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Renovation
After we got her filled with fuel and then got her home (her first boat ride) we sat and we looked at her. We had, at this point, done 18th months of research and planning but believe us when we say that you will never be ready... its a bit like having kids... so we just jumped in and began to strip her out and build her back up again.
Our Bus Renovation is the best fun we have had in a log time and we cant wait to get That Empty Nest Life 1.... on the road.
Here's to travel and Van Life.
Vicky Marie
First time we saw her.
Very excited.
We brought her, unseen, from Ebay so a little nervous to be honest
Very excited.
We brought her, unseen, from Ebay so a little nervous to be honest
Door Fell Off.
Undo That Screw he said.
And THE DOOR FELL OFF!
honestly been driving her with only a screw holding the sliding door on....
And THE DOOR FELL OFF!
honestly been driving her with only a screw holding the sliding door on....
She had 17 seats.
Day one of the project.
17 seats, flooring, wall covering and rails to go...
17 seats, flooring, wall covering and rails to go...
Rail Removal.
Looked like such as easy job...
Till it wasnt. We found removing these rails to be the hardest job, Get yourselves and angle grinder folks....
Till it wasnt. We found removing these rails to be the hardest job, Get yourselves and angle grinder folks....
4, Fixing the door...
We finally got to the door runner fix... after she fell off a load of times. Took a whole day and then she fell of again... honestly frustrating!!
Filling all the holes...
We had to sikaflex 147 holes
in the bus so that she was waterproof...
in the bus so that she was waterproof...
Fixing that pesky rail...
After replacing all of the rollers and the door falling off more times then we could count, we finally fixed her by removing and repairing the centre rail...finally a door that stays on!
Dashboard Upgrade
We needed more USB plugs and we needed a new radio, a dash cam, a reversing camera and a sat nav so Matt got to work ripping the whole dashboard out and re-building it!
Fitting the Floor Rails.
We finally start to build the bus by fitting the rails to hold the floor up. Lots of screwing today...
Ecotherm Installation.
Its quite cold in the UK in winter so we decided that we would fully insulate the van from the floor to the walls and ceiling. We decided to use Ecotherm solid insulation on the floor and ceiling.
Fitting the Max Air Fan
HE CUT A MASSIVE HOLE!
Described as the best Campervan Fan, this job was actually one of the easiest to do considering we had to cut a huge hole in the roof of the bus.
Described as the best Campervan Fan, this job was actually one of the easiest to do considering we had to cut a huge hole in the roof of the bus.
Solar Panels!
Gotta go off road so....
We needed solar panels to keep our batteries topped up so that we can live off grid for days on end... as long as the sun shines!!
We needed solar panels to keep our batteries topped up so that we can live off grid for days on end... as long as the sun shines!!
Sound Deadening and Insulation....
Gonna be so quiet!!
and comfy warm with all the insulation and vapour barrier we put it! whole place was like a spaceship!!
and comfy warm with all the insulation and vapour barrier we put it! whole place was like a spaceship!!
New Floor Goes Down!
Absolutely the fastest and easiest job in the whole build.... from B and Q to our bus in one afternoon!
Cable Running and Scaring Becky
Matt starts to run the cables all over the bus and scaring the pants of Becky....
Building the Bulkhead
We had no Bulkhead!
And we decided to build one.... quite a challenge but Matt did good!
And we decided to build one.... quite a challenge but Matt did good!
Electrics for the win!
Matt realises that the entire electrical installation is wrong so removes and refits the whole lot. He also builds a wiring loom from scratch!
Window Frames
We spend a very stressful weekend trying not to kill each other whilst framing out the windows in our bus. Not a job for the feint hearted!
IMASS water heater
We cut another large hole
in our lovely bus to fit our IMass instantaneous water heater.
in our lovely bus to fit our IMass instantaneous water heater.
Shower Tray Fit
We finally start to create and fit the framing for the shower tray / toilet.
No cold showers for us!!
No cold showers for us!!
Toilet Door Fit,
Disaster strikes
when we cut the wrong shaped hole in the side of the bus... Honestly a mistake that anyone could have made... we fixed her all up though and she now has a very pretty toilet.
when we cut the wrong shaped hole in the side of the bus... Honestly a mistake that anyone could have made... we fixed her all up though and she now has a very pretty toilet.
Wheel Arch Boxing In.
Matt makes light work of boxing in our wheel arches helped along by red wine... apparently the only tool you need for a bus build!
Full Electric Jobbie!!.
Matt fits the complete electrical board installation and we finally start using all that fabulous solar energy.
Water Re Fill Point.
Matt fits the water
fill point after cutting ANOTHER hole in the bus! Seriously she is starting to look like a colander!
fill point after cutting ANOTHER hole in the bus! Seriously she is starting to look like a colander!
Furniture Build.
Matt and I finally start ply lining the walls and building the furniture. Had a fab weekend screwing and un-screwing with fab results. She is starting to look like home now!
Kitchen Build
This week we managed to get a weekend off work so finally got the kitchen built under a gazebo in the rain! happy but damp!
Bathroom.. attempt 1!
In this episode we try (unsucessfully) to complete our bathroom build and we are brought to a stand still AGAIN!!
He Destroyed The Dashboard
Matt destroyed the dashboard to change a BULB!
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