2022 Ford F550 - DIY - Adventure Expedition Vehicle Build Thread

[Vance Vanz]

Body/Fairing Work - Interior - Continued....

Let's move to the cabinets next.

I know most people don't want to see this many pictures of body work, but I have to show something for months of work. Plus, this is all I have to contribute to the build thread, so here we go....

Drivers side overhead cabinet, with a little sanding dust still inside.


Passenger side overhead cabinet


Previously I was going to install a 3/4"H (squared corner) bamboo piece on the front-bottom-inside edge of each overhead cabinet, (to prevent things from falling out of the cabinet when opened) but this would have left a vertical visible line in the body work on the inside of the cabinet because of the offset in the tabbing. These were all of the fillets I Dremeled back 3/4", way back when, on the inside of the cabinets so the corners could be squared looking and match the squared corners on the outside edge of the cabinets. As unforeseen things can happen on a prototype build, I had to refill (re-radius) all of these corners with fairing material to avoid a visible line on the inside of the cabinet (previously mentioned). It will be a little more work to radius the ends on all of the bamboo pieces that will be epoxied to the cabinet, but it will definitely add some uniqueness to the cabinetry/aesthetic. I think I like the radiused look better anyway 👍.


Outside edges/corners of the passenger side overhead cabinet. Just showing some more detail work and transitions



Half hanging closet. This was the hardest of all the cabinets to sand. It is narrow and deep, so I had to literally twist my upper body in a vertical orientation and fully extend my arms in this position to reach the back of the cabinet. I had no leverage at all to get any force in my sanding/the sanding block. Soooo many deep breaths and brakes to avoid dropping the F-Bomb 🤬.


Gear storage, just below the half hanging closet


Getting all the contours and corners dialed in, oh, so, smooth 😎


Very top cubby cabinet in the frig. stack. This was the second hardest cabinet to sand as it is only 7-3/4"H. More opportunities for deep breathing exercises and the practice of humility 😊.


And finally the pantry cabinet in the frig. stack. This was actually the easiest of all the cabinets because I did not have to contort my body into a circus act, or stand on a metal folding chair for 12 hours while sanding (all overhead cabinets) to get it done.

 

[Vance Vanz]

Body/Fairing Work - Interior - Continued.... again!

I promise, this is the last interior body work post, EVER 🤪.

The cab over area. Nothing like sanding on your hands and knees all cramped up. It does a sweet little number on the lower back.

Head board cabinets. These things took the most amount of fairing material/coats to get dialed in. They were also time consuming to get all of the radiuses, contours and transitions smooth to the touch.




Bed catch rail and blending all of the contours, tabbing and transitions into the main walls so you barely feel/don't feel any of the transitions/feathering. What a PITA 🙃!



Yah, these angled corners look cool on the outside of the camper, BUT you have to pay for that on the inside of the camper 🤨👎. A ton of time was spent on getting all of the surfaces of these two corners smooth to the touch


I thought I was done with all of the body work on the interior, until I needed to sand the last remaining area. Sanding the amino blush/layup table wax off of the top side of the subfloor, so it was ready for flooring adhesive, was the last step. Little did I know, there were going to be many shallow puddles that I would have to fill. The 24oz plain weave that rippled a little on my first infusion layup, way back when, also decided to leave shallow little recessions in this infusion layup. I call them puddles. I had to float out about 3/4 of the floor with fairing material just to fill all of these little buggers. Not ideal after months of sanding. My bare foot beach feet will now love the feeling of a perfectly flat floor .


The most important thing is, it is all done! AND, it should look fantabulous when painted. I will have no regrets about not doing the level of body work/finish that I wanted on the interior composite.

Onwards and upwards!

 

[ITTOG]

First great work, I am sure it was very tedious. I am sure it will look great someday (now one month later than it would have been). You successfully wasted a month on things most, if not all, people will never see. But yeah, stupid is a very good word for it. I thought I was a bit anal going overboard. You put me to shame. If nothing else, bask in the delight of knowing you will have no hidden imperfections.

Again though, great work!

 

[rruff]

I was just wondering how things were going with you VV! Good to see you are still making progress!

As usually I'm exhausted just looking at all the detailed work you are doing....

 

[highwest]

Wow. I used to really look forward to you posts, but now I see you’re just a psychopath.😁 That amount of interior fairing is completely bonkers. Keep up the amazing work! (still looking forward to your posts)

 

[simple]

Half man, half Bondo! Wow that's a lot of work!

 

[ExpoMike]

Yeah... great work but not sure I would call you "stupid".... Insane yes!!!!

