BUILD - INTERIOR Floor, Cabinets and Bathroom

Now its time to fill in our interior. We start with laying down the vinyl floor- Gerflor (Gravel Beige). Before we start Mark sanded down the peaked edges in the ply. We then layed it out and stuck it down with double sided tape along the edges. Mark then put silicon all around the edge.

During Covid lockdown Mark began to build the cupboards. We bought Decoply from Plyco made with birch plywood. The laminate colours we choose was Snow for the body and White Oak for the doors and dinette seats. Our long time friend, Leon, kindly agreed to cut out the cabinets on his CNC machine, for which we are very grateful. The draw runners, the push button locks and opening stays we got from Hafele and the piano hinges from Bunnings.

We applied 2 coats of  Whittle Waxes Evolution Hardwax Oil to seal and protect all the exposed ply edges. We also applied polyurethane to the draws and inside the cupboards that were made with raw ply. 

The cupboards were then stored in our dinning room awaiting installation.

We got our cushioned seats from the very helpful Kurt at RV Upholstery in Somerton. We chose a material from the Warwick collection in a practical colour - Nelson Pepper.

Finally we were ready to install the cupboards. We started with the bed area. 

 Then fitted the kitchen starting with the overhead cupboard that we prewired the lights in.

Mark also needed to prepare the cupboard for the waste pipe.

As per regulations we have to install a fire extinguisher that is easy to get to. Next was the bathroom...the stainless steel shower base, the vanity and toilet (which required a locker door to be fitted as well).

Fitting an extra metal angle to the bathroom wall for more strength.

Then the fridge cupboard and the locker to have access to the back and for extra ventilation.

 Lastly where the dinette seats and overhead cupboards.

There are still a few things to finish off but essentially the cabinets have been installed. Yoopi!

BUILD - The Lock Up

The Aussie Traveller EuroVision windows were very straight forward to install. Mark cut off the lugs from the pre-cut openings, separated the out and inside panels by undoing the screws, placed them in position then re screwed the panels together. Best to use a hand screwdriver to prevent stripping of the screws. It took us just under an hour to fit the 5 windows.

One of our must haves was to have access between the cab and the habitation box. We added a sock ring to our ATW order. They did the cut-out in the cab and supplied the sock ring for us to fit to the habitation panel. ATW provided a CAD to give to Creative Composite to cut out the opening for us. It all went together great except that it would have been better if we had left a rebate on the panel cut-out for the rubber to fit over. We will make up something later to fit which will incorporate the ability to close off the opening when we want to ship it in the future.

We wanted to be able to make up our own sized lockers so we decided to by the door and hatch assembly kit from StyroMax. We needed 3 units @ $205.50 each. Mark cut out the required size in the panels and glued in the aluminium frame in the openings. 

 In the door panels he cut out a rebate to fit the aluminium profile then glued and pop riveted the corners. 

 Next, he fitted on the locks we had bought from UES International in Dandenong South. We had bought 10 key to like locks to fit on all the lockers (getting tool boxes made also).

We tried to use the rubber D seal that StyroMax supplied but it was just too thick, so we bought a smaller one from Clark rubber, which enabled us to close the door easier.

The difference in sizes of the rubber D seals.

Cutting the corners.

Gluing the corners.

 Then he pop rivetted the hinges and finished off with fitting the internal angle inside around the frame. Mark needed to add some 4mm plates on the frame for the locks to close better.

The finished product.

We continued on to get the box weatherproof with fixing the external angles purchased from Aluminium Express. Mark routered the edges to round them up so that the angles we have could fit more snuggly. He then pre cut mitres and drilled a screw holes on each face of the ends so that they could meet neatly at the corners so that the capping would then cover up the joins. We got eaverything powdered coated black at MultiCoat in Rowville. Next we sanded and cleaned down the edges of the box and the angles before applying the Henkel Teroson Glue. Once all the angles were on, he fitted the corner cappings bought from Elite Castings in Huntingdale. Last but not least, after a couple of days to allow the glue to dry, Mark sealed all the joins with black silicon. We were pretty happy with the outcome.

We tilted the cab for the first time to be able to finish off the sock ring (popped riveted and siliconed the edges) to make it waterproof before the rain.