Going Around in Circles.

Now that the background work is complete down one side of the truck, it's time to start on the more interesting stuff.

However, before I got to grips with more challenges inside, I had another look at the Masai windows. Their suggestion regarding a DIY repair didn't mention that the bare metal would have to be etch primed to give the new paint any chance of adhering. Without primer the topcoat would flake off quicker than a leper's lips so possibly the etch primer wasn't applied to the frame to begin with, hence the problem. Anyway, I've followed their instructions to the letter on the OS window and we'll see how long this "repair" lasts. The NS window I've done my way. They haven't bothered to respond to my whinge about their answer and "solution". Will I buy anything else from them....?



Back inside. We explored the best arrangement for the fixtures a while ago, and decided that to get decent  - read "barely possible" - access to the storage bins the fridge would have to be on sliders. This would also allow it to be moved to the centre aisle for La Chef to get easier access; the benefit here would be it could be opened fully without having to tip the driver's seat forwards, and could provide extra worktop space closer to the hob. Sliding it back to the OS is necessary when on the move otherwise it blocks the view through the blindspot window.

The runners clear the Wolf box so this storage- and the single bed base - still works although I'll have to sleep the other way round with my feet at the front end.

I had a pair of heavy duty slides that had originally been used to mount video projectors. These can take serious loads but are really lightweight and superbly engineered. I spent the whole day fiddling about with these and eventually had them mounted so that they were level, square and solidly fixed to the truck bed.

I was very pleased with the result...until I mounted the (empty) fridge on top. Given the restricted access since we can't get in front of it to pull it out the fridge didn't want to slide very easily at all. It worked, but only just and bearing in mind this was without the top extension or anything in it, I was forced to admit that it didn't work well enough.

The problem, I think, is the Delrin lining to the slider mounts just doesn't have the necessary "slipperiness" to work in the way we need despite plenty of silicone lube. A wasted day, going in circles trying to get everything to work and ultimately failing, but better to admit it now rather than having to do it again later when other stuff will be in the way, like the new seats.

I contacted Exmoor Trim to see if they could replicate the seat I already have. They asked me to send a photo. That was over a week ago and no response. Maybe it's me? Harrumph!

Little bits'n pieces...blind spot mirrors - the little 50mm ones - stuck to the door mirrors, which give an improved view that's altogether safer than before.



Then there's the net pocket on the passenger side, at the special request of the Navigator,

that holds water bottles and tea flasks and stops them rolling around and annoying the Driver every time we turn a corner!!!





 
The CB radio is re-installed in the very handy overhead tray that comes with the Alu-Cab roof. There's also plenty of storage up there for maps and guidebooks too, although they'll probably need some kind of restraint given our experience with my DIY version. Getting showered with books on every steep upslope became a bit predictable. We removed the handle from underneath the "ceiling" too - it was just low enough to whack us on the head if the roof is down.

After a few more "ups and downs" with the roof we've worked out that if it's pulled down too quickly the air can't get out and this makes the fabric "balloon" and get trapped in the side seals. This is made a bit worse if the bungee cord that gathers it all in isn't set high enough. All little things that you only work out by trial and error. It might be better to leave the tops of the side panels undone by a few centimetres to allow the air to escape more easily.

The new door seals will take along time to bed in, so we've closed the enormous draughty gap on the driver's door with rubber exclusion strip.

 

Not only is it now air and water tight, it also makes the door close with an even more expensive sounding "thud" than it had before after the vibration damping stuff was stuck into them.



I'm now waiting for a tube of Tiger Seal (which is apparently lost in the post) so I can fit the new heated back window, and some heavy duty drawer runners that will hopefully solve the fridge access problem. Everything remotely useful has to come by mail order - I can't even buy a stainless steel screw anywhere within 40 miles...the joys of rural life!

Back on the roundabout.

This time last year we were making the "final" adjustments to Elisfor's interior, incorporating the lessons learned after our Pyrenees trip and congratulating ourselves on an almost perfect solution to living out of a Defender.

 That, as they say, is history. With our new and expanded living space, it all has to change again. Needless to say, the kitchen has got to be done all over again and it's more than just changing the doors like I might do in the house. Oh No. Everything new. A bit like having a baby....

So, I've shoved the question to one side until we've had some more thinking time. For the time being, I've concentrated on putting the electrics back together and doing some more insulation.

