# Van projects



## JhnBssll (15 May 2021)

Wondered if anyone had converted their vans for specific roles... After all my troubles with my Passat I'm finally rid of it and have a fairly long wait until I get my next company car delivered, so have picked up a 2006 Ford Transit Connect as an interim, maybe longer term hack 😊 She's done a relatively low mileage for her age at 125k, has a full service history including belts and has just had the clutch and sills replaced so should be good for another 125k now 







I intend to use it mainly to cart my bikes around with, it won't have a hard life, and am currently considering how to safely load and store the bikes in the back. I've seen solutions using the fork legs to clamp the bike to the floor with the front wheel out so thats an option, wondered if anyone else had seen anything different? It will need to carry both road and mountain bikes, theres plenty of space in the back but I'd like to use it as neatly as possible because I'm OCD about these things 






I'll get rid of the roof rack, it's all bent up and I'm not sure I'll ever really use it. I may look for some sort of awning for the sliding door side and I'm tempted to pop some nicer wheels on it but theres lots of bits to tidy up before i start spending too much money. I will be looking to replace the stereo with something that will do hands free bluetooth connectivity and is compatible with a rear view camera as one of the first jobs, before I reverse in to anything  I've gone from a car with a camera, sensors and a rear windscreen to a big van with just two wing mirrors - I'm sure I'll get used to it quite quickly but it'll be nice to see where I'm going none the less


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## Gunk (15 May 2021)

You are truly crazy John! What on earth are you thinking


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## battered (15 May 2021)

A toast rack and some bungees will do it. So will a hanging arrangement. This may not be neat enough for you. Part of your design needs to consider how to stop them flapping about and rubbing on the sides. Bungees and carpet will do this, but again, how aesthetically pleasing does it need to be?


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## HMS_Dave (15 May 2021)

An old school friend brought a van for his first car. He put a water bed in it and turned it in to a "sh@g" mobile... I saw him years later and he's still single.


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## Darius_Jedburgh (15 May 2021)

HMS_Dave said:


> An old school friend brought a van for his first car. He put a water bed in it and turned it in to a "sh@g" mobile... I saw him years later and he's still single.


My first car was a minivan that the previous owner had converted into a passion wagon. He sold it when he got a woman pregnant. 
I never found any girls willing to go in the back....despite the sheepskin rug😢


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## Gunk (15 May 2021)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> My first car was a minivan that the previous owner had converted into a passion wagon. He sold it when he got a woman pregnant.
> I never found any girls willing to go in the back....despite the sheepskin rug😢


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## JhnBssll (15 May 2021)

Gunk said:


> You are truly crazy John! What on earth are you thinking



The logic is pretty sound (in my head at least!)... I'm basically getting a free car when the company car arrives, but it will be electric and won't be a big estate like the Passat. I found the space in the Passat super useful, but being careful about keeping it clean when using the space for things like tip runs was a pain. Now I have a cheap van - even more space and I don't have to be careful  We drove down to the sea front and ate our fish and chips in it earlier, it was great fun. My wife is already planning trips and earlier mentioned we could "fit a microwave" somewhere in it  She's almost as bad as me 

So far I've ordered: a Mk6 Fiesta steering wheel, a Pioneer head unit, some pioneer door speakers, a rear view camera, a dash cam hardwire kit and some bungs to fill the holes in the roof when the rack comes off 😄 I'm now looking for some nice floor matts then I'll be done for now


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## fossyant (15 May 2021)

Good choice. I'd be going for the fork mounts to hold the bike securely. Maybe some racking for bike kit/camping gear


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## fossyant (15 May 2021)

Oh and paint the ply a grey colour !  LED lighting... could go on... camping stove for brews by the sea.


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## battered (16 May 2021)

It's a bit small for stealth camping. The Tranny Custom is the size up and big enough for a bed. Good fun as a "day van" though. I once had a Renault Kangoo as a hire car on a climbing holiday, it was fantastic. The liftup rear hatch meant you ad somewhere to sit when it rained, and get out of wet gear. It was also big enough to toss rucksacks in without worrying about paintwork, it had 2 sunroofs (!) and the sliding side doors could be opened on hot days. If it were just a *little* bit longer you could make that work a treat. Ford do a Tourneo, a minibus (they call it a SUV but we know what that means) the size of a Tranny Custom, I reckon that might be ideal as a stealth camper and sufficiently pretty to use for work and domestic duties too.


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## Salad Dodger (16 May 2021)

Leave the roof bars on. Buy a small tarp and tie/karabiner it to the roof bars (when you are parked, obviously!) and get a couple of tent poles to prop the other end of the tarp. A couple of guy lines to hold it up. Sorted.


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## Salad Dodger (16 May 2021)

There is a YouTube channel called Athena Mellor. She and her partner have one of those vans and have fitted it out as a campervan. They did a trip to Skye(?) in it, where you can see how it was fitted out.


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## JhnBssll (18 May 2021)

I managed to source some bits from scrappies to convert the windows and mirrors to electric. Most of the bits arrived today so I've spent the afternoon playing with the van  I stripped the drivers door down and gave it a bit of a clean inside as it was fairly grim in places  I also cleaned the parts from the scrap yard as they were also a bit grim 😄 Here are the old and new winder assemblies, new electric on the left and old manual on the right...






And here are the old and new drivers door looms laid out next to each other...





Here's the door partially reassembled after I'd fitted the new electric winder and refitted the glass...






Then in went the loom before reassembling the trim... I haven't swapped the mirror on this side as the replacement hasn't arrived but the door trim will be coming off again shortly to replace the speaker so I'll combine those jobs.






Same again on the other side, but this time I had the replacement mirror so fitted that too. With two new fuses in the designated fusebox positions all is working as it should 






The replacement steering wheel should arrive tomorrow so I can get rid of this grotty old one and fit some carpet mats. I've sourced a new centre dash console with a double DIN opening to replace the stereo with something that will do hands free voice calls and a rear view camera  Good van progress so far  Back to building for a while now


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## BoldonLad (18 May 2021)

It may be worth looking at products (cycle carriers) intended for use with Motorhomes. Fiamma and (I. think) Thule, do a variety of products to carry bicycles externally and internally (in Motorhome "garage"). The products include slide out units to allow easy loading/unloading.


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## JhnBssll (19 May 2021)

BoldonLad said:


> It may be worth looking at products (cycle carriers) intended for use with Motorhomes. Fiamma and (I. think) Thule, do a variety of products to carry bicycles externally and internally (in Motorhome "garage"). The products include slide out units to allow easy loading/unloading.



Good plan, I'll definitely investigate the slide out units as that sounds like a fun install 

I had a few more deliveries today - The drivers side electric mirror arrived, along with the steering wheel and the first of the stereo bits 

Heres the replacement steering wheel, not bad for £40! It looks barely used and is leather unlike the original 






Here is the head unit and speakers...






I've already fitted the mirror and the drivers side speaker - I'll try and do the passenger side speaker and steering wheel tomorrow  I need to wait for a few more bits to arrive before I can start hacking the dash about to fit the new stereo but that may be a job for the weekend


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## JhnBssll (22 May 2021)

I've been tinkering with the van when I've had some spare time and the passenger side speaker is now in. The later model centre console also arrived so I've hacked that about to fit, as well as fitting the reverse camera, DAB antenna and hands free microphone.

















I'm now waiting on replacement heater controls, a stereo wiring loom adapter and a few other odds and sods before I can get it all up and running but the physical installation is basically done  The steering wheel is next on my list!


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## Fab Foodie (22 May 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> I've been tinkering with the van when I've had some spare time and the passenger side speaker is now in. The later model centre console also arrived so I've hacked that about to fit, as well as fitting the reverse camera, DAB antenna and hands free microphone.
> 
> View attachment 590014
> 
> ...


Blimey, it’ll be like triggers-broom when you’re done....


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## Fab Foodie (22 May 2021)

Project start....





Project finish....





🤣


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## JhnBssll (22 May 2021)

I best buy some sheet steel then 

I've got the key components of my new bike racks on order - 4 heavy duty telescopic sliding rails and a couple of fork mounts  I haven't worked out the finer details yet but it should all start to come together once the parts are in front of me 😊 I need to get the van to a state where it can be used for its intended purpose asap so I can concentrate on my other projects again  There'll be plenty of time for camper conversions, awnings etc later


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## JhnBssll (23 May 2021)

The telescopic bearing rails arrived today and look great, as did the fork mounts. I've laid them in the back of the van and am currently think about mounting options for them. Tempted to use something like recessed L-Track so I can take them out when I want to use the van for anything else - I could also use it to mount other things for example furniture if turned in to a mini-camper van 

Here they are laid in the back - note I will not be laying them flat like this when assembled I just couldnt balance them on their edge for the photo 






And here it is partially extended - full extension on these is 1.32m so this is about halfway 






Current thinking is to rip the ply out and line it again with some sound mat and insulation. A new ply floor will sit on that with inset L-Track mounting points fixed with rivnuts through the van floor. Best work out where the wiring and fuel tank is before I whip the drill out 😄


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## JhnBssll (28 May 2021)

A bit more progress and another buy  I've got the stereo in and working, last job is to wire up the power to the reverse camera which I hope to get done over the weekend but its otherwise all up and running  I also got the replacement steering wheel fitted today which is a big improvement over the scabby old one. I managed to re-use the original airbag too so no problems with compatibility  Dash wise I'm just waiting for a replacement 12V socket as I broke the original trying to remove it, once that's arrived I can wind all the screws in and I shouldn't need to touch it again anytime soon. It does need a bit of a clean though 






The buy was a bit of a spur of the moment thing... I spotted some Ford alloys by chance on facebook with 4 almost brand new Goodyear tyres going for less than the price of the tyres alone, so figured I had nothing to lose even if the alloys were scrap... On collection I had a pleasant surprise, they're all in pretty good nick and are the perfect fitment  I figured they'd look nice in gloss black so I've dropped them off to be refurbished this afternoon and will collect and fit them next Friday 😊






I've got some 3mm self adhesive insulation for the van floor and some extruded aluminium cargo rails so will whip the ply out of the back at some point and look at re-lining it so I can start work on the slide out bike racks


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## avsd (28 May 2021)

2 pages and no mention of the colour scheme and hints of orange - your standards a slipping 

Great thread - add it to my watch list.


