We're Definitely Not In UTAH Anymore! What Did We Get Ourselves INTO?!

#fabrats #fabrication #florida
We made a trip to Florida to see if we could get an old Dodge Dakota to run and drive! Check it out!!
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[@brucef5892]

Wish id known yall were coming to florida especially as close as you were to me, would have liked to give yall a true florida airboat tour

[@tobiastho9639]

Maybe send an invitation to their PO-box? Would like to watch it happen...

[@WhatTheHeck1290]

Can you take me? Haha

[@reddog543211]

Paul woulda been hopping up the air-boat motor !!..... lol

[@codybritton7284]

I live close by too would have been cool to show them how we wheel in Florida

[@WhatTheHeck1290]

@@codybritton7284 I ride alligators bro. Step off

[@papayork1907]

Your kids have the COOLEST dad! Love the family spirit!

[@TheFalcro1234]

You, Matt's off road, robby Layton and now Rudy's channel comprise most of my YooooogleTube menu. Some of the most wonderful people on here. Thank you for sharing your lives

[@malbor]

I'm almost the same, but I also watch Casey Ladelle.

[@lagoonrd4173]

Golden nugget united three channels together….I’m still watching

[@sandevilsan]

Same here and i also watch trail mater

[@cliffcross6487]

Thanks for taking us along on your FAMILY vacation.

[@Silvafolk]

At the beginning of the video, there is a clay pot in the truck seat. FYI, that is an old pine sap collecting pot, known as a Herty pot, that dates back to the late 1800s to early 1900s. It was hung on a pine tree under slashes in the bark and a piece of sheet metal that diverted sap into the pot. The sap was collected and distilled into turpentine. It is a collector's item so treat it with care and don't discard it thinking it is just an old flower pot! Welcome to the Southeast!

[@thedolt9215]

The whole family on the swamp buggy made me smile from ear to ear!

[@lsucody3687]

Best videos on the channel are when your boys work with you. Lookin forward to it with my 6 year old son. Did it with my dad until he died when I was 14.

[@goatboy3562]

It's so awesome watching your children learn invaluable skills from you.

[@yvanb6409]

good morning ... and also in my language..BON MATIN..(french from Quebec)nice video

[@rongray8934]

Hard to go wrong with a family night at a local racetrack. Thanks for taking us along for a bit of your vacation.

[@3GSPsMT]

I loved that the boys punched it in the rented mini van whilst collecting the battery. “ Don’t tell your mom I let you drive it”. 😁

[@hustlinghard8081]

Jace looking mighty dope in Michelle's floppy hat! 😅 that is a kid that just isn't worried about what his peers think, wish all youngins were like that!

[@pboutdoors85]

As someone from the midwest I am always amazed at how nothing you work on is basically pure rust. Once our stuff is 10 years old its basically rusted underneath everywhere.

[@mdcollins3806]

I have lived in Florida (outside of Jacksonville area) my entire life…53 now, and I tell everyone you are always guaranteed two of the three H’s, the Heat and Humidity!! We roll the dice 🎲 with the Hurricanes 🌀!! lol…..Glad the family had a fun and safe trip 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏….. Like a lot of folks, really enjoy the clean entertainment from y’all’s videos!!! Stay safe and be blessed 🙏🙏🙏

[@ModernDayTemplar606]

Good times that what it’s all about. Swamp Rat turds are super sized. Nice to see the family having fun together.

[@keithbryan1680]

I was not disappointed when two teenage boys fed the juice to the rental mini van- win! … glad you made some great memories!

[@billbillinger2491]

Climb a gate at the post...not at the end. 1. Keeps it stable 2. Keeps it from sagging

[@majorpayne4098]

Looks like a Great time with family. Love all the smiles from all the kids on the Swamper. A vacation to remember !

[@josephobrien942]

Nice, I'm 68 and love my brother as much as you do.

[@Mr6day]

I liked the video format. Little work, little narrating, little family and a little adventure. pretty cool.

[@Scott-ms3ug]

Looks like everyone had a great time!

[@loganpelletier]

4:39 Mind blown. A store you literally drive through?? That is so cool!

