Figured I should start a build thread

[JoFotoz]

Looks great....

Jo

[eternal21]

Well done...love your VX!

It'll never be as clean as yours, but thank you

Looks great....

Jo

It's getting there....slowly but surely....

[eternal21]

A few weekends ago, I put in the new headliner. I thought that while I was up there doing that, I might as well make it a project weekend. On the list:
-replace headliner
-install sound deadening material on the roof
-install the LED light rack

I started on a Friday night @ 8pm, stayed up to 4am, then got up 8am to take the spare tire to have it mounted, and got back to work. I was wrapping everything up @ 6pm the next day.

After pulling the headliner, I came across 17 year old insulation and adhesive.


Utilizing a bunch of GooGone, elbow grease, and Simple Green, things were looking pretty good after about 4 hrs. The Raammatt BXT II was then applied.


I had purchased a 31" LED light bar, and thought that it would be a good idea to knock that out while the headliner was out. I didn't want to mount it to the roof, as I was loathe to drill holes into it. Instead, I used my Yakima racks as mounting points, and it came out spectacular.





Since I don't half do things, I used an OEM fog light switch from a Rodeo and figured out the wiring so that I can keep the interior looking clean. Currently there is one switch for the light bar, one switch for the fog/driving lights, and the last switch will be for the rear lights I'll be installing.

[Mile High VX]

Looks great. How did you route your wiring? Did you notice a big difference between the OEM insulation and the Raammatt?

I have my fogs wired the same way...just love that OEM clean look.

[eternal21]

Looks great. How did you route your wiring? Did you notice a big difference between the OEM insulation and the Raammatt?

I have my fogs wired the same way...just love that OEM clean look.

I wanted to try and make the wiring as clean as possible. The light bar's wires are encased in some pretty thick, flexible plastic shielding. I drilled a hole in the plastic channel on the driver's side that hides the roof rack mounting points. I then did the best that I could to line that up inside the cab so that the vertical hole I had to drill would be hidden under that plastic cap on the roof. Worked out like a champ. I then ran the shielded cable through and poly'ed both holes, then ran it down the a-pillar and to the dash. I have a power distribution block in the cab, so I didn't have to route anything through the firewall.


As for the BXT II, I'm very glad I did that. After I installed it, I re-positioned the OEM insulation and used spray adhesive to secure it to the BXT II. The end result is a much more crisp bass response, and a lot less of a "tinny" sound. It packs a lot more punch.

[Mile High VX]

That's a great idea and well done!

[eternal21]

It's been a long 6 weeks. My rig blew both head gaskets in Moab after the radiator fan went into the radiator, and since I couldn't remove the head studs w/an 1800lb/ft impact (turns out this is a common issue), I opted to drop in my spare engine. Did 90% of the work myself (a friend graciously came over after everything was disconnected and we maneuvered the old engine out and dropped the replacement in) in my garage. Started 2 weeks ago today, and she fired up last night. I'll update this thread with a recap in the next week or so.

[eternal21]

Guess I should start updating this again, huh

[Mile High VX]

Well after 4 years I would hope you've done something...LOL

[CatFish]

Update would be cool

[eternal21]

Well after 4 years I would hope you've done something...LOL

Well, in that time I've replaced the engine 3x

1) Blew the head gaskets on Fins N' Things in Moab on the VX trip in 2015, and had the truck trailered back home. The head bolts were seized to the block, and even using a 2,000lb/ft impact (yes, you read that correct) they wouldn't budge. My 5MT setup came from a wrecked Trooper that I paid $700 for, so when I pulled the tranny, I pulled the engine and kept it on a stand for insurance, then parted the truck and sold the shell so that the swap was essentially free. Since the engine was on a stand, I ordered an OEM water pump and timing belt and knocked those out, and then my friend and I dropped it into the VX. The 5MT that was in the VX had a synchro issue from jump, and it would randomly pop out of 5th gear. I had picked up a replacement 5MT from ebay for $150 shipped, so I took a chance and threw it in there w/no rebuild....it's been in there ever since.

