I was up early again on Sunday morning and back at Lowes for paint and some industrial carpet, after which I got straight to work. Sunday wasn’t the unmitigated success that Saturday was, although it started out well enough. I began by installing the hardware on the drawers, first the runners, and then the handles. This is the storage part of the assembly, all put together. The drawers slide in nicely. The next step was to try it in the…
Now that I have the FJ Cruiser, the next step is to fit it out for long distance travel. Because I’ll be carrying everything I need with me, and I intend to camp or sleep in the truck most nights, it has to be both comfortable and have adequate storage. The way I’ve decided to accomplish this is to build a raised platform in the back, with drawers for storage underneath. I’ll be able to sleep on top while still…
Ok, now it’s getting exciting! Today I picked up the vehicle that’s going to share this epic road trip with me. If you know me at all, you know that I did my homework on what vehicle would be best for this adventure. I considered Subaru, Jeep, Honda, and Toyota vehicles, among others. I looked at the specs for station wagons, SUVs, and cross-overs mainly, but was open to all possibilities. I had DATA! I had SPREADSHEETS! I test drove…
Rather unexpectedly, I got my Tennessee driver’s license today! I went down to the Licensing Office this morning thinking that I could take the written test and get my permit, and then I’d have to schedule the road test for a later date. But when I explained to them that I was coming from Australia, and needed to get my license quickly in order to be able to buy and register a car to go on an epic road trip,…
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, TN is currently holding an exhibit called Bellissima: The Italian Automotive Renaissance 1945 – 1975, which celebrates the dynamic and innovative coachbuilt and concept cars of the post-war period. Wartime work in aeronautics helped Italian engineers and designers become familiar with principles such as lightweight body construction and streamlining, the use of advanced materials, and powerful, high-revving aircraft engines. After the war, these skills were put to awesome use in automotive design…