Howdy Yall from the other side of the world...

[BlackNoma]

Hey yall,
I have been lurking around here for several months and decided to join the other day…
I am originally from a tiny dusty farming community called Agua Dulce, Texas (about 45 minutes West of Corpus Christi). I enjoy working with my hands (welding, wood work, fixing anything I can find broken, wrenching on anything, working on vehicles, etc...)
Brief history - If you don't like Christian stories, skip when I mention China...
When in HS I was approached multiple times by military recruiters and was very close to joining my Senior year. I won the Army Academic Athlete award and other stuff. Towards the end of my HS career the Lord really dealt in my life and called me to ministry so I did not join the military. (To any veterans or service men/women: I want to say thank you for your service and the ability that I have and the choices I am free to make because of your service)
I went to Dallas Baptist University and graduated in 2010, got married in June 2010, and moved to Beijing, China in August 2010. We have been here ever since.
We came to China to share the Good News.
Living here and doing what we do, I am so thankful that God allowed me to be born and raised in the USA! The freedoms I have in my country, and even in this country because of that, is sobering when you look at locals here. I have to be careful about what I say and do, but I am not ashamed of my faith. So far, God has been so faithful I have only been arrested twice with minimal punishment. I have a local buddy that has been in prison for a year come the 18th of December for purchasing Christian books. He has 2 children (9 and 13) and a wife. We have been supporting their family because he was the bread winner. Please be praying that he gets out sometime.
Most everything on the internet is blocked (this site is not blocked... AWESOME!) and I have to be careful about everything I say on any devise in any way. In fact, this post will be read and analyzed by the local gov but that is life. I am not going to hide who I am, but I’m not going to share details because that would be stupid. haha.

The green Iron disease -
In the states I have a little GMC Sonoma. It's black, and I love wheeling the crap out of it. (Thus the name BlackNoma. I go by this name on all the off-road forums I am on, so figured I would keep it here) Rock crawling is a big hobby of mine that I havn’t been able to do for quite some time now.
My little truck is more than your average 4x4 Noma, but it's nothing special. In college I lived under that thing and would beat it to death every weekend if I had the money for the off-road park entry fee. Love that truck!
In China, getting around is hard. We live outside the city and we would often stand on the side of the road for about an hour or two trying to find a taxi driver that would drive us all the way out to where we live. Got tired of that so I started looking at buying a car. Of course, I looked at 4x4's and found this: http://chinaautoweb.com/car-models/baw-bj-212/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_BJ212
It is the standard PLA (People’s Liberation Army) personnel mover. Looks pretty cool and was only $10,000 brand new. I went to go test drive one and loved it... rough ride, no amenities, gutless, but fun. The doors are insanely small and it wasn’t easy for my 6’ 140lb frame to get in… and that’s saying something… Jenn (my beautiful wife) was on board with anything that drove... As I kept looking into the cars of China, I found another car... sadly not 4x4... or military... http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2010/01/16/lifan-320-chinese-mini-knock-off/
I wanted to be thorough in my purchase, as I usually am with most things, so i decided to give it a chance. $5000 brand new, really comfortable, easy to get in and out (kinda), and 52 mpg (yes... 52). It just didn't make sense to get the BJ212... so we got the 320 and have had a green iron itch ever since.

Recently we have felt that we should return to the states. With this, I have been thinking about trucks and all kinds of stuff. The Noma is not suitable to be driven on the pavement safely so it will be a trailer queen. I will need a tow-rig to haul it around but want a small DD that is good on gas. Having the 52mpg 320 is so nice… filling up that 8 gallon tank once every two weeks and driving it all over the place is just too nice. Haha. I would also like to have an RV for family trips (we love the outdoors and have tent-camped quite a bit, but with kids on the way (first due in June!), we will want something enclosed and easy)

SO… the best way to achieve all this with a multi-purpose vehicle instead of having 5 vehicles, is to get a M109A2 and convert the van into an RV for family camping trips, tow the Noma behind it when going wheeling, and run it on WMO.
I have loved hanging out on this site so much. It has my green iron flees running! That’s for sure!
I have family in Amarillo, Abilene, 1 hour south of Houston, and near my hometown. Not sure where we will settle down when we make it state-side, but we are hoping around the Houston area of Texas.
Right now my brother is looking at an M109 near Amarillo for me. The van is already partially converted into a camper so that’s pretty cool.
At the earliest, we will be moving back in July 2015… So I won’t even see the truck until then if I am able to get it… Maybe I’m just crazy, but I hear it’s better to be crazy with company than to just be crazy.

Brothers (and maybe sisters)! My hat is off to you! I love this site and already feel like family!
-The China-man (Preston)
P.S.
I love the Chaplain's Corner!

 

[Warthog]

Welcome for Oklahoma.

Checkout Peashooters M109 camper build.

