Added a Tatum to our family

L.R.S.

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My son, who turns 21 this Thanksgiving, bought his first sandrail this week.  It's an older Tatum Sand Demon with an @John@Outfront built turbo Subie on E85 and 091.  I prep several cars for a client and the family has owned this Tatum for a while.  It doesn't get used much becuase they also have two other Tatum's and a SCU.  My son picked the car up a month ago to deliver it to a shock rebuilder friend of mine and while it was there he did a complete prep job on it.  My client mentioned to my son that the car would be for sale after the prep.  I happened to transport the car from my buddies shop back to the client.  My buddy gave me the list of what all had been prepped, which was everything.  My son made a deal with my client and we picked the car up a few days ago.  My son was wrencing on the car the next day.  It had some outdated lights and needed new seat belts.

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They had the interior panels and seats recovered but forgot to install the headrests.  They did come wth the car and I installed them.  The old seat belts were dated Dec 2006.

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I've never seen a Subie with an intercooler and fans.  Never owned a Subie so not sure it'snecessary but the seller said it made a huge difference and keps the engine temps down.

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I happened to prep a newer Tatum TRX6 a month ago and installed brand new Jettrim seats and PRP belts for the owner.  He wanted to sell the old seats and belts (dated Jan 2020) so I bouhg them for my car.  I gave the seat belts to my son for his Tatum.  Huge difference seeing the car with the headrests and new belts.

Of course I have big plans for the car but my son is being respobsible and wants to just dune it this season.  I said at least get the panes painted but he said nope.  It has a Vertex car to car and PCI Elite Pro intercome but didn't come with headsets.  I'm a dealer for PCI and can get him about $600 discount on a brand new Trax intercom and car to car.  But once again he said no.  We can find some used headsets and that wil get him through this season.  Glad someone in this family is fiscally responsible.

Next season upgrades-

Add B pillars and X the roof

New lights

2D if we can find a deal one

Upgrade front sindles to add brakes

New seats, change rear to buckets

Add electric power steering

PCI Trax intercom and Kenwood car to car

New sheet metal for wing/intercooler

Paint side panels

Possibly strip the entire car down for new powder coat and color change

 
CONGRATS to your son !!! Such a hard worker and polite good kid!!!!! Got to see him in action at C&G one time and he was a class act !!!

Gonna be a fun season for him . thats a fun duner machine

:poule:

 
This car will scoot for sure, good power to weight.  Nice pickup

 
I will see if I have any extra stuff (headset / misc parts...etc) and let you know to give to him. 

:poule:

 
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That is awesome,   I plan on having my Daughter with me in a rail some day,  nice to have it as a family sport, 

 
Good to see the next generation keeping it alive.. Hell of a first car! 

 
Awesome first car for your kid, congrats to both of you.

 
Nice to see a father and son enjoying the same sport/hobby!

 
Congratulations on the cool car.  I’m sure your sons going to love this over the SXS.   More room for women’s.  

 
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Congratulations to your son and you as the father. This is a great family sport he will have a blast in that car chasing you until he passes your a$$ haha 😂. Loos like you have done an awesome job raising him seems very money smart. Again congrats 

 
Excellent first rail - that Subi on e85 will punish that 091 with Balin trying to keep up with you  - glad to see the first upgrade a safety upgrade!

Have a great season, see you guys out there

 
Thank you everyone!  Definetly a proud dad moment.  I posted on my IG account that we weighed the car and the original owner saw it and replied.  I knew the Subie wasn't original and found out it used to have a Mazda rotarty engine.  The seller mentioned the last engine never ran right for them so they swapped in the Subie and it's ben great.  I also got a DM from a guy that has the same Tatum Sand Demon and he said his Race Runner shocks were never 'good enough' so he swapped them for Kings.  He said if we call King thehy know exactly which shocks this car needs and ho to set them up.  So that's another option for the poteitial make-over after this season.

My car has been in my enclosed at Dunes Edge since March.  I need to get it home and prepped.  Today my son will take his Tatum to Dunes Edge and swap it for my car and bring his YXZ home.  Need to get that prepped and detailed so he can sell it.

I made a horrible suggestion to him last night.  I said hey, since you're going to be basically in Glamis maybe you should go down to Gecko Rd and unload the Tatum and drive it around a little.  His face lit up and he said that was a horrible idea and he's going to do it.

We weighed the car yesterday and put some Berrymans tire sealer in all four tires.

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Hey Jeff,

Are you going to get new spindles with brakes or just have brackets welded to the existing?

I went to 2" hollows so am selling my combo spindles and brakes.

Let me know if you are interested.

 
Hey Jeff,

Are you going to get new spindles with brakes or just have brackets welded to the existing?

I went to 2" hollows so am selling my combo spindles and brakes.

Let me know if you are interested.
I'm interested.  Text me a price and I'll ask Balin if he wants to get them.

 
made a horrible suggestion to him last night.  I said hey, since you're going to be basically in Glamis maybe you should go down to Gecko Rd and unload the Tatum and drive it around a little
Maybe, just not alone. Hate to see something go wrong with a new ride and no one there to help.

 
Congrats, the sand gene is strong in yore bloodline.

:cheers:

 
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