[mattwilde66]

I've been loving the look of the PZ lights. They continue to grow on me.

 

[mattwilde66]

I've spent the last couple of weeks rebuilding the interior I ruined years ago before I moved over to Norway. The Mrs refused to go camping the state he was in inside. It doesn't help she's used to the Westfalia interior in Norway which is brilliant.

As I was starting, I noticed a problem where the floor was damp under the right-hand side window which filled me with dread immediately! Got my mate around with a hosepipe and it was coming through the bonding on the window! Upon further investigation, it looks like someone has either tried to break in or pinch the window glass! There's a number of small chips in the paint that are new where it looks like a screwdriver has been used to try and break the seal. Needless to say, I was a bit upset . You cant have anything nice these days. We resealed it for now but the window will probably have to come out again to be rebonded at a later date.

(You can see the mess I left before )

It was coming down the pilliar here and getting into the ply flooring at going to the back of the van. It looked recent as the water was fresh and the floor wasnt totally soaked. I had to lift up the whole floor with the bed out to dry it all out

 

[mattwilde66]

Fitted the new solar panel I've had tucked in the garage for a few months. 150W Xplorer kit with a Victron MPPT controller for £200 from Alpha Batteries. With a stroke of luck, it fitted into the roof rack gap with some extra Z brackets off eBay.

Rather than have to drill a hole in the roof, I've run the cable back down the gutter to the back door and under the door seal, into the fog light entry and into the van there.

Look what was lurking under the seal when we pulled it out! 😮

 

[mattwilde66]

The rest of the interior needed starting again so I bought the 6mm ply lining kit from Custom Design Shop on eBay for the walls and the roof too. I ordered the carpet from Mega Van Mats after my mate got his from there. Guess who ordered the wrong colour

Turns out I quite like the two / three-tone nature of the interior. Works quite well. Maybe it was fate. This carpet is much nicer than the lighter grey stuff that was on when I bought it. My mate showed me how to carpet the panels which helped a load. He did the big panels and I carried out with the other bits and bobs. I'd also found the window surround I'd had for years of a lad on Facebook that works really well.

I replaced the roof lights too, going for 6 instead of 4 like before.

 

[mattwilde66]

Built a new side unit that's the same height as the current bed to make it comfier inside. I didn't want full height units like before. This allows the kids to spread out inside.

 

[mattwilde66]

Boxed the heater back up with some extra hidden storage next to it. I've still got to work out what to do with this bit. This section is lower for the new Dometic CFX-35 fridge to replace the old Aldi coolbox which was always a bit of a battery drain.

Got a standard switch panel from Amazon but replaced the voltmeter and USB with a kill-switch and better USB 3.0 port. The NASA BM-1 compact multimeter went back in too.

 

[mattwilde66]

The current interior as it stands

 

[mattwilde66]

At the same time, the new LED light bar was fitted. Its a Strands SIBERIA Single Row LED Bar 50" 12/24 Volt E-Approved. Single row looked nice with the low profile. I didn't like the look of many of the other cheaper options. This was one on pre-order from KUDA-UK waiting for shipment from Sweden at the time. It needed a little section grinding off the check plate deflector by Mr Brek (who also did a neat rattle can job too which looks way better! ). It needed a bigger 240watt wiring loom to replace the older one that was still fitted from the old light bar. Its got a neat extra row of lights that canbe switched from white to amber with an extra switch. I ran the wiring in at the same time as the solar panel.

 

[mattwilde66]

New horn in time for the MOT. The bugger had stopped working. The old one was in a right old state down below (always a daft place to put it). I bought this dual-tone set at Busfest a few years back. Needed a loom as the two horns were bigger than the existing 10A fuse. Turns out the old horn was ok and it was the slip ring on the back of the wheel. The new horn sounds way better though 🤘

 

[mattwilde66]

One problem before the MOT is the projektzwo sidelight bulbs. The holders are ****! I've used both pairs off the lights I had and they are intermittent at best with normal or LED bulbs. It passed the MOT as it was but I've got a couple of spares coming from Germany of an E30 BMW to try.

I got the lights re-aligned too. I was bonged eyed for the last few weeks 😣

 

[mattwilde66]

After the re-build, we got our first camping trip in up to Warkworth in Northumberland (second best county behind Yorkshire ). This was Walkmill campsite which had a 4-day cancellation slot thankfully.

Its the first time I've had the Vaude awning up after 5 years!

 

[mattwilde66]

Check out the amazing ford we found over the River Coquet just up from the campsite. Hours of endless fun!

 

[Pduk]

You've been busy Matt, new rear set up looks good! Camping set up looks spot on too, can't wait to get an awning and have some proper camping time.
Fording looks a cracking bit of fun, how many times did you go through it?

 

[mattwilde66]

You've been busy Matt, new rear set up looks good! Camping set up looks spot on too, can't wait to get an awning and have some proper camping time.
Fording looks a cracking bit of fun, how many times did you go through it?

Chees Aye, it's about time the interior had a bit of attention. We went through the ford a few times as it was a shortcut into the village. I kicked her out to take a photo from the footbridge. Someone took an articulated truck over once and got stuck

 

[mattwilde66]

Check out the heron in the way

 

[mattwilde66]

Playing about on the moors again

 

[Pduk]

Fantastic scenery and cool videos Matt

 

[mattwilde66]

Finally reunited with Syd after a few months stuck in Norway

 

[mattwilde66]

Took him for a run-up to his favorite spot

 

[mattwilde66]

And up to the top of the Moors to see Fat Betty