[@jimmykol]

Florida viewer here...... great clip showing the fun you can have in florida....

[@patrickhill8748]

Glad you all had fun in Florida!!! Welcome to the rain🤪🤪. Tallahassee here!! Wear my Fab Rats hat everywhere. Have a great time!!!!

[@Wrenchesandrods]

Good morning fabrats!

[@JanelleVocate-Ames]

Justin for the win!!!! 1st!!

[@kennethelenius6768]

I'd heard about localized rain in FL, but until living here and experiencing it I had no idea. It was a down pour in the front yard and bright sunshine in yhe back. A fist size cloud can produce a thunder storm.

[@guypehaim1080]

I've been in rain storms in Florida where you couldn't see the hood on your car. What you do is pull over and let the shower pass.

[@splatterize]

I experienced that about 3 days after I moved to Fl as well. I was like........ scratching my head.

[@robertheinkel6225]

Here in Tampa, I75 and Highway 60 are dividing lines. It’s almost like the storms can’t cross the roads

[@johnchastain4708]

I live in lower Alabama. In the summer we get late afternoon thunderstorms regularly. They are annoying but they really bring down the heat, which is good because all that rain and heat are a bad combo!

[@kittty2005]

We get storms like that in Michigan all the time we got 3 great lakes agin us. Heck a rainstorm on one side of the house and a blizzard on the other and a flood in the basement.

[@jerrycorbett7294]

Looks like you all had a great time. Safe travels you all deserved it.

[@bombero3368]

When I lived in Florida, it would rain almost every day at 4pm…you could almost set your watch to it.

[@89G]

Seeing your footage at the dirt track makes me miss Rocky Mountain Raceways even more. Glad you had fun with the family. That's what it's all about!

[@69soulseeker]

Thank you for taking us along with your family on vacation. You all make up an amazing family! Glad to see you made it home safe.

[@steveschmitt2849]

Great family time, thanks for sharing with us your fans👍👍👍 stay safe.

[@dioad1739]

Good to see you in my neck of the woods Paul I know you guys are enjoying that southern humidity and heat looks like a great vacation for the you and your family thanks for sharing.

[@marvincarter870]

Fab rats family welcome to Florida and our rain and humidity. Love that you visited Michelle's parents. Always having fun and working odd job's. That Dakota was a lost cause Florida humidity took it's toll along with the resident mice! Good times and making memories for the kids!

[@donwilliams3626]

Life's an adventure. And the Cox family sure knows how to live!

[@johnmiller8433]

Love that you documented your trip to Florida! You described the rain perfectly!

[@gayle4804]

Ben done wonderful, Your vacation looked marvelous yes I have been have been in Florida in August and the humidity is beyond crazy you can't Breathe down there Thank you both for taking us on a ride with your family

[@zachswy]

I really, really like this era of Dakota. Great size of a little pickup! Worked for a family company in the summers in high school, and drove one of these -- teal in color -- for a couple of summers and just loved it! If I could find one in good shape -- man it'd be hard to say no to.

[@novavroomvroom3435]

Love those dodge trucks... I'm a Chevy man myself but I owned a Dodge Dakota and I loved it...!!!!!

[@karlschwaber9568]

I am also a Chevy guy but my buddy bought one of those old Dodge's with 4 wheel drive and the little V8 (318 cid with about 150 bhp) and it was a great little truck. He drove it over 100k miles without an issue.

[@jonesboyshunting8673]

Looks like you guys had an awesome time down there. Keep up the great work

[@williamjones9099]

Looks like fun guy’s glad you all had a good safe trip

[@budrohammbone2806]

Happy that the Family had a good time in Florida. We used to Quail hunt out of a similar buggy, back when there were wild quail (early '80's). There are still plenty of whitetails and turkeys though not nearly as impressive as the elk and mule deer in Utah. Bass fishin' can be good as well.

[@jakemorris6953]

Here in Texas we call those beverage barns! Thank you for the great content.

[@DavidMartinez-rp7uo]

True. Out in the west Texas town of El Paso we have Buddy’s Beer Barn.

[@donbearden1953]

Paul, I grateful that you got a little experience with southern humidity!

