Decided to tackle the job of removing the Norcold fridge (one of our favorite parts of the van) to check just what IS the condition of the burner box (the part that can be sometimes hard to start, or hard to keep lit). If you own a Camper, you really owe it to yourself to pull this fridge out and see what makes it tick - it will take the mystery and fear out of the thing. ...
We have a trailer hitch on our van (from Eurocampers) but we have had no power connection for hauling a trailer - until now. I wanted something that would handle both 4 pin an 7 pin connectors, so I got such a beast from Hopkins - here is it installed: The trick was just how do I wire this into the Van? As usual, the eurovanupdate list came through (thanks, Paul!). The way I did it was to connect everything on the passenger side - behind the taillight. ...
This is going to be a long post - I have lots of photos! I finally installed the Maxxair MaxxFan Ventilation Fan I bought a few months ago - this was different than any other installations I have done, as it is a “destructive” install - once you do this, there is no going back to the original roof vent. Let me sum this up by saying that in my case, it was REALLY worth the time and trouble to do this. Here is why I wanted to undertake this: ...
One of the things that Winnebago should have done is create a rear hatch for the coach battery compartment. Many others have done this (where do you think I found out the model of hatch to use?), but I wanted to show how really easy it is, as well as the specific approach I used. Here is where it will go: I created a cardboard template from the hatch I used - a BOMAR G7711-11 from Pompanette. I made sure that the hatch would fit in the space - the hatch has quite a large “lip” (flange), and takes up almost the entire space - which I wanted (for easy access). I traced out the area to cut. ...
When traveling, we HATED trying to find good coffee - stumbling upon good coffee is one thing, but stopping for lunch in the middle of nowhere and NOT having a good cup o’ joe after the meal is UNTHINKABLE! So we have perfected what we think is the best method for making coffee on the road (easy prep, easy clean up, great coffee). You need to use the best coffee - Cafe Mam - great people, great coffee, get the “Mocho” blend. You need a “Moka” stove top espresso pot - I have found the Bialetti Moka Express to be a great one You need to get a “Dosacaffee” - this makes filling your Moka mess-free. They are NOT the easiest things to find. Here is an image of the Dosacaffee: ...
Since there are just two humans and one cat that travel in this van, and since the built-in bed leaves much to be desired, we decided to remove the back seat (that folds into a bed), and build a platform bed that can still turn into a seat for eating, etc. I added another post with more details here Since I did not take any photos during the construction, I will try my best to explain: ...
We have a dry bag from GoWesty for the top of our van - we wanted something that was hard sided, could be locked, and was not super easy to remove. I just happened to stumble upon a case at Home Depot: I have since added some “jam” nuts, so that you cannot remove the turnbuckles without a wrench. The turnbuckles are Stainless Steel, as are the “S” hooks. The “D” rings are welded zinc plated. ...
We wanted some curtains to allow us to close off the back of the van without closing off the cab. We used some parts from Curtain Tracks, and combined with Deborah’s outstanding sewing, we ended up with this: The list of things we bought to make the curtains (excluding fabric): (1) 3112 RECMAR 3112 Plastic Curtain Track - 8 ft. Color: Black (4) 3091Y RECMAR 3091 Snap Tape - Yard Color: Black (4) 3115 RECMAR 3115 Curtain Track End Cap Color: Black (2) 3070 RECMAR 3070 Snap Carrier Color: Black Everything just screws into place (of course, your mileage may vary!). ...
I figured that all those covered screws could be put to better use - so with some “D” rings for mounting mirrors or picture frames, I removed the caps, unscrewed the existing screws, turned the plastic cap “dish” over (so it acts as a spacer), put in some new stainless steel screws, and ended up with this: We have these all over the van now: ...
Accessories and modifications Fanchers poptop insulation 2 awnings - one on each side - Fiamma and ShadyBoy Window insulation Metal vents for cab windows (similar to these) Stowaway2 “swing-away” Cargo Box Fiamma 2 bike rack Window, sliding door, and rear hatch screens (original accessories) Full bra GoWesty luggage rack bag Front luggage rack box Brandrup seat back pockets - available in Europe Curt trailer hitch with wiring 30 degree propane fill adaptor Dash cover Cargo area carpet Rain deflectors for cab windows Tinted cab windows Leather wrapped steering wheel Propane tank cover (no longer made) Heater insect screens MaxxAir fan External switched 12 volt outlet Solar panel input Dual 6 volt batteries Progressive Dynamics converter/charger SeeLevel tank gauges Sink faucet with integral pump switch LED interior lights Larger wood “food cabinet” Upper shelf Platform bed/rear bench seat with drawers Custom edited and bound service manuals Victron battery gauge Curtains behind driver and passenger seats Furnace thermostat High altitude fridge kit Fridge indicator lights (shows fuse condition and flashes when operating on 12 volts) Rear storage hatch Wood cover over stove Wood table and mini table Mice screens over rear vents behind bumper Photos ...