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We picked up pip in January, we spent a couple months saving up some money to start the build thoughÂ
A couple months ago work started and we made some real progress, IÂm just gonna do a photo dump so you can see
Â
First on the list was sorting out that awful red badge on the front. I also sourced some original tail lights and front indicators in favour of the blacked out smoked ones that the previous owner had fitted.
Much better!
Then there was a bit of welding that needed sorting on the floor in the back, for some unbeknownst reason there was a big figure 8 hole that somebody had cut out. A friend of mine sorted that for us (as I still canÂt weld
) and then we started lining the van with insulation and building our framework .
The idea is that weÂll have a little bulkhead with a door to separate our living area from the cab, the worktop is going to continue almost all the way to the back of the van, but thereÂs going to be a big full height cupboard there too.
Round about this point we had a huge scare, I was reaching up behind the dashboard to try and sort a small issue with the heater vents, basically they were stuck on hot constantly (not great in the summer
)Â
Anyways, as I reached up something fell, I looked and it turned out to be a cigarette lighter that somebody had previously wired in and then just tucked behind the dash. Literally as I touched it, it sparked on something and smoke started billowing out from behind the dashboard. I was proper scared. Cut a long story short, the thing set on fire and I managed to save it by running to the back and disconnecting the battery live.
After investigating it a bit further I found that the live wires had just been twisted together and left bare behind the METAL dashboard. Yes, the van has a metal dashboard. Even worse was the fact that the absolute idiot that wired it in had earthed it to said dashboard.
If it had rattled around and short circuited itself whilst I was out and about driving, and not at my unit, it genuinely would have burnt to the ground.
I ended up removing the dash and going through all of the rats nest of dodgy wiring to make it safe, I had a general tidy up too.
Bad!
Anyway, once that was done, we started work on the conversion sideÂ
I carried on making the bed frame, this needed to be on two pivots; one, to allow the back to lift, so that we can access the engine bay still, and two, because the front needed to lift up as I was planning on putting chest storage underneath it.
I got it to this stage about a month ago and then broke my ankle skateboarding like an idiot.
After a few weeks of sitting on my arse feeling sorry for myself I decided it was time to get outside, so I hobbled outside and started on the van again from where I left off IÂm off work for a little while yet as IÂm still in a pot on my foot.
This was yesterday.
Bed frame is basically done, Im gonna do some more today so not sure what thatll be.
Also a couple weeks ago, my mate brought his MX5 over and took me for a spin, he bought it in January too, crashed it two days later and has basically rebuilt it and in the meantime put coil overs and wheels on too. Proper proud of him haha!
As you can see, its pretty dirt nasty low.
That just about finishes it.
A side note, sometime a couple months ago I hit my daily MK3 estate with the lowering stick even more and fitted some 80mm drop plates to the rear, anyone who knows these cars will know its pretty difficult to get the back end down so these are a good solution. A lad local to me makes them so if anyone wants some get in touch and Ill put you in touch
.
I fitted some 16 Renault Megane steels too at the same time to complete the look. Ive also made my own USDM style front indicators.
Now THAT is pretty much it haha.
PS. I sold my mountain bike last year and was planning on buying another this year. Anyway, Dee asked me if Id rather buy that, or we both go halves on putting the Camper on Hydro so we can get it decked You already know what my answer was
. So once the conversion is complete in the back, thats the next thing well be saving for!
See you sooooon
A couple months ago work started and we made some real progress, IÂm just gonna do a photo dump so you can see
Â
First on the list was sorting out that awful red badge on the front. I also sourced some original tail lights and front indicators in favour of the blacked out smoked ones that the previous owner had fitted.
Much better!
Then there was a bit of welding that needed sorting on the floor in the back, for some unbeknownst reason there was a big figure 8 hole that somebody had cut out. A friend of mine sorted that for us (as I still canÂt weld
) and then we started lining the van with insulation and building our framework .
The idea is that weÂll have a little bulkhead with a door to separate our living area from the cab, the worktop is going to continue almost all the way to the back of the van, but thereÂs going to be a big full height cupboard there too.
Round about this point we had a huge scare, I was reaching up behind the dashboard to try and sort a small issue with the heater vents, basically they were stuck on hot constantly (not great in the summer
)Â
Anyways, as I reached up something fell, I looked and it turned out to be a cigarette lighter that somebody had previously wired in and then just tucked behind the dash. Literally as I touched it, it sparked on something and smoke started billowing out from behind the dashboard. I was proper scared. Cut a long story short, the thing set on fire and I managed to save it by running to the back and disconnecting the battery live.
After investigating it a bit further I found that the live wires had just been twisted together and left bare behind the METAL dashboard. Yes, the van has a metal dashboard. Even worse was the fact that the absolute idiot that wired it in had earthed it to said dashboard.
If it had rattled around and short circuited itself whilst I was out and about driving, and not at my unit, it genuinely would have burnt to the ground.
I ended up removing the dash and going through all of the rats nest of dodgy wiring to make it safe, I had a general tidy up too.
Bad!
Anyway, once that was done, we started work on the conversion sideÂ
I carried on making the bed frame, this needed to be on two pivots; one, to allow the back to lift, so that we can access the engine bay still, and two, because the front needed to lift up as I was planning on putting chest storage underneath it
.
I got it to this stage about a month ago and then broke my ankle skateboarding like an idiot
. After a few weeks of sitting on my arse feeling sorry for myself I decided it was time to get outside, so I hobbled outside and started on the van again from where I left off IÂm off work for a little while yet as IÂm still in a pot on my foot.
This was yesterday
.
Bed frame is basically done, Im gonna do some more today so not sure what thatll be.
Also a couple weeks ago, my mate brought his MX5 over and took me for a spin, he bought it in January too, crashed it two days later and has basically rebuilt it and in the meantime put coil overs and wheels on too. Proper proud of him haha!
As you can see, its pretty dirt nasty low
.
That just about finishes it.
A side note, sometime a couple months ago I hit my daily MK3 estate with the lowering stick even more and fitted some 80mm drop plates to the rear, anyone who knows these cars will know its pretty difficult to get the back end down so these are a good solution. A lad local to me makes them so if anyone wants some get in touch and Ill put you in touch
.I fitted some 16 Renault Megane steels too at the same time to complete the look. Ive also made my own USDM style front indicators.
Now THAT is pretty much it haha.
PS. I sold my mountain bike last year and was planning on buying another this year. Anyway, Dee asked me if Id rather buy that, or we both go halves on putting the Camper on Hydro so we can get it decked You already know what my answer was
. So once the conversion is complete in the back, thats the next thing well be saving for! See you sooooon
(it was also my first day back at my old job so the stress was real haha!
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