On to the hatch! I have 3 of 4 ribs cut out today. I was apprehensive taking the jigsaw to my sides for the notch but worked out ok. I still needed to sand with #40 grit to smooth it off a bit.
I didn't buy enough ply to finish the hatch and the second batch turned out to be harder to bend so I had to take it off the trailer to finish the outer skin.
Reading lights are in, interior shelves and beading where the galley wall meets the floor done as well. It might just be useable for the post Christmas trip!
Well I have been rather lacking in posting because it was ready for the Christmas trip! Not that it is finished exactly but definitely useable. In fact it has now done four trips and my lovely wife is very pleased with it. I still need to do the tounge box, line the hatch and add some gas struts. You will notice in the later photos we added a pull out awning on each side. These are the type often attached to the roof rack of a 4WD. They are really quick and easy to set up.
After a 10 month delay I am making sawdust again! Started the tongue box this weekend. The keen observer will note the floor extends on one side. This will be a Jerry can holder. Spare wheel will attach to the other side.
A wet weekend slowed me down but I have made some progress. The battery is now secure and I have a lid that still needs a hinge. After that I will secure the Jerry can.
Box works! I got some nice over centre clamps from a packing crate to secure the lid. Once the lid was done the next priority was a cabling hatch. Because the TD is removable I had to avoid hard wiring in the connections to the box. When the TD is off I don't want plugs flapping in the wind and getting damaged. So a spring loaded hatch allows me to tuck them away.
I attached an extra square of ply where I wanted the access and used a hole saw to get the opening through both layers. I then simply slipped on a hitch cover and tightened a few grub screws. Much easier than building the hatch from scratch
After a year of camping I finally got a permanent mechanism for holding the hatch open. I was considering gas struts but this is more period authentic which appeals to the better half . Varnish added after the photo.