Iris the 1972 panel van conversion

Yeah it's headed that way!

 

Practising some more stitch welding on some 1mm today. Penetration is good, just need to work on the neatness!

 

In an attempt to make the garage a bit more useable I've spent today making a workshop stool. Just needs a coat of paint and a seat top. Next up some work benches, then I might start looking at the van!

 

Finally taking Iris camping this weekend, the first time in nearly 3 years! We've got no interior so will be sleeping in the roof bed and padding the cargo area out with blankets etc. Can't wait!!!!
Hopefully heading out to Tom's field in the Purbecks, so not too far from home.

 

Yes, believe it or not we’ve only camped in Iris once up until this weekend in nearly three years! We spent the first 2 year getting to grips with running an old bus and stripping the interior out, and then last year she was off the road for a few months having a new roof fitted (she’ll be off the road this winter as I have some serious work to do on the rust). To say we are overdue a holiday is a bit of an understatement!

With the Purbecks right on our doorstep the highly recommended Tom’s Field seemed the perfect place to go and so we headed off early Friday morning taking the quite back roads across to Langton Matravers.


Once on site and all setup we went for a little explore of the village via a footpath from the camp site. I’m a sucker for jams and chutneys so we didn’t hesitate when we saw this box of chutneys for sale down the footpath (enjoyed later that day with a burger).


A quick stop off at the local pub for a pint (not sure who is happier in these pictures, I had to drive so could only watch).



We spent the rest of the afternoon pottering around Swanage gathering BBQ supplies and exhausting the dog in hope that he might leave us alone whilst I cooked the BBQ. This seemed to work for a while as he spent a hour or two chilling under the van (note the rather crusty looking sill at the top of this picture, this is part of the resto work I have the joy of attempting once I find a suitable workshop unit!).


My hopes of cooking alone were short lived though…

 

With full bellies we retired to the van for the evening. Iris currently has no real interior so Max put together a nest of sorts in the back of the van (lovely and cosy!)



Saturday was mainly spent chilling on the campsite eating and reading…


interspersed with what Max and Barnaby do best (Max will hate me for this one)…


and what Barnaby and I do best; long walks (this is down near Dancing ledge).




We’ve got at least another two small trips planned this year before I think about starting the winter resto work. It’s little trips like this that we bought the van for. Happy days…


[Originally posted on Tumblr]

 

Got a top coat on my workbenches (done in @paradox green). Soon I won't have to work on the garage floor!

 

Great thread. I'm Glad you have managed to get out camping in between works on your van

 

And now I have some space! Got the rear bumper off today to start working on it. Suffice to say its a little crusty!

 

Please make your benches and vice dirty and oily please! Oh and some paint over spray in various colours is needed!

 

Garage has some overspray from when I primed the benches. gave up on the air gun for the top coats as my hose joints fell apart! Benches now have rust from bumpers on them.