Series III LWB 'Tent on Wheels' Conversion

[Lime Tree Heros]

I hate wiring, so decided on a bit of carpentry instead... I know I'm putting it off and I know it'll come back to bite me...

So back into the back. My original thought was for a one piece unit running the length of the driver's side, incorporating a cool box, sink and burners, plug sockets, battery charger, 240v inlet, distribution box and grey water storage. However, due to physically manhandling the thing (and an 18mm error in woodcutting) this changed to become a two piece unit, that will bolt together.

First off I cut the base, recessing for the tool storage locker.

Next up, everything was sort of laid out, to test that it all fitted - cool box towards the front, sink / burners towards the rear, the 2 empty 5l containers will be grey water storage.

For reasons that I'm not too sure about I started with the rear section first, the burners / sink unit. Having cut the top, I marked out the cut out need for the sink / burners unit (the unit I bought had detailed instructions) having found my old school compass...

Once cut out, this was then rebated in the corners, as per instructions.

And the sink / burners unit test fitted.

Having cut the end panel, forward support panel and recessed the base for grey water storage, this was all then test fitted in the back.

Finally the front was cut, with access panels (think they'll be hinged flaps, but not yet definitive), incorporating the central beam that'll support my bed base. The black thingy in the lower RHS is the 240v inlet.

Next up, it all has to come out so it can be assembled permanently, or I could go back to wiring... However, The Ashes are on and there's a lot of cricket to watch, so progress may become somewhat delayed...

 

[Neil]

Impressive work.

 

[robwlondon]

I have the small Alpicool unit, it was keeping at 2C all day on Sat when its was backing hot. Very impressed with it.

 

[Lime Tree Heros]

I have the small Alpicool unit, it was keeping at 2C all day on Sat when its was backing hot. Very impressed with it.

Always good to hear good reviews of some of the kit I've bought, cheers, fingers crossed for similar results!

 

[Lime Tree Heros]

Distraction No. 2

The grille...

Being ex military my grille had over the years been repainted a few times, the top coat being brushed on matt black, complete with runs... In addition it had taken a bit of a battering and was by now looking distinctly second hand. Easy I thought, I've seen new replacements from various suppliers, I'll just buy and fit one of those...

But, problem, they're all blank on the central plinth and I couldn't find a badge or decal to replicate the LAND - ROVER lettering. Chuffing annoying, but I'm guessing the lettering is copyrighted by LR and they haven't lisenced anybody to reproduce it...

So, I bought a new 'blank' grille and decided to have a think about what to do...

First off I cleaned up the central plinth on the old grille, lots of paint layers to get through.

Lots of scraping and sanding later and it was cleaned up.. Initial thoughts were to cut the plinth out of the old one and mount it in the new one, but as there are two mounting screws though the plinth I was worried about structural integrity so abandoned that plan.

Eventually I decided to make a latex mould of the lettering and then cast the letters in epoxy resin, partly because it caused no damage to what I currently had, but also just to try out the process as I've never done anything like this before.

This is the grille with the mould cast.

And the end result

Next, just mix up some epoxy and fill the mould, below is the plinth with the mould below and the transparent new lettering below.

Having trimmed up the lettering and glued in place on the new grille I spent a bit of time with the rattle cans and some old modelling paint, producing this.

So now I have two grilles, one black, one silver, decisions, decisions...

Personally, I'm really happy with the result as it's the first time I've ever done something like this. Is the new grille perfect - No, but I think it is better than having a blank plinth and it is better than the original silver grille that I haven't got.

 

[RaggedJoe]

Distraction No. 2

The grille...

Being ex military my grille had over the years been repainted a few times, the top coat being brushed on matt black, complete with runs... In addition it had taken a bit of a battering and was by now looking distinctly second hand. Easy I thought, I've seen new replacements from various suppliers, I'll just buy and fit one of those...

But, problem, they're all blank on the central plinth and I couldn't find a badge or decal to replicate the LAND - ROVER lettering. Chuffing annoying, but I'm guessing the lettering is copyrighted by LR and they haven't lisenced anybody to reproduce it...

So, I bought a new 'blank' grille and decided to have a think about what to do...

View attachment 421815

First off I cleaned up the central plinth on the old grille, lots of paint layers to get through.

View attachment 421807

Lots of scraping and sanding later and it was cleaned up.. Initial thoughts were to cut the plinth out of the old one and mount it in the new one, but as there are two mounting screws though the plinth I was worried about structural integrity so abandoned that plan.

View attachment 421808

Eventually I decided to make a latex mould of the lettering and then cast the letters in epoxy resin, partly because it caused no damage to what I currently had, but also just to try out the process as I've never done anything like this before.

This is the grille with the mould cast.

View attachment 421809

And the end result

View attachment 421810

Next, just mix up some epoxy and fill the mould, below is the plinth with the mould below and the transparent new lettering below.

View attachment 421811

Having trimmed up the lettering and glued in place on the new grille I spent a bit of time with the rattle cans and some old modelling paint, producing this.

