rb panel van conversion begins ! (1 Viewer)

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Had a good trip down to Regal Furnishing.
What a great bunch of people. We've chosen the leather to go with our fabric. It's taupe, what we wanted. Proper leather hides.
We've also decided on our rb logo.
Regal are going to embroider it on to the leather corner of 2 big cushions, for the lounge and the cab head rests.
We have chosen the colour for that too. Ralphs got to email the logo tonight. Then they will get it digitised and ready to embroider on.
We looked at a couple of vans in the process of being done. A lady there had travelled from Portsmouth the night before for them to do her mh that day. She was so excited and the partly finished van looked great.
When we were choosing the foam type( we've gone for firm ) we saw the cutters in the upstairs workshop. Hard at it. As were the people sewing downstairs .
They have 9 ih panel vans coming in to upholster . Someone phoned up to book in and they had a spot free the end of August. Good to see they are so busy. But very friendly and professional too.
Very nice to get a good gut feeling about a company , that's going to do your work.

We had a lovely early pub lunch in a nearby village Stanton by Dale, The Stanhope Arms. I rekon we will call in again when we go and get the full job done. We were knocking on the door at 12 o'clock . Expecting it to be open !

 

[denzil]

Wow Bev it is going to look fabulous! Love the fabrics you have chosen. Will definately have to catch up with you both at some point to have a nosey. Bet it is getting really exciting now as you get closer every day to the finished product. Bet Ralph can't wait to finish and have a break to enjoy the Pug!

 

[Cal54]

Really like the idea of the monogram - very posh.

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[Popeye]

I'm thinking to go for the darker beige the leather is pointing at, but we also like the greyer tone too. Decisions decisions.......

It's taupe, what we wanted. Proper leather hides.

We're so glad you didn't go for the grey tone, you have definitely chosen well, it's only an opinion but it's our opinion too. So when will we get to see Pug the Beast, in the flesh, will our paths cross at Malvern perhaps.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

@Popeye
We don't do the Motorhome shows. But we've got a few rallies with the funsters booked on our calendar .
We're going to the Northern soul rally at the end of the month. We won't be ready , but will have a loo and the upholstery done ! Then there's Misterton at the end of June . Pug should be finally finished by then .
In August there's Saltfleet and the Wrenbury bring and buy. Last of all there's Goth weekend in November.
So your more than welcome to come and have a look if your going to any of those.
@denzil
We can't wait to get Pug finished and get out and about in him. Looking forward to just setting off on a Friday teatime and ending up where ever , for the weekend again. I'm sure you Will and the girls are looking forwards to your first weekend in mizzi this weekend. Ralph will have his phone on him if you need anything . Whilst working in Pug. He normally turns it off. So your honoured Enjoy your well earned break x
@Cal54
It's not exactly a crest of arms its a very basic mixture of a lowercase r and b.
Joined together In rust and brown. Once we get it done I'll post a picture.
We're getting a caravan graphics company to make 3 for the outside of the PVC too. One on the back door, and one each side top , back corner , of the van . We want the graphic to be the raised gel type.
The rest of the PVC will be left plain. ( stealth like )

 

[trophychap]

The colour of your material looks very similar to our Pilote, we have half leather in ours its Cream, and after two years of ownership it still looks as good as new.

We have spent approximately a year travelling in it so far in Three month stints and some week long rallies ect. We just wipe it down with clean water occasionally it is all you need to do to clean your leather according to Rolls Royce.

I hope you don't find it too dark when its finished, but being Goths perhaps you won't LOL.

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

@trophychap We're only goths twice a year with the funsters the rest of the time we are normal ish

Thanks for the damp cloth tip for cleaning.
We've also been advised to use baby wipes.

We've a white ceiling , light cream floor, light coloured Corian work top, plenty windows and roof lights . So although we've gone for black fridge, cooker with black glass lidded hob and black glass lidded sink . It shouldn't be dark.
Ralphs putting in plenty lighting too.
Hope it's not , anyway.
Ralphs home early again, ( blooming part timer ) gone straight into pug, with today's delivery of electrical clamping tool and several bags of bits and bobs.
No chance of him updating this , I tried.
He says the next update will be quite a biggy because it's all the electric stuff. He says to say thanks for everyone's posts and continued interest.
He feels famous hahaha.

 

[cruiser]

oh but he might be

 

[denzil]

@Ralph-n-Bev tell Ralph not to worry we will be fine, that's so kind of him though. We are just going to get one night away tomorrow I think as the plumber is back in the day now so couldn't go tonight. Stopping at Moffat on our way to Scotland in 2 weeks so Mizzi will know the way already I believe! Can't wait for the next Pug instalment

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

Well.....Its been a month since my last update. I have been trying to finish this conversion in the 120 day insurance deadline.