[@milomiller909]

I'm glad you had a great time in Florida. God bless you all.

[@timvanasen6711]

Mornin Fab Rat's glad you had nice vacation the swamp buggy is cool, Paul & Ben are always entertaining great video thank's for sharing God bless ya'll ❤😎👍

[@nextbizzy]

Hey another ducks fan!

[@timvanasen6711]

@@nextbizzy GO DUCKS 💛💚

[@UncleManuel]

Son: "Do we have brakes?" Paul: "What for? We got trees!" 😂😂😂

[@cocoAE86]

@8:24 Yeah I absolutely lost it when I heard Paul LOL

[@lonhoschar1943]

I love the way you always include the family members with you side adventures. Seems like you all had fun. Love the swamp buggy ride in the rain!! All kinds of things wanting to bite you in the swamp.. Bens face.. 🤣

[@albertdehn8381]

Thanks for taking me along 👍😀

[@joshslackslack8115]

Had a 89 Dakota 4x4 short bed regular cab with a junk yard lift kit and 35s home made flatbed was a fun truck I am putting the 89 Dakota cab on a 96 dodge ram Short bed regular cad 1500 4x4 frame love the videos they keep me motivated to get my junk done

[@TheMerce101]

The change in colour palette compared to the usual videos is amazing! Like going to Technicolor 😆

[@jackmorrison8269]

Pauls in Florida on vacation and still working. Michelle must have the patience of a saint. Go to the beach Paul!!!

[@prestigeworldwidemotorspor2522]

I love this , seeing you guys experiencing Florida life lol, we mud bog and all sorts of stuff can’t wait to see more🥰

[@CodyShell]

When I was born my dad drove an 86 Isuzu P'up. He sold that and bought his uncle's truck in probably 1994. It was a Dakota exactly like this one! Same color and everything!!

[@kokapileo8566]

Harbor Freight? My kinda MILWAUKEE place... Michelle wrongfully ordered ACE HARDWARE stuff for the wrecker built. : )

[@jeremiahsmith7977]

I’m in morganton North Carolina and in my town we actually have 1 drive through store just like that one and another store right across the road with a drive through window but the big store you actually drive through the back of the store it’s pretty dang sweet

[@dustinwarner6594]

Haha that's awesome. We take em for granted here in ohio...they're everywhere here

[@kevinhitchcock7062]

In Ft Lauderdale we had a drive through beer store.

[@SuperSummit123]

I can remember my grandfather calling it The beer distributor driving right through in the car into a cooler picking up beer. In Pittsburgh

[@jamesennis4446]

Great video! Thanks for taking us along on your vacation.

[@son-cd3sg]

Really enjoyed this video, seem to have had a great time on holiday,. thanks for taking us along. UK

[@markreetz1001]

My sister worked in an establishment that had a drive through party store and self-serve gas pumps. You could buy beer there too. It was right next to the State Police Post. Brilliant idea. It didn't last long. Not sure which issue is the reason why...?

[@karlschwaber9568]

A drive through store! I have never seen anything like that before.

[@keithb6717]

I remember one in Southern California in the sixties.

[@anthonylee2099]

Great family vacation down in Florida. The swamp ride was kool. Everyone Happy. Thanks for taking us along on your family vacation 🤙😎

[@johndoody8847]

It's fun to see y'all in my backyard. 😁 Country Cooler, staying in the comfort of A/C in your car so no chance of your ice cream melting. Gotta love it !

[@arlisspropertyservicesllc5943]

The REAL question is how Paul got a crescent wrench thru TSA…🤔🤔😉

[@dr.floridaman4805]

Traveling with tools on planes is very simple. Just got to keep the weight down. Simple knowledge that is easily accessible that is HARD for you to believe. Sheep behavior

[@arlisspropertyservicesllc5943]

@@dr.floridaman4805 you either missed the 😉 or have no sense of humor; it was a joke. Lighten up.

[@MattAK]

I had a roommate that bought a Dakota that had sat in a field for years. Pretty much everything on the underside was rusted out. We ended up running new soft tubing for the fuel lines. He drove it for a couple of years but eventually the frame fell apart. Was too bad because the body and interior were in really good shape.

