Tuesday 30 April 2013
Delays
We had hoped to pick Bertie up today, as arranged, but we hadn't heard anything from them so Jonathan called - and he's not finished. Apparently we can get him on Friday after 4. I'm a bit narked, especially as Jonathan came home from work early today to make sure he was available to help with the towing. Also, Dan can't work on him easily over there, and I was hoping to get him to do some more bits during this week.
Friday 26 April 2013
Welding progress
I popped in to CWD over lunch to drop the seatbelts off, and to check on progress. The back step has now been cut away, exposing the extent of the space, and also the extent of the rust (!), under Bertie. Pete has been making a big box from aluminium to go beneath this space - it is really big and heavy, and will give loads of storage room - but I'm a bit concerned how low to the ground it appears to be. Pete says it will be fine, and probably once it's in place it will sit higher, so I expect I'm worrying over nothing.
Forgot to take the camera with me, which I'm really annoyed at myself for, as it would have been great to have a record of him with no back end!!
Forgot to take the camera with me, which I'm really annoyed at myself for, as it would have been great to have a record of him with no back end!!
Wednesday 24 April 2013
Tuesday 23 April 2013
Welding take 2
We towed Bertie back to CWD today for the next stage of his work. We have talked through lots of options to do with replacing the back step area, and building in some storage, but until the current floor is cut out, it's tricky to see exactly what spaces we're dealing with.
Dan suggested the idea of having a pull-out drawer beneath the back, on some super-strong runners like they use on race trailers for pull-out sections. I LOVE that idea, and it could make a back deck area between the doors to increase (albeit slightly) the living area. The horse-box conversion that was on the last series of Amazing Spaces, and which inspired George's fold-down caravan wall, used that idea of having a patio/deck off the ground...
I drew up how it would be, and showed it to the welders, but they rather poured cold water on the idea :(
Pete the welder said he didn't think the undercarriage has the strength to support something like that, and would be worried what it would do to the integrity of the vehicle... Very practical, and probably true, but I'm still sulking! He was also worried about being able to keep such a drawer water-tight, because of where the joints would need to be. We agreed that it will probably be better to build a storage bin into the floor forward of the step, with a lift-up access in the floor, and a second storage box under the tailgate with a step fixed to it. He's going to start removing the old step tomorrow, and then I guess he'll know more about dimensions etc.
We also talked with Pete about our new ideas for the bunks, and asked him if it would work to use the seat backs to support the hammocks. We talked over a few options, and agreed that they will fix some u-shaped brackets to the tops of the frames to hold poles to make pipe cots.
In further news, I have today ordered some seatbelts, so that Pete can weld the fixing points onto the frames before he finishes. I have no idea if we've got the right ones - who knew there were so many options?!- but let's hope they're OK.
Dan suggested the idea of having a pull-out drawer beneath the back, on some super-strong runners like they use on race trailers for pull-out sections. I LOVE that idea, and it could make a back deck area between the doors to increase (albeit slightly) the living area. The horse-box conversion that was on the last series of Amazing Spaces, and which inspired George's fold-down caravan wall, used that idea of having a patio/deck off the ground...
I drew up how it would be, and showed it to the welders, but they rather poured cold water on the idea :(
Pete the welder said he didn't think the undercarriage has the strength to support something like that, and would be worried what it would do to the integrity of the vehicle... Very practical, and probably true, but I'm still sulking! He was also worried about being able to keep such a drawer water-tight, because of where the joints would need to be. We agreed that it will probably be better to build a storage bin into the floor forward of the step, with a lift-up access in the floor, and a second storage box under the tailgate with a step fixed to it. He's going to start removing the old step tomorrow, and then I guess he'll know more about dimensions etc.
We also talked with Pete about our new ideas for the bunks, and asked him if it would work to use the seat backs to support the hammocks. We talked over a few options, and agreed that they will fix some u-shaped brackets to the tops of the frames to hold poles to make pipe cots.
In further news, I have today ordered some seatbelts, so that Pete can weld the fixing points onto the frames before he finishes. I have no idea if we've got the right ones - who knew there were so many options?!- but let's hope they're OK.
Monday 22 April 2013
No progress
Nothing much to report today, except that I had an email from Awesome saying that they would like Bertie to be converted to a negative earth, as they are going to be fitting various bits of electrics in the rear and have no experience of positve earth vehicles. Better work out what that means then!
We've been talking about the possibility of taking Bertie to them on a trailer or low-loader if we still can't get him going. Every day that goes by I am more and more worried about our timescales, and worrying that we will miss our opportunity to get him finished by the summer, and miss the filming schedules. On the other hand, the idea of spending the next few thousand pounds on fitting an amazing interior to a vehicle that doesn't go... now that really is a gamble that I'm not sure it would be sensible to take.
