MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum

General => Introductions => Topic started by: Ratbag on May 28, 2014, 11:43:40 AM

Title: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Ratbag on May 28, 2014, 11:43:40 AM: Gidday Folks

Been a member of various Subaru car forums for years.

I have also been gradually re-building my 30+ y.o. 7x4 box trailer as a camper trailer. I'm getting too old, too crotchety and too buggered to camp in the rough any more!

We currently own a couple of Foresters - an SG 2006 N/A 2.5L 5MT/DR XS and an SH 2009 N/A 2.5L 4EAT Sportshift. Mine is the former. SWMBO drives the latter.

A couple of members at a forum I help to moderate have recommended this one, so here I am ...

br, RB
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Mace on May 28, 2014, 12:08:22 PM: Welcome Ratbag,

Sit back, chill out and enjoy the company here without having to worry about keeping the peace!

:cheers:
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Ratbag on May 28, 2014, 12:16:51 PM: Thanks for the welcome, Mace.

The ORS forum that I mostly frequent (and help to moderate) is an extremely civilised place. This tends to limit my moderation 'duties' to fixing up photos in posts, changing thread titles and (very rarely) moving posts to a separate thread when things get overly OT. IOW, a great place to hang out, with people who have, and share, lots of knowledge, tips and so on ... ;D.

Hoping to take my trailer with me to Brisbane shortly. Picking up a sump guard for Roo2 and an Oztrail Camper 6 for the tag along in Sydney along the way.
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: GGV8Cruza on May 28, 2014, 12:33:23 PM: Welcome to MySwag Ratbag, a great place for like minded people to share their camper and camping stories as well as what ever else is on the menu. Enjoy your stay

GG
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Ratbag on May 28, 2014, 01:16:23 PM: Thanks for the welcome, GG.

I am certain that I will both enjoy the forum, and learn a great deal from people here.

Being somewhat of a minimalist, I tend to explore simple ways to achieve the ends I have in mind.

While the first 4WD I owned personally was a 1968 LC deep well ute (with a home made custom manifold and 2x 1 3/4" SU carbies ... ), these days I drive a 2006 Forester 5MT/DR. It won't tow 2 tonnes anywhere, with a tonne in the back, (my LC would, and did, often ... ), but it will do the things that I now want to do. It's also a flaming sight more comfortable than my old cruiser - so is much easier on my old back ;)!

Oddly enough, because it's so light (relatively speaking - a 1.5 tonne vehicle isn't "light" in my books ... ), it will go places where my old LC would just sink out of sight in no time flat! So would my old Impreza! Horses for courses, and all that.

The same goes for my trailer. It started out life about 30+ years ago, had the bed replaced with 16 ga. gal. around 15 years ago - the internal chassis rails made of 1x1" light box were also replaced with 2x1" structural box at that time. Over the last couple of years, I have completely refurbished it. There is just enough left of the original trailer to attach all the memories to it that it has accumulated over the years ;D 8). As the panel beaters say "Fade doesn't come in a can". Well, neither do memories. A new trailer might be better in some ways, but there isn't any way of transferring the memories from the old to the new ... :'(.
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: scarps on May 28, 2014, 02:34:45 PM: Ah so you're the ratbag everyone keeps telling me about?

Nah seriously, welcome to myswag, great to have you on board. Look forward to hearing more about your trips, tours and kit build into the future.

I'm sure there's a mod or two here that would be happy to hand over to you anytime. Don't believe everything you read about us being civilised. Ask peter01 about the strangers He's met on the myswag internet:-)
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Ratbag on May 28, 2014, 02:56:27 PM: ^ Thanks, Scarps.

Half the lies people tell about me aren't true ... ;).
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Bad Scott on May 28, 2014, 05:03:26 PM: Welcome Ratbag, You will love the forum. I meet quite a few people at knockwood. Barrel of laughs and fun to be had. :cheers:
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: oldmate on May 28, 2014, 07:39:59 PM: Just what we need, another ratbag.

Welcome, and all the lies people say about me, are true
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: scarps on May 28, 2014, 07:43:50 PM: Quote from: oldmate on May 28, 2014, 07:39:59 PM
Just what we need, another ratbag.

Welcome, and all the lies people say about me, are true
yeah, you really are a great bloke!
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Ratbag on May 28, 2014, 08:26:23 PM: Gidday SJ, OM and Scarps

Thanks, fellas ... ;D .
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Black Diamond on May 29, 2014, 12:09:27 PM: Dont worry there are plenty of Ratbags on here you will blend in well, enjoy your stay :cheers:

BD
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Ratbag on May 29, 2014, 01:20:29 PM: Ah ha, BD.

There may well be plenty of ratbags here ;D ; but now THE Ratbag is here ... ROTFL ... ;D .

BTW, thanks for the welcome ... :)
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: KingBilly on May 30, 2014, 10:04:50 AM: Belated welcome to the forum. Also a member of ORS but no longer have the Outback. Enjoy your time on here

Happy camping
KB
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Ratbag on May 30, 2014, 11:32:02 AM: Gidday KB

Thanks for the welcome :).

Hardly 'belated' though, mate. I've only been here for a few seconds ;)!
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: achjimmy on May 30, 2014, 03:14:23 PM: Welcome Ratbag, hope you enjoy it.
Title: Re: The Ratbag's arrived ... ;-)
Post by: Ratbag on May 31, 2014, 10:14:02 AM: Thanks for the welcome, AJ :).