The day started like any other day out here. We got up, got around, had some coffee, tea and toast, and started out again, following our noses around Ecuador.
Click here for the rest of the story: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/ecuador/justanotherday.pdf
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Doug, I feel for you. I know too well the sinking feeling, the gut wrenching stomach twist that overwhelms your being when you find this kind of thing out.
Where will it be repaired, who will do it, how much time will it take, oh boy I hope they don’t ruin other things in the process, what’s the best plan, how far can I drive until a big centre, oh should I just bite the bullet and fix it right away, can I find a welder, I wish they had MIG in this part of the world…
The responsibility is huge – this will definitely be an exciting repair. But who would trade these adventures for anything!
Oh man…………I remember as a kid (14) with my uncle, we were headed north from Lagos Nigeria, one rainy night (a no no, but had to be) and we hit a pot hole, bam, we knew something broke as fan was rubbing the rad, thank goodnes not through. We got out and using a bottle jack lifted the frame straight then using some timbers and chain and chain boomers made it as all tight as we could and kept going slow till we got to the next town where he welded it the next morn. It was an old 1911 short nose Merc. Things just get fixed in those countries some how. Not like here where it takes 15 eng’s. and 6 nurses to figure something out. Good luck, don’t stress it’ll work.
Wow! You have never done anything half way..so I guess your vehicle had to try and match your personality. Bright spot? Something great will come out of it.
Doug & Steph:
I suspect you’ll soon have an amazing story about a local welder who, using bailing wire, duct tape, and a piece of recently fallen meteor rock, manages to fuse the frame together in a manner leading you to start a new business chain when you get back named “I’ve been framed”.
But seriously…please keep us posted. We are wishing you well at this very moment.
Doug & Steph,
What would a farmer do?
What would an engineer do?
What would an AV tech do?
Find the midpoint and you will have your solution.
I have faith that you have the skillsets of both, and will come to an easy and entertaining fix to this challenge.
Yikes!
You are where you are supposed to be and when you are supposed to be in that particular place! I know you will work it out and I will keep you in my thoughts.
As to Floyd’s post above, heck, what would a Hackney do? Ha!
Love ya!
What, you don’t have a tig/mig/arch welding rig with you? Looks like you will just have to make one! I know you guys, you will figure out a solution. And I though my day was rough as I drove my VW over paved roads to and from school and hit a little pot hole.
Hang in there Doug and Stephanie, you guys need to become a reality TV show! This stuff is UNREAL
Hayden
Doug and Steph,
the great news is that is every day, any competent welder can weld it material. tough news is of course getting it true and square and reayd to weld. I am just so glad that there was not a loss of control at a really bad point of the trail!!!!
Best to you and hope that “competent” welder is found without too much “pain”. Get the Fuso rolling again so we can continue to ride along with our favorite adventurers while the rest of us sissies stay where AAA can bail us out LOL!!!
Jim Kirkland aka Captain Kirk
Doug, wish I was there with you so I could do some mexicaneering on the fracture……… we’d git-r-done……..
jimmy