The Adventure Wagon: A 2004 Volvo XC70 Overland Build

[Young Satchel]

Damn man, I need to step up my photography game! Seriously fantastic pictures here

Welcome to OB!

And thanks man. I shoot for a living (non-auto related) so my pictures better be up to par! Your pics look great you just gotta get it armored up and out to the trails! Light and location = everything [emoji41]


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[Expedition Allroad]

If we weren't at exact opposite sides of the country, I'd check out some of those epic looking trails you're always posting pictures of!

Super jealous of those Sparcos, BTW. I wish they made them in the size/bolt pattern I need.

 

[Wawa Skittletits]

Looks like we'll be able to start an Overland Bound long roof society now haha.

Damn man, I need to step up my photography game! Seriously fantastic pictures here

Welcome and I couldn't agree more. He takes great pictures.

 

[Che]

Awesome photos just bought a XC 70 and am ready to get out there thanks for the inspiration!!

 

[Che]

Blank canvas and so it begins

 

[rzims]

Just read through this whole thread....have always like the XC70 and yours is a very cool build....

 

[Young Satchel]

Blank canvas and so it begins

Awesome! Look forward to having some company. Are you gonna overland it or is it a DD that'll stay stock?


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[Che]

Awesome! Look forward to having some company. Are you gonna overland it or is it a DD that'll stay stock?


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It's going to be my DD but want it to be set up for weekend worrier overlanding. I like the bigger BFG wheels you have gone with and want to get some underbody protection. As I am in a wheelchair the ride hight can't be to high as getting in and out will be a bit of a pain, that was one of the main reasons for not getting a truck or bigger SUV. I love getting out into the woods. So when I saw what you did to the xc 70. I thought that's just what I need I get the best of both worlds an AWD with above average clearance but not to high to be a pain in transferring in and out with a wheelchair. I have tinted the windows this last week and will post some photos . Keep your photos coming they are a huge inspiration!!!

 

[Young Satchel]

It's going to be my DD but want it to be set up for weekend worrier overlanding. I like the bigger BFG wheels you have gone with and want to get some underbody protection. As I am in a wheelchair the ride hight can't be to high as getting in and out will be a bit of a pain, that was one of the main reasons for not getting a truck or bigger SUV. I love getting out into the woods. So when I saw what you did to the xc 70. I thought that's just what I need I get the best of both worlds an AWD with above average clearance but not to high to be a pain in transferring in and out with a wheelchair. I have tinted the windows this last week and will post some photos . Keep your photos coming they are a huge inspiration!!!

Awesome; will do!


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[dolli310]

My folks had an '86 Trecel Wagon too, though it was only fwd. The places that little car would go was unbelievable, and excellent in the snow. Sadly it caught Newfie car cancer (rust) and had to be taken off the road. Nice build btw.

 

[Young Satchel]

As camping season will soon be upon us, the next few months will see a variety of equipment and accessory additions to The Adventure Wagon[emoji769] to make it better prepared and more trail-worthy. For too long I have scraped by with almost no recovery gear or tools, no full-size spare, and no compressor. Foolishness!

While I've managed to avoid trouble for the most part, my recent experience digging out the car reminded me that there is simply no knowing when or where you will be when trouble strikes, and it's best to be prepared well in advance to the extent this is possible.

So with digging fresh on the brain, I introduce the first of these additions to you: The MurderSpork.

The MurderSpork is a simple and ingenious tool designed and produced by the hilariously-named "Krazy Beaver Tools" out of New Mexico.

It is a simple, short-shafted shovel with a D-handle and some absolutely fearsome spork-like teeth on the end of the blade. It is designed and manufactured in the USA, and almost all the reviews I've read have been favorable so I decided to give it a try. My last digout was a nasty one replete with frozen dirt, hard-packed snow and ice, and it would have been great to have something like this around instead of, well....nothing [emoji23]

I was concerned that the teeth themselves might be a weak point, but apparently this was considered and they appear to be pretty well reinforced in anticipation of heavy use...

With the shovel procured, the next step was to find a way to mount it on the rig. Luckily for me, Yakima makes an Axe/Shovel bracket accessory for the Loadwarrior specifically for this purpose!

It consists of two plates that mate together nicely and secure with a long bolt and but with a twist handle. With the whole assembly properly installed and tightened down, I don't think this thing is going anywhere....

