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Post by snoops on Sept 28, 2019 17:23:51 GMT 10
Paint is very soon. Interior is almost finished, and I’m slowly getting all the windows done. Have the front window as the biggest job - it doesn’t leak a drop but I want to fit the tinted acrylic to it. Once that’s done the paint will go on. Still want to swap you rims at some point. When it comes home again, I’ll get that sorted. 👍
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Post by Husky on Sept 28, 2019 21:49:27 GMT 10
You got a pile of bits I've been putting aside for you. Just wrecked another 16ft viscount for parts. When customers stop by I let them know none of that pile is available to em.
Have fun mate, that's what it's all about.
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Post by snoops on Sept 30, 2019 17:03:04 GMT 10
Will get up your way very soon. 👍
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Post by snoops on Sept 30, 2019 19:11:35 GMT 10
So I’ve spent the last 2 weekends in the van - 7 nights I total. New power system is doing the job admirably and I’ve got no concerns with its long term suitably. Having run everything I need to including the heater for several hours on a few cool nights, the battery is more than up to the task. Main load is the 90 litre Engel fridge and lighting. Even on overcast days the solar controller is dropping to float mode well before lunch. Even with warner temps when the fridge will work harder I have no doubt it will keep up.
Shower cubicle is also water tight and operating now although final panelling is to be completed (Husky, prepare for a visit 😊 ). Will need to upgrade the size of the water tank but I knew that already.
Overall very happy. Having thoughts on changing the double bed as well now, but I’ll probably sort that after I finish the exterior. That’s probably the next thing - finishing the window replacement and repainting it. 👍
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Post by Husky on Oct 2, 2019 16:25:48 GMT 10
Sounds like things are moving along nicely. Power is something i am really going to have to pick your brains about and if you want to pass on any of your old power set up, the Charlie fund is accepting donations  . i'll need to nut out solar panels, controller, fuse panel and where to mount my batteries. We are away this coming weekend till probably Tuesday. Just give us a yell when your ready I'm desperate to get Charlie on the road by next race season after getting flooded out twice this year in the scenic so i'm out at the property a lot of the time. |
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Post by snoops on Feb 11, 2020 14:25:02 GMT 10
For those that have been following along, a quick question - with the en suite completely finished and the exterior paint complete, what would people think this van may be worth? Allowing for all the bits this has - lithium battery, 500 watts solar, victron charger, Engel fridge, Truma gas water heater, Diesel heater, Thetford Cassette toilet etc? What I'm basically asking is what it could be worth complete with all of this and what it could be worth as a nice, finished van without all these goodies in it - is it worth selling it with all of this or would it be better if I kept all the good bits for another project (Which I have). Replacement value for the items listed above it around $5,000 - would I get this back selling them in the van or not? Not looking for every dollar obviously but need to work out a bit of a cost benefit analysis I think.
Not 100% sure I'll move Molly on just yet, but it could be on the cards and thinking about the best bang for buck for me.
TIA.
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Post by 78466noM on Feb 12, 2020 18:08:35 GMT 10
may be advertise a price with and a price without the trouble with vehicles you never seem to get what you put into them back.Or Maybe take out your victron and lithium put in two agms and a solar controller. solar panels are fairly cheap to pick for your new project and it still leaves the viscount as capable to free camp. a Chinese diesel heater is cheap maybe remove your hot water and put connections in line so a portable hot water heater can be hooked up. that leaves you with the expensive equipment and your van still self sufficient.
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Post by snoops on Feb 13, 2020 11:36:13 GMT 10
Thanks, some good thoughts there. If I knew roughly what a van like mine is worth as it is (assuming good paint and finished) then it would be easier to work out what I should leave and what I should take.
Solar panel can stay - as you say, these are quite cheap to replace. I do have 2 AGM’s and the old solar controller so I could remove the lithium and victron gear - that makes sense.
I’m not set on selling it just yet, I’m just working through some options.
Cheers.
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Post by snoops on Feb 17, 2021 10:13:03 GMT 10
Well hasn't it been a while! Was going to bring Molly back from the farm around 12 months ago but we are all older and wiser to the worlds issues now.  Was aiming to bring her back the weekend just gone, but we got hit with another lockdown so HOPEFULLY Molly will be back in my driveway in around 4 or 5 weeks from now - I will be finishing up what is left - paint and some interior work, then moving her on - I just don't have the need for a van at the moment or any time in the future that I can see - will be hard to let her go, but it will be better if someone else can make the most from her. Will report back once she's back and I'm working on her again. |
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Post by Mustang on Feb 17, 2021 10:30:40 GMT 10
Considering what I sold Vincent for, it was too cheap, but it was also a single axle 17' van with no appeal to the hot rodders, I had one solid enquiry in six months. (Time to Roam)
I would certainly raid Molly of all the expensive gear (for the next van) & make her as cheap as possible to sell. But finish off the reno, not giving the buyers an excuse to knock you down too far.
Saying that S/H vans have increased in price.
