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Bowser II Build Out - a Western Maryland H3 Adventure

Bowser-II

Well-Known Member
Messages
268
Location
Hagerstown, Maryland
I have had this H3 for a few years now, I purchased it at the end of 2012 based on the following requirements:
- Adventure Package
- Sunroof
- Black
- Minimal Chrome
- Low Miles

There were a few other things that went into buying this particular truck, but mostly are unimportant. I grew up around 4x4's since the founder of Quigley 4x4 is my grandfather. I learned to drive on an old international that my grandmother used for hauling stone and whatnot around her place, and a 1989 4x4 Astro (it had a solid axle Ford front end). Vans are not my cup of tea, and I loved the H3 as soon as it came out.

My first H3 was a new off the lot 2009 Base model with a manual transmission. I had to let it go after about 1 1/2 years because of a layoff. I knew I would get another one as soon as possible. That first one was nicknamed 'Bowser' by my daughter since at the time my kids and I were still pretty hooked on Mario Card Wii… the name sort of carried over to the new truck.

This one was purchased from a dealer in Colorado Springs, I was fortunate to have a friend in Denver providing technical support for CNN during the election cycle. He and a coworker took a detour down there for a check and a test drive, a few weeks late it was unloaded in Hagerstown Maryland:

Off the Truck:
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Its not the best picture, I cannot find the ones from the good camera.

My folks have some decent acreage with an empty mountain behind them… So I usually end up roaming the trails every time I visit. Here are a few early shots, the one in the mud pit shows the Thule bag starting to fall off after some bouncing around.

First Mud:
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At the Indian Tree:
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Down the trail:
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My build out will be fairly paced, and is somewhat generalized for the moment. Priority #1 is to keep it reliable and comfortable as it is also the 'family car'. As a preference, I like the factory look with a few exceptions (mostly the chrome stuff), so I do not intend to add things unnecessarily.

Initial List:
- UCP, factory kit w/ Thor plates
- Rock Rails (probably Rocky Road or Schwartzy)
- Hunner Skids or an SOA
- CB
- T Bar Crank
- Quick removal mounting for the front plate
- Radiator / Intercooler upgrade
- Back up camera
- Differential shield or stronger cover

Second Stage:
- Custom low profile roof rack (big dog in the back, no more storage…)
- Winch (probably on Schwartzy's mounting fixture/adapter)
- 35" tires (probably the Cooper SST Pro's)
- Some kind of lighting, 360°, on the roof rack

Long Term:
- SOA
- Diesel from the new Colorado/Canyon???

Aesthetics:
- Black out the chrome…
- Green accents in a few places
- Black 'steelie' wheels for off road use only

Like all these types of things, it will change at some point.
 

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Bowser-II

Well-Known Member
Messages
268
Location
Hagerstown, Maryland
Truck Interrupted

Summer of 2014 there was a group of delinquent children roaming the city stealing and joyriding cars. My neighborhood saw several Jeeps, a Cadillac and my H3 stolen and smashed up. It was recovered within a few hours but spent over two months getting back to normal. Actually I still have a few issues I suspect may be related to the event.

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Bowser-II

Well-Known Member
Messages
268
Location
Hagerstown, Maryland
It had some fun locally on dirt roads, river fordings, back roads between Gatlinburg TN and Asheville NC, and fun trip up to Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Are (AOAA) over next year.

AOAA is a new park outside Shamokin PA that is open to trucks, 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, and whatnot. My brother in law bought his first truck this past summer and wanted to go up for his first ever off-road experience. That's his Jeep in the pictures. His family is from Shamokin, so naturally we stopped in at the Coney Island restaurant for chili dogs afterwords.

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That mud, while great fun at AOAA, stank like nothing I have ever smelled before. I suspect it was all the coal pilings, 150 years of industrial detritus, and of course rotting vegetation. It took about five hours to clean off.



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4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,212
Location
Tardville
That mud, while great fun at AOAA, stank like nothing I have ever smelled before.

That smell might be pasture run-off. We have that here in Indiana. Its basically a cocktail of cow piss & poo...and it will stain your paint (not to mention take 3-months to quit stinking).
 

Bowser-II

Well-Known Member
Messages
268
Location
Hagerstown, Maryland
Ha-ha, not the AOAA mud, the place sits on top an old coal strip mine, there is barely enough soil for trees to take root.

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Bowser-II

Well-Known Member
Messages
268
Location
Hagerstown, Maryland
Okay, I have been trying to get some things done, and make some changes to what I plan to do and maybe tweaks to the time line (mainly cause I just bought a new house, which changes purchasing priorities).

Finished as of 2/20
Rock Rails - Rocky Road from Justin94TT
UCP - CBPhoto
Black Grill - from Justin94TT

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Notes on the process:

With installing the UCP one challenge was that when I bought the truck the passenger side skid plate bolt was missing, resulting in a very rattley skid plate. The hole was in bad shape, so I ended up using a 12mm bolt, socket cap originally, but now it is a 14mm hex head bolt.

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This also meant drilling out the UCP hole.

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And of course after being ~5 years old all the 8mm holes needed chased.

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The Grill:
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.... And the word from the boss is: get me some steps, my clothes are getting muddy...

So that may be next project.

Or painting the chromed gas cap cover just for something fun to do.
 

Bowser-II

Well-Known Member
Messages
268
Location
Hagerstown, Maryland
Ideas change over time

Swapped in a manual transmission radiator for the motor and external radiator for the transmission

Installed a Schwartzzy internal winch mount

Mounted the winch controls above the winch just inside the radiator which is convenient but results in noticeable hood flutter.

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Bowser-II

Well-Known Member
Messages
268
Location
Hagerstown, Maryland
Some of this is probably out of order

Installed the Schwartzy leaf spring holders and the extended schackles

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Cranked Tbars to 23.5
Then actually dropped them back to 23

I kinda like the slant look


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