T6 Midroof LWB Wheelchair Campervan Build

[Bryn23]

Solar panel is installed, started at 5pm as the heat starts to die off, got it installed around 7:30pm in 24 degree heat.

Used 2 tubes of Sika 252 with a 2-3 mm gap on the 1730mm x 50mm solar support rail, i'd like to think it won't move

Time will tell

But i'm going to have a few days off to let it cure and then get back to it on the weekend.

 

[Bryn23]

I've decided to look at getting a custom made water tank up, as the CAK front wheel arch tanks i have, won't fit with the underfloor lift and the diesel heater.

I looked at ordering another CAK tank, but the 42 litres isn't a lot for a off the grid campervan and i've already got the CAK waste water tank for infant of the spare wheel.

So I made a template wheel arch tank, out of 4mm ply and the trusty old glue gun (900mm long x 600mm high x 250mm wide) minus the wheel arch.

It'll have approx 85 litres of internal capacity with 6mm food grade plastic,

Although after refitting the template wardrobe, i can get an extra 25mm width which will take it up to 99 litres and it'll increase the leg width, which is a bonus.

I'll look at getting baffles put in the tank, which will reduce the overall volume a little, but it will be well worth it if it reduces the water movement offroad





Im looking at running the outlet at the front as thats were the pump is and inlet and breather at the rear.

Now i just have to find someone to weld them up in plastic, that journey starts tomorrow.

 

[Bryn23]

Well i have to look at my tank options, so far i'm not having much luck, well with pricing, i got one quote which was $1606.00!!! out of 8mm plastic.

Other companies, have issues with the leg width and welding plastic from internally.

I might have to look at giving plastic tank fabrication a go, or look at TIG welding a Stainless Steel tank up.

I'll have to weigh up the costs, as i can lift TIG on my welder, but 316 SS steel consumables aren't cheap, 5Kg of SS rods are around $160 and ill have to look at my options to cut 1.2mm-1.6mm and bend SS sheet.

and then i'll still need to get the internal area of the tank treated.

It's tempting just to order a smaller CAK tank to reduce the workload and maybe make space for a 24 pack of 600mm water bottles to increase drinkable water.

 

[Caulkhead]

Well i have to look at my tank options, so far i'm not having much luck, well with pricing, i got one quote which was $1606.00!!! out of 8mm plastic.

Other companies, have issues with the leg width and welding plastic from internally.

I might have to look at giving plastic tank fabrication a go, or look at TIG welding a Stainless Steel tank up.

I'll have to weigh up the costs, as i can lift TIG on my welder, but 316 SS steel consumables aren't cheap, 5Kg of SS rods are around $160 and ill have to look at my options to cut 1.2mm-1.6mm and bend SS sheet.

and then i'll still need to get the internal area of the tank treated.

It's tempting just to order a smaller CAK tank to reduce the workload and maybe make space for a 24 pack of 600mm water bottles to increase drinkable water.

When I was bumming around the Atlantic on my boat for years, we used to collect 50 ltr bottles of empty fresh water bottles and store them on our side decks to fill when empty for our water supply.
Can you not do something like this and store on some sort of corner attachments to the bumpers on the corners, after all you’re not looking to pretty your van up ?

 

[Oldrat]

Just doing my catch up with your thread again Bryn.

Sorry to hear about your father.

Your van is coming along very nicely. Have you thought about aluminium for the water tank as opposed to SS?

Keep up the good work

Brian

 

[Bryn23]

i did look at make or buying in a rear bumper assembly, for a spare tire and extra diesel, put that on the back burner for a while.

but i'd rather have the weight on the wheel arch than right on the rear for such a large amount of water.

i haven ruled anything out, and your right its a campervan, not a pretty van

 

[Bryn23]

Just doing my catch up with your thread again Bryn.

Sorry to hear about your father.

Your van is coming along very nicely. Have you thought about aluminium for the water tank as opposed to SS?

Keep up the good work

Brian

Thanks Brian,

still can't accept that he has passed, but at least he is no longer in pain, lung cancer is such a painful death.

I did consider Aluminium, but i hate the taste of water out of aluminium

Also I've only got a Lift TIG option on my welder, and not HF TIG, it is possible to lift TIG on aluminium, but it has to be thick and i'd be looking at thin plate.

I'm going to go and get a few quotes on a SS tank next week as well, to see what the going price is.

most options are on the table

 

[Yogi_72]

Hey Bryn,

Sorry to hear about about your dad.

Van is looking so good. I’m jealous. Can’t believe the level of detail you have gone to. You have obviously acquired quite a bit of knowledge along the way. I’m sure it will be all worth it once completed. The lift kit will be handy. Just completed a Perth-Melb-Perth trip (about 9000k’s), and the biggest regret was not have more ground clearance. Would’ve been really handy in some of the deep sand while driving along some of the amazing beaches we have here (don’t mean to rub it in to our UK friends on here. Probably a good way to get myself banned from the forum )
Anyway, can’t wait to see the finished product. Keep up the good work.

 

[Oldrat]

Deep sand Pah!
I’ll raise you some Highland snow, taken a couple of days ago.

Sorry to hijack your thread Bryn

 

[Bryn23]

Thats a really nice pic Oldrat

I love a landscape with snow covered mountains, although i wouldn't like to live with the snowy winters.

I hate dirty wet slushed ice/snow

 

[Bryn23]

Hey Bryn,

Sorry to hear about about your dad.

