Our Expanda- from mild to WILD
- Thread starter Moto Mech
- Start date
my mate did one earlier this year
the red tape from the local engineer was incredible - all because he preferred a brand new vehicle to be done, not a 2nd hand one
Seeing as its snowing outside(I kid you not), decided to start fitting the shower vent.
Pretty strange forward job, cant finish it off till Ive got van out of shed but only have to seal it down, hook up wires to fan/light and screw on interior shroud.
Test fit and wire, perfect
View attachment 58488 View attachment 58487 View attachment 58486 Nothen like chopping a flamin great hole in the roof of your caravan.
Seeing as its snowing outside(I kid you not), decided to start fitting the shower vent.
Pretty strange forward job, cant finish it off till Ive got van out of shed but only have to seal it down, hook up wires to fan/light and screw on interior shroud.
Test fit and wire, perfect
Seeing as its snowing outside(I kid you not), decided to start fitting the shower vent.
Pretty strange forward job, cant finish it off till Ive got van out of shed but only have to seal it down, hook up wires to fan/light and screw on interior shroud.
Test fit and wire, perfect
Started removing the old crappy stickers today, came off alot easier than I thought they were going to. Get them to just the right temp with heat gun and they just peeled off, glue and all. There is a faded inprint of the Expanda sticker so might have to get new one made. Other than that, whats left will be vinayled over in orange.
What an amazing job you have done on that Van since you bought it!
This is what a 2004 Expandas roof is made of.
Fibreglass outer layer, styrofoam centre and ply inner, all bonded together.
Fibreglass outer layer, styrofoam centre and ply inner, all bonded together.
Got my front toolbox back today and fitted. Came up a treat.
Also painted my mud flaps black to match in. I used sikagard but it was a rino type liner used on toolbox.
Gotta luv a reverse camera
Also painted my mud flaps black to match in. I used sikagard but it was a rino type liner used on toolbox.
Gotta luv a reverse camera
Looking back to April, purchased it on a Thursday, flipped axle and underslung it Friday then headed iff for 5 days.
And how it is today.
And how it is today.
Finally grabbed some shower walls from Bunnings and set about fitting them.
Due to their thickness(2.2mm) I had to add some more framing behind walls to stop the walls flexing to much. T
hey come in packs of two PVC walls plus corner joiner.
Just gotta run some sealant around bottom and ends, add some PVC angle around top and then sort out a door.
Due to their thickness(2.2mm) I had to add some more framing behind walls to stop the walls flexing to much. T
Just gotta run some sealant around bottom and ends, add some PVC angle around top and then sort out a door.
Bought a pack of Tic Tack Tiles off ebay to replace the splash backs around sink and stove. Well only got one pack to try them but wrapped with the look and they stick like you know what too, put the first one on wrong way round and when removing it it took a layer of veneer off with it.
3 more packs on the way
3 more packs on the way
Near, still gotta do suspension/axle, some nice alloys/tyres, compressor fridge and extra solar and grab some interior panels off Jayco to replace some scratched panels in van....till I think of something else.......or even sell it and upgrade and start again
Go the fridge 1st, it is very nice to turn it on and 30 min later it is ready for loading from the kitchen fridge.
Do your math 1st, check the power consumption, storage and charge. Typically it can be a 50% increase in the fridge price to upgrade the 12 volt side to cope, then there is the battery weight also.
Do your math 1st, check the power consumption, storage and charge. Typically it can be a 50% increase in the fridge price to upgrade the 12 volt side to cope, then there is the battery weight also.
Done that upgrade in our last van(comp fridge), so so much better than a 3way. Have 200w’s of solar on van now, have another 200w panel in shed ready to go onwhen fridge is fitted, just gotta upgrade solar controller and add anither battery.
The 3 ways are ok down here in Tassie but Id never venture into the tropics again with one so will look at replacing it before our next mainland trip.
Comps are great when you are able to carry the extra weight of battery storage and have plenty of continuous sunlight. More than 3 days of cloudy/rainy weather and your battery storage is in trouble when off the grid. After that, it is use gennie (if allowed) or move to power. Just dead weight in that situation. Been in the tropics of Queensland and even here in Brisbane with 3 way when ambient temp around 35C, and stayed ahead in the cooling race. Levelness is essential and the extra cooling fans make that possible IMHO. Have to admit that in the initial cooling and fast pull-down race, comps are streets ahead - as long as you have the power to run them and some power left to keep them going.