Oooh. Me likey.
Very nice, Phil!
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Have an intermittent no start. Replaced ignition switch. And just did the batt to starter cable. Now we drive it and see. Intermittent probs are the worst yo.
New switch installed. Damn. This thing is so simple to take apart. 
Old cable
Cut off and new lug crimped on until I can get a complete OEM cableā¦
Also replaced ground to starter body.
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Drop down table and rear deck are now waxed with a fancy Osmo food safe wood wax. Kind of gray, but looks white in pics.
Driving to Canmore this evening to meet up with a 'mud member for dinner who also has a 70 series.
Last weekend I took it camping with my bro and sis. Through the mountains, at altitude. With trailer. Good fun!
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For as long as youāve known me, Phil, Iāve had an interest in moving to Canada. And itās alwaysāI mean alwaysābeen a dream of moving to Toronto (because thereās no way I could afford Vancouver).
You have officially sold me on Calgary. 
It just looks excellent in every picture. Officially on my bucket list for at least a visit. ASAP.
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You should come. And right nowā¦ You can cross into Canada. But Iām not yet allowed to cross into the US. Hmmm.
So I plugged a tire today. Itās been slowly letting air escape since I got the truck. Seemed to fall to about 20psi and then stayed there. Very annoying, and gradual but inconvenient.
Did some searching and found a nail, hidden between tread blocks. Pulled it, listened to the hiss as I reamed the hole, lubed my plug with rubber cement, then jammed that bad boy in there. Hereās the result. So far no air lossā¦
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Pulled and cleaned my starter yesterday since my intermittent start continued. It was pretty filthy inside, so I cleaned the housing, cleaned and regreased the bearings, and rubbed the armature with some 600 grit.
Itās now reassembled and appears to be functional. Need another hot day to know for sureā¦
Obviously this is before:
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Btw @Brian just say no to TO. Nice place to visit but Iām not a fan of megalopolisā with city after city after city running into each other. We call Toronto the big smoke. Lol.
Not a huge fan. But maybe itās just me.
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I wonder if that would mean I couldnāt cross back? Sorry. This is a one way border. Weāre awful sorry for the inconvenience. Would you prefer a complimentary flight to Tijuana or a job?
And while Iām dreaming, Iād also like an old Mitsubishi Galant GTO. 
In all seriousness, camping with you in Banff is on my bucket list, brother. Weāll make it happen.
Sounds like Mr. Powefist is back.
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Itās been a whirlwind of a monthā¦
School opened, despite everything.
And in an unrelated story, I realized I could get the camping setup I always aspired to, without cashing out my retirement. But it would mean selling the coolest little trailer everrrr.
I made some quick/difficult choices and put the trailer and tent up for sale, to take advantage of a labour day sale on the unit that I wanted ā¦ Then i pulled the trigger.
The stars aligned, an old buddy bought trailer, his neighbour bought the tent, and my new setup fit in the garage as is. No airing down, no elaborate pulley systems, etc.
Meet rooftop tent version 5, on Betsy version 10:
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Yep. Gimme a vax for children under 12 and let the herd thin itself, I say.
Which tent is that? It looks like the Area BFEs from GTFO, but it isnāt? Those struts on the outside are nice. Full stainless?
It is from Cap-It, a Canadian outfit. Just like the roofnest falcon, and many others I suspect. Aluminum sandwich, less than 7 inches high, and deploys faster than an umbrella at the Seattle Marketā¦
Stainless I believe. Plus full perimeter top and bottom t-slots. Plus crossbars for the tentās roof, giving you back your roofspace. Comfy mattress. Lots of windows. Iām in loveā¦
Other updates to do, but exhaust shop tomorrow is the biggie. Canāt wait. Also did some playing with the inj pump timing and the thing has woken up big time. Swapped wheels. Having fun still, almost a year in! Woohoo!
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Sounds like a winner, mate. Iām happy for you.
Weatherās turning here. Getting to be Wrenchtober. So many plans. Olā Fez has been running well since the big big road trip. Much like spring, when a young gearheadās fancy turns to love.
I hope Betsy 10 brings all the smiles this winter!
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Man, that just looks like 10 stories of 110% 10-speed awesome, Phil. #want
A couple weekends back, I stumbled into a [ closed-for-the-season ] campground in a canyon between two ski resorts (one being called āSolitudeā I think) east of Salt Lake City. There was a picnic table fire ring, wood stove(!), and it was a 30-second walk to this.
^ Not me, obviously, but Colin may be joining us here shortly.
It reminded me of the places we camped with Dad growing up. We didnāt bushwhack into primitive land, hell-bent on self-sufficiency, playing uberlander. We just ate hot dogs, dammed up the creek, and enjoyed being in the great outdoors.
Iām looking forward to doing more of that.
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Sometimes just getting out is the hard part. Thereās nature everywhere so just find some. As long as the Walmart parking lot isnāt your goalā¦ Although sometimes thatās not the end of the world either. If it is a midpoint to somewhere.
My setup, after years of changing up, setting up, planning, redoing and rejigging, is finally getting a big upgrade, on top of the upgrade it recently just got.
My wifeās been along on this ride with me, and although the trailer and itās amenities is more her speed, and she rarely comes on the truck adventure type trips, she still likes to help with my setup.
She found me a new possibility the other week, in a prebuilt drawer systemā¦ We mulled it over, and finally ordered it. Iād been planning for years to build something, but sometimes you end up spending more just to saveā¦
So insteadā¦ I give youā¦ the Overland vehicle systems drawer
This has a drawer, a sliding top with integrated tiedowns and a slide out work surface. Metal powder coated too, with carpet on top and inside the drawer.
Just a test fit in the pic above. But more to come.
ā¦
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The night before last, once we decided that the drawer was the real dealā¦ She ordered me a second one. This is getting somewhere now!
The sliding tops on both drawers will completely change my setup. Things can stay tied down on top, and yet slide out to remain accessible. And the slide out boards will be invaluable when doing anything out backā¦ The drawers arenāt super long, so it gives me room behind them for aux battery, etc.
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Those are sweet! How much space between the box and second row? Think it could support 40-50kg in a modified jump seat?
Spending more to save. Aināt that the truth?
Buy once. Cry once.
Those are awesome, Phil.
I rarely have anybody in the back seat except the dog, so another seat? Superfluous to my needs.
I think thereās about 12 inches at the bottom, but because the 2nd row seatback is raked, it gets less and less as you go higher. But there is enough room for my aux (third!) battery back there. And Iām cooking up something else as well (I may have just given a hint?).
Getting excited to put this altogether, although Iām planning to do it in stages, and use it in between, to get a feel for what works and what needs moving/modding.
IF another GRAND CANYON traverse or something similar happens when I CAN go, I wonāt have a pesky trailer following me. LOL.
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Believe you meāIām already angling for it.
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