I have failed miserably

I have been busy and made some good progress. The wet room is now complete . The sparkle board walls are fully sealed and everything is plumbed in.
We also have a working SOG and Led lighting.
To save me having to drill holes in the walls we have decided to try suction mount holders from Gecko.

I have just finished this weekend the 12v and 240v electrics This has been a another very time consuming job and working in confined spaces a bit challenging. We now have power and lighting throughout. The system i have gone for is almost identical to this....

Most of the equipment i have chosen to use is by Victron. If there are any boaters reading this you will recognize the Victron equipment.
This gear is mainly used in boats and designed to be run daily. Here are a few pics of what i am using....

To be continued ............

 

[JockandRita]

Well.....Its been a month since my last update. I have been trying to finish this conversion in the 120 day insurance deadline.

I have failed miserably

Good grief Ralph. Are you not being a bit harsh on yourself pal?

We all know how much time you are putting into this project (Bev keeps us all up to date when you are still grafting ) so there is no way you have failed miserably,as you put it. A tad behind the insurers schedule perhaps, but not in a failing way, of any description.

Can you not provide them evidence of the progress, and ask for an extension of time?

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Sorry, messed things up while attaching pictures

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[Wildbill]

fantastic job on the van that man well done
bill

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Good grief Ralph. Are you not being a bit harsh on yourself pal?

We all know how much time you are putting into this project (Bev keeps us all up to date when you are still grafting ) so there is no way you have failed miserably,as you put it. A tad behind the insurers schedule perhaps, but not in a failing way, of any description.

Can you not provide them evidence of the progress, and ask for an extension of time?

Cheers,

Jock.

No chance jock. They've seen the progress , I've sent pics.
It's down to the underwriters. I've got to get the corian work surface cut yet. ( don't want to risk doing it myself ! )
So the sink and cooker aren't in situ. Nor the fridge.
Insurance runs out the end of the month. We will have to go with another company . Just a shame they couldn't let me have another month. They did try. Saying they could see I was doing a proper job.
We're both off to Regal furnishings tomorrow .
We can't lose our spot for the upholstery . So although we'd have liked to be doing the upholstery as the last thing , at least it will make us one step nearer to finishing.
We didn't plan on spending our 20th wedding anniversary on an industrial estate ! But at least we're away !

 

[Paddywack]

Most of the equipment i have chosen to use is by Victron. If there are any boaters reading this you will recognize the Victron equipment.
This gear is mainly used in boats and designed to be run daily. Here are a few pics of what i am using....

.

So where is the fishfinder?

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[JockandRita]

We didn't plan on spending our 20th wedding anniversary on an industrial estate ! But at least we're away !

At least it will be a memorable 20th Wedding Anniversary. Congratulations to you both.

Jock & Rita.

 

[Peter & Elaine]

ralph your my bloody hero
When a bricky not a joiner cabinet maker can turn such high qualty work (and I have seen some of it )like that and work full time running a busy business
Fail would be my last choice of word
Outright victory would seem a more appropriate turn of phrase

 

[Kool Kroozer]

Looks Bloody good it does Ralph - Please Please dont make us wait that long again I feel like i have been starved of a drug, looking in everyday on MH fun to see if you had posted any updates - But now your back at it Great job BTW

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

So that's what we have up and running. I new what i wanted but didn't want to use up too much valuable space.
I managed to get the inverter / charger and fuse board in the small locker in the above picture. Its tight but well ventilated.
For anyone interested here is a copy of what you can achieve with this inverter....

Multi-functional, with intelligent shore and generator power management

The Multi gets its name from the multiple functions it can perform. It is a powerful true sine wave inverter, a sophisticated battery charger that features adaptive charge technology, and a high-speed AC transfer switch in a single compact enclosure. Beside these primary functions, however, the Multi has several advanced features that provide a range of new applications as outlined below.

Uninterrupted AC power (UPS function)

In the event of a grid failure, or shore or generator power being disconnected, the inverter within the Multi is automatically activated and takes over the supply to the connected loads. This happens so fast (less than 20 milliseconds) that computers and other electronic equipment will continue to operate without disruption. The maximum current of the transfer switch is 16 A or 30 A per Multi.

Virtually unlimited power thanks to parallel operation

Up to 6 Multi's can operate in parallel to achieve higher power output. Six 24/3000/70 units, for example, provide 15 kW / 18 kVA output power with 420 Amps charging capacity.

