Delica Expedition Vehicle

[Templar]

I know this is off topic, but Breadman that is a nice Nissan. How do you like it so far? How does it compare to the Delica for fuel mileage etc? I must admit that you caught my attention with the statement that Nissan will ship you parts, and include the shipping. My uncle had a Patrol in Trinidad and loved it to pieces. Does it have a 24 volt system in it?

Sorry I'm not trying to hijak the thread, just curious .


Simon

[Reinhold]

I'll start checking around for a jeep tank...thanks
How did you link the tanks together? Would I have to put in a fuel pump/manual switch that would pump the fuel from the reserve tank to my main tanks?

[electrik_jester]

Just to throw my two bits in on the high ace. They were very common also in The areas of Africa (North) I visited and lived. Toyota is everywhere and very popular with the aid agencies. Having owned my deli for only three weeks now I like it for its compact profile and its many extras. Great around town easy to park and was not bad in the snow the other day. Its arrival and departure angles are better than the high ace also. for stock I believe anyway. Who knows what a mutant high ace would setup like. Not sure I would want to live out of a deli for a year mind you. couple of months might be ok. guess it depends on how you define your expedition vehicle. The high ace would give you more internal space and you would be less hesitant to "camperize" cause you have the extra space to dedicate to specific use. Not so easy to parallel park in town. I quite liked my time with the high aces of africa but the Deli is more popular here and I am looking forward to a bonding experience this summer.

[39Ronin]

You guys are all barking up the wrong tree! LOL It is the Canter that is the better expedition platform.

[BCDelica]

I'll start checking around for a jeep tank...thanks
How did you link the tanks together? Would I have to put in a fuel pump/manual switch that would pump the fuel from the reserve tank to my main tanks?

My jeep tank is a dedicated WVO tank only. The pollack six- way valve is (from what I've seen) the common fuel tank switching equipment in late model NA trucks with dual tanks. Using one for aux diesel tank would be big step ahead towards a complete WVO conversion at another time.

One day I hope to have a WVO Canter with the mint 79' Trulium trailer, available within family, on the deck - it would be a quad cab though Neil. Yours sounds just perfect for the right person, comparing to the cost of a similar mileage 4x4 Fuso.

Kev

[Reinhold]

You guys are all barking up the wrong tree! LOL It is the Canter that is the better expedition platform.

Change the decals on the side though.....have to hand out soup everywhere you go!
I dont think I would have a problem spending an extended amount of time traveling in the Delica. Thats the thing I like about a van, you are able to crash in the back and have secured equipment storage. Its small enough to go in urban enviroments and tight rural roads. Of course I would mix my accomadations up a bit, sleeping in hostels once in a while.
I had a 87 toyota van 4X4 until last year with the 22R petrol engine. Loved it for the same reasons that I like the Delica. It was so rusted though that the side panels flapped while driving...sounded like my muffler had a hole in it.

[The Pinkfingers]

they're worried about the Delica, yet they import the hi-ace which has what is quite possibly the least reliable diesel engine ever manufactured... (it's not a matter of IF your head will crack, it's a matter of WHEN!)

I agree regarding the hiace 2.4L (which has already been mentioned on this thread). But the 2.8L and up are fine. No turbo, though, in most (if any). If you were going to race off the line a delica would get to 70km/hr faster because of the turbo, but the hiace would be better 80km/hr and up because of the bigger engine.

I guess it comes out to personal preference (like most things) because they are both great vehicles. Even though both are real 4x4s with high and low 4x4, I wouldn't go off roading in a hiace (maybe a logging road... maybe), as it has no bush bars and not as much clearance, but I found it to be a little comfier on the inside. However, the delica is a real head turner - people look twice. The hiace, not so much, though I have seen some lowered, pimped out ones which look pretty cool.

For a long expidition, if I was sticking to roads, I'd prolly go with hiace. But if there was any off roading involved, delica all the way. Around here, well, we thought of both, but have decided on delica... providing it actually gets here soon. (But that's a topic for another thread).

[jessef]

I've done over a dozen 1-3 month long excursions south of the border in the past decade and loved them all. Learned a lot as well as anyone would travelling.

This one's a longer trip and I'm definitely using my experience travelling, mechanical knowledge and advice/guidance from others for this trip.

I'm doing a 6-month (at least) long expedition from Vancouver to south america tip and back up the eastern coast in the Delica.

Things I am going to prep it for over the next 6 months :

2" Lift
fabricate steel armor underneath from back to front of the entire Delica in the sensitive areas
manual locking hubs on the front
LSD in the rear stock
4" Backspacing rims (wider stance but not too wide)
Corner to corner full length roof rack with spot lights all around
WVO and spare diesel tank in place of the stock exhaust
2.5" exhaust out the side w/ pyro gauge
Removable rear ladder so people can't have easy access to the roof gear
100-150 L fresh water low-profile(flat/wide) marine tank
back to front length awning
Rear fold out spare tire carrier / diesel cans / hilift jack
hydraulic winch 10,500 lbs on carrier bolted/welded to frame
better spot lights up front
camperize the interior
Two hidden compartments that can only be opened via 2-stage pulley/button system on opposite end of Delica(holding cash/original travel documents)
Iridium sat phone $700 for 6 hrs of anytime/anywhere on this planet talk time good for one year
Lots of spare parts
four cv shaft assemblies
brake parts to replace the entire enchilada hub to hub and a few spare sets of pads front to back
fuel/oil filters lots of spares
cleanable K&N air filter with oil
2 sets of plugs
rad hoses at least 2 sets
spare fuel hoses/lines, clamps, fittings, etc..
spare bulbs all around
2 full size spare tires
tire repair kits (not the cheapcrappytireones)
small generator
small solar panel and lipo's packs to charge
good inverter
all in one dvd/mp3/ipod/usb car deck with a fabricated cheap tape deck snap on cover to hide the real guy underneath when not in use
decent speakers

i've got a long long list. this is pretty much the gist of it for the delica itself.

