Build Thread DaBull's Grenadier Journey & Build

[DaBull]

This is DaBull's Journey to his Grenadier & eventual Build.
This first and second post are called "THE CHASE"

DaBull’s Grenadier Journey
“THE CHASE” Part 1 of 2

2-14-2024 Valentines Day

DaBull's Grenadier and others arrived at Port Hueneme this morning 2-14-2024, Valentines Day, on the car-carrying vessel the Don Quijote.

I live near the port, so I drove over to see if I could capture a photo of the ship Don Quijote.
Jumped out of my New Defender and stepped to the other side to take a photo and as I turned around to get back into my vehicle,
a parking maid had already pulled up and proceeded to give me a $53 ticket.
I know this is not going to be the first time my Grenadier gets me into trouble or costs me more money then ever including now
having to opt for 2 dozen roses vs 1 dozen roses for Valentine's day to keep my wife calm and on the Grenadier path.

So I next decided to park in a spot across from the Port where I would not get another ticket, (I am wiser now),
and walked across this vacant field and proceeded to climb a large dirt mound to hopefully catch a view of them off loading my Grenadier.
It took over 30 min from the time the ramp started being lowered before it was fully on the ground.
Then they removed a huge catamaran, 3 cabin cruisers, 50 pieces of new heavy-duty earth moving construction equipment.
It was amazing what was coming out of the back of that ship. Then I saw headlights peak out from inside the ship and was prepared
to see the first Grenadiers get unloaded including mine. Instead they started to unload 300+ Volvo SUV's.
At this point I have been standing and balancing myself on top of this mound for longer than I will admit to and decided to Google,
"How many cars does a car carrying ship hold?" The answer was amazing, the equivalent of 10 football fields, 8500 cars.
It was immediately apparent that my knees were going to give out before I would see my Grenadier's drive down the ramp.
I resigned myself to knowing that I would have to wait for my first encounter with my Grenadier in 2-3 weeks at Rusnak Ineos Grenadier in Pasadena.

The chase has been fun, however I am ready for my new Grenadier.
By the way, there was another shipment of Grenadier's already stacked up at the port,
which I believe were dropped off from the ship Helios Leader the day before.
There's going to be a lot of happy Grenadier owners soon!

Last but not least, it may be appropriate that my Grenadier arrived on the Don Quijote, as sometimes I feel like I am tilting at windmills.
Did you know that the book Don Quijote was first written in 1605 and is the most sold book in the world, only behind the bible.
I immediately ordered a copy on Amazon to read it again, last time was over 50 years ago, to find out why I am still tilting at windmills.

For those like me still tilting at windmills, here's a link to the copy I ordered on Amazon.
Whenever we get together we will now have something to talk about then just Grenadier,
well maybe.
Amazon.com

Enjoy DaBull

 

[DaBull]

DaBull’s Grenadier Journey
“THE CHASE” Part 2 of 2
2-14-2024 Valentines Day

Update on DaBull’s Grenadier
If you have read DaBull’s “THE CHASE” Part 1 of 2 above, which I recommend you do first),

DaBull had completely given up on trying to catch a glimpse of his Shale Blue Grenadier being off loaded at the port of Port Hueneme from the car-carrying vessel the Don Quijote on 2-14-2024, Valentines Day.

After buying not 1 but 2 dozen red roses, See’s Candy and 2 Valentine Cards for my wife, (read Post #1 above to know why 2 dozen roses), I found a half hour break late in the day to run back over to the port. As I was driving over to the port I was hoping against hope that perhaps the Grenadiers would be the last of 5000-8000 vehicles being offload and that I would after all catch a glimpse of mine coming down the ramp.

Since I am not allowed on the port, as it is a secured naval base, I parked this time where I would not get a ticket again and ran out across the same field from the port where I was earlier in the day. I scaled the dirt mound to get a better view of the ship and it’s off-loading ramp. No sooner then I reached the top, I saw a Grenadier being driven off the ramp. It was either a Donny Grey or Inky Black one. I was overjoyed thinking maybe mine would be next or would soon appear.