 

[BlackNoma]

I have seen that build... absolutely beautiful! Hopefully I will be able to make something close to that nice one of these days!

 

[swbradley1]

Welcome aboard from Ohio.

 

[Cleptomaniac]

Thanks for taking the Word to China!!

 

[rchalmers3]

Welcome. Thanks for your post, I found it interesting. We await your return stateside, presumably after your buddy is out of jail and back to supporting his family.

Rick

 

[BlackNoma]

Thanks all.
We have been trying really hard to get Mr. Li out, but they really really want him to stay in. I am the Principal/Athletic Director of a school and will fulfill my contract before coming home regardless if Mr. Li is out. That is why we will be here until July 2015 at the earliest. Jenn teaches 1st grade but will not be returning to work next year because of the baby. There is hardly any day-care in China. The culture has the mothers mom and dad come live with you and take care of the baby until the baby is in middle school or the parents die, whichever comes first... Needless to say, none of our parents are going to come over to baby-sit, so Jenn is going to have to leave work (something we want to do anyway).

Sadly, a winter storm blew through the panhandle of Texas and my brother was driving his tiny company car and got delayed due to the storm and didn't have time to look at the m109a2 for me. Hopefully he will be going through that area again for work when the weather is on our side.

 

[iatractor]

Welcome from Iowa.

 

[Another Ahab]

Welcome from here in the Old Dominion State of Virginia.

What's the story with the air over there in Beijing? Reading about it kind of regularly over here. Is it as bad as it looks in the photos?

 

[BlackNoma]

Oh the wonderful air in Beijing...
It is terrible. Average visibility in the winter is probably 300 yards. Nice metallic taste and nasty smell.
The air quality index (AQI) used to max out at 500. Last year they change the algorithm to be accurate enough for higher readings. Before last year we were maxed out at 500 for a week or so every year. Last winter, after the change, we got over 1000. That was when we finally made big news in the states. Flights were canceled, all major roads were shut down, etc...
There are clear days. Probably 5 days total each year of clear air without majorly affecting visibility. All the other days have visibility limitations.
I have heard that if the AQI goes above 25 in any city in america, it is a national emergency and immediate action is taken to reduce pollution. Our "good days" are when it gets below 100. Average regular day is around 150-200.
Right now I can only see silouttes of build is across the street. AQI is 420.

I spent $2600 on air purifying machines for our apartment and make my wife wear a filtration mask when we go out.

 

[Carlo]

Oh the wonderful air in Beijing...
It is terrible. Average visibility in the winter is probably 300 yards. Nice metallic taste and nasty smell.
The air quality index (AQI) used to max out at 500. Last year they change the algorithm to be accurate enough for higher readings. Before last year we were maxed out at 500 for a week or so every year. Last winter, after the change, we got over 1000. That was when we finally made big news in the states. Flights were canceled, all major roads were shut down, etc...
There are clear days. Probably 5 days total each year of clear air without majorly affecting visibility. All the other days have visibility limitations.
I have heard that if the AQI goes above 25 in any city in america, it is a national emergency and immediate action is taken to reduce pollution. Our "good days" are when it gets below 100. Average regular day is around 150-200.
Right now I can only see silouttes of build is across the street. AQI is 420.

I spent $2600 on air purifying machines for our apartment and make my wife wear a filtration mask when we go out.

We have days the cars are stopped to lower the level. Only hybrid, LPG, and natural gas cars can enter big cities. This only happens when we don't get much rain.

 

[BlackNoma]

Wow, i didnt know that. Im glad they are doing something to keep it under control.
The government regulates cars every day. If you have a Beijing license plate, you can only drive your car legally 6 days a week. Depending on what number your plate number ends in, you cannot drive a certain day. For example, my buddy has a plate that ends in 8. He cannot drive on Tuesdays. In 2 months he cannot drive on Wednesdays. Etc...
If you do not have a Beijing plate, you are not allowed to enter the city. Ever.
To get a Beijing plate, you have to pay Beijing taxes for 3 years before you can put your name in a lottery. They draw 10,000 names per month. Average of 60,000 new names are placed in the lottery each month. A friend has had his name in for 3 years now. Without the plate, you can't buy a car in Beijing.
How did I get around this? I got a HeBei plate (the province surrounding Beijing). Technically it is illegal for me to drive in Beijing, but I do it anyway. If I am stopped, I pay the $15 fine and keep rolling.
Because I am not a Beijing car, the Beijing system don't have me registered so I cannot be ticketed by traffic cameras.
Every intersection and major road have cameras all over t place and will ticket you if your in the system. No seatbelt, ticket. Inspection out, ticket. Speeding, ticket. Ran a yellow light (yes, yellow), ticket.
In order to get your car inspected each year, your ticket balance must be paid off.