We've been talking about the possibility of taking Bertie to them on a trailer or low-loader if we still can't get him going. Every day that goes by I am more and more worried about our timescales, and worrying that we will miss our opportunity to get him finished by the summer, and miss the filming schedules. On the other hand, the idea of spending the next few thousand pounds on fitting an amazing interior to a vehicle that doesn't go... now that really is a gamble that I'm not sure it would be sensible to take.
Saturday 20 April 2013
Issues
Dan has been brilliant, giving up another Saturday to come and work on Bertie. He was here for over 5 hours today - he brought Quin with him which made Nathanael happy, and we were all out in the garden digging in the trampoline (another story...) while Dan was working away.
He's pretty sure the problem lies with the ignition timing and he's been doing some research into how to try to sort it out, but he couldn't make any headway today. He also thinks we need to look into the earth of the vehicle - he says it is currently positive earth, which is not uncommon for vehicles of this age, but that we might want to look into what's involved in turning it into negative earth. He would like to replace the distributor, but needs to know which one to get first, and that would be affected by our decision on the earth.
I wish I knew what this all means!! Google is my friend, but I find myself combing through forum after forum and getting more confused rather than clearer...
He's pretty sure the problem lies with the ignition timing and he's been doing some research into how to try to sort it out, but he couldn't make any headway today. He also thinks we need to look into the earth of the vehicle - he says it is currently positive earth, which is not uncommon for vehicles of this age, but that we might want to look into what's involved in turning it into negative earth. He would like to replace the distributor, but needs to know which one to get first, and that would be affected by our decision on the earth.
I wish I knew what this all means!! Google is my friend, but I find myself combing through forum after forum and getting more confused rather than clearer...
Tuesday 16 April 2013
More mechanical issues
So Dan came today with the rebuilt carburettor, but Bertie is still refusing to play ball. Dan seems to be reaching the extent of his knowledge and experience, and isn't really sure where to go with it - and we don't really know either. I just don't have the first idea who I would call or where we would find a mechanic who is going to know what they're doing with this type of vehicle, and who won't charge us the earth for whatever needs doing.
On a more positive note - the black and silver number plates arrived today! Can't wait to put them on, and ditch the horrid yellow plastic, but we've decided we won't swap them until he's all done - so they can be our icing on the cake!
On a more positive note - the black and silver number plates arrived today! Can't wait to put them on, and ditch the horrid yellow plastic, but we've decided we won't swap them until he's all done - so they can be our icing on the cake!
Saturday 13 April 2013
Frustration, and back to the drawing board
So, as planned, we were up early and ready to head off to see the guys at Awesome. Dan came over about half nine with the parts he thought he needed to fix the distributor, and the film crew arrived not long after to document our trip to Cambridgshire.
The children and I set off in our car, with the intention that Jonathan would follow in Bertie soon after, but I could begin the meeting without him. However, by the time we got to Mildenhall - just under an hour from home - Jonathan had called to say that there was no chance of Bertie starting, and to ask me to turn around.
Soooooo frustrated again, and also feeling embarassed and awful because we have tried so many times to get down to St Ives, and it feels really unprofessional to keep cancelling. Jonathan called them and said they were fine with it, but I still don't like being unreliable like this.
Apparently Dan tried to repair the wiring to the distributor and managed to get a spark to the plugs, but the engine was so flooded that they couldn't get a start. Kirsten from the film company leant her hairdrier to help in the effort to dry things out - and all of it was captured on film. What was missed though was the most scary part - when Dan discovered the carburettor was full of fuel, and he found this out as fire broke out in the engine!!! Scary stuff... he says it could have caught fire any time we were driving. Eek!
Anyway, he has now taken the carburettor off, so that he can take it home and rebuild it over the next few days to try to fix the problem. I'm feeling the pressure of having spent a lot of time and money and not getting much to show for it... and just so helpless. I hate being so ignorant about these things.
On a more positive note, since we haven't been able to get anywhere with Bertie today, I have spent the extra time having another look at the layout.
We have found a cheap second hand caravan stove and sink on ebay, but the sink and burners are the opposite way around to the way I had planned, so we are going to switch the sides in the rear, having the cooking space to the right as you open the doors. A minor change, but it all needs thinking through. This will allow us to have the burners near the doors, and the sink towards the middle of the van - hopefully this will be safer and will allow us to use the back of the seats for hanging space without setting things on fire!
