7th January 2023 - Disco Transit Green Long Wheel base and Hi Roof Conversion

And typically it is pissing it down, so a change of plans, as I still want to get things done today.

so 1st job of today, will be to have a huge clearup of the area we have been working in.

I am amazed at just how quickly the floor has dirtyfied!
Compared to the area were we have used the old floor tiles.

This is the worst area, as we have tried to keep the floor covered, from the wet as we walk into the van.. 

And of course, as I have been struggling to work, I have been sat down in one spot, so everything I need is close by...

but I soon have it looking a lot tidier. Now I just need the rain to stop, so we can get down to the workshop for Gay Gordon and a box or 2 of insulation. 
Not that we can put any insulation up today as the metal is too cold n damp.

Maybe later on when the radiator has had a chance to warm up the van, but we will see later on.

So we decide, that we will work on the portaloo positioning and frame work.

Using some off-cuts we start to get the ideal height for the porta loo to sit and were it is easy for me to get on and off.

and 2 1/2 inches higher is a good height, and I can get on & off very easy, so even on my worst days, this is one issue, I should not have to worry about.

We are finally happy, now to measure were the porta loo is sitting.

Not forgetting to allow extra measurement for the 3mm wall panels.

Do not worry, once we have the portaloo in place, we will remove it for a real good clean :) :) 

we remeasure 3 more times, to make sure we are as correct as we can be at this stage.

We sit n have a chat and decide to draw out the bathroom, to scale !

So Lynne gets busy working out a scale that will work for us, whilst I am taking all the measurements we need, to add to the drawing! 
It has stopped raining now, so we decide on a quick brew and 

So for the 2nd time in 2 days I am in the workshop,

This time for Gay Gordon, so we can have a nice clean environment to work,
But will Gay Gordon Sulk thru being rudely woken up after his long hiatus in sleep ??? 

And for some insulation sheets.

Lynne  has brought Gay Gordon to help us out in his temporary home :) :) 

And I bring up my mtr long steel ruler, as I feel it's gonna be of some help to us..

Lynne also brought up these insulation sheets and some part used rolls of silver insulation.

Both will be used in different places :) :) 

Michael has come out to give us a hand in moving some of the timber out of the van and into the sheds, as we need the space...

And will mean less for us to move tomorrow!.

MM i wonder, Gonna have a chat with Lynne before we move this sheet, as an idea has just come to me...

Many thanks to Lynne and Michael, altho it does not look like much has been moved, we can now get the board out we want and maybe later on we will have 5 mins to have a good tidy up, which will show just how much room has been made.....

The battery is starting to run low in my moby, but we are now gonna be working on the toilet plinth and frame.

Not having a straight line to work from, is proving problematic, so we decide to use the framework, we have been constructing, as we know that is in a straight line.

So Lynne starts to measure to get the outline for the portaloo frame.

But slowly and surely we get enough measurements, to try and see if the portaloo sits in the middle of the bathroom, but as far back as we can go.

We finally have all the measurements, and Lynne has drawn around the base of the portaloo.

So now we can start to cut n dry build the floor raising framework.

and we slowly begin to measure the timber frames and cut them about 1mm longer than we need,

and I use the cutting disc to remove any imperfections, that stop the framework butting 

This bottom part of the bulkhead sinks into the cab, and leaves us with a useless area.

But I am to make use of it for a battery storage area!.

we are allowing 3cm for insulation and a fireproof lining, if I can find something, that will do the job. 

So with that in mind we start to mark out were the framework will be screwed to the floor.

Once we have got the floor marked, we go back to working on the raised plinth for the portaloo ( Purely to make it easier for me to get on and off when I am at my worst).

It is proving to be very slow work, but as long as it is right, that is all that matters, we can always make up time elswhere!.

Now we are back to the battery area, as we need to finalise measurements, get the floor marked, as this side will be the edge of the plinth as well as the battery wall!

Altho we have scribbled out very basic plans, it is still hard to imagine, what this all will look like, so am working on faith....

But now we are working on both areas at once, as here the meet and will be joined together..

As I am struggling to get down, I am sat on the portaloo, and Lynne is kneeling of 4 or 5 old soft floor tiles and is doing all the measuring and test fitting for me.
This allows, me to concentrate on cutting the framework and working it all out in my mind.

So we pull out the old side wall board, that we are now going to use to cover the frame with kitchen side!.

As I cannot grip the saw at the moment, I use the angle grinder with a cutting disc, but I am struggling to use even this.................

Ok it is not a straight cut, but as the roof is not straight and we have allowed about 5mm extra, we should be able to trim it into shape tomorrow.

It does slide in, part of the way, and it is bloody tight!

So as we get nearer the width we need after trimming parts away, so it roughly fist the vans side wall.

as you can see we are not that far away!.

But then we look from the other side and we have a lot of trimming yet to go.

As I am struggling to get any straight lines when I am cutting the timber, I do not want to touch the edge at all.

So all the work, will be done at the other end and we will trim the top down, so that it slides in easier, but as tight as possible.

In we slide the 3 ply and we measure up the cut lines, in easy stages as each obstruction of the side of the van, stops the 3 ply from sliding home.

That looks a lot closer, but still more trimming to go!

So back to the other end and measure up more cut lines.

I also measure the excess on the other end, and leave about 1cm, to give me some wriggle room.

And I keep trimming and putting it back against the frame, but it is now gone 9pm,