Screwing around with a Eurovan!

[Snowgeek135]

Super excited you resolved the problem. I like to see that you immediately dive into the next project....it is easy to get tired of working on the fun stuff when you have been side tracked by problems for a while. Thanks for the simple isolated battery link. That is a project i need to start working on ASAP.

Where the hell do you find the time to do all this with a new baby, job, etc.......

Loving following you build and wish that mine was as DIY as yours is.

Ryan

 

[Cole]

Super excited you resolved the problem. I like to see that you immediately dive into the next project....it is easy to get tired of working on the fun stuff when you have been side tracked by problems for a while. Thanks for the simple isolated battery link. That is a project i need to start working on ASAP.

Where the hell do you find the time to do all this with a new baby, job, etc.......

Loving following you build and wish that mine was as DIY as yours is.

Ryan

Normal people sleep

 

[TurboBrickMan]

Joined just so I could say that sure doesn't look like a sealed battery you have inside of the cabin. I'd look into that as you don't want those fumes off gassing inside the van for all to breathe. Looks like a pretty awesome build otherwise though!

 

[Cole]

Joined just so I could say that sure doesn't look like a sealed battery you have inside of the cabin. I'd look into that as you don't want those fumes off gassing inside the van for all to breathe. Looks like a pretty awesome build otherwise though!

Um.....:coffeedrink:

"Overcharging" a lead acid battery can certainly cause them to off gas hydrogen.......and oxygen....

Which is lighter than air and will simply vent out the top tent of the van if If left alone for a long time.:coffeedrink:.....and you can basically breath it all you want in the volume and airflow the van will have. Many many cars, boats and RVs came with unsealed batteries in the passenger compartment for this reason.

You ups would have to charge a huge bank of batteries inside an air tight room to build up enough gas to be explosive or potentially harmful.



Now in the off chance you massively overcharge and cause damage, hydrogen sulfide could be discharged from a damaged battery. Which is heavier than air and should drop out the vent holes in the bottom of the van. If not it conveniently smells like rotten eggs long before it kills you :sombrero:

 

[Cole]

I put the extra parts out there for "any reasonable offer"!

What extra parts are we talking about here? Did I miss something?

 

[Cole]

I'm still waiting on parts to isolate the house battery from the chassis battery.



.....but I figure with the Pikes Peak Hill Climb coming up this weekend. I needed to push forward with a couple of misc projects.

The factory light over the table has been missing its bulbs. On top of that the circuit board didn't seem to work as I couldn't get power to pass through it. So I took it completely apart and added a 20 LED 2x3" light board in place of the bulbs. Wired it through the factory switch.

I don't know if any of you ever noticed. The rear light above the bed had been replaced by the previous owner with a VERY ghettofab set up. You can see it here in the background.

Among the parts I got from the lady I helped fix her van was this florescent fixture. It was stock on some years in the spot above the tabel where my other light is.

I wired it in to the house battery in the back. Looks MUCH better. The bulb was good so I left it for the moment.

Here is both of them on in a completely dark garage. Ultimately I'm going to add some LED rope lighting for mood and lighting in other spots of the van. But this will get it up and running for this race weekend.

 

[225]

:smiley_drive:

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Just read this whole thing end to end... great score on the van, even if you have had some challenges along the way. Nice work!!

 

[Cole]

Just read this whole thing end to end... great score on the van, even if you have had some challenges along the way. Nice work!!

I still agree. Thank you!

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Thanks for bringing us all along on your journey and for the good detailed pics. Always wanted one of these...

 

[Cole]

Thanks. Posting from the upper bunk while camped on Pikes Peak for tomorrow's Pikes Peak Hill climb!

Wanted to try out the top bunk myself. A buddy flew out from LA for the race and is sleeping "down stairs". Kinda weird how it really seems like two separate rooms!

 

[Riptide]

Wow. Just read this whole thread in one sitting. You have some fortitude, for sure...

I was all about getting a EuroVan/Westy, but ultimately bought a Sprinter Westy, which we love dearly.

Hope your 951 is getting some loving. I miss mine badly.

 

[Cole]

Wow. Just read this whole thread in one sitting. You have some fortitude, for sure...

I was all about getting a EuroVan/Westy, but ultimately bought a Sprinter Westy, which we love dearly.

Hope your 951 is getting some loving. I miss mine badly.

Thanks.

I looked at Sprinters. Very cool. Just wasn't going to work well for me for several reasons.

I've been making it a point to drive my 951 a bit a least one morning a week when I don't have my daughter with me. Since the car was my race car at one point its still missing some key items for child seat use. (Back seat, rear seat belts, etc). Fortunately her car seat fits beautifully in my 928S4 :victory:

Here is a shot of out camp spot for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb! That is the race course just behind the van!

Unfortunately, we were also in the landing zone for the Flight for Life Helicopter that had to land twice for motorcyclists. We think both are going to be okay.

.....and here is the new record holder Sebastian Loeb. I can't even begin to describe how much faster he went by us compared to the other cars/bikes! 8:13 was the time, absolutely crushing the previous record.

 

[Riptide]

Awesome! We sometimes take our Westy Sprinter to Lime Rock Park here in CT, getting a trackside spot, especially during the Vintage races.

The day before I sold my 951, I jammed my daughter's car seat in the back, and went for a final blast with the wife. My girl was only 2, but even with my seat all the way forward, her car seat barely fit back there.

At least she can say she's seen 130 mph on the ground. The S4 must be a bit roomier.

 

[Cole]

Haha, 928S4 is MUCH roomier.


..... But I've got two other 160-180mph (ish) capable cars with MUCH more room inside and actual car seat mounts ;-) (just a slight motorhead)