The most major breakthrough though, has been a rethink of the sleeping arrangements. I have always considered that we need to use the kids' travelling seats to make the double bed, and therefore need another space to fit the other four beds. When George Clarke was here he suggested making the
kitchen area work harder by including bed spaces here, and I was hoping to do something with hammocks above the units, but the fibreglass construction of the walls means we can't hang anything from them - there just isn't the strength. Today's 'lightbulb' moment though was considering the possibility of using the travelling seats to make beds for the children, rather than making a bed for us. Suddenly the space seemed to open up - we can make the lower level into two single beds, and have two bunks of some sort above them, making two sets of bunk beds in that area, and therefore sleeping four in the central section rather than just two. This means that there is only a need to make a bed for two elsewhere, and I think the area above the kitchen should just about accommodate that.
I've wanted fold-out tables in the middle since the first design, probably using a flip-over section of table to make two small tables into the large dining table - and now I'm thinking we could do a similar thing in the rear section - having a flip-over worktop to bridge the gap between the two sides, and making a raised sleeping platform for Jonathan and I. We would be blocking the rear doors when this is made up, which isn't ideal, but it does mean that we would still have access to the kitchen once the children are in bed, and we don't have to block the doors til we go to bed. It also means there will still be access through to the front when the bunk beds are made up.
So, tonight I'm frustrated and disappointed and stressed about the fact that Bertie doesn't go - but I'm a bit re-energised about the fact that I might just have come up with a cunning plan to make the inside work...
The children and I set off in our car, with the intention that Jonathan would follow in Bertie soon after, but I could begin the meeting without him. However, by the time we got to Mildenhall - just under an hour from home - Jonathan had called to say that there was no chance of Bertie starting, and to ask me to turn around.
Soooooo frustrated again, and also feeling embarassed and awful because we have tried so many times to get down to St Ives, and it feels really unprofessional to keep cancelling. Jonathan called them and said they were fine with it, but I still don't like being unreliable like this.
Apparently Dan tried to repair the wiring to the distributor and managed to get a spark to the plugs, but the engine was so flooded that they couldn't get a start. Kirsten from the film company leant her hairdrier to help in the effort to dry things out - and all of it was captured on film. What was missed though was the most scary part - when Dan discovered the carburettor was full of fuel, and he found this out as fire broke out in the engine!!! Scary stuff... he says it could have caught fire any time we were driving. Eek!
Anyway, he has now taken the carburettor off, so that he can take it home and rebuild it over the next few days to try to fix the problem. I'm feeling the pressure of having spent a lot of time and money and not getting much to show for it... and just so helpless. I hate being so ignorant about these things.
On a more positive note, since we haven't been able to get anywhere with Bertie today, I have spent the extra time having another look at the layout.
We have found a cheap second hand caravan stove and sink on ebay, but the sink and burners are the opposite way around to the way I had planned, so we are going to switch the sides in the rear, having the cooking space to the right as you open the doors. A minor change, but it all needs thinking through. This will allow us to have the burners near the doors, and the sink towards the middle of the van - hopefully this will be safer and will allow us to use the back of the seats for hanging space without setting things on fire!
The most major breakthrough though, has been a rethink of the sleeping arrangements. I have always considered that we need to use the kids' travelling seats to make the double bed, and therefore need another space to fit the other four beds. When George Clarke was here he suggested making the
kitchen area work harder by including bed spaces here, and I was hoping to do something with hammocks above the units, but the fibreglass construction of the walls means we can't hang anything from them - there just isn't the strength. Today's 'lightbulb' moment though was considering the possibility of using the travelling seats to make beds for the children, rather than making a bed for us. Suddenly the space seemed to open up - we can make the lower level into two single beds, and have two bunks of some sort above them, making two sets of bunk beds in that area, and therefore sleeping four in the central section rather than just two. This means that there is only a need to make a bed for two elsewhere, and I think the area above the kitchen should just about accommodate that.
I've wanted fold-out tables in the middle since the first design, probably using a flip-over section of table to make two small tables into the large dining table - and now I'm thinking we could do a similar thing in the rear section - having a flip-over worktop to bridge the gap between the two sides, and making a raised sleeping platform for Jonathan and I. We would be blocking the rear doors when this is made up, which isn't ideal, but it does mean that we would still have access to the kitchen once the children are in bed, and we don't have to block the doors til we go to bed. It also means there will still be access through to the front when the bunk beds are made up.
So, tonight I'm frustrated and disappointed and stressed about the fact that Bertie doesn't go - but I'm a bit re-energised about the fact that I might just have come up with a cunning plan to make the inside work...