Looking forward to seeing paint (as I am sure you are LOL )

 

[Vance Vanz]

First great work, I am sure it was very tedious. I am sure it will look great someday (now one month later than it would have been). You successfully wasted a month on things most, if not all, people will never see. But yeah, stupid is a very good word for it. I thought I was a bit anal going overboard. You put me to shame. If nothing else, bask in the delight of knowing you will have no hidden imperfections.

Again though, great work!

Thanks ITTOG. It was a slog 🙂.

I made two general commitments to myself when I had to move from a composite kit box to building one by hand on my own. 1. Make the entire habitat box/camper out of carbon fiber, including most of the interior and 2. Make sure the finish looks like it came out of a production mold/is factory. I'm holding steady, even though doing so takes so much time.

A couple of other things that come to mind. I can't stand it when the inside of cabinets are not finished or there are: exposed wiring, plumbing, etc. in the cabinets and shelves. I know some people look at these as just campers, but this is going to be my home for two years, even possibly my home for multiple multi-years-trips. The inside is really for me, not for anyone else, and the build quality/standard has always been ER/TH.

As silly as it sounds, I will take delight in opening a cabinet and seeing perfectly smooth white walls and corners. My nervous system couldn't have it any other way 😁.

Stay tuned for more overboard anal-ness 🤪.

 

[Vance Vanz]

I was just wondering how things were going with you VV! Good to see you are still making progress!

As usually I'm exhausted just looking at all the detailed work you are doing....

Oh rruff; exhaustion is a great word to describe some of the detailed process/work I've been buried in. I'm still plugging away, inch by inch.

Once the composite and body work are 100% finished, it is going to feel like I'm on a vacation when completing the much smaller projects. Not to say that they won't be difficult, but getting something done in a day, or max a week, will feel like a relief.

I can just start to feel the initial flickers of excitement knowing this thing is getting closer to paint/coating.

How are you doing on your build? Do you have any pics/progress updates? I would have checked in sooner, but I have been Mr. Poopy Pants for the past few months 😁!

 

[Vance Vanz]

Wow. I used to really look forward to you posts, but now I see you’re just a psychopath.😁 That amount of interior fairing is completely bonkers. Keep up the amazing work! (still looking forward to your posts)

Thanks highwest!!!!

I'll keep the psychopath-ness and build posts coming 😝.

And who doesn't like a little crazy?

 

[Vance Vanz]

Half man, half Bondo! Wow that's a lot of work!

I think I have Bondo in my blood and I just want it all out 😁. Somebody please tell the Bondo to stop chasing me 😆!

 

[Vance Vanz]

Yeah... great work but not sure I would call you "stupid".... Insane yes!!!!

Looking forward to seeing paint (as I am sure you are LOL )

😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫..........., For the Love of God, please get this thing to paint already!

🤣........ Oooh, I'm trying.

 

[simple]

I think I have Bondo in my blood and I just want it all out 😁. Somebody please tell the Bondo to stop chasing me 😆!

30 years ago I used to build and repair patterns for foundry sand casting. There was a lot of Bondo work involved. All those swept and sanded fillets. Woof! Getting them right in the corners is tricky business.

 

[ITTOG]

Thanks ITTOG. It was a slog 🙂.

I made two general commitments to myself when I had to move from a composite kit box to building one by hand on my own. 1. Make the entire habitat box/camper out of carbon fiber, including most of the interior and 2. Make sure the finish looks like it came out of a production mold/is factory. I'm holding steady, even though doing so takes so much time.

A couple of other things that come to mind. I can't stand it when the inside of cabinets are not finished or there are: exposed wiring, plumbing, etc. in the cabinets and shelves. I know some people look at these as just campers, but this is going to be my home for two years, even possibly my home for multiple multi-years-trips. The inside is really for me, not for anyone else, and the build quality/standard has always been ER/TH.

As silly as it sounds, I will take delight in opening a cabinet and seeing perfectly smooth white walls and corners. My nervous system couldn't have it any other way 😁.

Stay tuned for more overboard anal-ness 🤪.

I think I have Bondo in my blood and I just want it all out 😁. Somebody please tell the Bondo to stop chasing me 😆!

I agree on the piping and wiring and I applaud your commitment to doing it your way.

Yeah that Bondo dust can get crazy. It seems to take weeks to get rid of it.

 

[rruff]

How are you doing on your build?

I've been living in it! Part time... did a couple extended trips last winter. Working on the underbody boxes now. I'm not particular like you, but it still takes a lot of time. My fillets are not sanded at all! Yesterday I had to break out the angle grinder and flap disc and get covered in fiberglass/epoxy dust. It's been awhile since I've had the "pleasure" of that... I'm using 5mm EPVC as a core material with fiberglass layup, and carbon for the door to keep it stiff.