Unner's Build, 2001 T4R 4x4

[Unner]

No updates here, but the truck got me safely and reliably to SC. I got 17.7 MPG on the drive up here over 330 miles. Not bad for a lifted truck with a bunch of extra weight added with my armor and rack and loaded down with all my belongings.

I thought I was gonna blow a CV boot on the way up here because I had noticed more grease coming out of the passenger side inner boot before I left, but once I got here I looked and there was none on the boot anymore. I guess it all got slung off on the interstate and didn't rip or leak anymore so that's good.

Damn, truck looks really good and super clean.

Looking forward to future progress.

Thanks man! Me too!

 

[Cmparry85]

Looks great man! Keep up the good work, it always fires me up when I read these threads!

 

[Unner]

Looks great man! Keep up the good work, it always fires me up when I read these threads!

Thanks!

If the roads are open tomorrow I'm planning on taking a trip up to Asheville, Mount Mitchell, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Unfortunately I have a feeling the roads will still be closed up there due to snow/ice so I may not be able to go...

We'll see in the AM.

 

[mmendelscfi]

Great looking truck !

 

[Unner]

Well I'm stuck inside today due to the ice storm over the Carolinas right now so I'll go ahead and update this. Last weekend I went up to Table Rock State Park here in SC and Sassafras Mountain, the highest mountain in SC.

I'm definitely enjoying being this close to the mountains. Some really pretty places up there and lots of very fun winding roads to drive on.

Table Rock:
DSC03218 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
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The water here was so clear here, reminded me of being in the Alps.
DSC03244 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Picture of the water in the Alps at the San Bernadino Pass this summer. I love being in the mountains.
DSC01180 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
DSC03286 by Unner Unner, on Flickr

I pulled off the road here to get a couple pictures, I climbed up on the roof rack to get a better view and got some strange looks from passerbys, but it's a pretty cool feeling being that extra 7 feet or so off the ground. If you have a rack and have been up there where there's a decent view you know what I mean.

DSC03294 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
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This is at the top of Sassafras Mountain. It's only something like 3,500 feet so it's not a huge mountain, but on a clear day like it was when I went I've heard you can see all the way to Georgia and Tennessee. It was significantly colder and windier up there than down at the bottom too. You can see why they're called the blue ridge mountains here too.

DSC03315 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
DSC03316 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
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DSC03325 by Unner Unner, on Flickr

I'm hoping to do a lot more "exploring" like this while I'm up here in SC.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Nice pics Unner. Why are you in SC at the moment? If you like mountains, take an extended drive into Brevard and the Pisgah Forest when you have ample free time. Very cool.

My uncle had a small house and about 100 acres about 40 minutes west of those pics in Sunset SC. He sold it in 2008. Keep going down 11, cross 178, and if you sneeze long enough you will miss it, the town that is.

I have a friend who works for Duke power that lived in Pumpkintown for some time. Quaint.

The Greenville area probably has the best roads in SC due to BMW. Also the cheapest gas.

 

[crowdad]

Nice pictures. That is one blue sky!

J

Jealous of your hood scoop!

 

[Unner]

Nice pics Unner. Why are you in SC at the moment? If you like mountains, take an extended drive into Brevard and the Pisgah Forest when you have ample free time. Very cool.

My uncle had a small house and about 100 acres about 40 minutes west of those pics in Sunset SC. He sold it in 2008. Keep going down 11, cross 178, and if you sneeze long enough you will miss it, the town that is.

I have a friend who works for Duke power that lived in Pumpkintown for some time. Quaint.

The Greenville area probably has the best roads in SC due to BMW. Also the cheapest gas.

[MENTION=69868]LittleCaesar[/MENTION]

I'm living in Greenville. I'm actually working for BMW with my co-op haha. If the roads here in Greenville are good I'm scared to see the rest of the state's roads. I-85 is pretty bad, especially when if you're driving speed limit you're a complete nuisance and traffic block. BMW definitely put a lot into the local community though, all the roads around it are pretty nice. I'm also enjoying the $1.39 gas up here. Makes me not really care about the 15 mpg I'm getting right now.