[@ryanbutler8700]

I love your family! Everyone! So thankful y’all have made this channel. My family enjoys watching y’all all the time. Hopefully one day we can jump on he bikes and make the trip from Georgia!

[@jeffmcrae5336]

Thanks for the memories. It takes me back to the early 70's when I was going to the dirt track races with me uncle after my father died. Keep up the good content!! Good job on the "GOLDEN NUGGET". I Loved following that build with you and Robby and Matt on the Golden Nugget build.

[@ggeimer]

II had a fuel pump fail on the first day on a trip from Los Angeles to Chicago. The symptom was I couldn’t climb hills faster than an idle when I first pulled onto the freeway. I made it through Las Vegas and misdiagnosed the problem to be a fuel filter. I made it to somewhere in Utah, I think it was St. George. I needed a fuel pump for my ‘76 TR-7 late in the evening. Everything was closed, except a drive through auto parts store. I got it fixed with an electric fuel pump. I was on a tight schedule, I had an appointment to have 4 wisdom teeth removed on the 31st, the last day of my dental insurance eligibility and it was August 27th. I made it with one day to spare. My dad was my designated driver after the oral surgery. My battery was too low to start, so I push started it and we drove straight to my first day of the fall semester at Purdue. My friends were surprised to see me as they knew I had my wisdom teeth taken out that day.

[@lrrowley]

Now that’s a story!!

[@theodoremccade6561]

K,

[@CurtisDrew1]

Been there done that. With the clogged fuel filter and the wisdom teeth. Had catart surgery a few years back and rode my motorcycle home with one eye bandaged! Dr had no idea I was alone and riding a bike or he would have never let me out the door.... Fun times! We are a different breed than most I guess!

[@ggeimer]

@@CurtisDrew1 The assistant to the oral surgeon was a friend’s mother that also cut my hair on the side. She had this new product that sounded like snake oil. I it was an electrical instrument that stimulated my cheeks and chin with electrical current. As she used it near the sockets of the removed teeth, she explained it would train and terminate my nerve endings. With how painless my recovery was, it must have worked. The surgery was fairly mild. The extractions that were impacted, were textbook and they typical opening the gums, removing a small piece of bone went smoothly. And cutting the tooth into 4 pieces to remove the root made the root extraction very easy. However, the surgeon determined the upper teeth could be removed in one piece, since they had come in straight. That was the most traumatic part of the extraction. He climbed on top of me kneeling on my chest and forehead and pulled like hell. I had double vision and it diverged more and more with each pull. I had opted for local anesthetic so I was alert the whole time. The procedure reminded me of a Three Stooges episode. I didn’t have major anesthesia so I was pretty much good to go except for the potential of bleeding. Many years later, I went to visit the Alamo with my dad just days after having his mitral valve replaced in his heart. He did fine, but he had a leak in the fluid in his chest that came out the orthoscopic surgery sutures in his armpit. When we stepped out of the Alamo, his shirt was drenched in blood. Fortunately it wasn’t an active bleed, just drainage from the surgery. Nobody witnessed us cleaning up, otherwise we would have had a lot of explaining to do, and probably been forced to take a joyride in an ambulance and been on the 10 o’clock news.

[@robertkendall1037]

I live about two hours from there, beautiful country but here in August the weather is a bit brutal. We have massive thunder and lightning storms nearly every afternoon. But its home

[@agentorange3774]

Same, about 2 hours to the North.

[@2milesowen587]

Another great family oriented video. Thanks much for sharing. 👍

[@tayzer22]

And here I thought you were relaxing on a beach... showing us how it's done even on vacation. And Thank you for sharing your vacay with us.

[@zac0912]

I'd love to hear the story on how they ended up in Utah from Florida and why they kept the ranch. Anyone taking care of it? Etc....

[@colleensorensen5243]

I’m Michelle’s mom. I was born and raised on a ranch in FL. When I graduated from h.s. I went to BYU in Utah and met Michelle’s dad. Our family lived in FL for 12 years after that. Michelle was actually 6 months old when we moved back to Utah. The rest is history! We still have part of the family ranch and my nephew leases it.

