Thanks! They're brilliant helpers... they only cost me 45 minutes an hour while they help lol. Still, I think it is important to include them in what's going on even if it means I actually get nothing done while they help
looking at the moonraker pic reminded me of a mate of both Dicky and I, who had the same interior (or near as damn it) with a super viking roof... he was a joiner by trade, and set about the interior with a vengance....I'll give him his due: he ragged his bus all over the place, and had some fantastic family holidays in it, in the UK and abroad, but I don't think there was a single stick of furniture he hadn't altered by the time he got rid... Strangely enough, a pic of his bus was featured in an article in the Telegraph, just recently, about 'iconic campers'... working inside the engine bay felt a bit like this:
With an electrician like my Dad on board my wiring will be nothing like that lol. We've actually sorted out network cabs like that before!
Decent weather today so got the van out the garage for the first time this year. Fired straight up after months of sitting under cover. Got the interior side panels cut and fitted before trimming and stripped the roof beds for re-trim along with prepping the front doors for sound proofing. I'm on the hunt for new door and window handles now.
Wahoo! I'm finally ready to take every thing to the upholsterer tomorrow! Two weeks from now it should start to look like a van!
I need to source some window seals with a deep groove. I have bought some from JK however the groove that the window/van sits in is only 5mm deep. I want one which is about 12mm deep to match the originals. It is the type with a chrome insert for the side windows of a converted panel van. Anyone know where I can get such a thing?
Finally found some matching window rubber after MUCH searching! http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/ came up with the goods in the end. Well quite a bit done this weekend, some more tidying up of paintwork inside the van, treated and painted the inside of the cab doors. The pics below show the van before I gave the panels to the upholsterers for them to do their magic.
Had a bit of a concern I hadn't left any sensible space in my van for gas (stupid thing to overlook) however I am going to use the campingaz 907 bottles with a retainer similar to the one @vanorak has used. Tonight's job was laying the floor tiles from madmatz. Didn't think I would actually get it done but... Very pleased with the look to be honest!
Coming on nicely @gbcamper I'll post a pic of the compartment, as I made a retainer to make sure the bottle clears everything and stays puts...remember that with a Rusty Lee bed, the leg needs to be chopped and pivoted, to get the bigger bottle +regulator in....without the leg chop the smaller one +regulator fits, but it's wasting valuable space....
Cheers. I don't have a rusty lee - think it is a Devon R&R frame with the folding legs so OK there. I am going for the big bottle!
just gone back over the thread and you have a Devon bed....without measuring I couldn't vouch for the clearance.....but there's more than one way to skin a cat....if you need an extra inch (and let's face it, who doesn't) you could 'relieve' the floor, or 'relieve' the underside of the seat board....it all adds up....do you know the height from floor to the underside of the seat board? I'll go and measure mine now....
Fair point! The inches always count I will get a bottle and figure out what needs to happen. My under bed space is rapidly diminishing... propex heater, zig charger, subwoofer and now gas bottles. None are hardly essential but after all, what is a space for if not to fill!
sorry GB...can't take a pic as my battery's dead on the mobi....However, the larger Camping Gaz bottle with reg measure 284mm height
the bottle is 205mm diameter.... subs take up a lot of room.....annoying really because it's mostly air One of the reasons I went to the trouble of fitting the propex under the floor was to free up storage space....i couldn't be doing with loads of cupboards and things, even though I like them when I see them in other people's buses.....they always seem a bit cramped... I've got a fold down buddy seat to go in behind the passenger bulkhead, and tbh, i'm so used to seeing the van without, I'm wondering whether to bother....it's a nice touch, but when push comes to shove, I could always use a camping stool, or make a box with an upholstered top...that could be slung outside when camping It's that 'try to make everything have two functions' mentality. in keeping with this spirit, I'm going to try to persuade @Dicky to use his porta potti as a sink
I have the room then! Great, thanks for measuring! The sub box I am leaving until last - I will make an odd shaped one to fill the gaps
If you put the sub on speakon connection, you could always build a bog standard sealed enclosure that fits it the walkthrough.....chuck it in when you're moving, stash it in the house when you're not using the van.....gives you the flexibility to face the sub upwards, backwards or towards the floor (on short stops)..... this was my plan anyway...who knows, I may even upholster the top and use it for 'that' buddy seat.....