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## oldwheels (28 May 2021)

You need insulation even tho' the van is plywood lined as condensation can be a problem on any exposed metal surface inside.
I had a Commer pop top camper which failed the mot in a big way so I bought a low mileage T2VW van and using the some of interior bits from the Commer converted it to a camper. Since we were just going off on holiday I had no time to fit windows but realised pretty soon that we did not need any back windows or indeed a rising roof. The rear window was also filled in with a business sign and I became used to driving with only two smallish side mirrors. To this day I hardly ever look at an interior mirror when driving but rely on wing mirrors most of the time.


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## JhnBssll (4 Jun 2021)

I collected the refurbished wheels this afternoon 






I'm very pleased with them, couldn't wait to get them fitted and see what it looked like so went out in the rain and got to work 






It's amazing the difference a set of wheels makes!


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## Gunk (4 Jun 2021)

Sorry John, I’m not keen on the black, I think I preferred the silver


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## JhnBssll (4 Jun 2021)

Gunk said:


> Sorry John, I’m not keen on the black, I think I preferred the silver



No need to apologise, we often take different views on matters of taste  My next external project will be stripping down the spare headlights I got from a scrapyard and painting the internal chrome parts black - obviously not the reflectors  And of course finally taking the rack off the roof  I still haven't wired in the reverse camera though which is priority one for now


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## bikingdad90 (4 Jun 2021)

Go faster stripes through the middle and sides and it would look the dogs 🐕 ⚽️


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## Drago (5 Jun 2021)

There are examples out there with Fucus RS engines.

Get some Concept Vista trim restorer on those bumpers.


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## Gunk (5 Jun 2021)

Armor All used to be my go to black to black product


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## JhnBssll (5 Jun 2021)

I've spent a good few hours in the van today and have been ticking things off the to-do list 

I started by ripping out the ply floor, it had seen better days and needed to come out anyway. It wasn't exactly clean underneath 






I decided the only thing for it was to rip the remaining ply out and give it wash - I've never washed the inside of a vehicle with soapy water before, I think my neighbours thought I'd lost the plot 






It took a while and several fresh buckets of clean water to get it respectable inside, but I got there in the end...






Next job was the bit I had been worrying about - drilling new holes to fix the cargo rails which will hold the bike racks amongst other things. The fuel tank, fuel lines and brake lines are all underneath so I spent as much time under the van as in it checking I wasn't about to make any expensive errors...  I laid the rails out in position then drilled pilot holes through the rail and floor before opening them out to the desired size. I then fitted M6 rivnuts in the floor to bolt it all down 






Here are the rails all loosely fitted, I'll need to take them out again to insulate it then lay the new ply and flooring before bolting the rails through to sandwich it all together 






With the ply out of the way I was also able to trace the wiring loom and hook in to the reverse light to get the rear view camera working 






Now I just need to spend a few minutes in a car park fiddling with the onscreen guide lines to get it calibrated properly, I've turned them off for now as they're miles out


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## steven1988 (6 Jun 2021)

I've only just come across this but when i put my rack in my vivaro. I went down the toast holder rack route, bolted to a bit of ply which in turn is bolted to the wheel arches so it can't go anywhere. 

The problem I had was trying to get MTB and CX wheels to fit without wobbling about so i jigsawed the exact shape out of ply again and used tiewraps against the rack, effectively making the slot smaller, and because they are tie wraps they can be removed to fit the MTBs in.


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## Drago (6 Jun 2021)

You'll havento change your username to John Van Bssl.


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## JhnBssll (11 Jun 2021)

A few updates from this afternoon. I've used some white hammerite to go over a few areas of the floor pan which had been previously screwed through, scratched or otherwise, plus the rivnuts I installed the other day. Once this had dried I applied a layer of the foam insulation - tomorrow I will cut new ply sections to put the floor back in 






Whilst the paint was drying I spent some time removing the old rack from the roof. There are a few dents and some rust to sort before I fit today's new arrivals, a nice big roll out awning and this little chap...






It's a 160W panel; I have a dual solar charge controller so I'll be able to keep the 130Ah leisure battery topped up and also trickle charge the starter motor so its always ready to use 😊 Quite a lot of work to do to install it all mind  Once fitted it should power lights, stereo and a small fridge for a week or so off-grid all being well. It's slightly over specced so I can still rely on it during the winter months.

More van updates tomorrow hopefully 😊


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## Drago (12 Jun 2021)

Im loving it!

Will you be using it as an overnight abode as well as a bike carrier?


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## JhnBssll (12 Jun 2021)

Drago said:


> Im loving it!
> 
> Will you be using it as an overnight abode as well as a bike carrier?



Yeah thats the plan, bit of a multi-purpose van 😊 I've just sanded down the rust spots on the roof and given them a coat of white hammerite, now trying to work out how to best fit the awning


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## Drago (12 Jun 2021)

I so love it when people bring old vehicles back from the brink. Its far better for the environment than making a new car, no matter how clean it may be. It saves money, gets the vehicle exactly how you want it, and gives you a connection with and understanding of the vehicle that allows you to tune in to how its running and head off minor problems before they even appear.

Chuck in to the mix that its going to be your best friend while youre having adventures and youre defnitely onto a winner.


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## fossyant (12 Jun 2021)

Looks fab so far.😊


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## JhnBssll (12 Jun 2021)

Thanks guys, I'm pleased with progress so far 😊 I've got the awning up and the new ply floor in today 

The awning was first - I ordered one slightly longer than recommended to maximise coverage. This meant I had to come up with a way of supporting the overhang at either end as well as how to attach it to the roof as it came with no brackets, and the bracket kits were quite expensive  I decided to repurpose the old roof rack so took it to bits and gave the bits I wanted to keep a coat of black hammerite to freshen them up...











Once dry I bolted them together and fitted them to the roof, complete with new bolts to hold the awning. I decided 5 bolts would be sensible, rather than the 2 suggested in the fitting instructions 






I then slid the awning over the bolt heads, tightened it up and took off the plastic protective covering... Jobs a goodun 






Next job was to cut the new ply sheets to size. I used the old ply as a guide and made a few tweaks to improve the fit...






I also moved the join in to the centre so it was supported better and bolted down equally.






With the first half cut I could mark up the holes and measure up the second piece. Once that was cut and drilled I bolted it all together 😊











I've got some rubber flooring to go down over the ply but will wait until I've done some more of the messy jobs before I fit it - main task was to get the insulation protected which is now ticked off 😊


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## bikingdad90 (12 Jun 2021)

@JhnBssll you must have a very patient wife; a house extension, a garage renovation and van modification on the go as well as your bike builds going on! You are one busy man!


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## Gunk (12 Jun 2021)

bikingdad90 said:


> @JhnBssll you must have a very patient wife; a house extension, a garage renovation and van modification on the go as well as your bike builds going on! You are one busy man!



He single now


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## JhnBssll (13 Jun 2021)

Fortunately my wife keeps pretty busy too so it works quite well 

I've got the panel on the roof and the main cable run done today  I've found a little hole to fit the charge controller, waiting on the battery now before I can do much more


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## Gunk (13 Jun 2021)

That’s clever


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## JhnBssll (13 Jun 2021)

I just popped the awning up for the first time, works very well and love how the legs and support arms are telescopically hidden inside the awning then pivot into position when extended  Nifty! Very easy to put up and down on my own too in just a few minutes


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## fossyant (13 Jun 2021)

Can I have your van. Really love this project. For me, it's keep the old saloon car that's used for bike transport, and buy a two seater, replace with another car, or go small van. 

Back to black/bumper conditioner will work wonders on the plastics.


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## avsd (13 Jun 2021)

So much want here. 
I want that van too. John - can you keep a parts list for the project please and post at the end. I might try an do something similar over the winter months. Thanks.


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## fossyant (13 Jun 2021)

I quite like the older Ford Connect, nice and square.


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## BoldonLad (14 Jun 2021)

A word (or two) of caution regards awning. You may already know this, if so, apologies, but:

1. if you are going to leave it "up" ie extended for Amy length of time, always have one "leg: slightly lower than the other, so, in the event of sudden rain, it will not pool on the awning, and, the weight of water may collapse it, or damage it.

2. consider some "Storm straps" to tie it down, particularly if you intend to leave it "up" unattended. A sudden increase in wind speed can easily wreck awning.

Based on experience not mine fortunately, but, our friends and sometime travelling companions who have had two awnings wrecked, in this way.

Fiamma do a set for about £12-£15 (EBay), no doubt there are other brands.

Great job by the way, I am following with interest


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## JhnBssll (27 Jun 2021)

I've bought some storm straps, thanks for the heads up  Certainly makes sense - I'll roll it in if the wind gets up but theres always the odd freak gust to catch you out 

I drilled a few holes through the solar panel mounts today and wound some screws through in to them from inside then filed the points down and blobbed a bit of sealant on the ends, this should keep the panel in place even if the adhesive fails or the paint delaminates... It seems incredibly rare, but for the sake of a few stainless screws seems like a sensible precaution. It's not neat, but it's a functional old van and wasn't neat when I bought it 












I then mounted the leisure battery in the back by cutting a couple of slots and doing a bit of bending of the inner panels until the battery slotted in to the gap - I'd bought the battery on the basis that it was a perfect fit for where I wanted to install it but was still glad when it went in snugly  I then laid out a few of the other bits that will need to go in before I started on the wiring...






