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Windsurf Coaching Mega Van Blog #8

So my next mission is to get everything under the van sorted so i can get the floor down and sealed so i can start to build the inside!
 
I have gone 5 star on the build and wanted as much space inside as pos so i have gone for an underneath gas tank and water tank that was such a mission at the end but will be worth it! i have seen how they install them mmmm i wouldn't trust any of the uni brackets they give you or buy them, they are all shocking also any one who just drills into your van without protecting  the bear metal they just drilled, putting primmer, paint and wax oil is a MUST, as the first thing that will rust on your pride and joy will be these points so watch out and i went with better than factory finish ,Stew Style brackets these bad boys will stand anything!
 
One gas tank
 
 

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One water tank
 

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 the gas tank all lined up me and Stew have decided where to put both tanks, its quite important to even out the weight around the the chassis as i know its a big van and will not handle well but if all the tanks are on one side it would make it handle even worse!
 

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Brackets are welded so they will not collapse under pressure when you bolt the tank down
 
 

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Stews finishing touch 
 
 

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The bed getting welded up, i must have a strong bed, so the idea is to weld brackets to the side so we can have max room in the garage area 
 
 

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 The brackets finished, painted and wax oiled and ready to bolt on and also the bed is sprayed 
 

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Tank getting bolted on as you can see we have taken back the unseal so you have a flat edge so the tank sits even- very important with a LPG tank!
 
 

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the bracket inside are not just some crappy washers so this way it spreads the load of the weight when the tank is full and also sits flush on the floor and of course all cleaned up, painted and wax oiled again!
 
 

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Ouch two new holes in my new paint work 
 
 

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Stew working his magic after working with stew i wouldn't trust any one else to cut or drill holes in my van
 

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hahhaha a happy stew as he didn't get one mark on my new paint work another perfect job 
 
 

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 And there it is now, we have the tank and filler in
 

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looking smart, go's well with my carbon magnet and the smoked lens , the reason i also went for LPG gas is, that i can fill it up at most places around Europe,because most gas tanks are different around Europe so it can be a pain in the back side
 

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Back down to Southampton to finish the wiring for the floor, insulate and wax oiling it
 
Bolts are in for the water tank, what stew has planned for the brackets mmm this thing is not going anywhere! again a lot of weight 120 litters so thats 120 kg all adds up and you wouldn't want some crappy universal  brackets as it will move all over the place, the   ones that come with the tank are rubber mmmmm really ….
 
 

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After all the work on the floor it quite dirty so another polish wax oil the wheel arches then foil then i will start on the floor- be warned guys there are a lot of cow boys out there, the wood work on my arches where just drilled into it leaving rusty holes so they had to be treated first also i found a lot of random holes so treated all of them primed and wax oiled to stop any rust!
 
 
 

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wheel arches done and primed any holes that where looking a bit like they could rust in the next few years and after all the hard work the last thing i want is the floor rot out on me
 
 

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here you can see the far white panels what they look like once cleaned and poilshed and how grubby the other panels are  
 
 

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Tank dropped for the fuel feed mission
 
 

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 fuel feed in and ready to be plumed in
 
 

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The holes for the heater! i went for a diesel heater as i didnt really fancy the gas one as I'm not 100% trust on gas inside
 
 

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The heater all plumed in all with stainless screws so they won't rust- good job Matt
 

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The heater that is un real doesn't really use much fuel make's the van so much warmer for when we coaching in the uk after a long session- 7 people will be able to sit in and watch the tv with room and with a nice warm cup-per happy days , also the inverter 1000 watt and not a cheap crappy one as they are lots out there that i wouldn't trust, this inverter will make all my plugs convert from 240 to 12 v so they will run off my leisure batteries and there will be lots of plugs located around the van so me and Marco can charge the vid cam laptops and the head zone helmets 
 
 

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so floor all finished i have kept the floor that came with the van  and i will just put some more flooring over it after talking to a lot of people and doing some research its well worth having a warm floor,
 
next stop is cornwall to get the cabinets made up! 

 

Authors: Super User

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