Overland caravan build

[miketomcat]

1 hour ago, landroversforever said:

Parent's haven't had any issues in their 6/7 trips to France over the years.

I'm hoping to go a bit further afield (eastern Europe at a minimum)than France when we finally go.

Mike

[miketomcat]

Inner wheel arch trimmed, insulation cut, all ready to fit once I've broken out and trimmed the other side.

Mike

[miketomcat]

Got some time on the inside of the trailer today due to the fact it's peeing down.

Inner wheelarches fitted, however I've had to leave these open for a couple of weeks due to a curious leak. It would only appear in the bottom of the original wheelarch aperture and only after heavy rain. I think it was running down the front of the trailer then tracking down the aluminium corner between the skins of the floor. Hopefully I've sealed it.

Also managed to get the rear panel in, I've used the roof panel from the freezer compartment with some cut outs to clear the light and number plate recesses.

Finally I can give a sneak peek at the layout.

Mike

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by miketomcat

[Ibex94]

On 7/22/2023 at 6:06 PM, miketomcat said:

Got some time on the inside of the trailer today due to the fact it's peeing down.

Inner wheelarches fitted, however I've had to leave these open for a couple of weeks due to a curious leak. It would only appear in the bottom of the original wheelarch aperture and only after heavy rain. I think it was running down the front of the trailer then tracking down the aluminium corner between the skins of the floor. Hopefully I've sealed it.

Also managed to get the rear panel in, I've used the roof panel from the freezer compartment with some cut outs to clear the light and number plate recesses.

Finally I can give a sneak peek at the layout.

Mike

 

 

Looks great! Good to see just in time design😃  Where's the kitchen and bathroom going?

[miketomcat]

The wife has had the design sorted for a while, it was the trailer that caused a redesign due to wheel position.

The toilet module will be just inside the door on the left (front corner) with the bunks in front of you. To the right will be a double bed with cupboard storage on your imidiate right running down the side of the bed. The kitchen will be a combination of a locker and a slide out draw on the outside. It will be under the bed/cupboards to the right of the main door. Eventually there will be an awning on this side over the door and kitchen.

Mike

[Ibex94]

12 hours ago, miketomcat said:

The wife has had the design sorted for a while, it was the trailer that caused a redesign due to wheel position.

The toilet module will be just inside the door on the left (front corner) with the bunks in front of you. To the right will be a double bed with cupboard storage on your imidiate right running down the side of the bed. The kitchen will be a combination of a locker and a slide out draw on the outside. It will be under the bed/cupboards to the right of the main door. Eventually there will be an awning on this side over the door and kitchen.

Mike

Sounds good Mike.

We've got an awning to go on the horse box for when my daughter has a stay away competition.  Its a great concept!

[miketomcat]

Wife and kids are away this week so household chores are suspended. Every spare minute is on the trailer.

I have a spare ibex door catch so it would be rude not to use it. Unfortunately I can't make the existing door latch work both inside and out so plan B. I'm going the fit a JCB door handle in the stainless door recess and this will operate the ibex catch. I've cut a recess in the door frame to take the pin and a hole in the end of the door to take the catch. I need to extend the trigger plate so the handle can release it. Hopefully this will all work just need to remove the existing set up and fit it.

In between doing this I've done all the internal fibreglass repairs and filled them.

This is where the door was originally. As this is in the toilet compartment I'm going to clad over this with a thin fibreglass sheet so not worried about how flat it is. The other side I've faired in better because this is covered in material.

Tonight I've glued all the wall coverings on.

There is a line where there's a fibreglass repair but this will be at the foot end of the bunks so won't be noticeable.

Mike

 

[FridgeFreezer]

OK I'll ask - why are the walls grey?

[miketomcat]

It's a material finish so won't sweat like fibreglass can giving a warmer feel so not a stark white. It covers a multitude of sins easily and quickly. The roof will stay white and the bulkheads are going to be a light wood varnished. Remember we're only sleeping in here not spending time that's what the awning will be for.

Mike

[Ed Poore]

2 hours ago, FridgeFreezer said:

OK I'll ask - why are the walls grey?

You've seen his Ibex haven't you?

[miketomcat]

Final day of freedom yesterday, So removed the original door locking mechanism. It is a shame I can't use it but I just couldn't find a handle that operated the right way and could be triggered from the inside. I let the handle go off the rods, the lower on immediately fell out and jammed in the ground, somebody forgot the rod was longer than the available space below it. Trouble is it was way to early to cut it off. Anyway got the rest of it out and by that time I could set to it with an angle grinder, first cut, bugger still can get it out.

On to fitting the replacement, removing the old latch left some un wanted holes and having just drilled an new larger hole with a hole saw (the insulation melts and smokes really easy) I decided to just put some rivets in, they're mostly hidden behind the handle any way.

All fitted up, I must of done something right as it all lines up. The catch works great, bolt it all up tight and shut the door fantastic.......