[@zac0912]

@@colleensorensen5243 that's wonderful! Thanks for the reply. I always wonder how people end up so far from home. It's always the most interesting stories. Being from and living in SW Oklahoma all my life, big moves like that always intrigue me.

[@russellp4160]

@@zac0912 "I always wonder how people end up so far from home." I have always blamed it on just what she did. Someone went off to college..... that's how it happens.

[@wendyrice734]

@@colleensorensen5243 how many siblings do matt and Michelle have? Thank you for sharing your story!!

[@brandongreer3876]

How did you not find wasps everywhere? lol In the shed, under the barn, under the hood... y'all have better luck than me!

[@michaelm.1947]

I expected wasps as soon as he opened that shed door. And wouldn't have been surprised had there been a nest under the Dodge's hood or in the junk in the back. But like you said, he's lucky!

[@jenniparker1]

They love making big ole nests in car doors on the hinge side, too. My grandma parked her car along a hedge row and rarely opened the passenger door, me and my mom were gonna wash and wax the car for her one day, so my mom backed it out so I could open the passenger door and get in. As soon as I opened the door, probably 30 of them swarmed out. I screamed and ran, but my mom got stung several times because she couldn't immediately get out of the car. Also, black widows...it's always fun to be under a car trying to work on something and realize you're staring at a red hourglass less than a foot from your face.

[@wendyrice734]

Would have been great to see ya'll in fl!! Thanks for sharing your family vaca!! Awesome how you have fun and teach at the same time. Great dad.

[@johnperreault116]

The tooth floss thingy stuck in the ceiling/door jamb is a nice touch

[@the_real_greywolf]

I like how you just look at it and say "she'll run" without even checking the liquids...LOL

[@randytravis3998]

some engines you can tell .. if they roll over , it's when they add all the computer parts then it's not so easy ,, I play with a lot of small engine stuff aka lawn mowers and other toys ..you do it long enough you just know ..

[@CurtisDrew1]

Good to see I'm not the only one who thinks a vacation is more fun if I'm working on somebodys junk that I don't have to. Looks like a great time with the family. And the boys are learning to keep their toys running. Due to Cancer battles, a house remodel and two shattered legs and both legs broken over the past 7 years my Diesel RV has sat for 10 years with out running. I just got the Bosch P7100 injection pump out yesterday. FERD RV so the engine is under the front floor. Not an easy job. The seals in the pump hardened and allowed the pump to fill up with diesel. So the electric fuel pump, back in the rear tank, is good. I expect to have to reseal the entire bus as well as replace all of the hoses before I can hope to put it on the road. Just swapped in a rebuilt Allison 1000 transmission. Gonna Bump the engine up to 400 HP. The RV is 33 years old, and was, in it's day a first class rig. So sometimes getting old vehicles running again can be a real pain.

[@BradGryphonn]

4:50 We have drive-through liquor barns here in Australia. Well, we have drive through liquor barns as big as that shed, and we have smaller covered drive-throughs that we refer to as 'drive-in bottloes' that are usually attached to a hotel/pub. They have an express lane where the attendant serves you through your window and a 'browser' lane where you can stop, climb out and walk into the liquor shop.

[@kathleenbutler8879]

Great to see ya'all in Florida. Back in the day, my husband built a swamp buggy, full track and air boat. We tooled around in the Everglade swamps a bunch. No rock crawlin here. Ya have to learn to embrace the sweat.

[@redonsundays]

"think the battery's good?" as a florida boy, that made me audibly laugh. that battery has been toast for years

[@michaelm.1947]

How long do your batteries last down there, generally? (Washingtonian asking)

[@d.faulkner8210]

@@michaelm.1947 2 to 3 years , Fla summers are tough on batteries.

[@redonsundays]

@@michaelm.1947 my battery is usually gone in a little over 2 years in my daily. I've had batteries that are almost new hold no charge after a few months of outdoor storage in a project car or in a shed. It can be really frustrating.