So the blue and white box is the solar controller that will charge the leisure battery and trickle charge the starter battery. The white box next to it is a 240V mains consumer unit with RCD and 16A dual pole MCB. The black thing on the right of the consumer unit is the back of the 240V mains hookup socket that needs cutting in to the side of the van and sealing up. Then the red box under those three is a 240V battery charger, so I can plug the van in and top it up easily if I ever need to 😊

After I took the photo I started a bit of wiring - I've now run a fused +ve cable from the solar charger to the leisure battery and a second fused +ve from the solar charger, through the cab and in to the engine bay and connected up to the starter battery. I now need to find a suitable earthing point for the solar charger and leisure battery before I can pop the fuses in and connect the solar panel up, then that should all be up and running. I haven't quite worked out how Im going to physically mount the units yet but it'll come to me I'm sure at some point  Once thats working I'll look at installing the 240V bits and pieces 😊


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## jowwy (27 Jun 2021)

Cracking rebuild this fairplay


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## Gunk (28 Jun 2021)

jowwy said:


> Cracking rebuild this fairplay



our John doesn’t do anything by halves!


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## jowwy (28 Jun 2021)

Gunk said:


> our John doesn’t do anything by halves!


he doesnt indeed and does a top job too


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## Drago (28 Jun 2021)

Gunk said:


> our John doesn’t do anything by halves!


He does do a jolly good DIY thread.


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## JhnBssll (28 Jun 2021)

I'm just tight, don't like paying for labour


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## Drago (28 Jun 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> I'm just tight, don't like paying for labour


We are kindred spirits.


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## jowwy (28 Jun 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> I'm just tight, don't like paying for labour


With your skills, you dont need to pay……awesome.


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## JhnBssll (29 Jun 2021)

I had a play with the bits I'd bought for the bike racks this evening, only for half an hour or so but nice to progress them. I've roughly bolted the slide rails and extrusion together to make the basis of the rack, then balanced the fork mount on the end and popped it in the van to mark up where the floor brackets need to go...






I couldn't fully extend it as the weight means it topples over, but here it is partially extended  It'll come out another foot or so when bolted down and the rails are load rated to 150kg so I should be able to sit on the bike whilst it's attached and rolled all the way out 






I then remembered I'd bought some spare wheel clamps for the Thule proride roof racks I'd got so dug them out... This is all coming together rather nicely 






When I get another chance I'll bolt it together properly and fashion some brackets to hold it down  I might have to weld them but I'm trying to avoid it at the moment 

I spotted a cheap DC-DC battery charger on eBay so snapped it up and will add that to the van's electrical setup so the leisure battery will charge from the alternator, solar or mains  I've bought some 12V dimmable LED lights and a dimmer switch. Still need cables and sockets for both 12V and 240V systems, will keep my eyes peeled for those. Mrs Bssll has requested a small TV in the back so I'm on the lookout for a small 12v jobby to hook in and will have to work out what is needed in the way of aerials... It's all fun and games


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## BoldonLad (30 Jun 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> I had a play with the bits I'd bought for the bike racks this evening, only for half an hour or so but nice to progress them. I've roughly bolted the slide rails and extrusion together to make the basis of the rack, then balanced the fork mount on the end and popped it in the van to mark up where the floor brackets need to go...
> 
> View attachment 596506
> 
> ...


A thought for you on the TV ariel front. Have you considered getting TV via internet? A TV with Roku/Fire stick type device and a wifi signal (tether from mobile, or, get a MiFi box) will get you live TV plus Netflix etc. 

The “Rolls Royce” of small TVs is Avtex, but, we find the cheaper Cello Traveller perfectly adequate. Both are 12v.


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## dretbon (1 Jul 2021)

Looks like you're on the right track. Can't wait to see more updates about your project.


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## Drago (3 Jul 2021)

Why are no not receiving detailed daily updates of this most excellent project?


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## fossyant (3 Jul 2021)

Drago said:


> Why are no not receiving detailed daily updates of this most excellent project?



He's doing the house as well. Glutton for punishment.


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## Drago (3 Jul 2021)

I think we kjow that any rational, sane man would give the van priority.


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## JhnBssll (3 Jul 2021)

Then you're in luck - I had a play in the van today 

I had to find a suitable earthing point for the leisure battery which meant taking the floor out - I remembered seeing some M10 threaded holes, presumably for a third pair of cargo hooks so went searching for them. With the ply out it was difficult to feel features under the insulation so I looked back at a few photos to locate the hole. Once if found it I cut the insulation out and ran an M10 tap through it to remove the paint and leave nice shiny metal, then bolted my new earth strap in 







Before the ply went back in I figured I may as well fit the rubber floor which has been outside for several weeks off-gassing as it was extremely smelly when it arrived  I glued the mat and the ply then stuck it all together on the drive...






Once nicely stuck I trimmed the edges with a knife and lifted it back in...






Next the cargo rails went back in, after I'd found and cut out the 20 bolt holes  I also popped the leisure battery back in at this point to check it still fit with the extra thickness of rubber under it...






Happy with my flooring efforts went back to the electrics. I'd run a cable to the starter battery recently but wasn't 100% happy with it, so ordered some more higher spec cable in the week which arrived yesterday. Its 10AWG, or 6mm2, compared to the 12AWG I'd put in before. It's also got a higher temperature rating on the insulation - it runs pretty close to the intercooler so wanted to make sure it was up to the job. Probably over specced now but I'd rather it was that way round  Anyway, I ran the wire to the starter battery and realised I'd run out of crimp terminals so couldn't connect it  D'oh... I've ordered more and left it coiled, ready to connect to the battery via an inline fuse. 






While the trim was out in the footwell I also ran a couple of wires in to the glove box from the leisure battery area - one will provide 12v constant voltage to the stereo, the other will be a switched 12v which I'll connect with diodes to the stereo's ignition live so I can turn it on and off from the back 😊 It will still turn on with the ignition, but will always draw power from the leisure battery to simplify the wiring.






Next I fitted some ply and mounted two of the three chargers to it in the back, along with a couple of distribution blocks.






I'll be waiting by the window for the Amazon driver tomorrow  I'm dangerously close to having the 12v side of things up and running now


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## neil_merseyside (3 Jul 2021)

I know it's a none spill battery but are they really OK on their side?


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## JhnBssll (3 Jul 2021)

Yeah it's a sealed AGM construction, mountable in any orientation


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## Gunk (3 Jul 2021)

I’d be careful running that battery cable through that sharp hole in the crossmember, that could be nasty if the insulation rubs away.


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## JhnBssll (4 Jul 2021)

Gunk said:


> I’d be careful running that battery cable through that sharp hole in the crossmember, that could be nasty if the insulation rubs away.



Yeah good spot, I poked it through there to stop it flapping about incase I had to drive anywhere - I've re-routed it and connected it up now  I've also connected up all the other bits and pieces to get the solar side of things working, including the panel itself - it's all up and running now!






I've got another wire to run to get an ignition live to the DC-DC charger which I forgot about yesterday  Once thats done, the whole 12v charging system will be finished so I can start on the load side of things  Once I've got a bit more done I'll tidy the cables up a bit, just wanted to see it working before I put too much effort in to neatness 

The top junction box on the left will distribute the 12V live - One feed is already connected (but no fuse currently) - this is the one I routed yesterday and will connect to the stereo in the front. There'll be a second feed for the lights, I've got 4 dimmable LED ceiling lights to put in and a dimmer switch next. feed 3 will likely be used for some 12V sockets for fridge, TV and charging ports while I'm thinking the 4th one might go to a waterproof socket near the cargo door, so I can hook up outdoor lights etc under the awning 😊 Pretty posh right?


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## DRM (4 Jul 2021)

neil_merseyside said:


> I know it's a none spill battery but are they really OK on their side?


Yes they are, the battery is filled with a sulphuric acid gel and cannot leak unless you smash the casing, also OP check the charge requirements, there's something in the back of my head about the charge characteristics of these type of batteries


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## DRM (4 Jul 2021)

DRM said:


> Yes they are, the battery is filled with a sulphuric acid gel and cannot leak unless you smash the casing, also OP check the charge requirements, there's something in the back of my head about the charge characteristics of these type of batteries


Can I Use My Battery Charger on AGM Batteries? (mkbattery.com) 

Found this, couldn't quite remember the exact details other than keeping the charge voltage down so as not to wreck the cells, in an AGM battery, should be some settings in your charger to let it know it's charging an AGM battery


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## JhnBssll (4 Jul 2021)

Yup, an easy one to miss - I've checked the settings and they're all set up for the correct battery types  

I couldn't resist doing a bit more this evening... Dimmer switch wired and velcro'd to the panel, wiring taped up for now to prevent it dangling around in the likely event I have to use the van before I've done any more work...






LED lights velcro'd to the ceiling and again wires taped up...






I've given the remote solar controller the same treatment as you can see above, and here's a better view with the lights on...






With that working and some of the wiring tidied a little I called it a day and cleared the van out, gave it a quick sweep, then locked myself inside to try the lights out  It's getting rather nice for a naff old van


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## Drago (4 Jul 2021)

Loving it!


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## JhnBssll (5 Jul 2021)

Minor update this evening after the diodes arrived this afternoon... I whipped the aftermarket stereo adapter loom out and hacked it about a bit, I figured that was a better option than hacking the original loom so it can be returned to standard if needed.






