wollip

Wise beyond your years - bright future

Welcome to the site! You're going to love your van!!!

Good project. Really appreciate the info about the location of that firewall plug!

Congrats - you're really pulling it together nicely. Now enjoy the results of all that hard work!!

Many thanks! I'll be looking into those marine units.

DesertTed - Please share the details when you get around to installing the Wi-Fi booster and cell signal booster. Wi-Fi is nonexistent for us inside the van when we are at campgrounds. Cell signal is not as much of an issue but could definitely be improved. Btw, your detailed posts are most welcome. Keep them coming.

Thanks for the photo - I still like them! Armored vehicle -

I really like them. The whole time I was thinking ROUND portholes.

So nearly forty months now. No wind noise from it. I think it cut down some on the amount of bugs I had thunking into the big "forehead" of my high roof version. Still looks like new and still securely attached. See it flutter occasionally when I meet a big rig on a two lane. We call it Mr. Mustache.

DesertTed - If I was faced with incorporating three large batteries into my build, I'd seriously consider relocating the spare tire and utilizing that cavity. If for no other reason than being able to center that much weight and keeping it low.

I think that's the very same guy I got the idea from on the screws. A quick look underneath will show you that most areas have an air gap between the van floor and any critical component. But before I drilled anything thru the floor, I would look twice, measure, and look again underneath. You really only get one chance. Not wanting to make it sound any worse than it is - just be careful and you'll be fine.

Those Teks wood to metal screws were highly recommended on another build site and I did use a few of them. But I mainly glued my plywood down using Loctite Pl Premium Polyurethane Construction Adhesive and a huge number of heavy landscaping stones to apply pressure while it dried for two or three days. I also have the thru bolts from the couch/bed install and a few other similarly bolted items that help hold it all in place. Four years with no problems and no squeaks. A combination of screws and glue could probably eliminate the need for weights but I didn't want to have to fill all of the screw holes.

Nice work! You're really getting there.

By the way, these are darn good screws for wood to metal - and readily available at Home Depot. Available in various lengths.

Since I covered mine nearly 4 yrs ago, I'm anxious to hear why I will someday regret it.

teardroptrailerparts.com. - look under Windows and Doors

Less expensive than windows, built in screens, available in dark smoke tint, and available without fan motors (passive). No reason they can't be mounted vertically. One might look odd - two would look like you meant it.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder - ask any NV owner.

While you may not find an automotive window (NV or otherwise) that will work in that area, don't give up until you have run thru a few marine supply catalogs.

That hacksaw blade will murder your hands. Get a cheap Oscillating Multi-Tool Kit ( Harbor Freight kind of cheap ) and trim that foam insulation like shearing a sheep.

"Never wrestle with a pig—you get dirty and the pig likes it” - just a thing that Abraham Lincoln probably didn't say

I have had non-commercial nissan dealerships do oil changes for me but that is all they could/would do. Just change it myself now. One was willing to do my minor recall work till they called and found out they wouldn't get reimbursed for it. And of course any warranty work is a no go with a non-commercial dealership. Very inconvenient for me (30 miles vs 100 miles) but it's been so reliable - not that much of a bother. I imagine NVP family owners suffer the most from the inconvenience. I'd love to know the percentage of NVPs that are actually commercially used vs family used.

Look at rbcomponents.com - they have a section called folding furniture. Longest bunk is 76" but maybe, if nothing else, it will give you ideas on making one yourself. There are others out there making this type of fold up bunk but this is the only one I had bookmarked.

If there are no service records at all, I would have the transmission serviced immediately just to be sure.

Photos are one of those things I'm always meaning to get around to doing. Won't be soon since it is 100 deg here with an index of 112. Humidity starts at 90% each morning and cooks off to 50% - if we're lucky. If any of you haven't visited Arkansas, come on down. Just be sure to avoid June, July, August, and lately most of September.