[@rickwatson1000]

Famous last words " don't tell mom I let you drive the car or wreck it " LOL

[@KA-qw5cv]

...then Mom edited the video 🥴

[@edwinschlee8374]

Glad you all had a good time on your vacation! That country has to much humidity for me. and spiders and big snakes! Now back home and working on the wrecker!

[@Ellyfromhereandthere]

Looks like the Okeechobee area and I love the swamp buggie. I used to spend time back in River Ranch in the early 80s. Great family fun. 🧘🙏🏻🌎☮️

[@mattwheaton7621]

🤙🏻🇨🇦🤟🏻

[@98xj64]

First drive through store that I've seen that you literally drive through. That's pretty cool 😎

[@reddog543211]

Great vaca guys.....never a dull moment....lol...great cam work all the way through !!.... ending was so funny with the spiders 🕷

[@MrGixxer1300r]

I like the fact you video your vacation or at least the part were your still getting yourself into more mechanical work.

[@terrywells3955]

Well Paul looks like everyone had a blast on the swamp buggy . Ben got stuff done , dirt track racing is always fun to watch . Glad you all had a wonderful time on vacation bummer you couldn't get the Doge to Yun and glad you made it home safely .

[@troybilt6752]

Thank you for your time.

[@garyvolk2467]

I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful wonderful job you guys are doing and let you know what memories you're making for you and your children and your loved ones and your friends that you have around you and what memories that you bring back to people that you don't even know like myself you brought back loving and sweet and even painful memories that I went through myself but yet I look back on them now and they were very difficult times but yet it makes a person so much stronger to having to go through them. So once again I thank you for the joy and the happiness that I can see you and your family go through thank you for the times that I get to watch and the love I get to share with you even though it's just watching may God bless you and keep you safe.

[@kenbowley4443]

You guys are just GREAT. LOVE Ben, what an add to FR!! It’s also a great thing to see the boys involved. The derby video was fantastic with Your sons taking all the trophies with Pops!

[@evilbrat5376]

Looked like ya'll had fun down there. Rust - everywhere down there. That dirt track looked like a bunch of fun, happy ya'll had a good time. Spent bout 2 months in Fla. back in 73. Every day faithfully around 3:00 in afternoon it would rain for bout 20 - 30 min. Then the sun would peek out. Set our watches by the rain storms.

[@alexpearson8538]

Jace is certainly wearing the right shirt for Florida!

[@johnkirby6547]

Glad you guy's had a good time down here in Florida. Yep, it's hot and humid here with lot's of rain.. Swamp buggy and airboat's are what we do!

[@HogshooterHotrods]

Fun looking trip, the Fab Rat way! that swamp buggy looked super fun to go ripping around with the whole family!

[@chrisperkins4279]

Long time viewer! Have to admit that getting an old beater working sounds like a pretty fun project even if on vacation... Surprised you didn't just hook up an extra fuel pump in the engine bay and bypass the fuel tank... I wanted to let your sponsors know that I installed my first set of BF Goodrich's on the T4R today largely because of Fab Rat's endorsement. Very happy with them.

[@mikerequa820]

Another great video ya'll!! That sucks ya'll didn't get to rip around in the Dakota. But the swamp buggy looked like a lot of fun and the roundy round races was cool looks like ya'll had a blast. Good ya'll got to have a vacation. Thanks for sharing be safe have fun enjoy ya'lls time together

[@mazevx2451]

I love how you just keep on tinkering on stuff on vacation

[@kenwomble2436]

Fun, fun, fun! I recognize that area we have driven through there many times on our trips to the coast from Gainesville :)

[@rickchapman3051]

Brilliant! Filming on vacation makes it business travel.

[@66faroutman]

Glad you got a chance to enjoy some of our wonderful humidity . It's beautiful but it's hot .

[@julieshafto5484]

You weren't kidding about the "drive through" convenience store. Pretty cool!

[@moparbill311]

Well, the Dakota did run...sorta. Just needs a pump. The swamp buggy is something I would love to build. They sure look like fun! I'm amazed you didn't get swarmed with bees! Glad the races didn't get rained out! What a rain!! Looked like a great time for the whole family. Happy it was a great trip!