So I've cut the yellow wire, which is the permanent 12V from the starter battery. This is now connected to a new wire from the leisure battery, so the stereo is powered from there now. The red wire has also been cut so I could splice in a new switched 12v feed from the back of the van, turning the stereo on and off via a switch. I didn't want to lose the ignition on/off hence the requirement for the diodes - without them, electricity would flow from the leisure battery back in to the van loom as well as to the stereo, likely lighting up instruments and turning other things on and generally being a nuisance. With a pair of diodes fitted, essentially one way valves for electricity, the two triggers can operate completely independently of each other. Here it is back up and running...






Of course until the switches arrive tomorrow and I've run another cable it operates exactly the same as it did before 

The other change I've made was connecting the ignition live trigger wire from the DC-DC charger in the back to the fuse box. Once I'd tested it turned on and off as required I popped a 30A fuse in between the charger and the battery and started the engine. All seems to work as it should, I'll monitor it over the next few days and weeks before I enclose it all to check for any strange behaviour (other than my own) 😊


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## Drago (5 Jul 2021)

Love it!

So is the rear going to be purely bike storage, or will there be a mini sleeping berth as well?


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## ClichéGuevara (5 Jul 2021)

Is the bathroom going upstairs?


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## JhnBssll (5 Jul 2021)

Drago said:


> Love it!
> 
> So is the rear going to be purely bike storage, or will there be a mini sleeping berth as well?



The plan is to engineer some sort of folding bed/sofa type arrangement, so it can be completely stowed flat against the wall with the mattress removed when I need to use the van for general vanning, then fold down as a sofa when I want to carry a bike around and have somewhere to sit, then fold down further in to a double bed so we can use it for the odd camping trip etc. I have started designing it in my head, but will start sketching in CAD at some point soon to work out the critical geometry and decide whether its going to be sensible to attempt it  Most self build campers make them out of wood but I'd be tempted to weld it up from steel tube for the challenge.

I've got a small 12V Cello TV on the way as suggested by @BoldonLad, the aerial for which arrived today. I've also got a camper specific mount coming that has a locking bracket so it can be stowed flat against the wall without swinging around as I pinball my way down the lanes 😄

All very exciting...


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## ClichéGuevara (5 Jul 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> The plan is to engineer some sort of folding bed/sofa type arrangement, so it can be completely stowed flat against the wall with the mattress removed when I need to use the van for general vanning, then fold down as a sofa when I want to carry a bike around and have somewhere to sit, then fold down further in to a double bed so we can use it for the odd camping trip etc. I have started designing it in my head, but will start sketching in CAD at some point soon to work out the critical geometry and decide whether its going to be sensible to attempt it  Most self build campers make them out of wood but I'd be tempted to weld it up from steel tube for the challenge.
> 
> I've got a small 12V Cello TV on the way as suggested by @BoldonLad, the aerial for which arrived today. I've also got a camper specific mount coming that has a locking bracket so it can be stowed flat against the wall without swinging around as I pinball my way down the lanes 😄
> 
> All very exciting...



This will look totally the opposite to what I mean, but I had half an idea about boarding a van out to use for stealth camping on occasions, and having somewhere to sling the bikes, but the detail you're going to has started to put me off, as what I would do would feel very shabby in comparison.

I do hope you take that as the positive compliment it's meant.

EDIT: And thanks for sharing, it's really interesting to follow your progress.


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## JhnBssll (5 Jul 2021)

ClichéGuevara said:


> This will look totally the opposite to what I mean, but I had half an idea about boarding a van out to use for stealth camping on occasions, and having somewhere to sling the bikes, but the detail you're going to has started to put me off, as what I would do would feel very shabby in comparison.
> 
> I do hope you take that as the positive compliment it's meant.
> 
> EDIT: And thanks for sharing, it's really interesting to follow your progress.



Honestly I'd be doing the same but for two details. Firstly my wife caught wind of what I was up to and decided she might like to use it for an upcoming festival she's attending with a friend, which raised the finish level required for the interior  Secondly, I'm well known for over engineering things out of sheer boredom. You should absolutely go ahead with your plans, you'll have a great time making and using it  Some of the best micro campers I've seen have been made out of old pallets!


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## JhnBssll (11 Jul 2021)

Yesterday was spent working on the house mods, so after a rest this morning the afternoon was reserved for van mods 😄

Im decided to get the welder out and weld some brackets on to the bike rack. It went as well as I could have hoped really, pretty it ain't but seems functional which also sums the van itself up rather well 












Once the brackets were welded on and the rack mounted in the van I added the fork mount and rear wheel mount...











And then it was time to fling a bike on  All things considered it's come out rather well, I'm pretty pleased with my afternoon's efforts 











I suspect it will need some tweaks once I start using it but its good enough for now


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## Gunk (11 Jul 2021)

My only concern would be that the sliding tracks will rattle


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## JhnBssll (11 Jul 2021)

Gunk said:


> My only concern would be that the sliding tracks will rattle



I think they're going to, yeah. If it's too annoying I'll take it out when it's not in use, one of the benefits of it being held down with the threaded knobs 😊


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## Gunk (11 Jul 2021)

I do like a threaded knob!


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## JhnBssll (11 Jul 2021)

Gunk said:


> I do like a threaded knob!



I rather enjoyed typing it


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## JhnBssll (14 Jul 2021)

I spent some time this evening thinking more about the folding seat/bed arrangement. I've mentioned it before, but the general idea is to have a folding frame permanently mounted that can fold flat against the wall to maximise space, fold out in to a seat, and fold out further to form a bed. The likelihood is the van will be set up with the seat folded out and the bike rack bolted in most of the time but it would be useful to be able to use as much of the cargo space as possible on occasion without having to store a sofa bed in the garage  Equally it'll be used overnight on occasions, so a decent size bed was preferred.

Anyway, I had a few ideas that were worthy of creating in 3D to check out further and I think I've largely cracked the folding geometry... Here it is in seat form...






Here it is in bed form...






and here it is fully folded up...






It should fold to approx 65mm thick if it works out as intended, but there are still some details to work out such as brackets and legs so it doesnt have to float in mid-air for example  It's essentially made of two assemblies - the lower assembly has 2 sections of bed that fold together to make the seat base, and the upper assembly swings out to form either the seat back or the third bed section 😊

Once I've got more detail designed and am confident it'll go together ok and work I'll order some steel and get welding 😊 Should be good welding practice if nothing else


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## neil_merseyside (14 Jul 2021)

You might still need a sheet material as base for a mattress, so how about just making the folding bed from ply?
Folding bed could be sheet(s) of ply cut into 3 leaves with 3 piano hinges, first leaf has one hinge at bottom to fold down from wall, the other end is hinged to the second leaf that is also hinged to the final leaf. 
Loose end could locate onto a batten on the opposite side, a shallow rebate in centre of each leaf for simple plywood leg strips.
Hinge 1, batten and legs to suit height of bed base above floor level, either just tall enough to clear bike rails, but definitely only as high as sitting up on a mattress allows or blood might spill, rude words uttered. 
You'd need catches on the leaves to stop them rattling/deploying mid bend...

Seat would be just the initial leaf folded out, but would need a smaller support to allow for the stacked leaves thickness, and could be mounted on a 'hinge 4' _near_ end of leaf 3 (_so it doesn't stop end being located on the far batten_). 
Leaf sizes are adjustable and not necessarily just van width divided by three.

Custom z-fold mattresses can be bought from caravan upholsterers in various thicknesses and density, bulky folded though.
Sorry no drawings. Easy construction with just a circular saw and tape measure, but not as much fun as playing with a MIG or stick welder.


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## JhnBssll (14 Jul 2021)

Yeah I've investigated a lot of options but none of them did quite what I wanted. Part of the fun is designing and making things, so screwing a few hinges to some ply was never going to cut it  I do intend to use ply attached to the frame though, so there will at least be some circular sawing


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## bikingdad90 (14 Jul 2021)

@JhnBssll where is the 3D printing in this design? I am disappointed!


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## Drago (14 Jul 2021)

I still use a fag packet and the stub of a pencil!


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## Milkfloat (14 Jul 2021)

Are you planning on having people use this seat whilst you drive? If so, I guess you need to think very carefully about seat belts and rigidity in a crash. Many moons ago I had a transit and created a false floor with a mattress underneath. The false floor could be taken out and slotted in place higher up the van to allow space to sleep and then have the floor 2 feet higher to hold all the junk and have a seating space. If I was not planning on sleeping then the floor went back down in its low position to give maximum load space.


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## JhnBssll (14 Jul 2021)

The seat is definitely not intended to be used whilst driving  I did think about a false floor but even with this being a high top model the headroom is very limited. I'm really trying to optimise the geometry in each position, it's quite the balancing act


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## DRM (14 Jul 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> The seat is definitely not intended to be used whilst driving  I did think about a false floor but even with this being a high top model the headroom is very limited. I'm really trying to optimise the geometry in each position, it's quite the balancing act


If using ply you need to drill holes in it to prevent condensation under the mattress, all caravans have slats under the mattress to prevent this nowadays


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## JhnBssll (14 Jul 2021)

DRM said:


> If using ply you need to drill holes in it to prevent condensation under the mattress, all caravans have slats under the mattress to prevent this nowadays



That's great info, thanks - I wouldnt have thought of that I'm sure  I'll drill lots of holes in that case, it will also make it lighter to fold in and out 😊


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## Milkfloat (14 Jul 2021)

Gotta love a drillium project.


