Big Bend National Park

[Profpinz]

A very interesting project vehicle, but surely the back bumper kills your rear ramp over angle.
I've hung my Pingauer up on some steep "drop-offs" with the standard factory setup. .... I'm still waiting for someone to "bobtail" a Pinny!

BTW....Is the whole vehicle painted in the textured coating?
I showed a mate when he dropped over earlier and he said in a few of the shots it looked, "soft and fluffy"

[mjnims]

Peter
There was a guy in Colorado that shortened his 712. The truck is now in Arizona. Makes for a very interesting looking truck. Poor truck was driven pretty hard and shows

[Profpinz]

I can't ever remember seeing it Mike...... Are there any pics of it?

[mjnims]

I will try to get Tony to take some pics after the weekend. Heading out to a Pinz outing

[andy]

Peter, the Rhino lining or Line X is pretty durable stuff and if you want to keep your truck from having scratches from the brush all over it a practical way to preserve the finish. Even if a rock gouges it, it can be touched up a little easier than your basic paint job. It also adds a little extra weight to the truck.
I've lined the beds in both of my F 250s and it has helped alot. Sadly there's not much hope for the 2002's paint job at this point. But, I do have a one of a kind custom paint job on the sides of that one.

[pinztx]

Like Andy said this stuff is pretty tough. I also had the entire inside sprayed too. It adds some insulation from the heat. Plus all you have to do is wash it out when you get home.

The ramp over might be limited some but it adds some protection and can use a step for when I get the rack built for the outside rear seat. Also on the front bumper the middle section folds down for some extra space to carry ice chest or a small box.

The next stop is to get the rack built for the rear seat and to check to see what the A/C will run. Maybe power steering. You have got to have it comfortable when you take clients hunting.

[texas pinzgauer]

Andy - I have a general sense of where you did your recon trip. As this will be the first time to gather a group of Pinz owners in the BBNP, we'll have plenty of future opportunities to try that stuff out as well as the route that Greg (at Far Flung) suggested, plus the terrain in the state part plus whatever else we can gain access to.

[ExpeditionImports]

Hi Guys,

I am assuming the bobtail 712 being discussed is my old trail truck that I built and sold in 1999 or 2000. For it's time it was a pretty radical trail truck. I sold it to Brian Gould (Sadly Departed) and I believe that after he passed the truck was sold.

Anyways the trucks rundown was as follows:

Bobbed Rearend with Flatbed.
Self Recovery winch mounted in the "well"
Center mounted tanks/batteries to free up the sides
Klune Goliath 4:1 underdrive
Power Steering (Torque generator, offroad only)
Internal Roll Cage
Front Winch and Bumper
and too many little things to remember.

In general the truck could handle most any terrain. I'll see if I can dig up any photo's. When we counsel customers that a Pinz is NOT designed for rock crawling it comes from a good bit of experience going down that road......

Cheers,

Scott Ingham

[Erik712m]

I guess herb is not the only one with a shortened 712 than. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpsnqhvrjvQ . Scott was yours the white one with the star rims?

[texas pinzgauer]

Trails forum guys, not technical!

[andy]

Another update on the trip. First about the firewood. It would be great but I don't think that is in the cards since the entire county has a burn ban in effect.

I just made contact with the Terlingua Starlight Theater which is a pretty neat restaurant and informed them that we will be there for supper on the evening of the 14th of June. I also told them that some people might drift in on the 13th.

They have a website: www.starlighttheatre.com. They list the menu and other information on the sight if you want a preview. Also, they are apparently associated (same management) with a new place called The Boathouse. The Boathouse is a bar. I saw it on the pre-run and it doesn't look like a dive, but I'm not sure kids would be welcome. There is a very small park across the parking lot (no playground equipment that I saw) where we could adjourn to possibly after supper.

The menu prices aren't totally obscene, but are a little high for frugal Pinz owners. They do have Buffalo burgers in case you forget to bring your buffalo meat.

If this doesn't work for the group please let me know so I can do the right thing and let them know. Thanks.



Andy

[texas pinzgauer]

Andy - La Kiva is an option (for dinner) too and it's between Study Butte and Terlingua. Vegetarians probably won't be too jazzed about it.

Starlight Theatre is fun and has an interesting menu. My wife refers to the restaurant as looking like the bar scene from the original Star Wars movie. You never know what or who you'll see there.

[Pinzczech]

Pinzczech and family (wife and 2 sons) will be joining the mini treffen.
We're staying in Lajaitas 13-16. Did they check out the HOt Spring on the side of the Rio Grande... I plan to an evening or 2 it's NICE!

[mjnims]

made reservations at Big Bend Inn for wife, kid, myself and another AZ pinz guy Steve. We should be there Thursday night around 6p if anyone wants to go out for a drink.

[andy]

Pinzczech, great, welcome, looking forward to seeing you. On the pre-run after I finished the trail we went to Rio Grande Village for a snack. When we left there we went to the Hot Springs. Made it to the parking lot and saw the sign that said something like Items frequently stolen from parked (unattended)vehicles here, and decided I wasn't about to leave an open 710 in the lot. So we made a 180 and left. If we have a bunch wanting to go there maybe we can take turns watching the trucks. Otherwise, it's too close to the Rio to suit me.

You and Shawn are probably looking at a 20 + minute run (in the Pinz) to Study Butte in the AM for the trail ride.

Mike, we should be in Thursday also. That's the plan today. I'm guessing I'll be in the area between 3 and 4 pm. A lot depends on the wife and weather. I'm remiss on making the reservation, but will probably have it made before 8 pm tonight.



Andy