I've been a naughty boy...

Discussion in 'Show Us Your Bit On The Side' started by theBusmonkey, May 17, 2015.

  1. simple answer....NO!

    Longer answer...NOOOOOOOO!
     
    theBusmonkey and CollyP like this.
  2. CollyP

    CollyP Moderator

    Treacle????
     
  3. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    haha me too neither!
    Fortunately it's all pretty much been apart before so the only dodgy bit will be balancing the gbox on the jack. Hour & a half I reckon, 2 tops:rolleyes:
     
    Dicky likes this.
  4. You dirty bar-steward!
     
  5. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    So the gearbox is nearly out, well the hard bit is done it's just the balancy bit so that'll have to wait until the weekend.

    In the meantime a longish phone conv with @Dicky has crystallised some thoughts regarding the interior conversion.

    His advised wisdom in this case is to build the interior around the appliances. We already have 'our' perfect camper in Chip and as the brief for Big G is slightly different I found I was over-thinking things:rolleyes:. No surprise there!

    So the solar charge controller has arrived as it's a piece of equipment that needs a specific home, @Razzyh is currently holding our new used sliding window to ransom, and this was delivered to the chandlery today....
    IMG_0393.jpg

    ...the fridge!
    Panther Black, rubbery exterior, double hard construction & only 17.5kg.

    Not the greatest picture as it's crammed in between the swim and the bed coz the handiest 230v socket is there but you get the idea.

    It's a Dometic/Waeco CFX35.
    At 32.5 litre capacity it's the smallest of the CFX range coz for us space is a premium. However, it doubles as a freezer and has some good reviews on the Aussie Exped forums.

    So far I'm hugely impressed! It's quiet and took about 10 minutes to get from 12c down to 4c. On the way it went to -2 and and hour and a half later the compressor has not yet kicked in again.

    Waeco have ditched the proven Danfoss unit for this range, introducing their own Chinese made unit. It's a bit of a leap of faith but they back this compressor up with a 5 year guarantee!

    Over the next few weeks I'll be testing it on DC so will let you know...:D
     
  6. is there anyway of securing this cool box/fridge thingy?
     
  7. sANDYbAY

    sANDYbAY On benefits-won't sponsor!

    I'd imagine the coolbox would be far more efficient than an equivalent fridge because you shouldn't lose all the cold air every time you open it.
    If your 'new' old sliding window from RazzyH is the one I sold him it's still got one of my jokes on it. :thumbsup:
    by the way, I enjoyed reading every 165 days of your America trip but I was surprised at how variable the campsites seemed to be.
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2017
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  8. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    the handles are supposed to act as tie-down anchor points but there are some M6 threaded inserts already in the base. These are for attaching the thing to the sliding frame that Dometic do but they could be used for a more permanent fixing.
    We'll see :rolleyes:
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2017
    Pickles likes this.
  9. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    haha we'll see if it's the comedy window when I come to fit it Bob.
    The Westy fridge is a chest one & TBH is awesome apart from the power draw. As you say it's a no brainer to have a chest design for efficiency but a standard camper fridge is a bit more practical in that it fits inside another functional unit.
    Compromises...
     
  10. I was checking out the smaller 26l version of your fridge the other day. wondering if it would fit in between the front seats of my van.

    I'll be keen to see how you get on with yours, especially on solar

    Although I can't afford one anytime soon

    Looks a great bit of kit

    Have fun with your gearbox at the weekend
     
    theBusmonkey likes this.
  11. Razzyh

    Razzyh Supporter

    It's not that window, check out for sale. But 'your' window still has your old joke, doubt it'll come off either

    I take it you won't be fitting it at TE. Comedy it will be

    [​IMG]
     
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  12. Nice compressor coolbox, chest style is always a winner as you well know. Did I mention mine is awesome?
     
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  13. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    No I wont'! TE is a fun weekend in the bay! Besides it looks like it needs a bit of a fettle;)
     
  14. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    haha not often.
    Remind me of your model...?
    This will sit really nicely behind the passenger seat in Chip as well so we'll have ice for party weekends...yay!
     
  15. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    We're bringing it to TE...apparently.
    It has been flagged by @Mrs Busmonkey as the ideal receptacle for the prosecco-fest that her & @1973daisey appear to be arranging.
     
  16. Hell yeah


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  17. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    Today it's yakked it down all day here in the East Grimlands.
    However yesterday was bright & sunny up until 16.30. A good day to drop the ......gearbox!
    "We'll have it done in a couple of hours" I said on the phone that morning to the Dickster, @Dicky

    Suffice to say it took us a tad longer & as a result of the intense concentration of brain cells expended by us during the course of the day I only took a couple of pics...
    Brain surgery could be less complicated. Dicky contemplates a nap
    IMG_20170304_120719.jpg

    We haven't got a 4 post lift so we used 4 bits of decking
    IMG_20170304_163433.jpg

    The all important bike jack on it's first outing. Thanks mate, it would have been more of a mare without it
    IMG_20170304_163449.jpg

    The offending unit ready to be palletised for shipment to Aidan Talbot in Wales
    IMG_20170304_163456.jpg

    We're both looking forward to the install. Bentley devotes a whole sentence to this....
    'Installation is the opposite of.......' :rolleyes::rolleyes:
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2017
    Mrs Busmonkey, CollyP and Dicky like this.
  18. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    There was a gearbox sized space left in the van this morning coz this happened
    IMG_20170308_114213.jpg

    But by tea-time the space had been filled with another load of work
    IMG_20170308_165600.jpg

    CV boot, rear engine seals, lambda sensor and an exhaust. Mild steel manifolds but with a blingey stainless intermediate pipe, silencer and tail-pipe.

    The exhaust is shot. It's held together with gun-gum and good will.
    IMG_20170308_165934.jpg
    It's an expense we were expecting from day one & would have rather not had to do it now but access to 1 & 3 will be so much easier with the 'box out of the way.

    These studs on 3 are going to give me some grief. There's no nuts left to swing on so I think the angle grinder will be coming out to take off the manifold.
    IMG_20170308_165853.jpg

    1 is marginally better but will be no picnic
    IMG_20170308_165814.jpg
    @Dicky , the @2£$$%&*^ing clutch slave cylinder bracket is going to be modified so we can get a 13mm socket on a long extension up it!
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2017
    Mrs Busmonkey, paradox and Dicky like this.
  19. theBusmonkey

    theBusmonkey Sponsor

    Some more bits of the massive jigsaw puzzle have arrived.
    Solar panel. I went for a rigid mono-crystalline one from Germany. It ticks all the boxes construction wise and is the right size.
    IMG_20170324_124222.jpg
    s-l160.jpg

    The charge controller is the same type as the one I fitted to Chip. I know they work and it gives me the option to add another panel in the future if necessary.
    IMG_20170324_132710.jpg

    A 2.5m Fiamma wind out canopy
    s-l1600.jpg


    And a roof rack. It needs adapting for the Thule bars as it came off a Ford van. However its a proper job & will give a good platform for the solar, hi-lift jack, canopy & probably the spare wheel. I'm finding it difficult to justify the £600+ required for a custom carrier. £30 quid rack vs £££ mmmm:thinking:
    IMG_20170324_124447.jpg

    All that remains is for my recently busted knee to heal so I can get on with stuff rather than stare forlornely out of the window at it all:rolleyes:
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2017
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