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## DRM (14 Jul 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> That's great info, thanks - I wouldnt have thought of that I'm sure  I'll drill lots of holes in that case, it will also make it lighter to fold in and out 😊


An hole saw is ideal, just let’s the mattress breath, another thing that springs to mind as well is if you intend using gas for cooking with it’s heavier than air so sinks to the floor if you get a leak, caravans have holes at floor level to let escaped lpg escape outside, I don’t know if you intend storing gas in it but it’s something to consider as is a flammable gas sticker on the outside


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## fossyant (14 Jul 2021)

DRM said:


> An hole saw is ideal, just let’s the mattress breath, another thing that springs to mind as well is if you intend using gas for cooking with it’s heavier than air so sinks to the floor if you get a leak, caravans have holes at floor level to let escaped lpg escape outside, I don’t know if you intend storing gas in it but it’s something to consider as is a flammable gas sticker on the outside
> View attachment 599095
> View attachment 599095


And that's just after eating Beans


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## JhnBssll (20 Jul 2021)

I had planned to do some work on the drive after work today but it started raining at about 5.15pm and didn't stop so instead I decided to right a wrong that had been nibbling away at me...



bikingdad90 said:


> @JhnBssll where is the 3D printing in this design? I am disappointed!



Quite right! No project is complete without a 3D printed part that could have been made quicker, cheaper and more easily by another method  With this in mind I started to think about how the new roof fan I'd purchased was going to fit... There were various warnings that it was only suitable for a completely flat roof in the advert which I took as a challenge. The transit connect roof has valleys to strengthen it up and is curved in both directions, it is by no means flat where I intend to fit it just in front of the solar panel...






Here's the little fan in question, a neat little cowl hiding a small 12V fan to help vent some of the noxious gases that would otherwise rapidly build up with me sleeping inside 











You can see why they want you to mount it to a flat surface, the sealing is done with a big O-ring. I decided an adapter was in order to sandwich between the fan and the van roof. I got my measuring kit out and climbed up the step ladder, then took those measurements and created a quick CAD model. A few hours later and one of my printers had created this for me...






It's the same profile as the roof on one side, minus a ~2mm gap to allow for sealant, and flat on the other. Once I've cut the 80mm hole through I'll paint the bare metal edges then bond the adapter to the roof, then bond the fan to the adapter. The hole thing is then held in place with a big bolt through the middle from the inside to pull it tight  The adapter is printed in ABS so should be both watertight and robust - I expect it to outlast the van by a good few years.






Obviously since it was raining I didn't cut any holes in the van roof this evening, so fitting it will have to wait for another day  I expect water will pool in the channel once it's blocked by my adapter, but as long as I seal it all and keep an eye on it I can't see that being a problem. I've covered any dodgy/rusty spots up there with white hammerite already so it should be fine for a good few years yet


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## Milkfloat (21 Jul 2021)

Just checking, you said you would bind the fan to the adapter which is bonded to the roof. If they are both bonded together how to you replace the fan when it fails next month?


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## JhnBssll (21 Jul 2021)

The top section is an assembly held together with 4 screws, the fan itself will be accessible and removable after the assembly has been bonded in place 😊


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## JhnBssll (17 Aug 2021)

Whilst on the surface not much has been happening on the van project because I've been working on more pressing jobs, I've been ticking things over in my head and have ordered some steel for the seat/bed. It should arrive within the next week or so, at which point I'll get my cutting and welding stuff out and have a play  I still need to fit the fan and wire the sockets too, but once those bits are done I'll start lining the inside 😊 I've been looking on and off for weeks now for a pair of rear doors and cargo door with factory fitted glass, but the only ones I can find so far are pretty shabby. If I cant find them before I start the interior trim I'll leave the doors untrimmed I think rather than do it twice 😄

I've been pootling around in the van and keeping tabs on the chargers and batteries, happy to report everything seems to be working rather well at the moment 😊 Once the 12V sockets are in I'll do a little experiment by running the fridge in the back for a few days and monitoring the battery level, should be interesting


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## MontyVeda (18 Aug 2021)

Only just discovered this project... after following the porch and kitchen thread, I'm seriously impressed with your '_i want it so i'll make it_' approach. 

now what's this about a garage too?


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## jowwy (18 Aug 2021)

MontyVeda said:


> Only just discovered this project... after following the porch and kitchen thread, I'm seriously impressed with your '_i want it so i'll make it_' approach.
> 
> now what's this about a garage too?


hes dumped the garage, wasnt hard enough for him.........the guy is awesome with his work


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## fossyant (18 Aug 2021)

We've got Van DIY withdrawal you know !


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## JhnBssll (18 Aug 2021)

You guys really know how to keep me motivated 

I had a suprise steel delivery today! I mean, I knew I'd ordered it, I just wasn't expecting it to arrive so quickly  Unable to resist a play with my welder I decided to make a start this afternoon after work. I've gone for 20mm box section mild steel with 2mm wall thickness, should be plenty strong enough for what I need whilst not being too big and bulky.

I bought 6m lengths so I could cut wedges out and bend the frame sections so marked the tube up then grabbed the grinder and cut out my first wedge...





I'd bought a right angled clamp for the bed build and its come in very handy so far  The tube bends easily by hand once the wedge is cut out so it can be clamped like so...






Important step before clamping is to use some IPA or similar to thoroughly clean the tube of the protective oil its likely to be covered in, otherwise the weld will likely be porous and not as strong as it would otherwise be. That done I set the little twiddly knobs and switches on the welder to somewhere that seemed reasonable () and got stuck it 






My welding is never going to win any beauty contests, but in this case it didnt matter as I'll be grinding them flat again afterwards...






After not too long I'd joined the two loose ends together and had the first outer section of bed frame all welded up 😄 I burst my last cutoff disc on the last cut so have called it a day, will pick more up tomorrow. I'm yet to grind two of the corners too but it's a good start and didnt take too long 






I'll need the weather to hold to carry on, theres no way I'm grinding or welding in the garage with the amount of stuff stored and close proximity to shiny bicycles


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## JhnBssll (20 Aug 2021)

More seat/bed related fabrication this afternoon and evening  I finished work at lunchtime and went straight to work. I needed a second frame identical to the one I made yesterday so I cut the steel tube to length and welded it up. I then put the two frames next to each other and welded the hinges in place to join them together.

Before I could make the third and final frame section I needed some proper dimensions, so decided to turn my attention to the mounting bracket for the drivers side. I climbed in the back of the van and had a ponder, eventually deciding to utlise some existing holes to bolt some bits of box section to the wall, then weld a rail to them. This worked rather well. I tack welded the rail in place in the van then took it out to finish welding, before bolting it back in place.











With that done I could measure up for the last bit of bed frame 😄 As before I cut wedges out of the steel tube, bent it to shape then welded the corners. With the frame done I took the bracket back out and welded more hinges in place. This is where I had to stop, because it was getting dark  I managed to bolt the bracket back in and slide the seat frame on to the hinges, looks like it's going to be spot on for what I need.






I couldn't resist popping the other section of frame in next to it to check it fits - great success, it seems to be ok 






First job tomorrow will be to pull it all out again and weld hinges on to join the two sections together, then I can make some legs and a bracket for the nearside wall to support it 😊 Once I'm happy it fits, folds and unfolds as planned I'll cut some more lengths of steel and split each frame in to 3 or 4 sections, then weld tabs in all the internal corners to fix some plywood boards to. Plenty still to do but very happy with todays progress 😊


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## JhnBssll (22 Aug 2021)

I've spent several more hours on the van over the last few days and some good progress has been made, despite the weather doing its best to thwart me 

The rush is due to Mrs Bssll wanting to use the van for a festival this coming weekend - I've known this for months, but other jobs have had priority until now. Yesterday I realised I was running short on time to finish the bed so made the decision to concentrate on two of the three frame sections. Since it's only her sleeping in it this weekend that'll be plenty big enough, and it means I don't have to faff around building the side supports for the nearside yet, just a few legs. It also reduces the amount of welding and painting by a third which is pretty handy 

First step was to weld the last few hinges on so that all the parts fit together and I could test fit them before I put one of the frames to one side. Here it is in the seat position.






And here it is folded out as a bed






And finally here it is in the stowed position






Lots of brackets and fittings required to hold it in these positions but that can wait until after it's been trialled this weekend 😊

Happy with that I cut and welded cross supports in to the two remaining frame sections, then cut square tabs to put in each corner to support the plywood that will form the platform. Once these were all welded up I painted the bits black and left them overnight.

This morning I started again on the 12V electrics - I'd got the lights and charging side of things working a while ago, but the 12V power was still missing and the wires for the stereo remote on/off and fan were still to be done. I also needed to fit the TV so I knew where the socket would need to go. I didn't take many photo's during the work, but here is the TV fitted on it's special travel bracket that locks it against the wall...











