We parked for the night on a harbour on the Gironde estuary. Another UK van pulled alongside us, the usual pleasantries were exchanged and then further chatting with Bill. I think that was his name. It is now.
Bill had been 'on four wheels' for longer than me an Automotive Engineer he had built his first 'van. Using I think a Vauxhall car chassis, I soon gel with engineers of all denominations so soon it was, wine, more chat and photo's time. He had pictures of the project from write off car to completion.
Well, he said it attracted crowds wherever they left it. It was silver aluminium sleek and low. the windscreen was tinted grey as was the sloping full width over cab 'bedroom' window above it. It looked like something out of James Bond, a Razor Blade slitting the along the tarmac separating road from sky.
As often happens we all got on well and retired a bit late after a very pleasant evening. In the morning I greeted Bill. I was red faced and sweating, I had been fighting the flexible hose on the washbasin in the bathroom. The basin had become wobbly at one end, I found the mounting plate, plastic of course, riveted with plastic studs to the back plane had popped a stud.
I shall secure it temporarily with a long cable tie I said, another job for when I get home. I see, said Bill, or you could do it properly now.
Yes, but I need to drill a hole at either end of the plate, source some bolts to hold it, I don't have a drill, I do carry some kit but not a drill.
Bill lifted a side hatch on his van, I think you will find that full charged he said, handing me a battery powered drill kit with assorted bits. He reached in again, they brought me this for my birthday he said, I haven't used it yet, he handed me a boxed kit of bolts, nuts, washers and screws of assorted sizes. Taking it in one hand the weight of it nearly pulled my arm out of its socket.
Bill smiled, we got a bigger van so I could carry all the kit he said. Now, we are going to the Hypermarket today, (about 15Km away) probably spend the day at the coast up there, anything you want us to bring back from the Supermarket for you?
No thanks, we are well stocked up, and there is a nice bottle of wine you are going to drink with us tonight.
Bill's van sounds pretty cool its a shame you don't have a picture of it. I would have thought that a car chasis would have been too small to make into a decent van obvously I was mistaken, I wonder how he got his van parts, when I was repairing mine the parts were very expensive so I wouldn't build one just buy the required parts for repairs.