Van is looking so good. I’m jealous. Can’t believe the level of detail you have gone to. You have obviously acquired quite a bit of knowledge along the way. I’m sure it will be all worth it once completed. The lift kit will be handy. Just completed a Perth-Melb-Perth trip (about 9000k’s), and the biggest regret was not have more ground clearance. Would’ve been really handy in some of the deep sand while driving along some of the amazing beaches we have here (don’t mean to rub it in to our UK friends on here. Probably a good way to get myself banned from the forum )
Anyway, can’t wait to see the finished product. Keep up the good work.

Yeah i'm slowly getting there, i do get annoyed at how much time i spend on it, but at least i know its up to my standard

Just want to get it finished,

The lift kit is well worth it, as its more than just a lift, it handles a lot better than the factory setup.

The Perth to Melbourne is a big trip just on its own, but to do the return leg, makes it a huge drive

Makes the 2 week Bris - Sydney road trip we are heading off on Friday sound like a trip to the shops

 

[Bryn23]

still working on the cabinet templates. got the wardrobe fitted then refitted the bed to check clearances.

It's close, ill look at trimming the cabinets to give myself another 10mm




I just need to adjust the cabinets once i trim it and then start on the overheads, ill angle them up from the angled roof support as i have already installed rivnuts

As we are heading on a road trip, i ripped the cabinets out, removed the front seats, greased the swivels and seat slides.

I put the 63ah secondary battery in the factory aux battery spot and wired up a set of three 12 volt plugs under the drivers seat (fuses are in the plugs and there is a main fuse at the Aux battery supply ) ran some temp extension cables for the interior LED Lights, Maxx Fan and left the other plug for our old Waeco trusty CF50 fridge.

Easy fix for a quick trip.

Took a oil sample for testing, as it is going in for its 12 month service tomorrow.

Then its time to hit the road

 

[Bryn23]

Well i had a great trip and learnt a few things for the rest of the build.

Did just over 3000 km, van behaved and caused no issues, the last leg was a 10 hour run to get home.

even more impressed with the handling on the windy coastal roads, the extra ground clearance came handy.

finally decided on what i'm going to do with the cabinets and the materials.

Decided to use a 15mm Falcata lightweight ply that comes in a 5.55kg sqm (50% lighter than MDF or Birch Ply), and i'll laminate a white laminate on the rear and i'll use a Textured Zebrano for the face of the cabinets.

Im a fan of Zebrano and have made many a furniture piece with timber veneer, but as this a camper i need it to be durable, my wheelchair is titanium and its not very forgiving when it touches timber.

So a Matt Textured laminate with matching textured ABS edging will do for now.



So that all ordered, i'll just have to wait for the delivery, i also decided to use Black/Black Evo Motion latches, as i'm not a fan of round door latches and these are the best looking latches i've seen so far.

So i should see those latches in a few weeks, which will work out as there is a fair bit of laminating to be done which will have to be done at night, it hit 41 degrees today its been to hot to do anything, let alone laminate or vacuum press

Even though it would be easier, I didn't go for a double sided lightweight 2 sided ply as i couldn't find a colour i really liked and for some reason almost all are gloss finish.

I don't do gloss.. and even those its extra work, its should be worth it.

Oh and i have another issue, the wife said i can get a new crafter if i want...

 

[Oldrat]

A little trip ..2 weeks since your last post, I need my fix man!

Good luck with all that laminating Bryn, the veneer finish looks good, interested to know more about what that that lightweight board is made from.

Crafter eh, yep I quite fancy one of those

Keep up the good work, and don’t disappear without permission again

 

[Bryn23]

A little trip ..2 weeks since your last post, I need my fix man!

Good luck with all that laminating Bryn, the veneer finish looks good, interested to know more about what that that lightweight board is made from.

Crafter eh, yep I quite fancy one of those

Keep up the good work, and don’t disappear without permission again

Well I've enjoyed my little break from the workshop, the heat up here in QLD has been awful, will have to look at air-conditioning at some stage, as i can't deal with working in 36-40 degrees.

The lightweight ply is a just a plywood made from the Falcata tree, which is local to Australia, but i believe most of it is imported from south east asia for plywood due to lower costs.

It good for interior work, but not structural rated, but at 370 kg per cubic meter (370 grams a mm), its quite light and strong for cupboards.

I've got to chase down some plastic for the tank this week, id like to get a start on that.

But it'll be a lazy week van wise, as there is other stuff that needs doing before the van

 

[Oldrat]

How’s it going Bryn?

Any news fella?

 

[Bryn23]

How’s it going Bryn?

Any news fella?

Not much news, i've been quite sick and in and out of hospital over the last 2 weeks

But things are looking up, so hopefully i can kick on later this week.

All the material is sitting there, so i'm itching to get going again

 

[Oldrat]

Not much news, i've been quite sick and in and out of hospital over the last 2 weeks

But things are looking up, so hopefully i can kick on later this week.

All the material is sitting there, so i'm itching to get going again

Best of luck to you Bryn, get well soon m8y

 

[Caulkhead]

Best of good Health to you Bryn and Please keep safe through this Cyclone, hope everything is lashed down up in Queensland, look after yourselves

 

[Bryn23]

Cheers guys,

It doesn't look to bad, so far the cyclone is only a cat 1, and hopefully turning into a tropical low.

Still, it pays to be prepared