This is the story of the building of Wothahellizat Mk2, our second motorhome.

This diary took over from the GRAYnomad Chronicles for the duration of the Wothahellizat Mk2 project, ie 1 Apr 2007 — 8 Nov 2008

• Finishing touches

• More internal fitout.

• Internal fitout.

• We do the cladding and move into the truck

• Wood storage. Heater installation. Aerials. Adding two more batteries.

• Painting the roof. Mounting the solar panels. Ladder storage. Tool rack.

• Working on the electricals. Rainwater collection.

• Kitchen storage, erecting an awning over the shed's wash bay, cab/body access door, beer storage, air conditioner ducting.

• Modifying the Trace inverter. Shunts. Temporary wiring. Generator catches on fire.

• Bedroom roof hatch, motorbike storage.

• Spray painting the cab. I start on the utilities area. More work on the shutters.

• We have a front door. The body comes off for the last time.

• Fixing bent frame, shutter drains, bedroom floor, we can the poptop, hanging some of the shutters.

• Generator handle, bin latches and locking mechanism, sheeting the floor, installing the toilet, shower base.

• Toolboxes, compressor storage, workbench, oxy/acetylene storage

• More body bracing, the floor goes down, bin door latches, weighing the truck.

• The body and shockie mounts.

• I return to working on the truck side of things, starting with the spare wheel lifter.

• The shutter design, bedroom construction, the old body gets a new home. Building the poptop .

• Building the spare wheel carrier. Fitting the winch sheave block. Legs to lift the body on/off the chassis.

• Building the frame, the chassis gets shortened, moving the brake boosters, putting the fuel tanks back on.

• The project begins, we start demolishing Wothahellizat.

Index

Aerials

• Installing on roof (Diary #18)

Air Conditioning

• Ducting (Diary #15)
• Return grill (Diary #20)

Air lines

• Consolidating T and L fittings with a block (Diary #08)

Batteries

• Photo of left bank (Diary #14)
• Adding two more (Diary #18)
• 12v tap off main bank (Diary #18)

Bearings, using for runners

• Toilet slide out mechanism (Diary #09)
• Runners for motorbike storage box (Diary #13)

Bedroom

• Reloading the steel floor (Diary #04)
• The first layer of ply flooring (Diary #10)

Bicycles

• Storage for front wheels (Diary #20)

Bins

• see storage compartments

Body, old one

• Adding to Brian's truck (Diary #04)
• Dismantling (Diary #01) (Diary #04)
• Removing from the chassis (Diary #01)
• Demolishing the lounge room (Diary #19)

Body, new one

• Lifting onto the chassis (Diary #03)
• Mounts (Diary #06)
• Measuring overhang (Diary #07)
• Removing for the last time (Diary #11)
• Photos of (Diary #21)

Body, framework

• Starting the frame (Diary #02)
• Bracing (Diary #07) (Diary #10)
• Fixing bent beams (Diary #07)
• Luton peak, fixing the droop (Diary #10)
• Internal framework gets painted (Diary #13)
• Photos of finished frame (Diary #18)
• Cladding (Diary #19)
• Finished view of cladding (Diary #19)

Bolts

• see also latches
• Stepped shank (Diary #12)

Brakes

• Moving the boosters (Diary #02)

Cab

• Door handles (Diary #12)
• Windscreen handles (Diary #12)
• Spray painting (Diary #12)
• Door into body (Diary #15)

Chassis

• Cutting the end off (Diary #01) (Diary #02)
• Twist (Diary #06)

Compressor

• Building storage compartment (Diary #02)
• Handle modifications (Diary #09)
• Why have one? (Diary #02)

Computer

• Slide out desk for laptop (Diary #21)

Corrosion

• Galvanic corrosion (Diary #11)

Cladding

• Roof sheets (Diary #10)
• Working with tread plate (Diary #19)
• Adding insulation to wall panels before gluing (Diary #19)

Deck

• Construction of rear wall/deck floor and roof (Diary #12)
• First photos (Diary #17)