Though it's quality is high and it feels stout, Unfortunately, I didn't suss out the brackets enough in my excitement to purchase them and failed to realize a major shortcoming: you have to FULLY REMOVE the outer-plate, screw, and plastic handle to access the shovel [emoji85]. This is a seriously flawed design. It makes getting to the shovel quickly somewhat difficult, and It's way to easy to lose those pieces in a recovery situation where you are in mud, deep snow, etc... I may have to develop another solution for the future, but these will get the job done nicely for now.

Mounted up, the shovel is so secure that I can easily rock the XC back-and-forth without feeling any play at all. Plus, it looks badass to have a MurderSpork mounted to a Volvo ☠[emoji41][emoji1377][emoji380]

I look forward to having an opportunity to test its mettle soon enough....



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[escape_the_paradigm]

Just went through the whole thread and is an amazing build!
Also I must say its always nice to see a build thread were majority of the photos have been taken with areal camera!

 

[Young Satchel]

Just went through the whole thread and is an amazing build!
Also I must say its always nice to see a build thread were majority of the photos have been taken with areal camera!

Thanks man! However, hate to disappoint, but 95% of the photos in this thread are taken with a phone!


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[escape_the_paradigm]

Thanks man! However, hate to disappoint, but 95% of the photos in this thread are taken with a phone!


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I guess a good source of light can make up for sensor size.

 

[Young Satchel]

I guess a good source of light can make up for sensor size.

Yeah light and landscape are powerful in of themselves for sure.

I also shoot professionally and as an artist and have been doing it long enough that I have a solid grasp of how to achieve what I need to make a simple phone picture "sing" in post without over-processing. A delicate balance for sure.


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[escape_the_paradigm]

Yeah light and landscape are powerful in of themselves for sure.

I also shoot professionally and as an artist and have been doing it long enough that I have a solid grasp of how to achieve what I need to make a simple phone picture "sing" in post without over-processing. A delicate balance for sure.


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Very cool! Do you have a website or something where I can see some of your work?
Always appreciate seeing other photographers work.

 

[Young Satchel]

Very cool! Do you have a website or something where I can see some of your work?
Always appreciate seeing other photographers work.

Old site is gone and I'm in the process of revamping as we speak. Or more accurately putting off revamping [emoji23].

http://thesamlogan.com

Should have some new content up there by mid-summer.

@youngsatchel & @thesamlogan on Instagram.


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[Young Satchel]

In preparation for the first trip of camping season, a ton of stuff has been going on behind the scenes. With the help of a soft-spoken southern gentleman, I have been able to secure some axles from the XC90 2.5T that are apparently ready for plug-n-play duty on my XC70. Highest praise be to this man for hooking it up. [emoji120]

I've also got another kind gentleman whose volunteered to use me as a test pilot for some strut top and subframe spacer kits he's developing for our cars. So with luck the XC should be headed up once again this summer!

Beyond that, the Taxman has relinquished significant funds which are currently being repurposed to essentially re-build my base camp kit from the ground up, as well as make some important vehicle preparedness purchases. I will detail several of these in another post.

So with all that said, on this fine afternoon I headed out to give The Adventure Wagon[emoji769] one last trail run on its shuddering OEM axles before the swap this coming Tuesday.

Today we hit up perennial favorite Burnt Rossman Hills State Forest. We come here about once every 6-8 weeks to play on the dirt roads, side trails, and clear cuts. It's great fun.

It's been pouring rain for the past two weeks so the boys and I were looking forward to some puddle jumping. My 2 year-old has really taken to "the silva wagom" as he calls it, and you can hear him shouting with glee as we take a jazzy stroll through the mud holes


Gotta love the smile afterwards as he sits below the murderspork [emoji83]

We spent a solid hour rolling around in there and as usual the wagon was a champ. I'm consistently amazed at what I can throw at it.

I'm really looking forward to these next steps in the build. They are only gonna make it more badass and capable than it is already!

More to come soon as our first camp out and trail ride is only 2 weeks away. Until then . . .

[emoji1365]



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[Steve]

Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like!! Oh, I can only poke the button once. ;)

 

[Young Satchel]

Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like Like!! Oh, I can only poke the button once. ;)

[emoji23][emoji1305]

Thanks, Steve! Should be some more "likeables" in the not-so-distant future as me and a couple other wagons are headed to Bald Eagle State Forest in PA for some camping, trail riding, and a car show. Good times ahead, I hope.


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