The Trim

Where two ends meet

I wanted a cheap and cheerful way to cover up the edges on the partition wall, so ordered a few bits of PVC trim from eBay and would just screw these on to the walls.

I got black to go round the outside of the doorway, but will probably order some white to go round a couple of inside edges.

Anyway, I will be getting some black screws to put these up, don't like the look of it with the brass coloured one.

Still it looks a lot better than the rough edges, will probably get some more to go round the wardrobe edges as well.

I've still to fix the shower curtain rail too, am not happy the way it sits at the moment as you can see in the above photo!

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The Sunlight

Light to Dark

I needed a cheap but effective way to close up the rooflight for when it was sleepy head time.

Due to the size of it, approx 600 x 600mm, to buy a proper blind for it would be expensive, so I decided to craft together something myself.

I ordered 2 bits of aluminium U channel on eBay, and would use these as runners attached to the roof, and then just slot a piece of veltrim covered ply when needed.

To attach them to the roof, I needed to drill a couple of bigger holes on one side, and then a smaller screw hole on the other.

I then just screwed these into the roof, measuring the gap so the plywood could easily slide in and out as required.

Then I just covered the ply in the veltrim, and a nice and simple way to cover it up.. I will add a handle on to it so I can slide it in and out easier.

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The Wire

Hanging around

Now that the foam cushions have been completed, the next part of the interior finishings was the curtains.

Gillians mum has kindly offered to make these too, I ordered the material at the same time as the other fabric and from the same supplier.

I was going to put up proper curtain rails, but for simplicity and cheapness, I decided just to use curtain wire, as I could put it at the top and bottom of the windows and this would help block out the light a bit better.

So this was a simple enough job, just put some hooks into the walls though I may need to put bigger ones in depending on if they hold the weight ok.

So I am doing one pair of curtains on the drivers side, along the back of the sofa/bed. 

Another pair will go on the passenger side, at the back of the kitchen unit with one more across the sliding door but that will be attached by velcro at the bottom due to the door movement.

I am also going to put one across the cab at the back of the drivers seats, I may eventually board this up but for simplicity a curtain will do for now.

So as you can see on the photos below, the curtains will hopefully hang well between the 2 wires

Am also just putting a curtain across the front of the wardrobe, though might put a proper door on it one day.


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The Upholster

Covered Up

As I mentioned a while back, I had salvaged some foam cushions from an old caravan, which I stripped the old fabric off and cut a couple of bits to form the L shape for the sofa/bed.

Although I have learnt a lot of new skills while doing this build, I wasn't about to become a seamstress and learn how to use a sewing machine etc.

Thankfully, Gillians mum has a sewing machine and is pretty good with that kind of thing, so over the last couple of months has been working away on re-upholstering them.

I got some great material for a bargain price from IWantFabric.com, which is a good heavyweight material so should be long lasting.

So not much else to say about them, apart from show you some photos... there are still black buttons to go on the top cushions to pull the fabric in a bit, these will be done tomorrow.

Firstly, some photos of the L shape sofa

And then with the bed pulled out and the cushions down.

Am delighted with the way they have turned out, I've also got a few cushions to be covered and the curtain fabric is here for the curtains which will be done soon too.

*EDIT*

Buttons now been added, they give it a much better finished look, am well happy with them :)

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The MOT

Testing Times

So my first MOT for the van is due on the 22/02/15, so I decided to take it down to a local place called Elders Garage yesterday and get it put through it.

I also had to get a garage to certify that certain things had been done to convert it to a Motorhome for my insurance company, very similar to what the DVLA required. So they were also going to check this off for me and stamp the form for the insurance company.

Went to pick up the van this morning, and am delighted that it passed with no issues at all, apart from one advisory item about the front number plate was deteriorating.

Not bad for a vehicle that is 15 years old, and going by the MOT History that you can check online, it's only ever failed once in the last 10 years and that was just for a headlight alignment issue!

The Progress 4

4 Month Review

Sorry, nothing been done apart from the tail lift has been removed, the insurance changed over and the DVLA have changed my V5 to Motor Caravan.

Oh and the MOT is about to get done, wish me luck!