Electrical

• see also solar power
• Extending the inverter's control panel (Diary #14)
• About shunts (Diary #14)
• Photo of left battery bank (Diary #14)
• Temporary wiring (Diary #14)
• Fuses (Diary #14)
• RCDs and MCBs (Diary #16)
• Wiring schematic (Diary #16)
• Control panel (Diary #16) (Diary #16)
• Passing wires through the roof (Diary #17)
• Solar panel blocking diodes (Diary #17)

Electrolysis

• AKA galvanic corrosion (Diary #11)

Fans

• Lounge room fans (Diary #16) (Diary #16)

Floor

• Laying the initial ply (Diary #07)
• Description of laminate composition (Diary #19)
• Trapdoors (Diary #19)
• Pine panels (Diary #20)
• Cross section through loungeroom (Diary #20)

Fire extinguishers

• Rechargeable water (Diary #08)

Fitout

• Lining material (Diary #20)
• Covering steel frame with timber (Diary #20)
• Kitchen shelf (Diary #20)
• Photos of finished kitchen bits (Diary #20) (Diary #21)

Fuel

• Hanging the tanks (Diary #02)
• Fuel filter and pumps (Diary #08)

Gas

• Initial placement of bottles (Diary #12)

Generator

• Building storage compartment (Diary #02)
• Catches on fire in workshop (Diary #14)

Gluing

• Using Sikaflex with gal and aluminium (Diary #10)
• Sikaflex vs VHB tape (Diary #19)

Gussets

• On body mounts (Diary #06)

Heater

• Photo of diesel heater(Diary #08)
• Ducting(Diary #15)
• Installation (Diary #18)
• Outlet (Diary #20)

Handles

• Cab door(Diary #12)

Hatch

• Large hatch in bedroom roof (Diary #10)

Hinges

• Shutter hinge design (Diary #04) (Diary #10)
• Hook-and-loop hinges on toolboxes (Diary #08)
• Double hinges for storage compartment (Diary #08)
• Front door concealed hinge (Diary #11)
• Compound hinges on lower deck shutters (Diary #12)
• Bedroom hatch (Diary #13)

Insulation

• Adding to wall panels before gluing (Diary #19)

Kitchen

• Dreampot cooker (Diary #15)
• Storage (Diary #15) (Diary #16)
• Mangle (Diary #15)
• Beer storage (Diary #15) (Diary #20)
• Extractor fan (Diary #16)
• Shelf over bench (Diary #20)
• Oven (Diary #20) (Diary #20)
• Microwave (Diary #20)
• Bench, before (Diary #21) after (Diary #21)

Latches

• Latches on storage bins (Diary #07)
• Sliding latches on toolboxes (Diary #08)
• Locking bars (Diary #09)

Laundry

• Mangle (Diary #15) (Diary #21)

Lighting

• Pelmet lighting under kitchen shelf (Diary #20)
• Lounge room lighting (Diary #20)
• LED lights bloody useless (Diary #21)

Legs

• For lifting the body onto the chassis (Diary #03)
• First photos (Diary #20)

Lounge room

• Size changing when deck in use (Diary #12)
• Lighting (Diary #20)

Motorbike

• Runners for storage box (Diary #13)
• Hoist (Diary #13)

Mounts

• Body (Diary #06)
• Shock absorber (Diary #05) (Diary #06)
• Drain pipe under shower (Diary #09)
• Solar panel battens (Diary #17)
• Aerial mounting (Diary #18)

Office

• Trifold doors (Diary #20)
• Slide out desk (Diary #21)

Painting

• Spray painting the cab (Diary #12)

Plumbing

• see also tanks
• Drilling holes in body frame for hoses (Diary #11)
• Placement of items in utilities area (Diary #12)
• Tank outlets, accumulator and schematic (Diary #14)
• Pressure gauge mounting (Diary #14) (Diary #21)
• Rainwater capture (Diary #16) (Diary #16)
• Auxilary tank outlet (Diary #17)
• New arrangement for the pumps (Diary #19)

Poptop

• Initial framework (Diary #04)
• Gas struts and canning the idea (Diary #10)
• Large hatch instead (Diary #10)