In the corner of my eye I watched the Donny Grey or Inky Black Grenadier head over to the beach side port storage area where I was first earlier in the day and got the parking ticket. The thought crossed my mind that they were now storing some of the Grenadiers there instead of where others were stored elsewhere at the port. My attention immediately turned back to the ramp to make sure I would not miss any Grenadiers coming off the ramp. To my disappointment, only white Ford Transit Vans were now being off loaded. After watching 40+ roll off and no more Grenadiers except the one I saw, I gave up and decided to head home. It was staring to get late.

I got back in my Defender and was going to head back home and remembered where that Donny Grey or Inky Black Grenadier had headed towards. I decided to venture out towards the beach fenced off storage area to see if I could see any Grenadiers in the storage lot.

I made sure to park this time so Ticket Lady would not bushwhack me again. Note: I found out from some friends she is well known to be on the prowl and relentless and has no mercy.

I jumped up on a 3’ high round post to get a better look over all the stored vehicles and after my eyes adjusted to the dimming light, I could see way off in the distance past 25 rows of vehicles a single row of approximately 14 Grenadier. All I could see were their roofs. I began to scan from left to right and noticed one and only one with a Shale Blue Roof. Could it possibly be my Grenadier? After waiting almost a year, was it here, was it mine. I had this feeling that it was, however how could I prove it. What good was a photograph without hard evidence it was mine.

It reminded me of the time when I photographed a bright UFO over the ocean with a 500mm lens on the Hollister Ranch late at night after a surf trip. It was moving so fast horizontally and vertically it was hard to keep the lens centered on it. I had the film developed and sent the UFO negatives and photos to the Nuclear Physicist, Stanton T. Friedman, who at the time was the preeminent specialist on UFO’s. He did a deep investigation and a month later I received a letter back. He proclaimed it was in fact a UFO, which was incredible news, until the letter continued on and said, UFO simply stands for an unidentified flying object. Proof, that’s not proof.

I am known for being persistent when in pursuit of something and naming my Grenadier DaBull gives you a sense of my tenacity. I was also born a Taurus.

I had to find a way to prove it was my Grenadier. I started pondering what my next move would be, break onto the navy base late at night, which of course was a foolish and fleeting thought. Then I remembered passing by a Harbormaster Building that was just outside the port gates. Would it be open, would anyone be there this late. I pulled in, parked and walked around to the side of the building and tugged on the entry door and it opened. The lobby was very small and bare except for perhaps one or two chairs. I saw two men in uniforms standing behind a 2” thick Lexan bulletproof window. They looked perplexed why I was there and after seeing my wind blown hair, (from standing in the wind on that dirt mound earlier), they were likely thinking to themselves, this is why we have 2” thick Lexan Bulletproof windows.

There was a small covered opening to try and speak through. I explained about the ship I had been tracking, (perhaps not the best thing to lead with), and was speaking for no more than 15 seconds when one of them said sternly, “I’ve heard enough. Sir, do you have any ID. At this point I was wondering what I had done wrong and perhaps the ticket I received in the morning was just the beginning of my troubles. What he said next blew me away, Can you please meet me outside, I am going to grab my security vehicle and we are going to see if that is your Grenadier. He pulls his vehicle around and I jump inside and in less than 1 minute, we are parked in front of the Shale Blue Grenadier. I jump out and start heading for it and he says,

“How are you going to know it’s yours?” I responded right back, I memorized the VIN number.

I walk up and look straight down at the lower left windshield where the VIN# should be. I am nervous like when reading a lotto ticket that you think might be a winner. I carefully look at each letter and number and silently repeated all 17 of them to myself and started to get excited as I got to the end. It’s my VIN#, It’s was My Grenadier. VIN# SC6GM1CA8RF011465.

Upon hearing the news, the harbormaster, who by the way has the cool name of Brian Master Harbormaster, is completely blown away and as overjoyed as I am that we found my Grenadier. He could not believe it and either could I, although I had this mysterious profound feeling all along it was mine. He commented, I love the Grenadier and that blue color looks great. I asked him to take a picture of me with my Grenadier and asked if I could take a picture with him next to my Grenadier. I can’t thank Brian Master enough and his partner who stayed back at the Harbor Master Building so we could find my Grenadier. It was the perfect end to the day, especially after my encounter with Ticket Lady, although I will have to say, it was the best $53

I ever spent on my Grenadier. Thank You Ticket Lady. Thank all of you for joining me on my Grenadier Journey, which is not over. It’s been an honor to be a part of all your journeys too. So let’s keep posting and letting all of us know about your Grenadier Journeys.