Friday 12 April 2013
On tow...again
Well, we were planning to collect Bertie from the welder this afternoon, so that we can drive him down to Awesome tomorrow morning to meet with Fred and firm up plans for the interior work. Since we couldn't get him started yesterday, Dan really kindly offered to take some time out from his work this afternoon and go over to the welder to get him running. We met him there, but there was no way Bertie was going to play ball today.
While we were working on him, I had a phone call from Kirsten from the tv crew to check all was OK for the drive tomorrow. As soon as she heard that it looked like we were going to have to tow him home from the welder, she got very excited and asked us to wait for them to arrive with the cameras to film it! I can sort of see the humour in it, and I know it will make for good TV, but it's not brilliant when we are tearing our hair out with a problem and they are getting excited cos they can get some good shots!
Anyway, they did come and film us towing, which was very amusing, with Angie having to keep running ahead, filming a bit until we had gone past her, and then running past us again. Then she filmed from inside her car, hanging out of the window as Kirsten drove... Much to the consternation of the tractor drivers and other traffic on our country roads!
Dan spent a couple of hours working away, and thinks he has done enough to be able to fix things tomorrow, if he can get the parts he needs first thing in the morning.
So - I have prepped the children and packed the big car, in the expectation that we will be travelling together down to Awesome in the morning.
Come on Bertie, you can do it!
While we were working on him, I had a phone call from Kirsten from the tv crew to check all was OK for the drive tomorrow. As soon as she heard that it looked like we were going to have to tow him home from the welder, she got very excited and asked us to wait for them to arrive with the cameras to film it! I can sort of see the humour in it, and I know it will make for good TV, but it's not brilliant when we are tearing our hair out with a problem and they are getting excited cos they can get some good shots!
Anyway, they did come and film us towing, which was very amusing, with Angie having to keep running ahead, filming a bit until we had gone past her, and then running past us again. Then she filmed from inside her car, hanging out of the window as Kirsten drove... Much to the consternation of the tractor drivers and other traffic on our country roads!
Dan spent a couple of hours working away, and thinks he has done enough to be able to fix things tomorrow, if he can get the parts he needs first thing in the morning.
So - I have prepped the children and packed the big car, in the expectation that we will be travelling together down to Awesome in the morning.
Come on Bertie, you can do it!
Thursday 11 April 2013
Filming day 2
We went over to the welders this morning, to check on progress, and also to meet the small crew from the tv show.
Good news - the seat frames are all made, including the sliding sections.
Bad news - they restrict the windows to the side, cut straight across the communication windows between the front and rear, and also restrict that doorway. I knew when I sent in the dimensions of the seat backs that they would be high, but I didn't have the correct measurements for where those little windows were, and I also hadn't adequately allowed for the curvature of the side of the ambulance... Still, we live and learn.
Seeing them made, it was tempting to leave them be, but I was not happy with the compromise it was going to leave us with aesthetically, so we had a good chat with Pete the welder and came up with a solution. Sadly, the solution means he has to change all four of them, but he did one while we were there and it didn't take more than about 25 minutes for him to alter it, so it's worth it!
Our plan, as far as I was concerned anyway, was to get the welding done the first two weeks of April, and then deliver Bertie to Glenn and Greg at Awesome for them to start. They have said it will take them 6 to 8 weeks, so we would have him back by the middle of June to do our finishing touches and be all finished before July. However, since it's already the 11th and no sight of the work here being finished (or in the case of the flooring/step/storage, even started) it looks like that timescale is going to slip and slip.
Anyway, we had more filming time today. We spent time talking to the guys at the welders on camera, and Angie got lots of footage of sparks flying etc. I found the whole experience of being in the workshop really fascinating - not anywhere i would ever normally have a reason to be. Bertie is educating me in many ways it seems!
We need to get Bertie down to St Ives to meet up with the carpenter (who, incidentally, has changed from 'Thomas' to 'Fred' - having never met either of them, it means little to me!) to discuss his portion of the work as soon as possible. Aside from needing to make plans, we also have no quote for that section of the project, which would be kind of useful! We have made and cancelled several appointments to do that, during this whole period of him not starting or running reliably, but we have arranged again to go this Saturday, and I'm determined we will.
Good news - the seat frames are all made, including the sliding sections.
Bad news - they restrict the windows to the side, cut straight across the communication windows between the front and rear, and also restrict that doorway. I knew when I sent in the dimensions of the seat backs that they would be high, but I didn't have the correct measurements for where those little windows were, and I also hadn't adequately allowed for the curvature of the side of the ambulance... Still, we live and learn.