View attachment 421812

So now I have two grilles, one black, one silver, decisions, decisions...

View attachment 421813

Personally, I'm really happy with the result as it's the first time I've ever done something like this. Is the new grille perfect - No, but I think it is better than having a blank plinth and it is better than the original silver grille that I haven't got.

Good work!

 

[S3Steve]

Distraction No. 2

The grille...

Being ex military my grille had over the years been repainted a few times, the top coat being brushed on matt black, complete with runs... In addition it had taken a bit of a battering and was by now looking distinctly second hand. Easy I thought, I've seen new replacements from various suppliers, I'll just buy and fit one of those...

But, problem, they're all blank on the central plinth and I couldn't find a badge or decal to replicate the LAND - ROVER lettering. Chuffing annoying, but I'm guessing the lettering is copyrighted by LR and they haven't lisenced anybody to reproduce it...

So, I bought a new 'blank' grille and decided to have a think about what to do...

View attachment 421815

First off I cleaned up the central plinth on the old grille, lots of paint layers to get through.

View attachment 421807

Lots of scraping and sanding later and it was cleaned up.. Initial thoughts were to cut the plinth out of the old one and mount it in the new one, but as there are two mounting screws though the plinth I was worried about structural integrity so abandoned that plan.

View attachment 421808

Eventually I decided to make a latex mould of the lettering and then cast the letters in epoxy resin, partly because it caused no damage to what I currently had, but also just to try out the process as I've never done anything like this before.

This is the grille with the mould cast.

View attachment 421809

And the end result

View attachment 421810

Next, just mix up some epoxy and fill the mould, below is the plinth with the mould below and the transparent new lettering below.

View attachment 421811

Having trimmed up the lettering and glued in place on the new grille I spent a bit of time with the rattle cans and some old modelling paint, producing this.

View attachment 421812

So now I have two grilles, one black, one silver, decisions, decisions...

View attachment 421813

Personally, I'm really happy with the result as it's the first time I've ever done something like this. Is the new grille perfect - No, but I think it is better than having a blank plinth and it is better than the original silver grille that I haven't got.

Looks great, I love it when trying something new works out.

 

[Redcoat]

Very clever idea ,nice

 

[madmechanic 954]

Distraction No. 2

The grille...

Being ex military my grille had over the years been repainted a few times, the top coat being brushed on matt black, complete with runs... In addition it had taken a bit of a battering and was by now looking distinctly second hand. Easy I thought, I've seen new replacements from various suppliers, I'll just buy and fit one of those...

But, problem, they're all blank on the central plinth and I couldn't find a badge or decal to replicate the LAND - ROVER lettering. Chuffing annoying, but I'm guessing the lettering is copyrighted by LR and they haven't lisenced anybody to reproduce it...

So, I bought a new 'blank' grille and decided to have a think about what to do...

View attachment 421815

First off I cleaned up the central plinth on the old grille, lots of paint layers to get through.

View attachment 421807

Lots of scraping and sanding later and it was cleaned up.. Initial thoughts were to cut the plinth out of the old one and mount it in the new one, but as there are two mounting screws though the plinth I was worried about structural integrity so abandoned that plan.

View attachment 421808

Eventually I decided to make a latex mould of the lettering and then cast the letters in epoxy resin, partly because it caused no damage to what I currently had, but also just to try out the process as I've never done anything like this before.

This is the grille with the mould cast.

View attachment 421809

And the end result

View attachment 421810

Next, just mix up some epoxy and fill the mould, below is the plinth with the mould below and the transparent new lettering below.

View attachment 421811

Having trimmed up the lettering and glued in place on the new grille I spent a bit of time with the rattle cans and some old modelling paint, producing this.

View attachment 421812

So now I have two grilles, one black, one silver, decisions, decisions...

View attachment 421813

Personally, I'm really happy with the result as it's the first time I've ever done something like this. Is the new grille perfect - No, but I think it is better than having a blank plinth and it is better than the original silver grille that I haven't got.

nice mgb as well i see with the chrome bumpers.. is it an mgb...???

 

[mikeau]

MGC GT..?

 

[Lime Tree Heros]

nice mgb as well i see with the chrome bumpers.. is it an mgb...???

Cheers - it is an MGB GT from 1972, I've owned the car for 27 years and back in the day it was my daily driver. I finally completed a 'nut and bolt' restoration a couple of years ago.

 

[Lime Tree Heros]

MGC GT..?

As above it's a '72 MGB GT, but... The colour is not original, originally the car was what BL described as 'Saffron' a sort of orangey beige (BL had some really eye bleeding colours in the early 70's), best described by an old work colleague as 'baby sick'...

When I rebuilt the car I changed colour to Primrose Yellow, which was never an MGB colour, it was however an MGC colour available in 1970. I used to walk past a 1970 MGC in Primrose Yelow every week on my way to work and thought that the colour really suited the car and if I ever nut and bolted the car then I'd change colour.

 

[madmechanic 954]

MGC GT..?