Pressurising

• Blower intake (Diary #12)

Recovery points/gear

• see also winch
• Adding Hammerloks to the chassis (Diary #02)

Roof

• Large hatch in bedroom roof (Diary #10)
• Gluing the roof sheets (Diary #10)
• Folding the edges to form a gutter (Diary #11)
• Bedroom hatch (Diary #13) (Diary #20)
• Tropical roof (Diary #17) (Diary #17)
• Solar panel battens (Diary #17)
• Cable pass through (Diary #17)
• Installing aerials (Diary #18)

Scout vehicle

• Gavin & Tracy's Mini Moke in the back of their bus (Diary #13)
• Hoist for lifting motorbike (Diary #13)

Sheet metal folding

• The "foldamatic" (Diary #08)

Shock absorbers

• Top mounts (Diary #05) (Diary #06)
• Bottom mounts (Diary #22)

Shower

• Base (Diary #09) (Diary #10)

Shutters

• Design and building the first one (Diary #04)
• Hinge design (Diary #04) (Diary #10)
• Drain (Diary #10)
• Lower deck shutters (Diary #12)
• Stays (Diary #17)
• Photos showing them all open (Diary #22)

Solar power

• Temporary panels (Diary #14)
• Panel layout on roof (Diary #17)
• Panel mounting battens on roof (Diary #17)
• Cable pass through on roof (Diary #17)
• Mounting the panels (Diary #17)
• Blocking diodes (Diary #17)

Spare wheel

• Building carrier (Diary #03)
• Lifting apparatus (Diary #05)
• Wheel bolts (Diary #07)
• Cover (Diary #22)

Steps

• Initial work on runners (Diary #11)
• Diagram of (Diary #18)

Storage

• Bin latch locking bars (Diary #09)
• Beer bottle storage (Diary #15)
• Beer bottle storage doubles as pullout kitchen bench (Diary #20)
• Bookshelves (Diary #20)
• Bicycle wheels (Diary #20)
• Compressor/generator (Diary #02) (Diary #08)
• Computer slide out desk (Diary #21)
• Door latches (Diary #07)
• Fuel filter and pumps (Diary #08)
• Kitchen cupboard over sink (Diary #21)
• Ladder (Diary #17)
• Office in a cupboard (Diary #20)
• Oxy/acetylene bottle storage (Diary #08)(Diary #18)
• Slide out tool rack (Diary #17)
• Toolboxes (Diary #06) (Diary #08)
• Under the kitchen bench (Diary #16)
• Wood block storage rack(Diary #18)

Tanks

• Fitting outlet to grey water tank (Diary #08)
• Fresh water tanks in position (Diary #10)
• Auxilary tank fitting (Diary #17)

Tips

• Using stainless steel screws (Diary #20)

Toilet

• Photo of new Thetford (Diary #08)
• Building the slide out mechanism (Diary #09)

Toolboxes

• Construction (Diary #06)
• Hinges and latches (Diary #08)
• Toolbox in utilities area (Diary #12)
• Slide out tool rack (Diary #17)

TV

• Mounting bracket (Diary #16)

Utilities area

• Initial placement of items (Diary #12)
• Partitioning (Diary #13)

Washing

• see laundry

Weight

• First weighing of the chassis (Diary #02)
• First weighing of the chassis and body (Diary #07)
• Distribution (Diary #07)
• Using bathroom scales (Diary #07)
• Final weight of the chassis (Diary #11)

Wheelbase

• Measuring (Diary #07)

Winch

• Rear sheave block (Diary #03)
• Roller mount modification (Diary #06)
• Adding a roller behind the cab (Diary #08)
• Spooling steel cable onto a drum (Diary #09)
• Plasma rope (Diary #11)
• Path of cable for rear or front pull (Diary #11)
• Hoist for lifting motorbike (Diary #13)
• Trapdoor in floor to access winch (Diary #19)

Windscreen

• Handles (Diary #12)

Workbench

• Storage compartment door as bench (Diary #08)