Three phase capability

In addition to parallel connection, three units of the same model can be configured for three-phase output. But thats not all: up to 6 sets of three units can be parallel connected for a huge 45 kW / 54 kVA inverter and 1260 A charger! (Please request VE.Bus enabled units for best 3 phase performance)

PowerControl + Dealing with limited generator, shore side or grid power

The Multi is a very powerful battery charger. It will therefore draw a lot of current from the generator or shore side supply (nearly 10 A per Multi at 230 VAC). With the Phoenix Multi Control Panel a maximum generator or shore current can be set. The Multi will then take account of other AC loads and use whatever is extra for charging, thus preventing the generator or shore supply from being overloaded.

PowerAssist + Boosting the capacity of shore or generator power, an innovative feature of the MultiPlus

The feature that distinguishes the Phoenix MultiPlus from the standard Multi is PowerAssist. This feature takes the principle of PowerControl to a further dimension allowing the MultiPlus to supplement the capacity of the alternative source. Where peak power is so often required only for a limited period, the Phoenix MultiPlus will make sure that insufficient shore or generator power is immediately compensated for by power from the battery. When the load reduces, the spare power is used to recharge the battery. Note: shore / grid capacity should be at least 25 %, and generator capacity should be at least 75 % of installed MultiPlus capacity.

Four stage adaptive charger and dual bank battery charging

The main output provides a powerful charge to the battery system by means of advanced adaptive charge software that fine-tunes the three stage automatic process to suit the condition of the battery, and ads a forth stage for long periods of float charging. The adaptive charge process is described in more detail on the Phoenix Charger datasheet and on our website, under Technical Information. In addition to this, the Multi will charge a second battery using an independent trickle charge output intended for a main engine or generator starter battery.

Its a great bit of kit and had it running on the last MH. Another challenge was the battery location and type. I have always been a fan of the 6v Trojans vented outside. I didn't want to be venting battery's in a panel van so the research began. I needed something sealed, maintenance free ish, and at least 200 ah. I settled on the Odyssey PC 1800-FT this battery ticked all my boxes and more.

www.powerstridebattery.com/marine-batteries/odyssey-pc1800-ft-heavy-duty-battery

This is one heavy battery, It came on its own pallet
The one thing that sold it to me was the battery can be laid flat It fits nicely under where my fridge will sit.
It took some getting into this location and while struggling managed to take out a chunk of the floor....Never mind its going to be carpeted.
Its totally sealed battery and is maintenance free. It has a 214 Ah rating so should be enough with the 160 watts of Victron Blue solar.
Thats the main bits but i have relays and multi point connectors here and there tucked safely away.

One tweak to our layout was at the and of the seating / bed ends. You can see in the picture below how the last 150mm of bed goes into the bathroom and kitchen walls. Doing this gave us extra worktop space and voids above and below the Tv for the pump, cables and wires.

You may also notice that i have started on the kitchen area
Here is a pick from the drivers seat...

So i am getting there Tomorrow Regal do there bit so i will post some before and afters

Thanks for looking.....Ralph

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

So where is the fishfinder?

Next to the depth sounder transducer of course ......

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Looks Bloody good it does Ralph - Please Please dont make us wait that long again I feel like i have been starved of a drug, looking in everyday on MH fun to see if you had posted any updates - But now your back at it Great job BTW

Thanks for that.
Did you know that you can watch a thread , then you get a notification if there's an addition to it.

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[Kool Kroozer]

Thanks for that.
Did you know that you can watch a thread , then you get a notification if there's an addition to it.

Yes i did Ralph, but i don't trust technology - i like to check myself, just in case it forgets to notify me

 

[scousebird]

Looking great. Can't wait to see the pics after the upholstery is done

 

[JockandRita]

Looking great. Can't wait to see the pics after the upholstery is done

Same here Ralph & Bev.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

Yes i did Ralph, but i don't trust technology - i like to check myself, just in case it forgets to notify me

......I like it

 

[JockandRita]

Ralph & Bev,

Have you found the burger van on that industrial estate yet, to source your anniversary breakfast from?

Good luck with Regal today.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Terry]

Looking great R & B cannot believe the ins won't let you extend the 120 day s
BTW happy anniversary
terry

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

Ralph & Bev,

Have you found the burger van on that industrial estate yet, to source your anniversary breakfast from?

Good luck with Regal today.

Cheers,

Jock.

Hi Jock,
We go down to regal today, the jobs being done tomorrow .
It's our anniversary tomorrow .
Have you let out Ralph's "surprise " anniversary breakfast for me?
3 guesses where Ralph is. Trying to cram a bit in before we set off.
Like he does.
I'm sure there will be some updates from when we are there down there. Not much else for him to do. He will actually Have a well deserved break from Pug!

 

[denzil]

Wow!! It's looking amazing. The attention to detail is fantastic. Hope you have a fab wedding anniversary and that you find a good restaurant near the industrial estate!

 

[StitchesnFluff]

Your van is looking amazing! You should be very proud.

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