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Boxanne

Your mention of RVs and the fact you live in Australia reminded me of the movie "The Earthling"

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Ragamuffin, your van is looking pretty good! Will the box section have windows? (I haven't been completely following the topic so apologies if I've missed that)
jt
Yeah, I dropped it off yesterday to have the windows fitted. Should be collecting it early next week.

Ed
 
Here's what I'm thinking. I sent it to the horsebox place, along with mm thickness of insulation and ply. Along with mattress thickness, and the height of raised seating area (box underneath opening side windows). Then I measured me sitting cross legged on the floor in my room and worked out correct heigh for my eyeline. So when I'm sat on the raised seating area, I get the perfect view out the window.

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Ed
 
I'm glad I dropped off the van and cycled 10 miles home on Saturday and not this morning as originally planned.

It's 55mph winds outside this morning.

hanging in there against the current GIF by Barbara Pozzi


Ed
 
The guy at the solar panel place was lovely. He said he's been dreaming about doing his own van conversion for a long time. One of the guys working there was converting his own LWB van in the workshop.

They let me into the workshop to have a look at the van interior. Along with going up the steps up to the workshop balcony to be able to see what sort of solar panels he'd put on his van.

They're happy to fit parts I buy, and to let me know exactly what parts I'll need etc. He said no end of people are converting vans to live in. He did warn me that easter gets busy for them. So it's worth booking in advance.

He told me to work from the top down. Solar panels and fabricate the frame for them first. He said they can leave long wiring in place for the carpenter to then do insulation and battens. I want the cables in trucking that's attached to the walls. He wholeheartidly agreed, and said the last thing you want in the future is wiring problems that mean you have to pull apart the walls and insulation to get to the fault.

He was such a nice guy. I'm going to get a list of the power draw of all components due to go in the van, so we can work out a parts list. Then order the solar panels and book in to get them fitted onto the roof.

Spoke with the horsebox place. They said the van will be ready today. I'll be collecting it after work tomorrow. Thankfully they're open until 7pm, so I won't be rushing about.

Ed
 
IMG_41211.jpg


Workshop says, "I think the window is too high. Do you want to pop in before we put the window in?"

I told him to proceed with fitting it.

After all, you've made a hole, no point doubting yourself afterwards.

I'm not fussed. I can increase the height of the sitting area so the windows are at a better eye level. Whether its landscape or sky. A view is a view.

Ed
 
Looks good, Ed. I love to see peoples' serious projects like this make it to fruition.
 
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Raising the box seat section a little would give you more storage space, and provide a handy step up to your bed. I'm assuming your bed will be above the truck's cabin.

I'm also curious to see what you've got planned for the back of the truck, as in door and steps etc.
 
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I had a bit of experience as a youngster driving such a vehicle. My parents' RV.

A pretty tame ride for the most part, except in the wind at speed.

LOL...yeah that's me.....and my bellbottoms circa 1974.

RV.jpg
 
What's the car on the left? Do you have a full size photo?

Do you recall what they had stored or for access with the doors and compartments on the wall of the RV?

I'm still timid driving my van. I top out at 50mph, and on these country roads I'm driving about 45. People can overtake if they need to. Besides, this van gets terrible fuel economy. I've yet to experience it in high winds. I really want the internal battens put in sooner rather than later to give me peace of mind about the structural rigidity of the box now that the internal frame is out. Mind you, that internal frame didn't span from edge to edge of walls or floor and ceiling. It just sort of sat in the middle, so I'm not sure it provided that much additional strength to the walls.

Carpenter will begin week commencing 17th April. Body shop can take the van end of this week. Then I just need to finalise the solar plan and get that booked in for early April I reckon.

Ed
 
Today's plan - get home at 16:45, cycle 10 miles to pick up the van. Return home.
Tomorrow's plan - get home at 16:45, drop the van off at the body shop at 5pm. Cycle 8 miles home.

That's it then for the week. I can be lazy in my free time. Oh yes.

Pics to follow the van this evening.

Ed
 
What's the car on the left? Do you have a full size photo?

Do you recall what they had stored or for access with the doors and compartments on the wall of the RV?

I'm still timid driving my van. I top out at 50mph, and on these country roads I'm driving about 45. People can overtake if they need to. Besides, this van gets terrible fuel economy. I've yet to experience it in high winds. I really want the internal battens put in sooner rather than later to give me peace of mind about the structural rigidity of the box now that the internal frame is out. Mind you, that internal frame didn't span from edge to edge of walls or floor and ceiling. It just sort of sat in the middle, so I'm not sure it provided that much additional strength to the walls.

Carpenter will begin week commencing 17th April. Body shop can take the van end of this week. Then I just need to finalise the solar plan and get that booked in for early April I reckon.

Ed
That was my father's 1970 Ford Maverick which then was turned over to my brother at his in-laws' home (Idaho) . Before that, it was my first 3-speed "three on the tree" manual transmission straight-six car. I kind of liked it. I'm afraid that is likely the only digitized photo I have at the moment of that car. Not really sure if I have any prints of it.

Oh my, that RV had all kinds of nooks and crannies with doors for storage. Almost like any kitchen, with food, cleansers and cooking utensils. It was a serious RV where they could and would camp self-contained for a while from one end of the country to the other.

I've driven the RV a few times at 65mph, although on less than uneven ground it could well....bounce a bit. Nothing to be alarmed at, but enough to rile my folks...lol.

Our Yorkies sure enjoyed riding in it.

mooks.jpg
 
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They even folded up the old removals blankets when they'd finished the window fitting. Although, I used 2 to wrap up my bike before I set off.

335577440_763142451871332_5679700505270531243_n.jpg


Ed
 
Dropped the van off at the bodyshop last night.

Finalised a colour for the box this morning. In matte paint:

Screenshot_20230316_091349_Chrome.jpg



Ed
 
They don't do RAL 4005 in matt.

Oh, Boxanne is going to be about as subtle as the Mongol invasion of Europe.

Gloss is boss.

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Ed
 

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