SUMMER!!

Right so as usual I haven't posted as much as I wanted to, but hey ho, thats life. There have been a few significant changes to the van recently, some more money spent on things I should have thought about a long time ago, but hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it eh?

The significant changes are as follows - I have added a new red gear stick gator, which frankly looks bloody awesome, and matches the steering wheel cover (covered in a previous blog post and video).

I have then also added a new and smaller, much better finished red table in the back. This has opened up the space magnificently compared to the older table. This also happens to look much better, and be literally a tonne lighter in weight. Its total opened up the back of the van, leaving more room for stuff that can be unloaded into the Sheltapod later on (www.sheltapodcampervanawnings.co.uk).

The new table is about half the depth of the last one, so a significant loss in actual usable table, but to be honest, lets face it, the short wheel base and low roof Renault Trafic is not big enough for two people to comfortably live inside, so the table doesn't need to be as big as the old one. Even in the old size, two people couldn't use it, so the smaller table still only means one person can use it, and it provides much more usable space in the back.

The other downside is that the new table exposes my AWFUL!!!!! carpeting job of the wheel arches, which I didn't do properly as I had no idea how, but last year I new the table and the sofa bed would be covering both arches and my horrible work. NOT ANY MORE!! Oh well, maybe one day I'll sort it out, or maybe I won't, who knows.... I just want to use the damn thing.

So I still have to install the new bonnet stripe decal, and the locking device I have made for the rear doors, and the net on the right hand side barn door...

I have also had a brilliant idea with some spice racks. I bought a small spice rack from IKEA recently for £3, and now have the perfect place to put them. I'm going to remove the net you can see above the table, and put 6 of these little racks up there, for stuff, nik naks etc whatever. I can then put some hooks on the four outer corners, and use the netting already in place as a way to hold everything in the spice racks whilst I drive about... Pretty chuffed with this idea to be honest. We'll see how it pans out when I do it....stay tuned.

All of this is explained in the videos below, as I did a part one and part two because it took several days (removing old table, installing new table). What can I say, I have a hectic life and time is precious.