I'm waiting on a few connectors to finish the TV install - the SCART lead will provide the audio out to the stereo in the front but I need a new adaptor as the one I have is too bulky to fit  I also need an antenae connector as I had to cut the one off the aerial I bought to run it through a grommet from outside  I've also bought a signal booster as the reception is rubbish in these parts. I'll report back when I've connected it all up, hopefully I'll get at least a few channels 

With the power run back to the leisure battery for the TV I tirned my attention to neatening that corner of the van up, adding a few more power sockets and finishing the stereo wiring. I cut the original hardboard panel to cover most of it, I'll build around the battery another day but will insulate the +ve terminal before the weekend to prevent accidental sparks 











In the top left of the panel are two 12V sockets, then a switch to remotely turn the stereo on and off, and a switch to turn the ceiling fan on and off. For now the fan wire is dangling from the ceiling as there is no ceiling fan  I'm in two minds about fitting it before the weekend in case I don't seal it properly and it leaks 

Anyway, with that panel fitted it meant I could refit the now painted bed/seat bits 😄






So here we are, this is how she stands this evening:






Before she leaves on Friday I need to finish the following:

- Build some legs to support the frame sections.
- Drill and screw the ply boards down to the two finished frame sections - I've already cut the ply to fit.
- Fit the ceiling fan?
- Give it a good clean 

If I finish that I've also bought the ply to board the ceiling and walls before I insulate and line the inside but I suspect I will be doing that at a later date


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## JhnBssll (23 Aug 2021)

I only had a few hours for van jobs today but made them count - I've got the TV aerial connected and an aerial booster installed so the TV now picks up 34 channels  I also got the audio out working through the van's stereo  To top it all off, tipping point was on the first channel that came up so I lost 10 minutes of working time to a stubborn bonus counter  I've since tidied the cables up a bit, looks a lot (well, a bit) neater now 






I did some welding too - managed to start fabricating the four legs for the seat/bed and get them test fitted. I need to take about 6mm off all of them, weld a few more bits on, paint them and add their plastic end caps tomorrow 😊 Here's the frame resting loosely on the unfinished legs:






And here is the cut ply resting loosely on the frame resting loosely on the unfinished legs:






It feels like its starting to come together now


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (24 Aug 2021)

Glad and sad that I opened this thread. My van won't have the same work done to it but this is a tremendous job


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## Gunk (24 Aug 2021)

Nice that the bed locates into the ally track, good bit of design.


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## bikingdad90 (24 Aug 2021)

Leeds reading music festival?


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## DiggyGun (25 Aug 2021)

I have fitted some furniture legs to the side wall and floor with Velcro to hold the bike in place. No movement at all.


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## JhnBssll (25 Aug 2021)

I like that - neat, simple, effective. Nicely done 

I spent a little more time on the van this afternoon, I think it's pretty close to being ready for its weekend adventure. I'm a little sad I won't be going along for the ride 

Fitted the trim along the edge of the new ply floor to neaten things up a bit - makes a nice visual difference now you can't see the edge anymore 😊 I've fitted the same trim along the edge at the back too 






Next in went the fridge - plugged in to one of the new sockets and immediately it fired in to life, fairly quickly cooling down to the 4 degree's I'd set it to... There is a voltage display on the screen of the fridge, while the compressor was running it never dropped below 12.6V which suggests the solar panel is doing its job nicely despite it being cloudy today. At times it was over 14V when the sun poked its head out behind the clouds momentarily, so on bright days the fridge could run non-stop and the leisure battery will still be charging. Good stuff...






While the fridge was cooling down I put the awning up again on a whim. No real reason, just felt like it 






I got all the rivnuts fitted in the bedframe so was able to screw the ply down. Seems solid enough, I laid on it and wiggle around and none of the welds popped open which is a good start  Feeling pretty pleased with myself I gave the floor a quick sweep and made it look a bit prettier.






I then sat down to relax with a nice cold drink 






With the guts of it done it just needs making comfy now - I've told Mrs Bssll that can be her job. She's already talking about putting decals on the outside


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## JhnBssll (27 Aug 2021)

I should not have let her decorate 





Sparkly curtains and scatter cushions weren't quite what I had in mind


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## shep (4 Sep 2021)




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## shep (7 Sep 2021)

All Cupboards done just need the seats re-trimming and it'll be finished. Almost a year but nearly there.


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## Drago (8 Sep 2021)

Could you not pretend you have really bad piles and get Fuzz Townshend to fix it up for free?


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## JhnBssll (27 Oct 2021)

I found some bits on eBay and couldn't resist so these turned up this afternoon...






They're a different shade of white than the rest of the van but I've been waiting so long for a pair to come up in decent condition that I snapped them up anyway. I can always sticker bomb them later 

As per usual I couldn't wait and got stuck in then ended up finishing the job in the dark 






The most time consuming bit was removing the rear view camera and re-running the cables.











The colour match got better and better as it got darker, it's amost perfect now 

I haven't swapped the lock barrel yet because the new door came with a barrel fitted and no key so it's going to be a pig to remove. I'll get the rear windows tinted at some point too 

I also found a sliding door with factory fitted window so snapped that up too... It's a long way away so I'll have to collect it at some point in the next few weeks then get that one fitted too 😄


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## Gunk (27 Oct 2021)

Looks less Van like with the windows, are you going to paint them?


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## JhnBssll (27 Oct 2021)

Gunk said:


> Looks less Van like with the windows, are you going to paint them?



I think it'll be fine with mismatched doors - its a small price to pay for windows  I was concerned that someone would break in thinking it was full of tools or something - this way they'll see enough to know it's empty and they'd have to look up at the ceiling to see the TV so fingers crossed it should be a deterrent 😊


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## jowwy (27 Oct 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> I think it'll be fine with mismatched doors - its a small price to pay for windows  I was concerned that someone would break in thinking it was full of tools or something - this way they'll see enough to know it's empty and they'd have to look up at the ceiling to see the TV so fingers crossed it should be a deterrent 😊


I hope you finished the kitchen before you started on that van again “ i heard johns wife shout out the unfinished porch window” lol……and when are you going to finish thermalising that garage, my van will get cold in there lol


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## Drago (27 Oct 2021)

How about a vinyl wrap? You're a handy fellow, could probably do it yourself for a coupla hundred in materials.


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## JhnBssll (27 Oct 2021)

Drago said:


> How about a vinyl wrap? You're a handy fellow, could probably do it yourself for a coupla hundred in materials.



It has crossed my mind 😊 It should be relatively straightforward for the most part too with big flatish panels...


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## JhnBssll (27 Oct 2021)

jowwy said:


> I hope you finished the kitchen before you started on that van again “ i heard johns wife shout out the unfinished porch window” lol……and when are you going to finish thermalising that garage, my van will get cold in there lol



I've fitted all the bits in the kitchen that weren't damaged or missing, now waiting for more bits to arrive


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## tyred (27 Oct 2021)

I've watched this with interest. It really is a great conversion done to a very high standard.


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## jowwy (27 Oct 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> I've fitted all the bits in the kitchen that weren't damaged or missing, now waiting for more bits to arrive


And what about that drive, winter is coming and its going to get so muddy out there and you will have nowhere to wash and keep your muddy boots as the downstairs porch and toilet isn’t finished and where are our guests going to pee when their visit over christmas, cause they are not going upstairs on our new carpet that you havent fitted yet………..im running out of other jobs you got going now john lol


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## JhnBssll (27 Oct 2021)

jowwy said:


> And what about that drive, winter is coming and its going to get so muddy out there and you will have nowhere to wash and keep your muddy boots as the downstairs porch and toilet isn’t finished and where are our guests going to pee when their visit over christmas, cause they are not going upstairs on our new carpet that you havent fitted yet………..im running out of other jobs you got going now john lol



It is a bit silly isn't it. Priority is kitchen, then drive, then downstairs loo


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## jowwy (27 Oct 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> It is a bit silly isn't it. Priority is kitchen, then drive, then downstairs loo


what about the garage come man cave????


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## JhnBssll (27 Oct 2021)

jowwy said:


> what about the garage come man cave????



The long and the short of it is I won't get told off if that doesnt get finished  It's actually in a depressing state at the moment, I've got so much building related stuff stored in there that I can't even set the turbo up and if I could it's so dusty I wouldn't want to spend long in there. Need to get the building work done asap so I can reclaim the man cave


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## JhnBssll (29 Oct 2021)

I managed to swap the lock barrel over this afternoon so they all match again now 😄 It was made much easier by someone suggesting I invest in a specific lock picking tool - it's quite scary how easy these are to get in to with the right tools and knowledge


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## Archie_tect (29 Oct 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> Next in went the fridge ...
> 
> View attachment 606014


Hang on Jhn, with the fridge bolted in place, where does Mrs Bssll sit when you go somewhere...


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## Drago (29 Oct 2021)

There was a lock picking tool dping the rounds a while back that was making a mockery of the high security cylinder locks on many bike shackles. Think it was canadian in origin if memory serves, but I guess with the soread of the interweb just about anything is easily kbtainabke now.


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## JhnBssll (29 Oct 2021)

Archie_tect said:


> Hang on Jhn, with the fridge bolted in place, where does Mrs Bssll sit when you go somewhere...



I see you have realised the genius of my design


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## Archie_tect (29 Oct 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> I see you have realised the genius of my design


Ah but is Mrs Bssll insured to drive it...


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## fossyant (29 Oct 2021)

There is a tidy looking 54 plate Citroen Lingo locally going for £1,495..... itchy pocket...


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## Archie_tect (29 Oct 2021)

fossyant said:


> There is a tidy looking 54 plate Citroen Lingo locally going for £1,495..... itchy pocket...


...just out of interest... where...


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## fossyant (29 Oct 2021)

Archie_tect said:


> ...just out of interest... where...



Bredbury Stockport, opposite the Esso station, Can't see it being there that long with that price. I daren't buy it.


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## Archie_tect (29 Oct 2021)

There's a 61 plate Berlingo advertised for £975 with a seized engine- ideal for an EV conversion!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202110289003846?advertising-location=at_vans


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## JhnBssll (9 Nov 2021)

I've been on a roadtrip in the van today - a 350 mile round trip to collect my ebay bargain side door with window 






It's in pretty good nick save the dodgy transfer and wrinkly window tint, both of which I'll rip off sharpish  This one is even the same white as the rest of the van so won't look so silly  When I get a few hours spare I'll swap them over


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## JhnBssll (13 Nov 2021)

I got a chance to swap the doors this afternoon  The old door came off really easily, with just 4 torx bolts and a pin holding it on to the roller brackets.







