Page 10 - Transport Talk Issue 143

Transporter Talk No 143
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Nick Gillott posted on September 2nd
“For those of you with a bay window bus and a rock and roll bed, there’s been a discussion about spare wheels. We arrive at the camp site and haul ours out of the spare wheel well in the back and stick it in the passenger foot well. then there’s a foam “sausage” that completes the full width bed.That full width bed is completely awesome and I’m not going back to a narrower bed so looking to site the spare elsewhere. My other van will have the spare on the nose (I know, I know). One great idea is that the wheels are the same as ones tted to some Mercedes so you can get one of those tiny space savers and stick in under the bench, on the roof, in the bus etc. Where do you put yours? “
Oli Restorick answered the same day:
”I had the same deal with the sausage, but managed to nd an original 1978 full width Devon cushion in museum condition, which I use now. I never liked the sausage. I keep the wheel on the oor and shove it under the van when camping. I have bought an original Devon rear carrier to restore and paint, but I realize this is impractical. I am exploring the idea of modifying a roof rack to include a bulge for a wheel, but this would add weight up top and require removal for putting in the garage”
Nick Gillott
“Forgot you’re a member here too Oli. We made our rear / boot foam as you know but currently the best place for the spare is in the well as the Boss prefers it and who am I to argue? A space saver on a roof rack would be lighter and smaller and could work from a stability and neatness perspective but a large one won’t. Similarly would be a ected for height but potentially as a spare isn’t full height it could be a custom box to take the spare plus other storage. For us we can stick the solar panel on top of that box - certainly worthy of thought for us.”
Nick Gillott posted on September 4th
“Sunday afternoon. More oor out, still no idea what I am doing. Drilling the spot welds goes through drill bits really fast and the air spot weld remover seems to do very little. Anyone have a tip? More oor gone, cut through the top of the j tube, Oops. Still got two top hats at the rear which are both trashed and previously patched. Front one by the B pillars has yet to come out. Outriggers are next, if I work out what Fletcher’s text means in the manual. Wish I had an exploded diagram or a larger grinder, am knackered. Basically I am trying to do myself what Gill just had done professionally. I am giving it a go, I think. A pro might have other thoughts. Earned me a glass of something.”
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