Now if I could just check the VIN on that UFO.

DaBull

 

[bigleonski]

What a balltearer of a story. Success against insurmountable odds. Well done that man!!!

 

[DrahthHunter]

DaBull’s Grenadier Journey
“THE CHASE” Part 2 of 2
2-14-2024 Valentines Day

Update on DaBull’s Grenadier
If you have read DaBull’s “THE CHASE” Part 1 of 2 above, which I recommend you do first),

DaBull had completely given up on trying to catch a glimpse of his Shale Blue Grenadier being off loaded at the port of Port Hueneme from the car-carrying vessel the Don Quijote on 2-14-2024, Valentines Day.

After buying not 1 but 2 dozen red roses, See’s Candy and 2 Valentine Cards for my wife, (read Post #1 above to know why 2 dozen roses), I found a half hour break late in the day to run back over to the port. As I was driving over to the port I was hoping against hope that perhaps the Grenadiers would be the last of 5000-8000 vehicles being offload and that I would after all catch a glimpse of mine coming down the ramp.

Since I am not allowed on the port, as it is a secured naval base, I parked this time where I would not get a ticket again and ran out across the same field from the port where I was earlier in the day. I scaled the dirt mound to get a better view of the ship and it’s off-loading ramp. No sooner then I reached the top, I saw a Grenadier being driven off the ramp. It was either a Donny Grey or Inky Black one. I was overjoyed thinking maybe mine would be next or would soon appear.

In the corner of my eye I watched the Donny Grey or Inky Black Grenadier head over to the beach side port storage area where I was first earlier in the day and got the parking ticket. The thought crossed my mind that they were now storing some of the Grenadiers there instead of where others were stored elsewhere at the port. My attention immediately turned back to the ramp to make sure I would not miss any Grenadiers coming off the ramp. To my disappointment, only white Ford Transit Vans were now being off loaded. After watching 40+ roll off and no more Grenadiers except the one I saw, I gave up and decided to head home. It was staring to get late.

I got back in my Defender and was going to head back home and remembered where that Donny Grey or Inky Black Grenadier had headed towards. I decided to venture out towards the beach fenced off storage area to see if I could see any Grenadiers in the storage lot.

I made sure to park this time so Ticket Lady would not bushwhack me again. Note: I found out from some friends she is well known to be on the prowl and relentless and has no mercy.

I jumped up on a 3’ high round post to get a better look over all the stored vehicles and after my eyes adjusted to the dimming light, I could see way off in the distance past 25 rows of vehicles a single row of approximately 14 Grenadier. All I could see were their roofs. I began to scan from left to right and noticed one and only one with a Shale Blue Roof. Could it possibly be my Grenadier? After waiting almost a year, was it here, was it mine. I had this feeling that it was, however how could I prove it. What good was a photograph without hard evidence it was mine.

It reminded me of the time when I photographed a bright UFO over the ocean with a 500mm lens on the Hollister Ranch late at night after a surf trip. It was moving so fast horizontally and vertically it was hard to keep the lens centered on it. I had the film developed and sent the UFO negatives and photos to the Nuclear Physicist, Stanton T. Friedman, who at the time was the preeminent specialist on UFO’s. He did a deep investigation and a month later I received a letter back. He proclaimed it was in fact a UFO, which was incredible news, until the letter continued on and said, UFO simply stands for an unidentified flying object. Proof, that’s not proof.

I am known for being persistent when in pursuit of something and naming my Grenadier DaBull gives you a sense of my tenacity. I was also born a Taurus.