The new door went back on just as easily, propped up with some offcuts of wood while I bolted it in position.






It opened and closed fine and locked manually but I noticed it didn't lock or unlock with the central locking. A quick check highlighted differing electrical contact plates so I removed both old and new and was able to swap them over - fortunately they had the same electrical connectors - and immediately the locking worked again 😊






With the door hung I swapped one of the rear light clusters for a new one - the lens was pretty badly faded so the tail light was pink and the brake light was almost white  With the evenings getting darker I've just ordered a whole new set of bulbs front and rear after noticing the high level brake light was out along with one of the rear number plate lamps. I've gone with uprated halogen headlight bulbs that are apparently '200% brighter' without screwing with the beam pattern but we shall see 

I've still got a second pair of headlights in the garage that I keep meaning to strip down to paint the internals black (except the reflectors, obviously ) but I haven't gotten round to it. Now I've ordered some new bulbs maybe this will spur me in to action, it's a nice evening job so won't take time away from other projects 

She also needs a damn good clean inside and out


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## JhnBssll (13 Nov 2021)

It seems the new bulbs spurred me in to action sooner than I expected  I've given the first headlight a rough polish to check the lens is salvageable, then opened it up for inspection... 😊











I'll have to mask off the indicator reflector but that should be too tricky, then rough up the chrome finish before priming and spraying. I'll have to spray them outside though, so that's a job for another day


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## JhnBssll (13 Nov 2021)

Well it stopped raining, so I figured what harm could a bit of night-time spray painting do 

Masked, sanded and washed with alcohol:






And now primed 






I can't spray it until tomorrow as I don't have any matt black paint, but I may well crack the other headlight open and get it to the same stage later this evening 😊


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## JhnBssll (13 Nov 2021)

Decided to give the garage a tidy after I'd cracked the other headlight open and primered the chrome bits. Found a can of matt black paint in the process 






Its not a perfect finish, but they're going on a scabby old van so they're plenty good enough 

Here's the headlight half assembled...






And here's the pair of them waiting for lenses...






I've got some black sealant arriving tomorrow so will likely finish them off and fit them then, assuming it arrives in time. They should look pretty nifty I think 😊


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## JhnBssll (14 Nov 2021)

I got the lights reassembled this afternoon. Scraped all the old sealant out and put in a fresh bead of black sikaflex, should do nicely. Once they've cured over the next few days and the new bulbs have arrived I'll think about fitting them  Once they're on I'll properly polish the lenses, it's tricky when they're not attached to anything so I gave up trying  There's no significant damage to them anyway so I see no reason why they won't come up well.











I'm also going to try the heat gun trick on the black trim to try and bring them back from the dead if possible


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## Drago (14 Nov 2021)

Try Concept Vista. Its about £13, but a bottle lasts an age. It revives trim beautifully, and doesnt wash off or go streaky like silicone based trim blackers. Apply twice a year using an olde washing up spinge and youre sorted. It'll take years off the appearance.


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## fossyant (14 Nov 2021)

You should have tonnes of parts available next May as Manchesters Clean Air Zone comes in. There will be loads of older vans. Gone is my idea of doing an older van up as a bike carrier, I'm just inside the zone.


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## Drago (14 Nov 2021)

From 2025 all internal combustion cars will have to pay ULEZ, so there will be a glut of cheapo vehicles in the areas surrounding Larndon.


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## Gunk (14 Nov 2021)

Drago said:


> From 2025 all internal combustion cars will have to pay ULEZ, so there will be a glut of cheapo vehicles in the areas surrounding Larndon.



I’ll be at the front of the queue for cheap S4 Avant or a 340i touring


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## JhnBssll (14 Nov 2021)

My experience so far is that parts for this old girl are already extremely cheap compared to the last few VW's I've had, but a glut of cheap vans and parts would definitely be handy for sure 😊


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## fossyant (14 Nov 2021)

Drago said:


> Try Concept Vista. Its about £13, but a bottle lasts an age. It revives trim beautifully, and doesnt wash off or go streaky like silicone based trim blackers. Apply twice a year using an olde washing up spinge and youre sorted. It'll take years off the appearance.



Ordered off ebay, 500ml. I'm using Maguires currently, but will give this a try.


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## fossyant (14 Nov 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> My experience so far is that parts for this old girl are already extremely cheap compared to the last few VW's I've had, but a glut of cheap vans and parts would definitely be handy for sure 😊



I'd have to get one and park it at the caravan for trips to the beach, and off with the bikes. Cost me £10 just to get it off the drive. A fancy a Connect


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## Drago (14 Nov 2021)

Nice one Foss, you won't regret it.

Ideally it needs a bit of sunlight to cure so I tend to do it autumn while the sun is still out, and then spring when it wakes up again. It does fade slowly over time, but it does so gracefully and doesn't get patchy or streaky.

Be warned though - I don't know what chemicals are in there but I'm guessing from the smell it's a little more potent than lavendar water. You definitely want to apply it outdoors!


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## fossyant (14 Nov 2021)

Drago said:


> Nice one Foss, you won't regret it.
> 
> Ideally it needs a bit of sunlight to cure so I tend to do it autumn while the sun is still out, and then spring when it wakes up again. It does fade slowly over time, but it does so gracefully and doesn't get patchy or streaky.
> 
> Be warned though - I don't know what chemicals are in there but I'm guessing from the smell it's a little more potent than lavendar water. You definitely want to apply it outdoors!



Just use on the black trim on mine. Dont tend to put any on MrsF's black trim on her Qashqai as the silicone stuff goes streaky, and its currently black. I also treat the plastics under the bonnet.


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## fossyant (18 Nov 2021)

Drago said:


> Try Concept Vista. Its about £13, but a bottle lasts an age. It revives trim beautifully, and doesnt wash off or go streaky like silicone based trim blackers. Apply twice a year using an olde washing up spinge and youre sorted. It'll take years off the appearance.



Turned up yesterday. You need very little. Allowed to dry, and it rained overnight, but no streaks. Not glossy like some others, more of a satin. Would work well on the van bumpers.


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## JhnBssll (18 Nov 2021)

Drago said:


> Try Concept Vista. Its about £13, but a bottle lasts an age. It revives trim beautifully, and doesnt wash off or go streaky like silicone based trim blackers. Apply twice a year using an olde washing up spinge and youre sorted. It'll take years off the appearance.





fossyant said:


> Turned up yesterday. You need very little. Allowed to dry, and it rained overnight, but no streaks. Not glossy like some others, more of a satin. Would work well on the van bumpers.



I've just ordered some - ta 

All my bulbs have arrived today so might have time for some van fettling over the weekend 😊


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## jowwy (19 Nov 2021)

JhnBssll said:


> I've just ordered some - ta
> 
> All my bulbs have arrived today so might have time for some van fettling over the weekend 😊
> 
> View attachment 618289


You havent got time to mess with that van….what about my kitchen, hall, toilet, driveway, garage, fence, steps……lol


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## JhnBssll (25 Nov 2021)

I fitted the headlights this evening and swapped all the new bulbs in. I also replaced the other rear light lens so everything matches again now 😄












I still need to polish the lenses and I'll need to whip the drivers side out again at some point as I discovered 2 of the 3 bolts holding the original in were sheared off  I decided a cold dark night wasn't the best time to try extracting the rusty remains so I have wedged it in and put the remaining bolt back in for now. This was meant to be an easy job 

On the plus side the new headlight bulbs seem significantly better 😊


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## jowwy (8 Feb 2022)

Waiting for this van to go solar for the electricary at the back.


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## fossyant (8 Feb 2022)

jowwy said:


> Waiting for this van to go solar for the electricary at the back.


And he needs some of that trim restorer/shine stuff Drago mentioned. I got some and its way better than anything else Ive tried before. Doesn't wash off and restores faded trim.


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## jowwy (8 Feb 2022)

fossyant said:


> And he needs some of that trim restorer/shine stuff Drago mentioned. I got some and its way better than anything else Ive tried before. Doesn't wash off and restores faded trim.


I thought he bought some in the end………


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## JhnBssll (8 Feb 2022)

I did buy some... Several months after I installed solar panels on the van roof...


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## jowwy (8 Feb 2022)

JhnBssll said:


> I did buy some... Several months after I installed solar panels on the van roof...


i must have missed the solar panel part of the thread………


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## DRM (9 Feb 2022)

fossyant said:


> And he needs some of that trim restorer/shine stuff Drago mentioned. I got some and its way better than anything else Ive tried before. Doesn't wash off and restores faded trim.


Can you recall the brand, I could do with some of that.


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## fossyant (9 Feb 2022)

DRM said:


> Can you recall the brand, I could do with some of that.



Just at the top of the page..

VISTA CONCEPT - EXTERIOR PLASTIC CONDITIONER - 500ml​
It's very 'liquid' so apply with a small microfibre cloth and save that for the application. Just rub on and leave. It doesn't streak in the rain and stays on.


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## fossyant (9 Feb 2022)

jowwy said:


> i must have missed the solar panel part of the thread………



Page 7ish !


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## jowwy (9 Feb 2022)

fossyant said:


> Page 7ish !


ive just gone through the whole thread to re-check it out.....this guy is too clever


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## fossyant (9 Feb 2022)

jowwy said:


> ive just gone through the whole thread to re-check it out.....this guy is too clever



Well jeal !


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## DRM (10 Feb 2022)

fossyant said:


> Just at the top of the page..
> 
> VISTA CONCEPT - EXTERIOR PLASTIC CONDITIONER - 500ml​
> It's very 'liquid' so apply with a small microfibre cloth and save that for the application. Just rub on and leave. It doesn't streak in the rain and stays on.