It's like you read my mind with that post. I was actually planning on going up to Mount Mitchell and the Pisgah Forest area the day I took these pics, but the roads were closed up there due to snow and ice so I stayed here in SC. Maybe next weekend I will.

I stopped at a gas station on the intersection of 11 and 178 to find directions back to Greenville. 11 is the road I took to get to the smaller road that goes up Sassafras Mountain.

I also passed through Pumpkintown on the way to Table Rock. I wanted to stop and take a picture next to the Pumpkintown sign because I thought it was a cool name and town, but I came back a different route and forgot.

Nice pictures. That is one blue sky!

Jealous of your hood scoop!

I love the hood scoop too! It was very clear that day, beautiful day even though it was just barely above freezing all day.

 

[LittleCaesar]

BMW is a great place to work. A good friend of mine, though I have not seen him in some time, works for BMW but is in Germany at the moment and has been for some time. He graduated from Clemson. Unfortunately math is not my strong suit, mechanical at least, so I didn't follow that path. If you get to drive some of the closed circuit courses, do such. I drove an X5 in 2005 to some dizzying degrees of force to where I made a passenger upchuck his lunch.

Brevard is quite neat. I used to go mountain biking in the forest quite a lot but as one grows older the time just isn't there. Take some pics and post them when you go.

South Carolina roads are horrible. Abysmal. And with the flooding from last October the problem has been exacerbated. Since there are no car inspections anymore in SC (stopped before you were born in 1996), keep your eyes open for all kinds of cretans behind the wheel.

 

[Unner]

BMW is a great place to work. A good friend of mine, though I have not seen him in some time, works for BMW but is in Germany at the moment and has been for some time. He graduated from Clemson. Unfortunately math is not my strong suit, mechanical at least, so I didn't follow that path. If you get to drive some of the closed circuit courses, do such. I drove an X5 in 2005 to some dizzying degrees of force to where I made a passenger upchuck his lunch.

Brevard is quite neat. I used to go mountain biking in the forest quite a lot but as one grows older the time just isn't there. Take some pics and post them when you go.

South Carolina roads are horrible. Abysmal. And with the flooding from last October the problem has been exacerbated. Since there are no car inspections anymore in SC (stopped before you were born in 1996), keep your eyes open for all kinds of cretans behind the wheel.

Not sure if I'll get the chance to drive one, but I certainly won't turn the opportunity down if it presents itself. It's amazing inside the plant, just how big it is, how fast they can turn the cars out, and seeing that many BMW's running around all in one place, literally brand new. I'm very happy to be working here.

I'd like to drive the southern leg of the blue ridge parkway as well, maybe the northern part too in Virginia. Depends on how much time I have when I go, to do the whole thing it would be more than just a day trip. Looks like the parkway runs just north of Brevard. I'll have to check it out sometime. Only 1.5 hours from me.

I've noticed the roads are pretty bad here. Couldn't imagine driving anything on low profile tires here. And hey now, I was around when SC stopped doing car inspections, but not for long...

I assume you're from somewhere in SC with the Clemson paw in your avatar?

 

[LittleCaesar]

Originally from Danville, VA but went to college in Charleston, SC at The College of Charleston. After taking my four degrees I went to Columbia to get a MBA while working in Columbia. Then went back to Virgina, found a job as an internal auditor while getting a PhD in Economics at JMU. So sadly no Clemson in my educational map but love the school. One sister, four aunts, three uncles, six cousins and countless friends went there at various times. A great uncle went so far as to paint his car Clemson orange. I am sure you see the same rabid craziness with Bama and Tigers fans.

My friend Joe did pick me up a BMW cloth coat or robe some of the technicians wear. Its neat. It is amazing the meticulous nature of how things are oriented. BMWs are foremost driving cars and if someone else picked up the parts replacement and maintenance bill I'd own one tomorrow.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is cool to see. If you are into some trail riding, I have been here two or three times with a friend who lives in Simpsonville. It has been at least five years though. About 45 minutes south of where you are: Gulches Offroad Vehicle Park - Its just a rock, Get over it!