Cheers - it is an MGB GT from 1972, I've owned the car for 27 years and back in the day it was my daily driver. I finally completed a 'nut and bolt' restoration a couple of years ago.

View attachment 422804

it is the type of car you used to jump in and out of ... now you jump in but ..getting out is some what different with age ....

 

[Paul d]

Cheers - it is an MGB GT from 1972, I've owned the car for 27 years and back in the day it was my daily driver. I finally completed a 'nut and bolt' restoration a couple of years ago.

View attachment 422804

That’s a beaut like these a friend of mine rebuilt a 65 mustang and painted it primrose yellow …a little memory there ..

 

[Neil]

Impressive work, on both vehicles

 

[Lime Tree Heros]

Next up the free wheeling hubs, having decided to paint the wheels, hubs and hub nuts, they had to come of. Mine are Fairey hubs and they're really quite simple to remove when you know how (I learnt how from a thread on here), undo the grub screw, then withdraw the long plastic 'tang' that secures the hub in place in a groove inside the hub, which then pops off under pressure from the spring within.

DON'T THROW THE PLASTIC 'TANGS' AWAY thinking you'll replace them, apparently they aren't readily available new, although occasionally NOS ones appear online.

Everything was then degreased, cleaned and the hub itself re painted, with the directional indicators highlighted (as I'm a sad git...).

To quote most Haynes manuals 'refitting is the reverse of removal', so whilst I didn't take photos of the removal, I did of the refitting, so if you do it backwards...

Here's the cleaned and painted wheel and hub FWH removed - note the three 'bumps' around where the needles go.

Then, everything degreased and cleaned.
 

Here's how it all assembles within the hub.

Although I found it easiest to (having greased everything up) get the needles and spring on the hub first and then push them into place with the FWH - there are 3 'bumps' on the needles that you need to line up with. I found it easiest if the grub screw hole is vaguely at TDC, once you feel it 'click' into place, hold it there (let go and the spring pushes the FWH off), if the FWH won't 'click into place it's probably because the 'bumps' aren't lined up, so withdraw the FWH and rotate slightly and try again. Once done start to feed the 'tang' into the hole / groove that it came out of.

Feed the 'tang' in all the way.

Then pop in the grub screw.

And that's it.

Next up, got to get back to the carpentry or the dreaded wiring...

 

[Lime Tree Heros]

Having cut and test fitted the main constituent parts of the sink / burners unit, it all came out to be permanently assembled.

First off doors were cut for the front of the unit - still not convinced or happy about how these will fit, but in the meantime I decided to press on.

Next up the rear support was cut and both side sections were attached to the base. I used 15mm angle aluminium strip drilled to take 10mm screws.

Then the front was attached.

And then the top and the sink / burner unit test fitted.

Before it all got test fitted back in the car.

Then everything came back out for sanding, filling, sanding and varnishing - so that'll be the next couple of weeks taken care of...

 

[Lime Tree Heros]

Right - on with the sink / burner unit...

I wasn't happy with the finish / join of the top of the unit to the front, so to save what I'd built so far decided to run a thin 'finishing' strip around the top to hide what I wasn't happy about.

The doors also had champagne Cork knobs mounted centrally (like the sliding doors in the bench) for access.

Because I don't what to see visible fixings I thought mounting some sort of hinge would be quite complicated, especially as the doors were made of 5mm ply. Eventually I had a bit of a Eueka moment and came up with a cheap and easy solution, making the hinge out of 8mm dowel and plastic P clips. This is the external 'open' view. The circular thing is the champagne Cork lock.

This is the internal view.

But I wasn't really happy with the doors, the fit wasn't great and the ply was a bit warped and progress ground to a halt while I tried to resolve the situation. Then I got lucky - I was helping out at my local non-league football team over the summer and helped replace the advertising panels around the pitch. The old ones were made from an aluminium faced composite 5mm thick, straight and more rigid than ply, so I gave a couple of the old ones a new home.

So new doors were cut (same hinge system) and trial fitted.

The doors then came back out, to be covered in green vinyl before final fitting. Then the rest of the unit can be fitted up too.

 

[Lime Tree Heros]

So, the new doors were covered in vinyl and fitted up and the 240v inlet finally fitted.

A far better fit and I prefer the vinyl / wood contrast as opposed to wood / wood too, this is the side view.

Open doors, showing the catch mechanism and hinge.

Which are made out of cut down fizz corks and dowel in a 20mm hole in the door - cheap and simple, it'll be interesting to see if they're up to the job and last.

Internal detail of the door closure mechanism and hinges.

Finally the gas supply was routed and the 240v inlet wired up.

Next up is building the fridge unit, unless I bite the bullet and finally summon sufficient enthusiasm to tackle the wiring...

 

[Lime Tree Heros]

Long time, no post, sorry... However in my defence I broke my heel... Much to my embarrassment, by jumping down from a fence I'd climbed over...

So, on crutches and off my feet and not really in any condition for LR tinkering.