Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 10:44:11 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Favourite Modifications
In-Reply-To: <14512-42FDE608-4824@storefull-3178.bay.webtv.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I liked my El Cheapo instant privacy curtains I installed for my trip
down the Alaska Highway once.
I picked up some cheap (like a couple of bucks for a set of four) short
window curtains at Wally World, got some stick-in-place velcro and put
velcro tabs on the metal above and below the windows, and in the same
spots on the curtains. Instant side and rear curtains and relative privacy.
For the front end I got an adjustible length shower curtain rod, drilled
through the ends and put a piece of wire through the holes and hung the
rod by the wire loops on the coat-hanger tabs on the door posts. Slipped
some of the El Cheapo curtains on the rod and at night or when ever
privacy was needed I just hung the rod with it's curtains up on the
hanger tabs, and that provided privacy to the whole area behind the
front seats. If I needed access to something up front I just parted the
curtains and grabbed for it. Worked great for the whole trip. After the
trip was done, I removed the tabs from the metal and just cleaned it off
with alcohol.
The total curtain thing gave great privacy when in place.
I also made an emergency honeybucket from one of those plastic plaster
buckets, and it worked great. I cut a seat for it from 3/4 inch plywood
by first cutting a disk of appropriate diameter, then with a router cut
the hole out of the middle. next I cut a groove with the router so the
seat would snap down on the rim of the bucket and not slide. I tripple
lined the bucket with plastic bags to absolutely insure no leakage, and
folded a the bags down over the rim. The wood seat would hold them in
place when the plastic lid was off. When the bucket was not in use, I
snapped the regular bucket lid down on the bucket, holding the plastic
bags in place. The wooden seat was kept stored in it's own plastic bag
until needed. Disposal consisted of closing the bags one by one and
sealing them separately one inside the other, then depositing at an
appropriate facility. Bear in mind that this was an emergency
honeybucket and was used infrequently, as stops could be made along the
way where there were facilities, and campgrounds always had facilities.
But this rustic device was satisfactory to all who had to used it on the
journey.
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Robert Cardo wrote:
>Not at all free modification's but necessary creature comfortable, and
>noteworthy,
>
>Nicro Solar powered roof vent.
>
>It most certainly moves hot, stale air out of the Van.
>
>Front window accessory Air Conditioning.
>
>I don't know how I would have survived (especially this extra hot)
>summer without it.
>
>The rear window limo tint.
>
>It for sure helps keep some of the suns rays out of the Van, and also
>keep's wandering eyes from viewing the Vans content's .
>
>Headlamp relay's, and the Hella bigger wattage headlamp bulbs.
>
>This sure helped me see well at night.
>I can't believe how poor the stock headlamps were till I installed this
>update.
>
>Bright tail lamps.
>
>This makes me feel good knowing the back end of the Van can be seen
>easily by other motorists.
>
>I can't really think of one favorite modification that didn't cost me
>something.
>
>
>
>
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