Except that once tight the button is 5mm further in, and now the catch is permanently released doh. Fortunately I can strip it all apart and move my extension to the other side of the release mechanism. The down side is to do this I need to cut down an Allen key. All back together and this time it works a treat.

Finally a clean up and re-attach some of the loose trim around the door.

Mike

[Wytze]

12 minutes ago, miketomcat said:

Final day of freedom yesterday, So removed the original door locking mechanism. It is a shame I can't use it but I just couldn't find a handle that operated the right way and could be triggered from the inside. I let the handle go off the rods, the lower on immediately fell out and jammed in the ground, somebody forgot the rod was longer than the available space below it. Trouble is it was way to early to cut it off. Anyway got the rest of it out and by that time I could set to it with an angle grinder, first cut, bugger still can get it out.

On to fitting the replacement, removing the old latch left some un wanted holes and having just drilled an new larger hole with a hole saw (the insulation melts and smokes really easy) I decided to just put some rivets in, they're mostly hidden behind the handle any way.

All fitted up, I must of done something right as it all lines up. The catch works great, bolt it all up tight and shut the door fantastic.......

Except that once tight the button is 5mm further in, and now the catch is permanently released doh. Fortunately I can strip it all apart and move my extension to the other side of the release mechanism. The down side is to do this I need to cut down an Allen key. All back together and this time it works a treat.

Finally a clean up and re-attach some of the loose trim around the door.

Mike

That looks factory finished. Very nice.

[miketomcat]

One of the advantages of being a boat builder is I have and access to lots of wood working tools. This morning I got into work a little early so I could use the machines. The oak I already had so it was rude not to use it and it'll go well with the birch ply.

Two corner posts and two lengths of skirting.

Mike

[miketomcat]

The bulkheads are 12mm birch ply mainly because it's left over from another job but also it has I nice light finish. The downside of using left overs is it never quite the right size. The longest lengths are all 60mm short.

Qué the skirting which I've cut a rabbet in the top for the ply to sit in, the upside is it's much easier to fit when your only trimming one end. Due to the shape of the roof I could do the forward section without skirting, except I only have enough long lengths to do the main area. The forward section though is between the bunks and toilet so one side will be clad the other I can hide the joint at bunk height.

I've rabbet the ply to form a halving joint along the line of the bunk height and up the edge to meet with the next (full) sheet.

All glued in ready for the next sheet.

Mike

[miketomcat]

Much as this is a budget build there are some things that need to be bought new. After looking around second hand wheels where either well used or to far away to be viable and with Silverstone fast approaching.....

The other thing we've bitten the bullet on is windows for much the same reasons as the wheels. The astute among you may of spotted the boxes in some of the pictures. We've bought three of these.

https://www.shieldautocare.co.uk/product/cassette-top-hinged-windows/

One at 1100x500 and two at 500mmx350mm.

Mike

[miketomcat]

Bunk bulkheads in.

And closing panel.

Mike

[miketomcat]

Busy day today, in between heavy rain I managed to get the wheels swapped over.

Just a little bit of size difference.

Much more purposeful.

Due to the interior starting to go in I needed to sort the frame for the bed as it's big enough that I can't get it in there once the other panels go in.

I've used one of the original shelving grids. It's cut down, but makes a light weight bed frame. It will be skinned with some ply and I'm hoping to be able to hinge it to give access to the storage underneath.

[miketomcat]

Also got some more bulkheads in and the seat that will house the clorifier.

With that in I was able to fit the bed supports and the rear storage/pull out support panel.

Bed frame dropped down in place, unfortunately it's a little to long so doesn't sit down properly. Tomorrow I'll trim it and hopefully sort the bunk bed frames.

Mike

[Arjan]

You've been busy !

Looking good.

[Anderzander]

I guess I wouldn’t expect anything else with your skill set - but it looks lovely, so nicely done.

I know you haven’t fitted your windows yet - but somehow all your photos inside looks bright and airy !?  How is that so? Is that from the roof light, flash, or are lighting it inside whilst you work? 

[miketomcat]

At the moment the only lighting is from the door and roof hatches. My phone camera is rubbish so it quite often needs the flash on just to take a picture. It is surprisingly light in there which should only get better once the windows go in.

Mike

[Anderzander]

These house architecture programmes on TV say flat roof windows bring in three times as much light as a window in the wall …. Looks like it’s true ! 

[miketomcat]

It certainly seems that way. Unfortunately one of them will be behind a bulkhead when I build the toilet cubicle.

Mike

[Anderzander]

Well in that case the toilet might not be airy - but it’ll be light 😀

[miketomcat]

Not so much achieved today. I reminded myself why it's a really good idea to clamp the item down on the pillar drill, as it bit, spun round and sliced through my finger. Fortunately it doesn't need stitches but it was deep enough to bleed 🩸 everywhere.

The job in question was drilling out some hinges so I can hinge the bed frame to allow access to storage underneath. While I was at it I shortened the frame so it fits better.

I've also repurposed some more of the original aluminium rails to create the supports for the bunks but I need some longer rivets before I can fit them.

Mike