Started a cross-country trip last Monday (13 Jun) from Norfolk, VA to Camarillo, CA. Had my 16 year-old daughter with me, and had stops in Knoxville and Little Rock on the way, driving on Interstate 40. The LWB was running a little on the hot side, and the AC had a mind of its own, despite having spent $250 to get it recharged and checked out, before I started my trip. It was pretty hot outside for most of the trip up to that point, but as we found out, it was only going to get hotter.

Just outside Elk City (OK), I started to see some liquid spray out from the front left corner of the hood, then steam. I started to pull over, then heard a loud "POP" sound. I opened the hood, and there was the radiator cap sitting there, still attached to the overflow tube. No problem I said to myself, I'll just let it cool down, put the cap back on, and we'll be on our way. So I picked up the cap, then realized the neck of the radiator was still attached to the cap, and there was a big hole in the top of the radiator, where the neck used to be attached.

Long story short, I stuffed a rag into the hole, and followed a service truck who had pulled up behind me to their shop. They took a look at the radiator, and said they couldn't weld the pieces back together, and they wouldn't be able to get a new radiator until next week. That was not an option, because I had to be back in CA by Friday afternoon (17 Jun). So, they put some JB Weld on it, and said the nearest hotel was about 3 miles away, across from a Flying J truck stop. I got some quick set JB Weld at the truck stop, along with some nail files to rough up the surface, some brake cleaner to clean the surfaces, plastic coffee stirrers to apply the JB Weld, and some paper hotdog bun holders to mix it up in.

We checked into the hotel, got settled, then I walked out to the LWB and went about cleaning, prepping, and putting some quick set JB Weld around the radiator neck. I figured if I let it sit overnight, it should be cured by the morning. We got some sleep, checked out, and I looked and touched the JB Weld, and it looked good. I topped off the radiator, started her up, and hoped for the best.

100 miles later, just outside of Groom (TX) and about 40 miles east of Amarillo, the radiator blew again. I was able to get it towed to a repair shop in Amarillo, and spent the whole day at this repair shop. GREAT group of guys, they were able to weld the neck back onto the radiator (couldn't get a new radiator for 1-2 days), they pressure-tested it at 20 psi before reinstalling it, hooked everything back up, refilled with coolant, bled the system of any air, and went to start the truck. This is where it gets really bad.

I heard the truck turning over, but it wouldn't start. The guy came into the break room, and said he had some bad news for me. He showed me what was happening when they were turning the motor over. Every time it was cranking over, it was shooting coolant out of the funnel they were using. He proceeded to tell me that this was an indication that I blew my head gaskets, because during the compression cycle, it normally would go out the exhaust, but if I blew a head gasket, it would blow out the cooling system, like it was doing.

I was dumbfounded at this point, and had to come up with a Plan B to get myself and my daughter back to CA within the next 24 hours. I couldn't really fly back out of the Amarillo airport, because I had too much stuff with me in the back of the Monty. So I decided to rent a car one-way, which ended up costing me $550 for two days. They're going to work on an estimate to put a used engine with warranty in it, but they already told me that's going to cost easily over $2000, parts and labor. When I add the shipping costs to get the LWB from Amarillo (TX) to Camarillo (CA), and putting on new hoses, belts, radiator, t-stat, etc., my mind goes into shock.

So, what's this all leading up to? My options are to walk away from it, and let them scrap it for about $500 (the 31" MT tires alone are worth that much!). Or, if someone is in the Amarillo area, and would be interested in a LWB for parts or a project, make me an offer, and I'll send you the title. Or, I could spend $3000 to get it fixed and shipped to me here in CA, and cross my fingers that it'll pass smog. My daughter was really looking forward to learning how to drive that LWB, and kept saying how it's a cool safari car, and how she'd really like to drive it to the beach, camping, etc. The repair guys in Amarillo and Elk City were amazed that it was a '91, because it was in such good shape on the outside and inside.

I've had it since April, and have done the following to it since then: driving lights on front bumper; new idler and pitman arms; new front shocks and steering stabilizer; new catalytic converter, all-welded muffler, and 2.25" tubing from the downpipe back; new 31" MTs on 15x7 Gen II alloys (see my sig pic); bedliner coating on hood, lower body panels, and bumpers; new front seat covers (driver's seat is a bouncy seat); fire extinguisher mounted on inner rear fender well; Yakima roof racks; desert camo spare tire cover; it does have a 1 1/4" u-haul style tow hitch, but I also have the factory-style 4-bolt hitch with tow ring sitting on the floor behind the driver's seat. Everything works like it's supposed to, except for the power door locks and headlight washers. You can still lock and unlock all four doors manually, just can't use the power lock function.

Another option I thought about is looking for something already in and registered in CA, either a LWB or SWM Montero, Dodge Raider, Trooper II, etc. That way, I know it's already passed smog, and won't have to deal with getting this one fixed and shipped out here.

So, there's my tale of woe, and the decision that I have to make regarding the disposition of my LWB back in Amarillo. Money is a concern, and I really don't have $3000 lying around right now to exercise that option. I might in another 2-3 months, but doubtful I'll have that kind of excess money any sooner.

What say you fellow Monty enthusiasts?