Van Build about to start....

[rockbender]

cool video Brent! (and nice sneek peek of your toys in the back)

Love the way the van is coming along.

[MrWicked]

yes very cool.... what are they going to use for the floor of the rack????? we are thinking about a raised roof but wundered about a roof rack now this gives me some ideas....

[haywoodphotomaccom]

The back 1/3- 1/2 is going to be expanded metal. Solar panel in front of that and in motion satellite at the very front. That is the plan for now but that may change a little in the next day or two.

Having hardware installed just incase we put up a second solar panel.

[billwilson]

The Brentster:

Cool vid
Sometimes i felt guilty for the design time they did, they rock

A thought:
the bar are too big for a bungie
yu may be using other stuff to tie down, but you will do some quick and dirty w/ bungies

i used "slats" on my floor, and had holes drilled in em
I WISH i would have had a bunch of small attachement points welded to the bottom
of the upper bar.... just a thought

also
my rack is made for a size solar panel that is no longer available
i WISH i would have had it build with some adjustmentabilty....

i use this from Harbor freight on the back of wilson
just cuz i got two ladders, it still is a PITA to attach stuff
these last me a year and cost $10



bw

[haywoodphotomaccom]

Great info BW!

Going to make a call just incase.

Most of the back area will remain open for my camera work. Just enough space up there for full extension of the tripod legs. May also use it for landing the chopper on.

Having a full length ladder made by them to reach the top rung. Also putting one more towards the bottom just out of harms way.

[haywoodphotomaccom]

Great visit today to RV Interiors in Spring Valley today. Spent some time with Jeff looking at Peter & Katherine's build that is in front of mine. Invaluable to have a similar build going on just before our is to start. Took a few images for them and as reference for me.

Really like how Jeff is open to any idea you have and roll plays the pro's and con's of each. Walked away with some new ideas. I have a month or so till our build starts and will be visiting Peter & Katherine's a few more times.

Just as I was leaving I got a call from Kenny at Aluminess that the roof is ready to install. I could not pull it off today but will tomorrow. Look for a new time lapse of the install in the next day or two.

Took the rig to Big Bear this weekend and put the mountain bike rack through it paces. The hardware design works great but needs some slight adjustments. Photos on that coming soon.

[MrWicked]

looking good and thanks for posting the pics....

the sides of that mobile was it in finish form or was it just the wood and still needing fabric covered over them????

[haywoodphotomaccom]

Roof rack was installed yesterday and all went great. I'll post a few photos later today.

On the way out yesterday from there I noticed smoke behind me. Stopped and looked like a leak of some kind dropping on to the muffler. Just stopped at my mechanic this am and see a small hole in the lower transmission line leaking on top of the muffler. That line was laying on top of the muffler and created the hole.

Assuming this is not correct in the first place and will make some adjustments. Thoughts on the best correction method?

Heat shield wrap around the lines, slightly move muffler if possible, bend lines to clear muffler or all the above?

Thoughts?

[Gnarvan]

Originally Posted by haywoodphotomaccom

Heat shield wrap around the lines, slightly move muffler if possible, bend lines to clear muffler or all the above?
Thoughts?

I would do all three.

I'd probably start at a good muffler shop. Have them move the muffler to put as much room between the line and the muffler as possible. Be very careful trying to bend the line. You could end up putting a weak spot in the line.

Think of the most outback, remote place you've ever visited. Thats where it's going to fail on you if you don't fix it properly. Having a critical fluid line that close to the muffler is just plain WRONG.

Edit.....I just checked out your octacopter video on youtube. That thing is beyond too cool. I'm impressed!

[haywoodphotomaccom]

Thinking the same thing John. The muffler must have been moved when the conversion was put on. Cant imagine it came from the factory like that.