 

[Carlo]

LPG, natural gas, and hybrid have no restriction at any day or any time of the year. I have a older car and can't get into the city center with my car but I don't need to go there or want to go. I live in the mountains and my shop and equipment building is in a small town so I don't have problems with my older car. We have seen the pollution problems on our tv here about china. Seems out of this world but you have confirmed the severe problem there. Good luck to you.

 

[BlackNoma]

Wow, bejing will not inspect Chinese made cars over 15 years old. Imported cars have the normal restrictions like a new car.
Hope y'all can keep it clean and beautiful in Italy! Anywhere you go in China, you find smog. Anywhere. It is really sad and depressing.

 

[Another Ahab]

Oh the wonderful air in Beijing...
It is terrible. Average visibility in the winter is probably 300 yards. Nice metallic taste and nasty smell.
The air quality index (AQI) used to max out at 500. Last year they change the algorithm to be accurate enough for higher readings. Before last year we were maxed out at 500 for a week or so every year. Last winter, after the change, we got over 1000. That was when we finally made big news in the states. Flights were canceled, all major roads were shut down, etc...
There are clear days. Probably 5 days total each year of clear air without majorly affecting visibility. All the other days have visibility limitations.
I have heard that if the AQI goes above 25 in any city in america, it is a national emergency and immediate action is taken to reduce pollution. Our "good days" are when it gets below 100. Average regular day is around 150-200.
Right now I can only see silouttes of build is across the street. AQI is 420.

I spent $2600 on air purifying machines for our apartment and make my wife wear a filtration mask when we go out.

!!!!

Whoa. Sounds seriously like something needs to change (and WAY beyond odd/even numbered driving days).

But, if the Chinese decide to fix it, I'm betting the fix won't take long. Authoritarian Government: it's not pretty at all, but if it says "Jump", then count on it: there WILL be jumping.

Interesting to hear it all from the horse's mouth; appreciate that (and also the word from Carlo, in Italia). Cheers!

 

[BlackNoma]

!!!!

Whoa. Sounds seriously like something needs to change (and WAY beyond odd/even numbered driving days).

But, if the Chinese decide to fix it, I'm betting the fix won't take long. Authoritarian Government: it's not pretty at all, but if it says "Jump", then count on it: there WILL be jumping.

Interesting to hear it all from the horse's mouth; appreciate that (and also the word from Carlo, in Italia). Cheers!

You got that right Ahab!!! If they wanted to fix the pollution problem overnight, they could... literally overnight. Gov officials usually mention how they are helping make the pollution "better" in public addresses... during the last change of power about a year ago or so, no one mentioned the pollution at all. Tons of businesses and businessmen are high-tailing it out of Beijing in fear that it means it will only get worse (sometimes I wonder if that is even possible). When you blow your nose, it is nothing but mud. One time my wife threw up after a polluted day and it looked like she puked dirt into the toilet. It was gross.

Anyway, lets talk about MV's!!!
I have my eye on a 1970 kaiser M109A2 hardtop wo/w (Continental turbo engine). It is owned and operated by a mechanic who owns his own shop. He swears everything works perfectly and is currently using it to go hunting every weekend (150 miles round trip). The van has been partially turned into a camper but is only half-way finished from what I can tell. Only upgrades it has on it are a muffler and an alternator (24v) to get rid of the faulty generator. He is asking $6000. What yall think?

 

[maddawg308]

Wait a minute....THERE'S INTERNET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD?!?!?

 

[BlackNoma]

Wait a minute....THERE'S INTERNET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD?!?!?

Haha, crazy right? It is painfully slow and cuts out every once in a while, but it is internet none the less!

 

[Another Ahab]

You got that right Ahab!!! If they wanted to fix the pollution problem overnight, they could... literally overnight. Gov officials usually mention how they are helping make the pollution "better" in public addresses... during the last change of power about a year ago or so, no one mentioned the pollution at all. Tons of businesses and businessmen are high-tailing it out of Beijing in fear that it means it will only get worse (sometimes I wonder if that is even possible). When you blow your nose, it is nothing but mud. One time my wife threw up after a polluted day and it looked like she puked dirt into the toilet. It was gross.

Anyway, lets talk about MV's!!!
I have my eye on a 1970 kaiser M109A2 hardtop wo/w (Continental turbo engine). It is owned and operated by a mechanic who owns his own shop. He swears everything works perfectly and is currently using it to go hunting every weekend (150 miles round trip). The van has been partially turned into a camper but is only half-way finished from what I can tell. Only upgrades it has on it are a muffler and an alternator (24v) to get rid of the faulty generator. He is asking $6000. What yall think?

Auction might be around $2K right? So, $6K? But of course, restored and running and all. But is that maybe a little pricey? I don't know the market like a lot of others around here.

 

[Jeepsinker]

I would say $6000 would be fine if it has no rust and has a working winch.