Few pics of the cockpit. I tried to keep things looking discreet, which is ironic considering the screaming red Recaro that came with the van. Red would not have been my choice but he seats are very comfy so they’re going to stick around. The upgrades to the cockpit include; sound treated doors, 3 ways rainbow speakers, Audison 8” sub, Audio control amp, sub amp, DDX9020 head unit, cruise control, front facing camera, two way security alarm, solid state switch panel, gauges, and arm rest mini fridge. The van also came with gloss black trims which I haven’t seen on any other interiors which is pretty cool.
Kitchen
Kitchen area consists of a Induction cooktop wired to a 3000W inverter, 85L Fridge, Sink and dimmable down lights. The lights, water pump and inverter are wired up to two Safiery 4 button panels. This setups works great in windy conditions and we don’t have to carry butane!
Living Space
A few shots of the interior
Cushion / wood bracket
The van can be converted into a bed by using the table top in conjuction with this piece of wood. Previously, this wood piece had no designated storage spot when not in use, but now it can be neatly stowed away without making any noise during travel. Additionally, the bracket also functions as a backrest for the cushion and prevents it from shifting around. Laser cut aluminium & powder coated.
Hot water system bracket
Initially the hot water was going to be supplied using a gas hot water system. To mount it to the wheel carrier I mocked up a cardboard model and then had a bracket laser cut, welded and powder coated. It works well but I’ve since installed a heat exchanger so I’m not sure how much use this will get. Carrying a gas bottle and hooking it all up is a pain.
Hub TLC
Taking a break
Although the interior isn’t quite finished, we took the van for its maiden voyage to South Australia to see how it faired.
Cushions!
Being able to sit and lie down in the van makes it feel real! After much deliberation we settled on 100mm thick foam for the mattress, and pistachio as the colour of our fabric. Both were great options and very comfy to sleep on. Suzy even sowed us some funky pattern curtains.
Wiring had begun
Considering the small amount of space in the van, the components had fit pretty well.
Fitting the cabinetry
Once primed the white cabinets were sent off to the professionals for a 2 pac top coat. It looked and felt amazing to the touch. Here’s a few photos of how the interior had progressed. This was a particularly exciting time!
OSMO coating
The veneered surfaces were treated with Osmo Satin 3032 to bring it to life. It gives the finish a beautiful golden lustre.
DIY Spray booth - Prime time
The shed had a Dexter style makeover. We stapled clear plastic all over, made a turn table, plugged in the exhaust and got priming. Primer used was the Zinsser 470ml B-I-N Primer Sealer through a Fuji Spray gun. Thanks to the fast drying primer we could get a lot of coats in and have them lightly sanded each time.
So much sanding!!!
Prepping parts for paint
The front facing panels were getting prepped for painting. We painstakingly sealed all the edges with pva glue in hopes of getting a smooth edge. Little did we know using glue was going to create a lot more work for us down the road as it sets incredibly hard and is not easy to sand.
Assembly
Over the next few weeks we got familiar with using the pocket jig, corner clamps and glue. Suzy got on the tools and at this point the build really starter to take shape! Lots of sanding, lots of gluing.
Testing the first piece
Exciting day test fitting the first piece inside the van. We’ve also lay down the vinyl floor in the van to get a sense of how it was all coming together.
CNC Parts arrive
Picked up around 120 cut parts from the cnc shop and grouped them into their assemblies.
3D Plans
Plans ready for CNC
CNC'd Floor
We first printed the floor profile on paper and cut it out to test fitment. Once we were happy, we found a CNC shop that had a router big enough for this single piece of marine ply. The fitment was surprisingly good! The locating slots are for the cabinetry which we spent designing during the covid lockdown and through holes to screw the floor down to the vans existing mount points.
Light switches
Roof, fog & misc lights controlled by this small switch-pro sp-9100 which happened to fit perfectly where the useless card holder was in the centre foot console. Fuses are all solid-state so it really simplified the wiring. Even comes eith Bluetooth so you can control your roof rack lights remotely while at campsite :P
Terzo ladder & stickers
Got a terzo ladder, and reproduced the stickers as my ladder didn't come with any. Ladder was powdercoated in a gloss and textured finish.