Not everything I've listed is a necessity, but I'm planning on being as much self-sufficient as I can, hence the multitude of spares and extra's.

One of the major major points I'd like to make though :

Bring the right tools for the jobs you are going to perform. Any mechanic can tell you that having the right tools makes all the difference in the world when it comes to repairs.

hope this helps

Jesse

ps. if you're not a mechanic or have zero to little mechanical knowledge, I suggest either learning from someone you know or maybe a small online/local course. I plan on working/sweating underneath/ontop of the Delica along the way and back quite a bit. It's a given.

I've logged over 780,000 km's on an 86 Jeep Cherokee that has seen more mex than canada. 1/2 that km's on an old VW bus south and back a number of times. Cross country end to end trips in a 95 Subaru wagon. A handful of trips in other people's vehicles.

One thing I can say is that not one single trip (2-3 months tons of driving) went without having to do some kind of mechanical work and it's something that I strongly suggest you prepare for especially a trip like the one you are describing.

[delicat]

I plan on working/sweating underneath/ontop of the Delica along the way and back quite a bit. It's a given.

Hey Jesse

With such a long list of items for your trip you might not have the choice to be underneath/ontop of your Delica, there won't have any room left for you inside!!!

[jessef]

I plan on working/sweating underneath/ontop of the Delica along the way and back quite a bit. It's a given.

Hey Jesse

With such a long list of items for your trip you might not have the choice to be underneath/ontop of your Delica, there won't have any room left for you inside!!!

Half my list is just spare parts which will mostly reside under the chassis along the frame. Going to fab mounting points for some of the spare parts and tools.

Having access to your best friend who is an ace fabricator and f/t mechanic is quite the novelty. Especially since I have free reign in the shop and a skilled tutor looking over my shoulder when I work on my vehicles.

To be realistic though, I'm anticipating either one of the two at any given points :

a) deportation / turn-away from border
b) refusal of required/official import documents by customs

Mainly due to the RHD thing as it's outright illegal to own in some countries.

Hopefully, we can make it safely down but if not, we'll either park/store/fly down or turn around, drive back up another route and fly down on the other leg of our journey (hitting south pacific/europe as well in 2nd part of the year).

Jesse

[Reinhold]

jfarsang.....now thats what I was looking for when I started this post. Lots of great ideas and potential projects. I was talking to Mardy about ordering a ladder for the rear of the Delica and your comment about having a removable one makes sense and has me thinking about which design.

I'm still undecided on what I want for recovery gear, kind of leaning towards carrying a good quality hand winch instead of mounting an electric one on the front. May do both.

There have been some comments about how easy it is to get parts for particular vehicles down in South America. A major concern for most of us. The truth is your going to have to wait for the parts no matter if Nissan sends them to you or your connections here in Canada sends them. Make sure you have a good connection here in Canada that has various parts that can be shipped to you at a moments notice after calling them from your sat phone via courier. Of course it will be expensive. Stock pile some parts if they are hard to get prior to your trip. If you have to wait a week or so... so be it. Its part of the adventure.Some of my greatest stories are from when my vehicle was broken down for various reasons. It forces you to interact with the locals and spend some time with them. It also tests your patience and know how.

Regular maintainance parts can be sent ahead and be waiting for you when you arrive at a particular scheduled location. You dont have to bring the kitchen sink. Your mechanical knowledge should get you through most situations and if not, rely on the locals, they are brilliant when it comes to jury rigging a vehicle to keep you going. Of course knowing the Delica is a huge advantage and you should know what the weaknesses are and bring parts/tools that are applicable.

So my opinion is to drive what you like and don't worry what is popular in a particular country. Just make sure that you know the vehicle, maintain it, and have access to parts just in case of the unlikely catastrophic failure.

[delicat]

b) refusal of required/official import documents by customs

Mainly due to the RHD thing as it's outright illegal to own in some countries.

Then you might what to add to your list of spare parts an extra steering wheel... just get your girlfriend to hold it in place on the left side and cover yours with a blanket while driving!

Aside from joking, all the best with your trip to come!

[archibald]

Brother!! I am currently planning that same trip! I plan to leave a year this September. I am also researching mod's to do before I leave. I have torn out the carpet floor and am putting down a really durable sports flooring that looks like hardwood. Seats are out and I am going to start camperizing it a bit. Also I will be installing a roof rack soon with my friend a welder up in Edmonton. I think I would like to lift it and install a camping awning for extra space. I did originally think of trying to do the whole trip on WVO which I haven't installed yet but realized its may be a pipe dream. Have you got any information on a ferry from Panama to Columbia?? I have some info on the Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay stretch, friends of mine did it on motorbikes last year. Let me know what you're thinking!!

[jessef]

Have you got any information on a ferry from Panama to Columbia??

That's the million dollar question I've been hunting and searching for a solid answer.

Have not found it yet, but when I do I will post it.

If someone beats me to it, please do the same.

Thanks
Jesse

[mararmeisto]

Have you got any information on a ferry from Panama to Columbia??

That's the million dollar question I've been hunting and searching for a solid answer.

Have not found it yet, but when I do I will post it.

If someone beats me to it, please do the same.

Thanks
Jesse

Known as the Darien Gap, there is little if any road traffic between Panama and Colombia on the Pan-American Highway--it's a swamp! There is, however, a shipping company which transports vehicles around this part of the road: Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. This was identified by a number of other people on various other forums as the way they got their vehicles further south.

And it would seem the greater number of them, when they got to the 'bottom' of Chile, put their vehicles back onto a ship for the return home...