My Build Thread

[ben5560]

Had some 3M tape left over, wrapped the door handles:

 

[ben5560]

Finally, 6 months was over and i was allowed back in the UK. April 26, just before my sisters wedding (literally a couple of hours before) i visited Davenco and put an order in for the kitchen units. From Germany, i had to find:

• A company to supply a ply 12mm floor (not easy to find in Germany either!)
• A decent poptop company (expensive in Germany)
• Someone for the furniture.

Turns out, all available in Derby - go Derby!! (which is where my sister's wedding was). Cosmic was booked in for the poptop, the plan would be:

1. Drive to UK, sell rubber matting on the way (sold to a member on here who met me en route)
2. Pick up Ply Floor
3. Drive to Cosmic Campers
4. Drive to Davenco
5. Drive back to Germany

So a month later, back i go to execute the plan:



Then to Cosmic, my heart dropped when they ran through the quote in person - i messed up. I wanted a white roof, and the quote was black - i missed it entirely. Thankfully, i think it looks better anyway and breaks up the 'the white van man' look, i was happy with the result. Of course i couldnt change it, i was only in the UK a week and this had been planned for over a month:





Day of pickup, Storm Poptop / Fiamma 43 Van fitted:




My parents kindly let me get a load of things delivered to their place, one of which was a pre-cut roll of Altro from Combe Valley Campers - of course, this needed to at least be on the floor before the kitchen went in - i didnt want to go through customs with a load of boxes!!



Magnets applied to the seat base backs:



And back to Germany... with a new kitchen!

 

[ben5560]

Upon return, more small side jobs. I flocked the glovebox:



And started oiling the furniture with Osmo, as it is Bamboo:



Rear exit button installed, van shade on:



Side steps fitted:



Vanstyle 4 piece splitter fitted:



Old car sold (Q5) and onto the new with a new orange strip:

 

[ben5560]

Took a few days off work, carpet time. Bed board had to come out - didnt enjoy that part!

 

[ben5560]

Now to stick the altro down, and trim the edges. I used thin double sided tape, and a hooked blade. Prior to this, i screwed the ply floor into the battens. New VanX V3 threshold installed:






Talking of thresholds, i found this in my local hardware store just before i put the ply down - the clip for it screws to the underside and the metal threshold clips into it:

 

[ben5560]

Back to electrics, i opted to put my fusebox here so its hidden out the way, but at least accessible:



Fusebox installed on rear quarter, kit pre-build by Rayne Automotive:



Broke the socket (this meant i had to pop into Screwfix during a quick weekend in London to pay 3 quid for a new socket face - can't get UK sockets in Germany, who knew

Furniture back in:

 

[ben5560]

First test weekend locally camping, the electrics worked!



Remember when i said it was accessible? Kind of is!

 

[ben5560]

I originally wanted to buy an E-Grille as the final piece of the build, but then i found on printables a member on here had created a hinge kit for the rear panels - much better than 150 quid for the same thing from THQ i thought:

 

[ben5560]

Turns out the terrible window installs by the previous owner was worse than i thought, it was leaking. So i bought a carbest (Reimo) sliding window with an integrated flynet and paid a window company to install it:

 

[ben5560]

Got to love IKEA, got some motion lights for the cabinets:

 

[ben5560]

Another great thing about being in Germany is that companies like Froli are German - and i also found 'CubeCamp' which offers a similar product, but lower profile. I was amazed to find this is an 1250 quid option with a certain converter in the UK for a Froli system, this cost me.... 130 Euros. It clips together and has three firmness springs which you can move around depending on how you sleep:

 

[ben5560]

Another nerve-racking moment, i had to drill holes for the sockets into the splashback - if i get this wrong, it means getting a new splashback somehow from Derby!



Locker and under cabinet lighting wired in:





Again, IKEA for mini spot lights:





And more 3D printing, this time drawers in the front: