Ligedy's 17.56-2 OB

[Ligedy]

Only one more sleep to go !!! If I get any sleep that is… so many things last minute checks running through my head… check!

A big shout out to all those contributing on the forum – there has been so much information to assist me with my order and the setup of my Expanda. Kudos to all those I have borrowed ideas from (too many names to list).

It’s been a long time coming and my Panda envy has succumbed to major excitement – Mr Jayco called and as promised the van is ready to do the handover and tow home tomorrow.

My panda has been decked out with the following factory extras:
- 2 x 120W Roof mounted solar panels & 30 AMP regulator
- 2 x 100AMP Auxiliary battery kits
- Drifter RV control panel
- External TV plug & 12V outlet
- DVD/CD/AM/FM stereo with internal and external speakers
- Additional 240V power outlet to kerb side rear
- 12V & 240V plugs at main dining table
- 12V & 240V plugs at bunk table
- 150L Fridge upgrade
- 12V Fan to rear of fridge
- External shower
- Extra annexe light over external shower
- Extra annexe light to LHS of door
- Simplicity Independent Suspension upgrade
- 16” Wheels
- A Frame 300mm extension
- Jockey wheel clamp to inside of A Frame
- Anderson Plug to Fridge
- Privacy screens
- 2 x external picnic tables
- 4 x shelves to robe
- Curtains fitted to bunk beds
- External gas bayonet (standard) fitted to rear
- Truma roof mounted air-con (standard)
- Wind up TV antenna (standard)
- Carefree roll out awning (standard)

Can’t wait to play with it and get away this Easter long weekend which is going to be the first of many family adventures.

Pics of the van will be up tomorrow and mods will be plentiful…

Cheers Ligedy.

 

[Lara]

Far out, nice list, is there any extra you didn't choose.
Good luck tomorrow!

 

[chartrock]

Good luck with the pick up, Ligedy. Sounds like a great van, so get out and enjoy. Look forward to the pics.

 

[Burnsy]

Good luck mate, good list of extras......you might be scratching for some mods!

 

[Kenshi123]

Wow! What an awesome list of extras. Hope all went well with the handover. Looking forward to some pics.

 

[MolongMick]

Sounds great. I had a list very similar, but unfortunately some could not or would not(too Lazy) be done by Jayco. Hope you get everything on the list.

 

[bigman0510]

WOW!!! Thats a full van for sure!! She's gunna be a heavy one.... Good Luck!

 

[Flanders]

Good luck ligedy, sounds like an awesome setup

 

[Deano]

What an awesome list. Should be a beauty. Looking forward to the pics with all those extras.
Cheers
Deano

 

[Ligedy]

Thanks all

Super stoked with the setup Yep, not much left out = less work for me – just wanted to hitch her up and hit the road. All went well with the handover and all items on the list made it into the van from the factory and no major defects found. So far so good – and hope it stays that way after the shake down.

Minor things were picked up by the dealer and fixed yesterday before collection which was good service in my book.

• Dealer picked up an intermittent vibration and noise in the A/C unit. Apparently a pipe was too close to the body and so the air con guy was called in and all was fixed. It was running nice and cold and quiet when doing the hand over.
• The factory did stuff up the curtains – lengths and drops all wrong so the dealer has already re-ordered the material and will have a local curtain maker make them up for me instead.
• An external 240V outlet was installed behind the fridge where it apparently gets hot, so the dealer put a blank on the wall and relocated it which made sense but now have an additional square plate on the external wall. No biggy.
• Van didn’t make it out of the factory with the LED lights so the dealer replaced all with the aftermarket led upgrades as promised – nice and bright inside and out (the one above the external shower is more like a flood light – throws a good amount of light out the road side of the van).

I don’t think the added height of the simplicity suspension and bigger wheels is taken into account with the drop jacks… they run out of legs pretty quick on uneven ground…

Good luck mate, good list of extras......you might be scratching for some mods!

Just a few finer touches to neatening things up and get her to the Burnsy spec

WOW!!! Thats a full van for sure!! She's gunna be a heavy one.... Good Luck!

Yeah bigman my Navara will be given a work out for sure. Off the top of my head I think the GTM is just over 2500kg. Didn’t realise the pop top would be so heavy to lift either – the Mrs won’t be able to do it on her own and we’ve got to watch when brining it down because the struts come down pretty quick under the load.

Lara – Nice work on the storage and organisation. You’ve got it down pat. My wifey likes it nice and neatly organised too – after looking at the photos we will be shopping for slide n stacks and foam for protecting the electrical gear tomorrow.

Cheers Ligedy

 

[Burnsy]

Loos very nice mate......sure is alot of room under those wheel arches :thumb:

 

[MolongMick]

Very nice. I do like the new look. As Burnsy said, there is a heck of a lot of room under those wheel arches, much more than mine.

ENJOY the new toy.

 

[chartrock]

Very 'schmick' Ligedy. Maybe you could ask the dealer whether there are longer drop jacks, Alko would probably make different sizes for different vans.

Now you just have to get out on the road somewhere. Enjoy.

 

[Ligedy]

Custom Tool Box (1900 x 500 x 510mm) arrvied on time ready for installation.

Tong Metal in Brisbane (no affiliation) were great to deal with - built to design, on budget and delivered on time as promised. Definitley worth a look if you're chasing a custom box.

Bolted on - gas bottles and spare wheel relocated.

Awning side drawer is longer than the far side drawer for better access when camping and at tight caravan parking spots.

Drawers give access when bed end is folded out.

Lid opens on top - this allows me to pack box when van is parked up at home as I can't slide the drawers out all the way.

 

[Ligedy]

Draught Skirt - Had a mate (auto trimmer) knock it up out of rip-stop vinyl and it press stud's into place.

The van is sitting high here but when its evel the eyelets allow the bottom edge to be pegged to the ground with about 5cm flat on the ground.

Got the bag made out of the same material for easy of storage...

 

[Ligedy]

Wheel covers made - keeps little hands of the dirty wheels and protects the rubber from the direct sunlight when my van is parked up. I don't have a shed yet

 

[Ligedy]

And... gas bottle covers to suit.

 

[Burnsy]

Nice work! :encouragement: Is your mate selling the covers?

 

[fishinglizard]

Looks like youve got it all covered.

 

[Ligedy]

Nice work! :encouragement: Is your mate selling the covers?

Gas bottle covers?

It can't hurt asking - I'll find out and let you know.

He went the extra yard for me - they have the zipper up top of valve access and also have split down one side with velco tabs to take on and off easier and also have eyelets around the base for theft deterrent (I've got cable ties holding them on so you can't walk off with them and will look at putting some s/s wire as a draw string type arrangement to stop the spurr of the monment sticky fingers from getting them).