Chevy Colorado ZR2 diesel

[norseman]

6 hours ago, 17x7 said:

Here is Norseman's answer.  Skip ahead if not interested.

 

No, it's not really possible to just drive around off-road.  There is very little public land.  Basically, just some National Parks (where the photo was taken) and a few forest reserves.  Those are highly regulated and have nearly no roads.  The parks have LOTS of rules.  No off-road is one of them.  That said, if 4x4 is your thing, I have to lock the hubs to get to my house about half the year (during rainy seasons) as I live on a pretty steep hill.  Last night we were coming back from some traveling 'up country' and got stuck in traffic as we returned to Kampala.  We left the main road and took side streets to get around "the Jam".  Only the main roads are paved.  Even in the city.  Everything else is just dirt.  My 'cruiser has a 4" lift, aftermarket coil springs all around, and gobs of wheel travel.  I had a wheel in the air 2 or 3 times traveling those streets.  These streets are on Google Maps, mind you.  The bad parts are when you meet another car and have to cross a ditch or rut.  The folks in 2 wheel rigs and small cars can't manage and so it's me that ends up jumping the ruts to get by, just because I can.

 

There are no guns allowed for anyone except military, and some police and security guards.  In fact, even pocket knives are considered concealed weapons and are illegal.  There are lots of military and security around.  Military provide a good amount of security presence and are almost all carrying AKs.

 

There are lots of fuel stations, as long as you are on main roads.  The issue is fuel quality.  The international chains are Shell, and Total.  The rest you have never heard of.  You can guarantee that there is at least kerosene mixed into the diesel at local stations to increase their profit.  Shell and Total are supposed to be pure fuel, but you never really know.  I do know the car likes their fuel better.  The farther from main towns you get, the farther between good stations.  Sometimes 50-75 miles.  One town I go to about twice a year, is at least that and you have to go back to the station because there is no good fuel in the town there.  We carry a jerry can or two to make sure we can get back without having to buy bad fuel.  My 'cruiser can run rougher fuel, but I hate pushing it.

 

Big animals are pretty much just in and around the National Parks.  Lions are there, but nowhere else.  Crocs are more common, but still pretty rare.  People kill them anytime they find them.  Parts of the Nile have them, and sparsely populated areas of Lake Victoria and other lakes.  You can sometimes find hippos outside the parks, but it's rare.  If you see a critter, it's usually monkeys, snakes, or a Nile Monitor.

 

Come on over.  We'll go for a ride and see the sights.

17x7

 

Great info! Thank you!

 

And I would return the favor anytime yer in my neck of the woods bud!

This is why I like diesels.

 

 

[17x7]

On 7/8/2019 at 11:07 PM, Catmandoo said:

17x7, are air cooled diesels used in the African vehicles?

No, not to my knowledge.  Years ago, I saw an air cooled diesel motorcycle.  Probably about 100cc???  Sounded like rocks in a spray can.  Never seen another.

 

17x7

[norseman]

[MIB]

^^^^ I had high hopes for the long awaited return of a Jeep pickup but it is a swing and a miss.   Should have been a single cab.   Jeep should be nimble.  The crew cab means a gross breakover angle.     Also not happy with their switch to engines which shut off and restart at stop lights.    This is becoming unavoidable on passenger-rated (light) trucks as well which is why a 3/4 or 1 ton looks more and more attractive to me.  The more garbage you build onto a thing, the more there is to break down.   The fuel savings does not offset the increased long term maintenance cost.

 

MIB

[Huntster]

Nearly $60Gs for a freaking Jeep is a horror scene. Christ would judge the world before I'd pay that for any vehicle.

[RedHawk454]

Yeah, 50k is way too much.  Most of these newer trucks are too expensive for what they offer.  Please, nothing beats old steel

 

 

 

 

[norseman]

I must be getting old...... a Ford Ranger is considered “old steel” now.

[MIB]

20 minutes ago, norseman said:

I must be getting old...... a Ford Ranger is considered “old steel” now.

 

Old .. could be.  Ranger production ended in 2011.   There's a new thing they're calling a Ranger but .. but.      I wouldn't take one of the new ones.  

[RedHawk454]

1 hour ago, norseman said:

I must be getting old...... a Ford Ranger is considered “old steel” now.

 

 

The first gen Rangers are getting there.  I have a 1986.  I'd stay away from the 2.8 v6 though.  But trucks back then didnt have that dip in the front part.  #LeveledChassis #Notruckpayment #BiGFo0TisReal

On 7/17/2019 at 10:09 PM, norseman said:

 

 

I known its hard to get loans for old vehicles, but for a third of the cost you could get a restored J10

 

 

 

the new Gladiators look like a joke.  its just a four JL with some slight modification.

Edited July 24, 2019 by RedHawk454

[norseman]

 

[RedHawk454]

I wonder if that frame is aluminum.  

Edited July 24, 2019 by RedHawk454

[BC witness]

RedHawk454, back in the '70s I had a Jeep J3000 pickup, I think it was a '58 or so. it still had the vertical 7 bar Jeep grill, not the wide one in your J10 pic above. It was school bus yellow, had the straight 6, burning lots of oil, 17" split rim wheels, a 4 speed manual with no overdrive, and 5.14 gears. It topped out at about 55 MPH, but was pretty much unstoppable in the bush. That photo brought back some great memories, as the J3000 was my 1st 4x4.

[norseman]

6 hours ago, RedHawk454 said:

I wonder if that frame is aluminum.  

 It’s steel.

 

 

[norseman]

 

[BlackRockBigfoot]

28 minutes ago, norseman said:

 

Nice.

 

We pick up a older Blazer ZR2 to use as a research/camping vehicle.  Had to dump a little bit of cash into her to get her reliable, but it is great rough road vehicle.