 This is the new site for the work lamp. It has to be squeezed into the corner - the high-level reversing lamp is on the other corner - because, of course, the obvious bit of the roof now elevates and I didn't want to have to run about 5 metres of extra wire on both sides. It'd have to go from the back corners to the front and then up the side of the new roof.
I also fitted the vertical "assister" gas struts that Larry seemed to think we didn't need. They don't, actually, help much when pushing the roof up, but they hold it sufficiently clear of final closure to let us check that everything's folded away properly. Before we fitted them I had to hold it up while Sue ran around tucking things in, if she could reach. I think that once we've worked out just where to put the bungee that gathers the side curtains this won't be a problem.

The Hannibal awning has gone back onto the side, on the vertical "upstand" of the Alu-Cab system. Both the supports have a bracing plate on the inside and the upstand is 3mm thick, but I might put a larger load spreader on the back eventually - there's a fair amount of weight and leverage there and we wouldn't want anything to crack. 

The awning will now be about 100mm lower than before, but still just high enough to walk under without brushing my head against it, which would be really annoying...

The ladder that gave access to the roof when we had the roof tent can't be used in the same place as there's no gutter to hook into. With the bonnet spare wheel temporarily removed - who needs 2 spares outside of Morocco? - it's difficult getting onto the rack since it's now about 170mm higher. Although I can use the mast steps these aren't ideal, so I cut the legs off the Hannibal ladder and had the local fabricators weld them back in a place that let me put the ladder on the side instead. There's a gutter rivetted to the side of the upstand at the front end and this I've used to stabilise the top,  but all the weight goes onto the legs. I hope.

I tell you, when I retire I'm gonna get myself a TIG welder at set up in business....I reckon, since I'd done all the prep, clean-up and re-paint, this little job might've taken the chap less than 15 minutes. It cost me £20. Not a bad hourly rate. I'm not complaining - I don't have the kit to do it myself - but it got me thinking.

Just because I could, I put another mast step on the back end which gives me a step up onto the spare wheel and from there to the roof, and it also serves as a grab handle for Sue to get in and out, having previously used the ladder.

In case you're wondering why this determination and necessity to get on top, this is what goes up there a lot of the time:

We're off to Stonehaven this weekend

 I thought that the extra height might be a problem when loading the kayak, but a piece of plastic drainpipe lashed to the back of the rack lets it slide up there fairly easily. It's a 2-person job though, which is never a great outcome, so I'll think of a better - solo - way later. The most difficult part of this was refitting the kayak carrier cradles. There's very little space between the bottom of the rack and top of the roof now, and getting the clamps into place was a struggle.

I have some different cradles - like vertical bars - but these can't be fitted at all because the bolts are too long and can't be inserted the other way round, so some creative thinking might be necessary there.

The solar panel has gone back under the front of the rack, which was also a tight squeeze to get the mounting tray underneath, but it's out of the way and in a proven location.

The inside already has a lot of insulation from noise (see previous) but now we've added some closed cell foam to beef it up a bit.

The side of the truck now has a layer of Silentcoat bitumen-and-aluminium panels topped by 10mm Noisekiller foam and now 10mm closed-cell on top of that. Hopefully this'll stop any moist air getting at the metal and keep some heat out - or in - depending on where we are.

Other stuff - larger door mirrors for example - have made an appearance while we've been deliberating on the roof question. 

These give a much improved view although the larger area makes them vibrate quite a bit more at speed. At speed? In a Defender? Well, actually Elly drives much better now all that rooftent weight is off the roof, and we came back up the M6 at a comfortable 70mph without emptying the gas tank at the usual rate, so something - probably drag - has improved a lot. They still have a blind spot, though, so that'll have to be sorted before we nearly crush another unfortunate Spaniard. The mirrors were only changed, really, because it was convenient to do it as I was replacing the front door hinges. These are stainless steel and look a lot better than the previous rusty items. I was going to paint them but since they're stainless and paint seems to peel off quicker than the barmaid's knickers on Boat Race night, I decided not to. One less job and I'm sure they'll "dull down" soon.

While messing about with the doors I noticed this:

This is the corner of one of the Masai windows we fitted less than 2 years ago. In fact, all the corners of both the windows are like this. I wrote to Masai some weeks ago but only got a response this week. They helpfully suggested that as "aluminium doesn't rust so this can't be corrosion", this "must be some kind of chemical reaction" from a car wash or salt and I should just sand down and repaint. Hmmm...and I thought decent prep and paintwork was supposed to prevent just this problem. After all, 23 years and the truck hasn't gone all lumpy like this and unless I've been seriously misinformed, it's made of ally too.😠

After all that messing about, we did manage to get away last weekend to christen the new bed...

This remote spot had a great view of the mountains when we stopped, but come the dawn the cloud had spoilt that a bit. Never mind, a peaceful night on a comfortable mattress and we could dress standing up - luxury!