairs is just normal stuff... but just wait until you see what is coming... you'll have to see it to believe it.
 
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I would cut the top right behind either the front or back doors and fab up a back wall out of 16ga steel to close it off. I would make a 2 doora nd toss the back seat. That way you have room for you,your dog,then the ice chest and control work can go in back. I've been looking for one of those rigs around here but those things are pricey here. Good luck and looking good.
 
I don't know, but got it parked under cover, inside the new Harbor Freight quanset... Is your wife feeling rejected yet Dan?
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It's gettin purtier, and making all the repairs while fixing leaks is just plain and simple, a good plan.
 
Much improved looks!!!

Did the tire chains come as a matched set?

A handi-man jack for getting out of cow trails and you'll be ready to hit the hills.
 
I have a "98" Tracker, and its really fun for local hunting. Not the most comfortable for long drives however. It's really like a little tank off road, especially in low range. It looks like it will make a very nice rig for you. Looking forward to your next installment.

ETA I cant tell from the pics, but does yours have the auto hubs in the front,Or the manual hubs?
 
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Bernie Sanders did stop by for some campaigning, and he agreed to the Tom Sawyer thing...LOL.

My wife isn't feeling rejected at all. As a matter of fact, she just took my Dodge Diesel to go pick up some more black felt and plywood.

That steering wheel cover is left over horse legging wrap that I use on my rifles. The last owner had cleaned the wheel with something that made it all sticky... the wrap fixed it.

The tire chains are a matched set, and I'm thinking about getting another set for the front wheels...but not sure if it's needed. A jack would be nice to have along as well.

It does have auto hubs at the moment, but in order to tow it, I have to install manual hubs... which are only 100 bucks per set, and 6 bolt installation.... easy pezzy job.

I'm planning on towing it backwards on a dolly behind my van... that way I can drive it faster than 55 mph, which is required for flat towing.

A LOT of changes are coming... hold on to your hats...LOL.
 
Good eye on the plywood...your the first one to notice it.

It's my shooting platform.

It will allow me to sit and shoot off the top/roof with only my upper body exposed.

I took the back seat out. Then I got a feel for the center area of where my head and body would stick up comfortably while doing the groundhog thing of glassing and shooting from the sitting position.

Let me tell you.... it took some REAL BIG JEWELS to make me cut that hole out of the Geo roof. I spent a several hours, nights and days, thinking that one through. I knew I had to get it right the first time...which I believe I did. I made the hole 20x30 inches, which is perfect for one guy... and it would still work for two guys standing up in it.

I'm going to make a hinged, plywood door that will be wider than the hole, that will fold backwards, lying across the roof.

I will then cover the whole platform with waterproof black felt.

The FINAL PROJECT will look like a Mobile Cow-Blind-Hide, for slowly crawling through those grassy hills... glassing and shooting coyotes from this perch.

I know this sounds crazy, but I'm sure it will work. I was going to do this with my Honda 90, but it just didn't have all the benefits and comfort of this Geo.

I gotta get her done, because I want to try her out Mid-Feb on another trip.

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I can only imagine how hard it was to decide to cut thru that roof.

I remember years ago, when I decided to mount a roof antenna on a pickup, for the CB. It almost made me cry, to drill that hole.
 
I asked about the hubs because I have a set that I can send. They just need cleaning and lubing. The Previous owner put too much grease. And when the cold weather hit they stopped working. There are videos on U tube how to clean and make them work properly. I chose WARN hubs and switched. These are Suzuki Factory Hubs, so if you have the time to clean them and have more time than money like Me, I can send them to you. I didn't have the time to play with them. So I opted for the WARN's.
 
Dan, on another site one of the guys was shooting ghogs from a platform on the back of his pickup in Ohio and got busted for shooting from a motor vehicle. Check the local laws.
 
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