Bed, Wall & Window

Before continuing with the other side of the van interior, it’s time to put the wall and window above the bed, back together again.
Two issues remain: the battery cables and the solar controller cable need to be installed. The other is the decision I have to make, whether to go ahead with batting as insulation or choose a foam product.

Despite some negative comments about the batting material, it has served me well over the years. On the other hand, spray foam would do a better job in filling all the little air pockets in the walls. Some people, however, have mentioned a squeaking noise while driving. Have you any thoughts about it?

The original wall panel is still around. The covering is removed and the plywood base is what we have to work with. I could copy it to a new, one-piece sheet of plywood, but it is in a condition to be reused.

To conform to the new bed, the bottom part is cut off, just below the window frame.

The bed frame, along the wall, has an indentation, that will hold the wall frame.

After some fitting and adjusting, the panel slides in place. The window frame is next.

The original frame had a teal color, but was repainted some time ago. It has to be resized at the bottom, to accommodate the bed.

I use a regular saw to cut the plastic frame.

 

Temporary installation confirms everything fits well together.

Next is the construction of a vertical wall extension between the side doors and window, that will hold the battery monitor and a magazine rack to the right of the window frame.

While I was at it, I decided to remove the entire ceiling panel. It will allow me to do some electrical work.