Violating a Princess!

[SquirrellCook]

I'm still at it when I get time. Once I finish the extension at work I will have room to make the seats and trim.

Mark

 

[SquirrellCook]

I opened the door today and looked at the work required.
I left the vehicle and locked the door!

Mark

 

[MarkJ]

Yep, been there....

Sometimes it seems just too hard.

 

[SquirrellCook]

I'm going to have to get on with it soon, as I've book trips for it already.
Extension to the workshop is nearly finished, another month should do it.
Then I'll have space in the dry to work.

Mark

 

[smycker]

So a new build starts, time will tell how foolish we are being. We have discussed down sizing or even a new build on a chassis bulkhead. In a fit of madness we purchased this old tart, that will be renamed Betty. I hope it doesn't get to many other names. I will post progress as the mood takes me.

MarkView attachment 1396

LOVE BETTY

 

[SquirrellCook]

I'm almost at a stage where I have enough room to set the sewing machine up. Once the drivers seat covered and fitted at least I'll be able to move it again.
I think am going to have to do the minimum amount of work for it to be accepted for a MOT.
It's been sat for a lot of years now, it would be annoying if the interior had a lot of work done only to find it failed it's test on many counts.

Mark

 

[Millie Master]

Mark; you really need to get some miles under the wheels before taking it to the testing station simply to find out how it is driving and more importantly to bed in the brakes etc.

And that is a hard nut to crack unless you live somewhere where eyes are unlikely to be seeing you and of course you are willing to turn a blind eye to the dreaded law!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phil

 

[SquirrellCook]

The testing station I use Phil is some miles away, and not being a local I could get lost on the way
Air least it has disc brakes all round with the rears being spring brakes. They still seem to move.
As it was sunny today, I took advantage to wash some of the green off.
The front end was rebuilt shortly after I rebuilt the front end of Murky's running gear. So that should be ok.
The rear discs were an advisory, but they might freshen up with a grinder once the wheels are off.

Mark

 

[Millie Master]

The rear discs were an advisory, but they might freshen up with a grinder once the wheels are off.

Mark

Why no put on a pair of new rear discs whilst at the same time rebuilding the calipers........... I always use JCB brake parts for my braking supplies.

Phil

 

[SquirrellCook]

It's time Phil, the extension at work has over run. Installation of new machinery has been postponed. It's all about making it useable quickly without any bodges.
Whilst still trying to work in chaos to pay for it all.
All good fun, but I will escape!

Mark

 

[SquirrellCook]

This weekend we have made a little progress, whilst overwhelmed with horrible colds we picked up on out Italian adventure last week.
Investigating the random water leak from the roof the first job was to clean any traces of algae from around the skylight.
With the skylight removed and me scrubbing the roof around the hatch, Anita spotted water occasionally coming in.
After some thought we came to the conclusion that the skylight outer seal was stopping water draining away.
So once enough water was trapped, it rose to a height to overcome the pop rivet heads. Hence the random leaks.
Fingers crossed I coated the rivets and the joint line of the flanged with some flexible epoxy.
It takes a couple of days to set and has the habit creeping away from where it was put.
I'll check it in the morning, and if in doubt coat it again.
At least I have a pattern for the one piece of roof lining I fitted and ruined.

The progress bit is that Anita built up the passenger seats and we made a trial fit.
Just as well as a few issues arose, we were hoping to make our own custom seating.
Time is not on our side to they will have to do for now.
The last piece of paneling for the habitation has now been fitted, along with a small amount of trim.

I made a little mistake with the DVLA a month or so back.
I attempted to change the number of seats.
My request was refused! Photographic evidence was required.
With six weeks to provide it!
We managed to get that extended, hence trying to get the floor plan mocked up as soon as possible.
Things mentioned were along the lines of seat rails removed. That's not easy with a Plaxton Cheater or Bever as the seat rail molding helps to hold the floor in place. Lets hope we can argue that.
Engine and chassis had to be original and unmodified.
Then the horrible bit!!! We can no longer tax it as a coach/bus until the seating changes are accepted.
I wonder what it's taxation class will be? It can't be any kind of HGV as it's never been approved.
I guess a car with a weight exemption.

Waiting for more aluminium to turn up for framing.