Cheers, everything else I’ve tried just washes off


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## fossyant (10 Feb 2022)

DRM said:


> Cheers, everything else I’ve tried just washes off


Oh it doesn't wash off. It's a funny stuff, it's sort of sticky as it dries, then sets. It does stick onto paintwork - you can see where you've missed the plastic and got the paint - you'd probably need some polish to remove it off paint or WD40 on a cloth - does no damage, just 'sticks' to it.


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## JhnBssll (19 Feb 2022)

I fitted a little outside floodlight bar to the side this afternoon. It's above the sliding door and below the awning so should come in rather handy. I tapped in to the 12V feed I'd run through for the interior lights, job's a goodun 
















I used sikaflex to seal the 2 screw holes and the hole for the wires so hopefully there'll be no leaks. The wiring and switch position will be sorted when I do the interior, I've just taped the switch up next to the interior light dimmer for now.

I've been leaving the fridge in the back as it comes in handy sometimes but its been sliding around so I also made a quick bracket to hold it in place. Seems to fit snugly, I'll find out if it works tomorrow when I take the van to a local gravel/xc sportive I'm taking part in  Unless the weather is biblical of course 






I had wanted to sort the window tint today but its windy and rainy, not the ideal conditions for that job


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## JhnBssll (19 Feb 2022)

And in the dark...






I think my camera has made it look slightly brighter than it really is, but it's still pretty impressive and will be jolly useful 😊


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## bikingdad90 (19 Feb 2022)

That’s calling out for a motion sensor to set it off if you get any unexpected visitors passing by in the night while in the back.


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## jowwy (23 Feb 2022)

JhnBssll said:


> I fitted a little outside floodlight bar to the side this afternoon. It's above the sliding door and below the awning so should come in rather handy. I tapped in to the 12V feed I'd run through for the interior lights, job's a goodun
> 
> View attachment 631752
> 
> ...


are you going to carpet/soundproof the walls or are you keeping them timber??


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## Gunk (23 Feb 2022)

jowwy said:


> are you going to carpet/soundproof the walls or are you keeping them timber??



I think faux fur was the plan


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## ClichéGuevara (23 Feb 2022)

Gunk said:


> I think faux fur was the plan



He could use images of our dad's, or would that be a faux pas?


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## JhnBssll (16 Jul 2022)

I've had some fun playing in the van this afternoon 😊 Decided it was about time I replaced the damaged tint on the sliding door and tinted the rears...











Next job fit the rear view mirror...






And then start insulating! I've only done one rear door so far, it's pretty time consuming 






In the pic above you can see a nice empty space above the nearside wheel arch - I've had an idea  I'm in the process of sourcing a scrapped Bosch Fontus portable low pressure washer. Plan is to scavenge the pump and electronics, hose and accessories from it and fit them in the space before I insulate that area. I've bought a 24 litre water tank shaped to fit over a wheel arch so that will then go in front of the space and I'll box around it all, essentially creating a little shelf under the TV. Instead of a Bosch 18V battery I've got a 12v-18V stepup converter that I'll wire to the leisure battery so I'll be able to fill the tank then use the hose/accessories for bike washing or even as a cold shower 😊 Anyway, thats the plan... If I get a bit more time this evening I'll nip out and do some more insulating


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## JhnBssll (16 Jul 2022)

I got the other back door just about done before it got too dark to see what I was doing 






I'll probably do a few more van related jobs tomorrow 😊


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## jowwy (16 Jul 2022)

Too hot for diy john…..have a few days off lol


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## Gunk (17 Jul 2022)

Your garage looks like it’s back out of control


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## JhnBssll (17 Jul 2022)

Gunk said:


> Your garage looks like it’s back out of control



Sadly you're not wrong. At least the cement mixer has gone now, it was even worse


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## jowwy (17 Jul 2022)

JhnBssll said:


> Sadly you're not wrong. At least the cement mixer has gone now, it was even worse



Whats todays plan john???


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## Gunk (17 Jul 2022)

jowwy said:


> Whats todays plan john???



As It’s nice and hot, he’ll be digging some footings


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## jowwy (17 Jul 2022)

Gunk said:


> As It’s nice and hot, he’ll be digging some footings



he does like a good diy job……..hes brilliant, love his work


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## JhnBssll (17 Jul 2022)

I do have a trench to dig for the drains  No, that can wait 

I insulated the first bit of roof this morning before I decided it was getting a bit too warm, I was dripping  Must have been 50 degrees in the van even with the windows and doors open 






I have started cutting a piece of ply to size to board across the roof but will continue that another day


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## JhnBssll (27 Jul 2022)

As I have mentioned previously I've started amassing parts for a bike wash install. Today I stripped down the broken Bosch Fontus low pressure cleaner and harvested all the useful bits. Here's what I'm left with...







The over-wheel arch tank has also arrived...






I've also pinched a handfull of resistors that I'll need to trick the electronics in to operating without a proper Bosch battery attached - theres a coding resistor and an NTC (heat sensor) inside the batteries which the electronics check are connected before they'll activate. By connecting those pins to ground with the correct resistors you can recreate a plausible signal and trick them in to thinking it's connected to a battery and then feed in an external +19V to power it, which in my case will be provided by this nifty little DC-DC converter hooked up to the leisure battery...






I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to start playing with these bits and working out where best to put them all but I'm already looking forward to it


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## Gunk (28 Jul 2022)

Look forward to seeing how this is going to come together.


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## JhnBssll (28 Jul 2022)

OK so I've had a closer look at things this evening and made some progress.

Looking at the pump assembly I decided the best plan of action was to cut the pipe along the red line in the image below, seperating the pump from the outlet and pressure sensor circled in yellow...






With this done, the pump assembly fits rather nicely in the little cubby hole...






I've ordered some high pressure hose and clips to attach the two ends of pipe back together again when I've worked out where I'm going to have the outlet  I'll probably also have to extend the cables to the pressure sensor but that's easily done.

Looking at where the wiring sits it seems sensible to have all the electronics above the cubby hole near the light dimmer switch - in the region where the control panel is resting below, but probably slightly higher...






With this worked out I decided to get the soldering iron out and see if I could bring the electronics to life. Following the instructions I'd received from a colleague at work I soon had the resistors and power supply soldered to the battery connector terminals...






I'd already got power to that corner of the van so it was a quick job connecting 12V to the DC-DC converter and trying it out... Great success!











I've called it a day there and whipped it all out again, next job is to permanently mount and wire it all before I think about plumbing it up and fitting the water tank  One last job I did when it was removed again was to seal the new soldered connections with some mastic to try and protect the joints from any strain, I don't want them cracking or coming apart.


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## JhnBssll (29 Jul 2022)

I've mounted the pump, DC-DC converter, electronics and water tank this afternoon 😊 Nothing is plumbed together as yet though.











I've modified one of the fittings that came with the tank to act as a pickup by fixing a tube in to it with sikaflex, I'll drill a suitable hole in the top of the tank and fix this in place and cut a few slots out of the tube bottom so it can't suck itself to the tank walls. This means I won't have to make any holes below the waterline so less chance of leaks


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## JhnBssll (11 Aug 2022)

Forgot to update this - we had a bout of the dreaded 'rona in the Bssll household last week but all better now 😄

I've got the bike wash all up and running 
















It all needs tidying up still but you know me well enough by now to know that this will happen when I feel like it, and not before


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## JhnBssll (7 Oct 2022)

I've tidied it up a bit  It only took 2 months to get round to it, and the thing that finally forced my hand was the fact that I'd hidden the light switches behind the new panel and I'm night riding a lot lately which has meant putting the bike away in the dark by head torch  So panel off, holes cut and switches mounted, then a bit of storage for the hose and other bits added 






I've ordered a couple of LED lights to fit to the top of the rear doors on the inside, so that when they're open they will illuminate the ground outside nicely so I can see what I'm doing  Once they arrive I'll run some cable in to each door and probably fit the switches in the removable panels at the bottom.

I've also got a few USB sockets on the way with the idea being I can keep a Di2 and AXS charger in the back so I can charge those bikes as and when needed. I've got a spare AXS battery so will likely make a little cubbyhole to store that in, along with other bits and bobs


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## Jameshow (7 Oct 2022)

JhnBssll said:


> I've tidied it up a bit  It only took 2 months to get round to it, and the thing that finally forced my hand was the fact that I'd hidden the light switches behind the new panel and I'm night riding a lot lately which has meant putting the bike away in the dark by head torch  So panel off, holes cut and switches mounted, then a bit of storage for the hose and other bits added
> 
> View attachment 663724
> 
> ...



Got your priorities right there bike wash and TV!

Where's the beer fridge?!!!


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## Jameshow (7 Oct 2022)

My van at Goathland this summer!


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## JhnBssll (10 Oct 2022)

Lights and LED sockets arrived this morning, I've managed to get the lights fitted and working but ran out of time to do the sockets so they'll have to wait for another day 

I'm quite pleased with the install, I fitted one light to the top of each rear door wired to a single switch in the drivers side rear door pocket - this one opens first and closes last so it made sense to switch the lights from here.











Here they are switched on:






And again after a bit of a clean up and the bike carrier refitted






I'm out riding tomorrow night so shall see how they perform


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## bikingdad90 (10 Oct 2022)

If all else fails, you could work out how to fit a bayonet light fitting and get one of these; 
Sauglae LED Garage Lights, B22... 
View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B083LGR9HV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


You’ll be able to see everything with it! Here my man cave that I’m taking the day off to tidy up and organise properly with pegboard etc.


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## Jameshow (10 Oct 2022)

Your lights are better than my velcoed on battery powered led lights!!!


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