Willie – starting to look awesome

As we last left off Willie, the yellow hell-machine, the kitchen was started but not completed. Well, I think we have a task at hand.

Completing the kitchen

As mentioned in the last article I wanted the looks of the car to be matching in the different areas. So the same two kind of wood was the logical choice for the kitchen cupboard. The hard surface on the top and a softer and lighter wood for the cupboard. I mounted the doors over a little girder to ensure that there will be enough space to freely open and close them since they are the biggest doors within the van. 

Within the cutout holes, the sink and the stove fitted absolutely perfect. Since there is a pump to power I had to lay cables there anyway so I figured the light switches next to the bed and another power plug would do the trick.

I build the wooden box so it can be removed and open up access to the cables which come out through the wall above and beyond the kitchen surface. Below there is a double 12volt power plug which powers the fridge as well as the sink. Just for good measure, I have installed an unused cable there just in case I need to upgrade the fridge box to a full grown fridge. After installing these parts, I can’t tell you how satisfying it feels to have running water in your car. 

With this, the kitchen is almost completed. Some minor adjustments are still open and have to be completed but since the van is registered in Austria I’m basically not allowed to install the gas for the stove myself.

Also as mentioned in the previous blog the cut out pieces made nice cutting boards when finished.

 

The doorway

Since I wanted the car to be stealthy there is no discussion or even the slightest thought about whether or not the door should be able to close up completely. It has to be closed and closed properly. I’m talking car at night – lights inside – no one being able to tell kind of closed. Still, I had to consider that the van itself is huge and I am not willing to sacrifice the rear mirror view out to the back whilst driving. The logical consequence is a split door. Split in the way that the upper part necessary for the mirror has to have the option to be open whilst driving. Simple: Split the door in half at about one meter and done. No! The door would not be able to be opened completely and when open it would be in the way of everything in the back. So split the upper door again. The result is one door with three parts. 

On the inner side of the door, kick strips prevent the door from swinging in the wrong direction as well as closing up the gaps really nice and tight. 

Since there is the same insulation on the front as used previously it will be hard to tell even when you are looking inside the car. 

Just imagine the black surface cleaned and we are almost good to go.

 

Adding security

I wanted to add a hidden safe to the van where I can store my valuables. At first. Realizing how big a safe would have to be to hold my laptop, camera and other mostly electronic stuff, I decided not to go with a bought safe. Not because of the cost or the space needed but those things are heavy as hell. Considering that most theft related crime in cars is a smash and grab something lighter would do the trick as well. As I talked with my mother over the subject she pointed out to me that I should not hide the safe too far away as I would not use it out of convenience. Thinking about it, she was totally on point. So the decision was a wooden frame, really thick wood with about 3cm. The same material used as in the rest of the car. Not being this obvious could help as well as hiding. 

I ensured that the frame can be screwed to the car from inside, so nobody can just pick it up and open it later. The room inside was big enough to hold my valuables.  An extra drawer at the top which perfectly holds my Macbook away from all the other things which get a single layer of insulation at the bottom. The insulation has both the purpose of being soft when I drive over bumps as well as creating friction so the other stuff is not moving around too much. 

The locking mechanism is a series of steel bolts inserted in the side of the door so there are only three ways of opening the box quickly. The combination for the lock, a chainsaw or a grinder. 

I’d like to mention that at this point the solar panels arrived which let me continue with the van. Stay tuned for the finishing run.

TBC…