Seeing them made, it was tempting to leave them be, but I was not happy with the compromise it was going to leave us with aesthetically, so we had a good chat with Pete the welder and came up with a solution. Sadly, the solution means he has to change all four of them, but he did one while we were there and it didn't take more than about 25 minutes for him to alter it, so it's worth it!
Our plan, as far as I was concerned anyway, was to get the welding done the first two weeks of April, and then deliver Bertie to Glenn and Greg at Awesome for them to start. They have said it will take them 6 to 8 weeks, so we would have him back by the middle of June to do our finishing touches and be all finished before July. However, since it's already the 11th and no sight of the work here being finished (or in the case of the flooring/step/storage, even started) it looks like that timescale is going to slip and slip.
Anyway, we had more filming time today. We spent time talking to the guys at the welders on camera, and Angie got lots of footage of sparks flying etc. I found the whole experience of being in the workshop really fascinating - not anywhere i would ever normally have a reason to be. Bertie is educating me in many ways it seems!
We need to get Bertie down to St Ives to meet up with the carpenter (who, incidentally, has changed from 'Thomas' to 'Fred' - having never met either of them, it means little to me!) to discuss his portion of the work as soon as possible. Aside from needing to make plans, we also have no quote for that section of the project, which would be kind of useful! We have made and cancelled several appointments to do that, during this whole period of him not starting or running reliably, but we have arranged again to go this Saturday, and I'm determined we will.
Monday 8 April 2013
Work underway - well, nearly!
Having spoken to Greg at Awesome on Friday to clarify some details with measurements, I realised that I needed to amend the plans for the welders slightly. I sent over the changed dimensions, and had a phone call to Carl to check they'd got them. Apparently they've moved Bertie Blue into their workshop, and are intending to begin tomorrow... And the film crew is coming up on Thursday to see some action. Exciting!
Thursday 4 April 2013
Missed photo opportunity
I wish I'd been there today to take photos, but sadly I wasn't...
Jonathan and his Dad had to tow Bertie Blue to Carl the welder (CWD welders) today. Jonathan couldn't find a point on the front of him to attach the solid towing bar, so they ended up using a long length of blue rope tied to part of the chassis underneath... I think it was quite hard work. Thank goodness we found a welder that's only 3 miles away!
Jonathan and his Dad had to tow Bertie Blue to Carl the welder (CWD welders) today. Jonathan couldn't find a point on the front of him to attach the solid towing bar, so they ended up using a long length of blue rope tied to part of the chassis underneath... I think it was quite hard work. Thank goodness we found a welder that's only 3 miles away!
Wednesday 3 April 2013
Squared paper day
I've spent a fair part of my evening drawing on squared paper again!
Months ago I found a welding firm somewhere near Sheffield who had pictures of some seat frames which looked like the sort of thing we needed - and first gave me the idea for having sliding seat sections. Their picture looks like this
and so my job today has been to draw this out on squared paper to our spec and measurements for our welders to try to recreate for us.
My drawings look like this
Months ago I found a welding firm somewhere near Sheffield who had pictures of some seat frames which looked like the sort of thing we needed - and first gave me the idea for having sliding seat sections. Their picture looks like this
and so my job today has been to draw this out on squared paper to our spec and measurements for our welders to try to recreate for us.
My drawings look like this
Tuesday 2 April 2013
Aarghh!
He's not starting AGAIN! Dan's had him running each time he's been here, but we haven't tried starting him this week until today - and now he's not working again. We tried jump starting him, and he is turning over, but not firing up. I am so frustrated, and also really feeling the pressure - this was all my idea and is therefore all my fault...
And I haven't had great luck with the welders today either. When we agreed to the welders doing the work, we said we would book it in for the first two weeks of April. Anyway, I called Carl today and he sounded very vague indeed about when or whether he would get to it. We agreed that we would bring it in on the 4th, with the hope that they can get some work done before the weekend, but probably not til next week.
We are also going to have to tow him there, if it stays like this...
As if I wasn't stressed anough, Kirsten called today to check our timescales, hoping to be able to get to the welders soon to film some work taking place. Let's hope something good happens soon.
And I haven't had great luck with the welders today either. When we agreed to the welders doing the work, we said we would book it in for the first two weeks of April. Anyway, I called Carl today and he sounded very vague indeed about when or whether he would get to it. We agreed that we would bring it in on the 4th, with the hope that they can get some work done before the weekend, but probably not til next week.
We are also going to have to tow him there, if it stays like this...
As if I wasn't stressed anough, Kirsten called today to check our timescales, hoping to be able to get to the welders soon to film some work taking place. Let's hope something good happens soon.
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