Electric hook-up

For some reason I have been really looking forward to doing this, having been inspired by the relevant thread on T4 Forum. I was after some nylon hinges to hinge the plastic cover under the offside rear light cluster, but in the end had to plump for some brass hinges; not ideal but I will grease them to aid against rusting. Anyway, having thread the 16amp cable through the grommet that the light cables came through I screwed the male plug (this means there are no live exposed end on the cable you bring to the van) onto the van.

The plastic cover and the plastic casing underneath need to be cut away to allow the hook up to go in. Hopefully the picture will be useful for someone attempting a similar approach.

Being a glue novice (beside pritt stick and super glue) I speculated with using chemical metal, as I had some lying around, to attach the brass hinges to the plastic. Verdict: it doesn't stick to plastic which I had guessed but as it only took 10 mins to set I thought it worth a punt. Next I tried Aruldite. This took about a day to set, kept sliding about and although faired better on the sticking front, was still pretty rubbish. Finally, I opted for bolting through the plastic, something I had hoped to avoid. However the end result, I think, is pretty good. I remembered I had some tiny bolts (about 2.5mm diameter), courtesy of my Father-in-Law, who would have loved to see this van if he was still alive.

This is where the chemical metal came to the fore. The holes in the hinges were too large, but the chemical metal had filled the holes up so I could drill through them and get a tight fit. I countersunk the external side to make the bolt heads flush with the plastic (can you see the four little silver dots on the right hand picture?) I may even touch them up with some red paint to disguise them eventually.

Although bolting through wasn't a preferred option (although better than rivets, which I have seen done) I think I will be able to drive without worrying about the plastic falling off. To aid this I have added a clip by the tailgate to stop the cover swinging open. Jobs a good 'un me thinks. 12v electrics next...

Furniture fitted

The van is back from 'Convert Your Van' in Sheffield. Scott did a great job, well pleased. My plans for a tambour door on the wardrobe were dashed because the units are too narrow for the roller, but that's a minor thing. Likewise the units over the worktop.



We decided to go for cherry, which may not be everyone's taste, but it gives a real warm glow in the van. Everything has fitted in nicely.

Scott waited for me to arrive before cutting the table as we wanted it full length, allowing the kids to sit and eat at it/play easily. A moment of genius followed whereby the table now butts up against the back of the bed frame when not in use, filling the space perfectly. Pictures to follow at some point. I have another good plan for a second table so will probably post both at the same time.

My step dad is up this weekend to weave his sorcery on the electrics.

I have now finished the carpeted panels, and fitted curtains, on the drivers side of the van. The Van-X curtains are great and very easy to fit. Rails are attached to the top and bottom of the window frame, with the supplied screws, and studs are attached to the window sides to create a really effective blackout screen.


I also bought some window rubbers, off ebay, to give a good finish to the window edges.

At the back of the van I have fitted a wider rear step, using the black caps from the old cover for two of the holes. I still need to get 2 more but they are about £2.50 each - for a small piece of plastic!

The white and blue box is a battery charger and distribution unit, with the ac power coming from a hook-up socket located behind the offside rear light cluster (which is still to be fitted). The orange 16amp cable is already in position.

The next job is for the furniture to be fitted, by 'Convert your Van' in Sheffield. Then its the electrics. I do wonder whether I should have given more thought to the lighting than I have thus far.

I also think a darker floor would have been a good idea as it shows up muddy footprints very easily.