2) April, 2016 - it was burning a lot more oil than I thought, and I threw a rod on a trip to San Antonio. Towed it back home from there (AAA 100 mile free towing, ftw....it was exactly 95 miles), and in Nov 2016, I found a 2002 150k mile Trooper in Dallas that had a suspect transmission for $950, so I picked that up and drove it home. I had to drive the truck by using the gear selector to make it change gears, and the transmission literally died as I was pulling it into the driveway. Broke a bone in my hand so the swap/install had to wait until January, 2017. I pulled that motor from the Trooper, then sold the rest to my friend (who has a Trooper) for $600. I pulled the WP/timing belt from the dead engine, swapped them onto the new engine, and then that engine went into the truck. During the VX engine removal, I horked up the wedge collar on the clutch pressure plate, trying to get it to release so I could pull the tranny. Luckily I had a spare PP from another install, so I used *it* instead. After the install, I then went on a search for a replacement piece JIC this happened again. I've worked w/ACT clutch before on a custom clutch build for a Legend I had, and found that the Subaru STI has a pull-type clutch, just like the VehiCROSS. ACT offers a trick 1-piece wedge collar called the MonoLoc that looked like it might fit, so I picked it up (p/n 884006) for insurance in case I ever had to do this again.

3) July, 2017, I found a, get this, 124,000 mile, 1 owner 2001 Trooper in San Antonio, owned by a mechanic, driven by his wife. Tranny went out and she wanted a new truck. They were asking $1200 for it, but after a little back and forth about the tranny (which I didn't need anyway), I got it for $400. And it was PRISTINE. Towed it home (AAA 100 mile free towing FTW again), pulled the engine, put it on a stand and sold the rest to my Trooper friend for $300. Good thing, b/c in Oct, 2017, something or other failed, and I had to drop in that engine. So, I pulled the wp/timing belt off the crap engine, swapped them onto the replacement engine, and then dropped it into the VX. Since I've had a power steering leak since I've had the VehiCROSS, I also pulled the complete PS assembly from the Trooper and swapped it into the VX. It was a lot easier to do w/the engine out, and it's a straight swap. Once again I ruined the wedge collar trying to get the tranny off. The only way to get a wedge collar is with the complete clutch setup, so I took a chance on the aforementioned MonoLoc, and it worked out. It's been 3 years now, and all is as it should be.

To recap, after buying Troopers for their engines and selling the remaining trucks, the swaps have literally cost me $400, or $133/engine on average + my time since I do all my own work.

So, at this point, I:
-have literally pulled 6 (including from the Troopers) engines and installed 3
-have gotten so good at pulling the engine, the last time I did it in 5 hrs....from memory

Other than that, let's see, what else:
-DIY wrapped the door panels, roof, and hood a couple weeks ago
-DIY installed a Hi-Lift jack on the roof
-DIY installed the lit VehiCROSS door sills
-DIY installed a completely new sub/amp setup
-DIY replaced the passenger's side roof rail as it was cracking
-DIY remounted the LED bar.

Mostly, I've just been driving it :-)

Upcoming plans:
-ceramic tint all around (won't be DIY'ing that one *lol*)
-I picked up some beef upped torsion bars, just waiting for the arrival of the last set of the poly bushings I ordered so I can do all of that at once.
-working on some interior storage options ;-)

https://siberianbushing.com/

I'll get some pics up this week.

[Mile High VX]

Sounds like you've been busy. I hope all is well in Houston for you and your family.

[eternal21]

Sounds like you've been busy. I hope all is well in Houston for you and your family.

Thank you, sir! Planning to get back into the VX market anytime soon?

[Mile High VX]

Sounds like you've been busy. I hope all is well in Houston for you and your family.

Thank you, sir! Planning to get back into the VX market anytime soon?

I bought a Proton in CA last August and drove it home to Georgetown, TX. I've been enjoying it and doing my best to keep it from being stock...LOL..

[eternal21]

Sounds like you've been busy. I hope all is well in Houston for you and your family.

Thank you, sir! Planning to get back into the VX market anytime soon?

I bought a Proton in CA last August and drove it home to Georgetown, TX. I've been enjoying it and doing my best to keep it from being stock...LOL..

Since I'm in Cedar Park (not Houston), it seems that we're going to have to arrange a meet up, my good man