Heyo! Michigander here

Hey all

I'm new, both here and to the Astro/Safari scene. I normally drive a stick-shift, but I have some complications in my left leg from an accident in October 2007 where a woman in a big SUV ran a red light and hit me on my bicycle. That said, I'm on crutches now and for at least a couple of months while we get the issues resolved. So, I decided to buy something with an automatic transmission in order to be able to drive without swapping cars or spending a ton of cash on a rent-a-car.

My choice? A 1992 GMC Safari XT SLE that I found on Craigslist for $800. Cosmetically, it's in pretty rough shape, with some rust holes on the bottom, a ton of peeled-off paint, and a right-side mirror held on by duct tape. But, I've always had a soft spot for the Astro/Safari twins, and I know the 4.3/4L60 combination to be pretty solid. I've had it about two weeks now, and I've discovered that the last owner apparently didn't really believe in maintenence. Luckily, my roommate is an auto tech student and has both a repair class where they service outside vehicles and a ton of ambition to learn, so for the cost of parts, he's doing a lot of work for me to bring it back up to snuff mechanically. In spite of the issues with it, I'm discovering I do really rather like the thing. Sure, it's slow as hell compared to my Element, and it's not the most pleasing to the eye anymore, but it feels...right, and I'm actually beginning to consider keeping it and making it a project when I'm back on my feet again.

So I thank you for having me. I tend to be a lurker, but I'll be here gleaning all sorts of info and hopefully having a good time! And now, for some clickable pics