I had to find a way to prove it was my Grenadier. I started pondering what my next move would be, break onto the navy base late at night, which of course was a foolish and fleeting thought. Then I remembered passing by a Harbormaster Building that was just outside the port gates. Would it be open, would anyone be there this late. I pulled in, parked and walked around to the side of the building and tugged on the entry door and it opened. The lobby was very small and bare except for perhaps one or two chairs. I saw two men in uniforms standing behind a 2” thick Lexan bulletproof window. They looked perplexed why I was there and after seeing my wind blown hair, (from standing in the wind on that dirt mound earlier), they were likely thinking to themselves, this is why we have 2” thick Lexan Bulletproof windows.

There was a small covered opening to try and speak through. I explained about the ship I had been tracking, (perhaps not the best thing to lead with), and was speaking for no more than 15 seconds when one of them said sternly, “I’ve heard enough. Sir, do you have any ID. At this point I was wondering what I had done wrong and perhaps the ticket I received in the morning was just the beginning of my troubles. What he said next blew me away, Can you please meet me outside, I am going to grab my security vehicle and we are going to see if that is your Grenadier. He pulls his vehicle around and I jump inside and in less than 1 minute, we are parked in front of the Shale Blue Grenadier. I jump out and start heading for it and he says,

“How are you going to know it’s yours?” I responded right back, I memorized the VIN number.

I walk up and look straight down at the lower left windshield where the VIN# should be. I am nervous like when reading a lotto ticket that you think might be a winner. I carefully look at each letter and number and silently repeated all 17 of them to myself and started to get excited as I got to the end. It’s my VIN#, It’s was My Grenadier. VIN# SC6GM1CA8RF011465.

Upon hearing the news, the harbormaster, who by the way has the cool name of Brian Master Harbormaster, is completely blown away and as overjoyed as I am that we found my Grenadier. He could not believe it and either could I, although I had this mysterious profound feeling all along it was mine. He commented, I love the Grenadier and that blue color looks great. I asked him to take a picture of me with my Grenadier and asked if I could take a picture with him next to my Grenadier. I can’t thank Brian Master enough and his partner who stayed back at the Harbor Master Building so we could find my Grenadier. It was the perfect end to the day, especially after my encounter with Ticket Lady, although I will have to say, it was the best $53

I ever spent on my Grenadier. Thank You Ticket Lady. Thank all of you for joining me on my Grenadier Journey, which is not over. It’s been an honor to be a part of all your journeys too. So let’s keep posting and letting all of us know about your Grenadier Journeys.

Now if I could just check the VIN on that UFO.

DaBull

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I swear these colors change with the light and every camera its wild. Congrats

 

[Bruce]

That's awesome man. Persistence pays off. Did you notice what might not be done, waiting for the port crew to take care of?

 

[[ Adam ]]

Ha! Well done.

 

[roadfever]

The help of a fellow auto guy. Great way to find your truck! Now for the next chapter.

 

[AngusMacG]

I was really hoping to see a few more pens and a pocket protector .

Great story and very happy that you were able to see it. Now is the dreaded await to actually buy it! You might actually have it in your driveway before the MA RMV adds the Grenadier to their system!

 

[parb]

What a lovely story!

 

[Jeffrey]

And the next phase of waiting begins. Could be 3 weeks or more. I just went through all that. But I got it and it's worth it!

 

[2wheelfish]

Nice! It’s funny when you said the name of the harbor master all I could think of was Burgermeister Meisterburger lol.

Hope your final delivery is quick and painless.

 

[GrenADV]

Amazing story, @DaBull ! Glad you were able to find your vehicle in the end. I look forward to seeing more stories and pictures in a few weeks when you take delivery. Excited for you!

 

[Rupert]

So Awesome! Congrats. Can't wait to see you driving it.

 

[TWExplor]

Way to go! Great story.

 

[Korg]

I feel your anticipation as mine is also at the local port (Port Kembla Australia - drop of point for the Sydney deliveries) so expecting delivery next couple of weeks.

 

[Norb-TX]

That's how you do it!

 

[Paco Garcia]

You have less left, you can almost caress him, like a good Don Quixote, (your appearance would look good in that character ) I'm sure you'll manage to make the wait short, congratulations. Greetings Paco

 

[ScottnAZ]

Fun story! Thanks for that!