 

[Unner]

Originally from Danville, VA but went to college in Charleston, SC at The College of Charleston. After taking my four degrees I went to Columbia to get a MBA while working in Columbia. Then went back to Virgina, found a job as an internal auditor while getting a PhD in Economics at JMU. So sadly no Clemson in my educational map but love the school. One sister, four aunts, three uncles, six cousins and countless friends went there at various times. A great uncle went so far as to paint his car Clemson orange. I am sure you see the same rabid craziness with Bama and Tigers fans.

My friend Joe did pick me up a BMW cloth coat or robe some of the technicians wear. Its neat. It is amazing the meticulous nature of how things are oriented. BMWs are foremost driving cars and if someone else picked up the parts replacement and maintenance bill I'd own one tomorrow.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is cool to see. If you are into some trail riding, I have been here two or three times with a friend who lives in Simpsonville. It has been at least five years though. About 45 minutes south of where you are: Gulches Offroad Vehicle Park - Its just a rock, Get over it!

Gotcha, I'd like to check out Charleston sometime too. I haven't seen the Atlantic ocean in a long time, only the Gulf lately. I'd also like to make it to the outer banks, seems like a neat area, never been. Only ever been to Virginia Beach and Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean.

I know the craziness you're talking about. You see an abnormally high number of crimson, burgundy colored cars where I'm from. I've been told that I was a "natural economist" and I should switch majors before by professors and the department chair at my school. Economics always kinda interested me.

I see some people there wearing robe like things, not sure who gets to wear them though, my department doesn't. I know the people in the paint department do wear some sort of a jump suit though. I just wear a polo or dress shirt with my name and the BMW logo.

I actually have a weekend trip planned to Gulches in March with some guys from TacomaWorld already. Should be a good time, they've got some flooding problems down there right now I believe.

 

[Unner]

Went to a TW meet today. Got lots of compliments on the truck and a couple offers to buy it...
DSC03379 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
DSC03380 by Unner Unner, on Flickr

Here's a couple more pics I took today in the snow. This camera takes pretty good night pics, didn't use a tripod for any of them. I'm impressed. I kinda have a problem with taking pictures of my truck...

DSC03329 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
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Came outside this morning to find this. My truck was the only one in the parking lot that had this. It doesn't bother me because they didn't hurt anything, but I still prefer a look but don't touch policy if I'm not around and I don't know you.

DSC03374 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
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DSC03374 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
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[LittleCaesar]

Looks like if you keep running with those guys a snorkel may be in your future.

Snow does not come to SC all that often so enjoy it. Too bad it doesn't kill the kudzu, the vine that doesn't die up there.

 

[Unner]

Looks like if you keep running with those guys a snorkel may be in your future.

Snow does not come to SC all that often so enjoy it. Too bad it doesn't kill the kudzu, the vine that doesn't die up there.

Some of them had crazy trucks, 37's, SAS, a lot of body damage etc. Made me look like a mall crawler, but I don't think I could stomach body damage more than just scratches. If ARB would make a snorkel that would work with my CBI ditch light brackets I would be much more likely to drill that huge hole in my fender and have a snorkel. I prefer the way the ARB snorkels look vs the Hilux 167 snorkel.

I think it probably snows about as much here as it does back in Alabama, but here they put salt down instead of sand. Off to the car wash later this week for me. Gotta stay rust free.

 

[stir_fry_boy]

Where did you get the grey TRD decals?

 

[Unner]

Where did you get the grey TRD decals?

I got them on eBay. I went to find you the link in my purchase history, but it says the seller is no longer registered so...

 

[stir_fry_boy]

I got them on eBay. I went to find you the link in my purchase history, but it says the seller is no longer registered so...

Thanks, I thought they looked great on the black.

 

[GGFerrier]

Raising my beer to one of the best builds on T4R. Thank you for all the pics, just ordered all my weathertechs and Overland emblem.

 

[Unner]

Just ordered RLCAM skids after talking with a guy at the meet who had destroyed his. Cheap insurance at less than $100.

Raising my beer to one of the best builds on T4R. Thank you for all the pics, just ordered all my weathertechs and Overland emblem.

Good stuff, welcome to the club!