"Jackur" 2003 Ford E350 Diesel 4X4 Build.

[shachagra]

More photos
Track for bed- with better design and tighter dimensions I just cut the old track off and epoxied in a new set. Slides like a hot knife through butter.


The Mcgyver roof raiser.
The plunger with the two o-rings just slides into the larger pvc tube. The o-rings are just pinched between two couplers that were sanded down enough to allow them to slide into the 1.5 inch pvc tube. Used 1' for the piston.
I went with a single pneumatic jack that will raise both the main roof, and bed roof, then store out of the way. You can raise and lower both by hand, but the main roof will be too much even for a manly man from New Hampshire (Live Free or Die) once the solar panels are in place. I think the PVC job will be replaced by a real custom made jack at some time- but it does work great. I'll post some videos of a 4X4 roof raising, it takes 20 seconds.

 

[Lost...Again]

Hi Doug :wavey:, Manly man here from the "Live Free or Die" state. Quite the McGyver contraption. Now I'll just have to figure out a way to feed air into the interior from yet to be built rear air storage tank bumper. Say that three times fast.....

Thanks again for all your innovation and work on the van. :bowdown: I'm still trying to finish up the trim work in my house and would rather be back in Florida under your tutelage.




And, completely off topic, but here's what happens when you meet a moose at 65 mph on I93. Everyone said I was quite lucky to have so little, both car and bodily, damage done. Evidently moose strikes can be much worse.

 

[shachagra]

I build, you destroy.
Here is a lik to a video of the top opening. Took a while to get the Mcgyver jack to lose air so I could use it to raise the bed roof, but it still took under 1 minute.

 

[Lost...Again]

Holy smokes, :Wow1: looks like I could rent out a room inside that thing. I bet it feels cavernous when the roof(s) are both up.

Impressed with the magic you did to the bed slides; it appeared to slide out effortlessly.

 

[r_w]

Install a bigger ball valve to act as a dump valve on that macgyver jack. You can only push air through a 1/4" fitting so fast...

 

[mackey]

Hi Doug,

I've been lurking for a while on this and your shacagra thread. Massive, massive respect for the way you've tackled these projects. I know this is a big ask, but hopefully you'll consider it:

Could you do a how to video or videos for a few of your construction techniques. Some specific topics I would like to see are:
-butt jointing plywood with fiberglass for large expanses
-curves a la the nose piece on shacagra
-your homemade SIP process (also thoughts on single-curved SIPS)

there's probably more, but just those would be awesome. I think the videos could be pretty simple maybe even just good timelapses with you explaining the process.

I think there are probably many people the world over that would find them interesting. I haven't seen anything like this on youtube...

 

[shachagra]

Sure- thanks for asking. I always intend to to do stuff like that but get so focused on the end.
I'll tackle the items above in the Shachagra thread with photos as it'll be a while before I butt join 3/4 plywood. The SIP panel I can do in the next few days with a small piece I am making for the van.

 

[shachagra]

Icebox

I have been working on the interior components and though they don't look like much yet, I'll give an update. I have taken the van down to some property we have on the St Johns to keep Shachagra company and clear up the driveway while I build the interior modules in the garage.

I am going to build 5 modules. 2 rear dinette seats, sink, reefer and head. I have carcasses for the first 4 and have begun putting systems in place. The reefer is nothing but a box within a box, with 4 inches of sheet insulation between the two. The interior box will be epoxied and will accept the condenser from the Norcold refridge unit, I'll show that installation later. I love the icebox in my RV, I am fascinated by the idea of the sun ensuring I have a cold beer, regardless of the time between stays in the truck and with no generator to fire up. I don't even have to start the truck.
Here are some pics of the icebox being built. The last photo is of the bead of epoxy/silica mix that will hold the inner box together. It is amazingly strong. Easy to apply with a tongue depressor. I need to sand, epoxy the entire interior, and finish.

The carcasses look bad, but will get some nice curves and will be finished in maple wood.

 

[shachagra]

Back to work

Took a couple months off but will head back into this project full time.
Big test passed, she endured 3 days of torrential rain and remained completely dry. Completely is a stretch, there was water in cowling area, but that isn't 100% complete. I am puzzle by how the water got in there.
I have installed the two dinette seats, the sink and the reefer and will begin work today on the toilet area. Everything will be modular and will be fairly easily removed if needed or to check for water, rot etc.
I am just installing a porti potty for ease and the toilet area will probably be used for storage as with may RVs.
Following the toilet, I will add an electrical closet with solar controller, batteries, inverter and C/B panels, close in the cowling on the inside with cabinets and TV and then finish trim and paint.
I have abandoned the pneumatic means to raise the roof, it is easy to raise manually and I find that is how I do it when I open her up to do work. The only problem is that you have to open the main roof from the outside and have to stand on the roof to do it. I'll add a small ladder on back so you can climb up, open the top, and then slide the bed out. I wanted to open it from inside and it can be done, but it too complex at this point KISS to get it done and then we can start working on the complex refinements.
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[hobietony]

Looks good, keep the updates coming. That homemade icebox is especially cool! (so to speak)

 

[shachagra]

Toilet carcass

I worked on the toilet yesterday as well as doing some odd jobs. Progress is being made. When I open the rig up in the morning I am amazed at the transformation from very cramped but workable arrangement to the open comfortable working area.
To build any of the interior components I first build a carcass on site, joining the wood with simple butt joints and a nailgun to hold it together until the Titebond 3 sets up. the challenge with many of the interior components is working around the windows. A van with no windows would have been much easier. Once I am sure the carcass fits well I take it into the shop for epoxy and paint.


In the shop I add some finish work like a lip for the door to close onto and an inset toilet paper holder, then I mix some epoxy and silica to a peanut butter consistency and use a tongue depressor to add a fillet to all the seams. When set up, the structure is rock solid, ready for sanding and paint. I put one coat of Kiltz primer, then a coat of Interlux Brightside primer, and finally a coat of Interlux Brightside paint. The paint is expensive but it is so easy to use, holds up well and is easy to touch up.

 

[CrabbyMcNab]

Did you paint the boxes? Or is that an epoxy type mix? Looks very similar to material used on boats.
You have to expand upon this sun powered beer cooler!

 

[shachagra]

Takes longer than you think

I go by the 2XPi rule, it always takes me about 7 times as long to build something as I think it will. I only got as far as the first coat of primer on the toilet, sanding takes so long! these are jobs that I wish my boy were out of school for so i could just get him to sand and paint. The job looks good though.

I also did some glassing on the joint between the topper and the back of the van roof. You can see in this picture the stacked tops of the area over the bed and the main roof sitting on top of each other. I used thick Bi-axial glass cloth for this as i want more thickness as you will be standing on this "step" to open the top.The stacked arrangement makes for a very simple set-up procedure. Takes me about 3 minutes to raise and lock in the entire top. Lots of finish work to do, but its coming along.

 

[shachagra]

Important piece

I forgot to mention that one of the goals of this project is to complete the conversion complete with topper and all accommodations for under $10,000. So far we are well under budget.

 

[r_w]

there was water in cowling area, but that isn't 100% complete. I am puzzle by how the water got in there.

Maybe it was always there. Could it have been condensation?