Care to share some of the mods and/or upgrades you have in mind?

 

[DaBull]

Fun story! Thanks for that!

Care to share some of the mods and/or upgrades you have in mind?

Hi ScottAZ,

Like everyone, I have been researching modifications and upgrades for my Grenadier.

It has been great to watch a robust aftermarket spring up to offer incredible designs and products for the Grenadier, some of which we did not know even existed. It seems everyday something new springs into existence.

One of the first things I had to do is define how I wanted to use the vehicle.
Once I did that, it created a road map. Having a road map has help me define what
products I need and want for my Grenadier.

Like many others, my Grenadier will be serving more than just one purpose.

One one hand it will be a daily driver that needs to be easily accessible for my 4'11" wife, her mom, my nephew and nieces and real estate clients and on the other hand it needs to be a proper Surf Adventure Vehicle to ply the coast for waves and to also go over landing, of which I have a lot to learn about. Some of these uses may seem to be in conflict with each other, however I have found a way to mold them seamlessly. More to follow on that aspect later.

I am also hoping to eventually add a small trailer for camping out vs a tent, as my wife
likes a bit of lux and at my age, I do too. Hotels may be a back up plan until then.

In some cases I have found existing products that suit my needs and wants.
In other cases I have not, and have set out to design and build them or have
other manufactures build them for me. This has led to a few collaborations
with other manufactures in some small or large ways, some of which other
Grenadier owners are already enjoying or soon will be.

I have found it amazing how open many manufactures are to listening
to my ideas and suggestions and that they have actually taken them under consideration and
produced improved products. Some are just small changes and in one case I think I
may have opened a new product category that was not being very well served.

I am amazed that they did not hang up on me and then again it may be
because I am one hell of a good salesman and can be tenacious as a bull.
It's also because many of them are just now designing products for the
Grenadier and that I have been fortunate enough to talk to them before
they have finalized their designs and gone into production.

Although I am not an engineer, my mind kind of works like one.
The moment I see a product, I am either redesigning it, or see a way to improve it to
fit my needs. When I was younger I designed & engineered an aluminum extrusion
and plate system for a sporting goods product and received a patent for it. I had
a blast manufacturing it and selling them up and down the coast
where I developed my sales skills that eventually led me to being a
real estate broker selling beach property in Ventura County, California for the last 44 years.

My design ethos is aligned with the Grenadier, which is "Nothing More
and Nothing Less". I like most, love great design and reducing a products design down
to its simplest form is what I strive for.

Having the Grenadier come along has reignited the creative side of me,
like I see it has for all the other Grenadier owners who are customizing
their Grenadiers to fit their needs.
It is truly a blank canvas we can all paint upon.

Here is a short list of products that I have ordered so far.
Later on I will give the reasons why I liked these products and
links to them too.

1 ) Canvas storage bags by Rob at OverlandGrearGuy.com
2) Rear seat recline brackets.
3) Drawer system by Alan of Diabolical Inc.
4) 3/4 roof rack by Bernard Leitner of Leitner Designs.
5) Buzz Overland's Door Hinge Step by Ryan & Alex at Buzz Overland.
6) Rinse Kit Cube, Heater and Touchless nozzle.
7) Special Order Custom Rock Sliders with a reasonable step height that still maintains great
ground clearance.
8) GP Factor Folding Tailgate Table with Extended Storage Cubby
9) GP Factor 2-Piece Camp Shovel Tool - Blue
Link to Review: https://www.theineosforum.com/threads/gp-factor.12413696/post-1333258471

Some of the products that I am in the design stages on or in collaboration with others are;
A boot cover to hide all your gear underneath.
A portable camping table

For anyone actually reading this post, thanks for taking the time to read it. I apologize for being so verbose, I can't help it, I am always in sales mode or maybe just passionate about everything Grenadier. Feel free to reach out with questions or private message me through the forum if you would like to talk.
Respectfully, DaBull

 

[Tom109]

@DaBull - great update!

Do you know how many Grenadiers arrived in your shipment? Mine arrived in November with 60-80 others. It took 30 days for mine to get on a dealer transport, but I am told that process is much quicker today.