September 2024 - Window retrofit

Tom

No van updates for August as I was in for routine surgery shortly after we got back from France. So hence the time jump to September.

If you’ve read our blog on our first van trip to France then you’ll know that we learned that my initial plan to have two windows by the bed/seating area was correct. That I shouldn’t have chickened out cutting the other hole and just done it before the walls went in.

So here I have been, 4 weeks post surgery and I start cutting holes in a practically finished van before the weather turns. 😅

This involved essentially giving the van surgery too. Pulling out the windowsills and carefully levering free the back of the window box. Then manoeuvring the back piece out without damaging anything else. Then came cutting out the insulation boards which was simple enough, and the metal struts that support the outer skin. Once that was done and measured for the wooden window framing, I could then get on with re-taping everything to re-establish the vapour barrier.

Next job was building a wooden frame for the aluminium frame to clamp onto and to support the window in the bodywork, the same as the other two. Nice and easy, a bit of work on the belt sander and the thickness planer to put a slight curve on the sides. The windows we use are slightly curved specially for panel vans so it’s best to try and match that curve with the wood frame.

Once in place the glueing, clamping and screwing together could begin. In the mean time I created a new back board and some blocks to mount against in the window box. As we couldn’t remove the whole window box without ripping out the wall, I had to find a way to affix the back without it being too obvious. This involved a lot of CT-1 and spacer blocks up against the window surround!

Once the fine adjustments were done, I glued and clamped this new window fascia in place. Also, this time I had realised that it’s normal for the window blinds to have the bug screen as a pull down, and the blind itself as pull up… so this one is the correct way up, the other two aren’t. 😅 The reason being, you can crack the blind but people outside, who tend to be lower than you, can’t see anything through the cracks except the ceiling. Live and learn. I might pull out the sliding door window blind and correct this, though it’s unlikely. The one on the other side is too permanently installed to change now though.

Once done and glue cured etc, the decorating could begin and I finally went for the contrasting colour that Ellen had been debating. Ellen is still not 100% sure, so it may change. Personally I quite like it.

Finally we saw someone on Instagram suggest an internal release for the rear doors. This is a smart idea so I’ve drilled out the metal catch and applied a temporary leather braid to it. I’ll sort a proper cable and hook at a later date.

That’s it for this month, but I’ve got plans to build out the garage properly and for an auxiliary water tank. This will go inside the garage ready for when we go to colder climates next year (hopefully snowboarding). Hopefully it will prevent having to risk the main external tank freezing. So watch this space for that install!