Car Camping

[BHShaman]

When I posted our garage practice session, folks asked for more pics of the gear we planned to take. Here it is.
- Bronco Sport Badlands,
- 1 Beach Tent, 2 low REI chairs.
- Exped AutoMat, Exped Pillow, Fast Inflator/Deflator
- 3 storage Bins
* Orange: Car Stuff (tire plus, inflator, etc)
* Orange: Camp Stuff (4 window screens, 8 Vinyl Wrap Magnets, 2 USB fans, 2 hanging pouches, LED string lights, flashlight, power banks (various small)
* Clear: Bottom Sheet, 2 blankets
- 2 floor mats (rear door on ground to take shoes off, change, etc.)
- Collapsible Table
- Duffle Bag (change of clothes towels, etc)

 

[Jdiditz]

When I posted our garage practice session, folks asked for more pics of the gear we planned to take. Here it is.
- Bronco Sport Badlands,
- 1 Beach Tent, 2 low REI chairs.
- Exped AutoMat, Exped Pillow, Fast Inflator/Deflator
- 3 storage Bins
* Orange: Car Stuff (tire plus, inflator, etc)
* Orange: Camp Stuff (4 window screens, 8 Vinyl Wrap Magnets, 2 USB fans, 2 hanging pouches, LED string lights, flashlight, power banks (various small)
* Clear: Bottom Sheet, 2 blankets
- 2 floor mats (rear door on ground to take shoes off, change, etc.)
- Collapsible Table
- Duffle Bag (change of clothes towels, etc)

looks like a lot of fun.

 

[NMhunter]

You can carry more if you put an ATV cargo rack in your receiver hitch. It lets you carry extra gas to supplement the ridiculously small gas tank on the Sport. And, it might even leave room for a dog.

 

[jkernitzki]

You can carry more if you put an ATV cargo rack in your receiver hitch. It lets you carry extra gas to supplement the ridiculously small gas tank on the Sport. And, it might even leave room for a dog.

Other than the 270 lb. weight limit and the pesky covering up of the license plate attracting unwanted attention, I totally agree.

 

[NMhunter]

If you're going off-road, that weight limit should be cut in half. That said, I've never come close to 150 lbs. of gear on the rack. Save it for the lighter, bulky things. Hint: don't put a yeti cooler on the rack.

It isn't clear that we have a police presence here in NM, and it isn't clear that they care about license plates. I've used mine several times, and never been bothered by police. Everyone knows the Bronco owners are the good guys.

 

[jkernitzki]

If you're going off-road, that weight limit should be cut in half. That said, I've never come close to 150 lbs. of gear on the rack. Save it for the lighter, bulky things. Hint: don't put a yeti cooler on the rack.

It isn't clear that we have a police presence here in NM, and it isn't clear that they care about license plates. I've used mine several times, and never been bothered by police. Everyone knows the Bronco owners are the good guys.

There's definitely a police presence in NM. Or was, a long time ago.

Story time...

I got an expired registration citation by NM State Police a few lifetimes ago (1976!) near Truth or Consequences. I had just been discharged from the Air Force and was headed home to San Diego in my '75 Vega. Stopped for gas and he pulled in behind me. After establishing my Illinois tags were expired by a few months, he wrote out the citation and proceeded to tell me how to handle it. The conversation went like this:

NMSP: "Because you're from out of state, you have to pay the fine immediately."
ME: "How much is the fine?"
NMSP: "$50."
ME: "But I only have $40 and I still have 700 miles to go!" (panic setting in)
NMSP: "Oh, you do have a problem, don't you? You have to see the judge then, but she's gone fishing for the weekend and won't be back until Monday."
ME: "..." (19-year old me about to melt down)

A few tense moments pass by.

NMSP: (writes something on citation and hands it to me) "This will get you through New Mexico, but you're on your own in Arizona and California."

The citation read: "Fine paid, Truth or Consequences."

I got back to San Diego (where the Vega was repossessed a few months later) and vowed to never again drive dirty. I've also never forgotten that encounter.

Historical note for the yutes: Gas was about 40 cents a gallon then, so that worked out to $10-$12 worth to cover the remaining distance. Even a bowl of chili in a truck stop north of ABQ was like 60 cents, and the coffee was free. So other than that ticket, $40 was plenty for the rest of the trip.

 

[jkernitzki]

In high school I had a ‘72 (I think) lime- green Vega wagon. Aluminum/cast iron engine which heated at different rates and caused a lot of issues including burning an excessive amounts of oil.

Couldn’t afford that much oil so I filtered my dads used oil (hey that oil was in a GM too) and put that in the Vega 4 cylinder engine until 6 months later when it threw a rod - but the little wagon carried on with just 3 working cylinders until a few months later that rod caused the 4-cyl engine to seize.

By then I saved enough to buy a used 327 engine and transmission from a salvage yard (Wrecks!). Shoehorned that into the Vega wagon and the fun factor exploded.

Of course I didn’t have the money to install a proper rear end so I got very good and swapping out the rear end multiple times. Wrecks had plenty of junk Vega’s and I recall the last rear end I got from them they were nice enough to have already pulled it for me and had it waiting on an inside shelf.

Finally the 327 blew (I hadn’t rebuilt it because of $$$) but my dad pushed me into a dealership just hard enough that I coasted in and parked right up front outside the main doors - a salesman saw me “drive in” and didn’t bother to do a proper test drive so the trade-in went smooth and I drove out with a used Ford Mustang. A happy ending story.

Mine was that tomato red Chevy had at the time. It was the coupe. Used to eat Porche 914’s all day long. (I know, not saying much, but it was a great flex for the era.)

I had the leaky head as well, jut kept adding coolant unt they stole it back.

 

[NMhunter]

I picked up a Vega for $100 and put in a rebuilt engine with steel cylinders. With rack and pinion steering and a 4 speed manual transmission, it was a blast to drive. I liked it enough to drive it for a couple of years even though I moved down to Tucson, and it did not have AC.

 

[TheX]

This is when the roof basket shines.

 

[NMhunter]

I've got a roof box, but it reduces my gas mileage by about 5 mpg. The cargo rack in the back doesn't.

 

[CLR]

Do you worry about that stuff flying forward and causing problems if you have to brake hard? I do worry about that when loading up for a trip.

 

[NEFKANO]

2022 Badlands with 50k on the odometer and a lot of those miles off road… what its all about

 

[Jmuns]

2022 Badlands with 50k on the odometer and a lot of those miles off road… what its all about

Your photos never disappoint

 

[FrigateOrpheon]

2022 Badlands with 50k on the odometer and a lot of those miles off road… what its all about

These are great photos. That first one oughta be in a Ford brochure.

 

[NEFKANO]

These are great photos. That first one oughta be in a Ford brochure.

Appreciate the praise... best pictures taken when your having fun and not worried about setting up that perfect shot... life's too short : )... if it comes it comes... like this short blurb with me almost falling..hahaha