Mark

 

[SquirrellCook]

I was hoping this weekend would be all about framing.
Not wanting to remove structure, two, three or more times it was decided to bite the bullet and do some finish fitting.
The "Cant" panels are all installed now after the cavities have been have been filled with self adhesive foam.
In hindsight, having become more confident with Gun controlled spray foam it would have been cheaper and faster to have used that.
A word of warning, the inverted cans with a nozzle behave nothing like the gun version.
So, one frame is in to stay for the shower room with one side bonded to plastic coat ply.
I ran out of PU mastic and primmer, so that was the end of bonding.
Another wall frame has been made for the shower.
Wardrobe baskets have been purchased and sheets of plastic coated ply have been varnished on the back to make them more stable.
These sheets will be inside the wardrobe.
Not forgetting the Batteries have been evicted into a lower storage box.
It doesn't seem like much, but it is progress.

 

[Millie Master]

Life can be a btch, but you are slowly getting there............. keep your chin up

Phil

 

[SquirrellCook]

And I thought it was going to be so easy to make and fit the wall panels.
One feature of the Beever and Cheetah is that the ceiling is level and the floor slopes down to the front.
I guess it's to stop having a step in the floor.
Each panel is more of a custom fit than you would first expect for another vehicle.
The basic construction is an aluminium frame stiffened with PIR insulation.
Each side faced with Buffalo board or PVC coated ply depending on the abuse it might be given.

Progress or not!
One of the shower/toilet walls is finally bonded and secured in place.
The other wall that is also part of the wardrobe is ready to bond and secure.
This wall also had basket rails attached too.
Set screws, washers and nylocs. These shouldn't pull through with over loaded baskets.
The other wardrobe wall is at about the same stage. Spacing is everything if you expect smooth movement without the baskets jumping off.
The reasoning for the baskets was better airing and a heater duct pipe passes through the back of the wardrobe and will be uninsulated.
The replacement fridge turned up as I was typing.

So slowly, but at least we are working on it again.

Mark

 

[Millie Master]

Your attention to detail Mark is of the highest standards........... what are you going to cover the ceiling in?

Phil

 

[SquirrellCook]

Your attention to detail Mark is of the highest standards........... what are you going to cover the ceiling in?

Phil

Thanks Phil.
This is where I'm torn Phil.
I'd like a thermal barrier over the steel work, but then it makes it fun and games lining it.
The idea was to use the pvc coated ply with the pvc against the roof.
The wood side varnished, then fabric bonded to it.
Wanting to avoid metal fasteners I was thinking of using plastic fasteners with a peg inside to lock them.
It's a lot of work.

 

[Millie Master]

Thanks Phil.
This is where I'm torn Phil.
I'd like a thermal barrier over the steel work, but then it makes it fun and games lining it.
The idea was to use the pvc coated ply with the pvc against the roof.
The wood side varnished, then fabric bonded to it.
Wanting to avoid metal fasteners I was thinking of using plastic fasteners with a peg inside to lock them.
It's a lot of work.

As you already have Cellotex throughout on the ceiling, why not simply bond some Morlands Vinyl faced ply to it, or for that matter any other kind of flexible/thinnish sheeting?

As you already have what I can see of the roof, all insulated, surely there isn't any need for a vapour barrier?

Phil

 

[SquirrellCook]

I'm using this product Phil. https://advancedtechnicalpanels.verto.site/products/film-coated-plywood/wisa-multiwall 3.5mm thick.
It's not about a vapour barrier, it's about a thermal barrier preventing condensation on the steel work.
Over the years I've seen this all too many times.
You only discover it when it's too late.
All the surfaces are curved, so it would be a pain waiting for glue to set on each panel.
It's bad enough making up the walls.

Mark

 

[SquirrellCook]

Oh, what fun. We sent off to reduce the number of seats in Betty.
I was hoping that the taxation class would still remain some kind of Passenger Vehicle.
Yes, you guessed it! It's now going to be taxed as a Lorry.
Even trying to explain that would be fraud had no affect.
The script seems to be, "once over 3.5T a private people carrying vehicle becomes a Lorry"
Once again, only the poor have to abide by the law.

Mark

 

[Nabsim]

My van was PHGV until I got it down plated so that would seem consistent. What were you thinking it would be?