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Post by snoops on Feb 19, 2021 20:42:53 GMT 10
Thanks - that was my thought process - I won’t get back the dollars for the higher end bits so will take them for my motor home project. The fridge, lithium battery and battery management are over $3K just for those, no way I’ll recoup that. A couple of AGM’s and a PWM controller will still see everything fully usable (and I have those bits sitting at home as well)
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Post by snoops on Mar 20, 2021 8:41:47 GMT 10
Quick update - I dropped past to check on Molly a couple of weekends ago - stayed the night and removed all the local 8 legged residents that had moved in. Took the fridge, lithium battery and charge controller out which is now in the motorhome.
At Easter I’ll be bringing her back home for a final push to get completely finished.
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Post by snoops on Jun 6, 2022 12:33:45 GMT 10
So more than a year on I can report - absolutely nothing. It is still down the ex inlaws place in the paddock.  There is however a plan to bring it back home to complete now - and maybe even keep it. That bit is not confirmed yet, but I do hope to move it at least at some stage in the next couple of months. I will have to remove and regrease the wheel bearings etc and give it a good going over as it hasn't moved for 3 years, but I'm not expecting any real issues to be honest. If we do keep it, there may well be major upgrades being done to it, but that is a conversation for another day - will concentrate on getting it home first. |
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Post by snoops on Jun 27, 2022 16:03:14 GMT 10
Well Molly is back in Melbourne after staying well away for the whole of Covid.  I removed all the wheels and regreased the bearings - they weren't bad but these things never hurt with a van that's been sitting for a while. Greased all the suspension too. All the tyres were sitting at 30PSI - not bad after so long. Topped them all up and gave everything a once over, kicked a few 8 legged critters out and then a 4 1/2 hour run down the freeway to get home - no dramas at all, tows like a dream. Will still be a while before anything happens to her but at least she's in the right spot to make a start... Just have to finish the Motorhome, Jag and at least on of my Land Rovers before I get stuck in...  |
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Post by Mustang on Jun 28, 2022 5:57:41 GMT 10
H Snoops,
Good news for your van, wish I had kept mine, nothing worse when one does all that work & the project falls into abandonment .
So many projects, so little time?
Cheers
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Post by snoops on Nov 7, 2022 12:56:47 GMT 10
So plans are afoot for Molly - they are being carefully considered as the actual work is still some time off but we have decided she is a keeper and that she does need some internal modifications to make it fit for our needs. The outside will be completed as planned and inside the front lounge area will stay, but from the front door back might be another story. It may become a bit of a retrotech van - apologies to the purists but I have already modified the interior quite a bit on its first build. All the good stuff is already in like the 12 volt power, solar, hot water, heater. The chemical toilet will go in favour of a composting toilet - we have one in our motorhome and it's a game changer - I'll never go back to a chem toilet. Kitchen needs more bench space - the oven and hotplate will go - probably just have a portable 240 volt hotplate instead as we rarely if ever cook inside. Small microwave would be needed and somewhere for the coffee machine...  The big cupboard between the kitchen and bedroom is also a waste of space - something more compact that still braces the van sufficiently will replace this. Once I've got a set of measurements out of the van I'll start doodling and seeing what is likely to work. |
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Post by Mustang on Nov 22, 2022 6:00:58 GMT 10
Good to hear Snoops, some action on the forum.
Strange you mention the composting toilet, we have just received a newsletter from Vintage Trailer Supply in the USA promoting the compost as the next best thing.
We are on the road for 4 months (in Tassy) & the cassette is the PITA, so to speak.
(Especially on the major built up areas on new stages of the Pacific Highway on the mainland)
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Post by Warrenk on Nov 23, 2022 19:22:17 GMT 10
Composting toilets appears to be popular in Australia now. Our son just bought an Ogo brand to install in his caravan. I have been looking at one for our modern caravan as well, probably an Ogo or an Air Head (only available in the US, but will deliver to Australia).
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Post by snoops on Nov 28, 2022 10:38:57 GMT 10
The Ogo unit looks like a good setup but wasn't available when we purchased ours. We have a 'Natures Head' unit in the motorhome - it's expensive but well worth it. I don't think the cranking of the handle is a big deal like the Ogo website makes it out to be but you need 12 volts regardless on our as well as there is a small fan that runs continually - it is a tiny computer fan so uses bugger all power. Biggest bonus is that is can be moved between the motorhome and Molly in around 2 minutes - there are just 2 thumb screws to undo and it lifts out so I don't need to buy another one (They are bloody expensive for a bit of plastic).
With zero smell and around 2 week plus of use between empties it runs rings around a chem toilet. The urine bottle will need emptying every couple of days but that's easy. The rest not often and it's easy to dispose of as it is basically compost when it's emptied and can be disposed of in a bin and doesn't smell of much either.
If anyone is looking at upgrading I would highly recommend moving away from a chem toilet to one - you won't regret it.
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Post by snoops on Oct 28, 2024 7:57:20 GMT 10
So hopefully I’ll get Molly back home before Christmas to tidy her up. It is likely I will sell her on but not sure yet. Will update with pics once she’s home.
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. i'll need to nut out solar panels, controller, fuse panel and where to mount my batteries. 
There is however a plan to bring it back home to complete now - and maybe even keep it. That bit is not confirmed yet, but I do hope to move it at least at some stage in the next couple of months. I will have to remove and regrease the wheel bearings etc and give it a good going over as it hasn't moved for 3 years, but I'm not expecting any real issues to be honest.
