Our New 5’ver Update No 5

Tuesday 1st March 2011
Another weekly visit to Truelux took place again Tuesday. Though it was a bit wet, the weather didn’t dampen our spirits. Though there will be a couple of more weeks before we take possession of our new van, the excitement is beginning to increase. As we drove into the car park we noticed two vans were outside; one being the van which has just been completed, ready for the owner to collect in the next week. Whilst our van has been in the making, it has been quite interesting to view designs of other vans before us. It truly illustrates that Truelux do ‘custom build’ to each owner’s desired designs. No two are the same & each poses a challenge at some stage of the building. Truelux tradesmen are up to the task!

During this visit we were able to see a great deal of work has taken place. The lino next to the maple coloured cupboards looks great. The back board ready for the bedhead to be attached to has been installed. During the previous week we had a ‘Tyre Pressure Monitoring System’ delivered ready for installation, a signal booster is fitted inside the front of the van. The cupboards in the kitchen/living areas have been started, including the Entertainment cupboard which has been a challenge in its own. My Dometic front loader washing machine has been located with provision of a drawer above & side cupboard designed to store cleaning products etc. It looks great and fits in well with the design.

The hot water system has been installed with the ducted gas heater next to it in the storage area; lots of wiring everywhere when we peeked inside. It’s a good job they know ‘which wire goes with which & where’.

Once again it’s a good time to confirm some of those finer points of the design & at times the last chance to make a change which happens. Hopefully by the time this is posted, our carpet should have been delivered along with several other items which are being waited for.
The progress of the van is beginning to look good; as said before, it is the fiddly bits that take most time.

We will know closer to the weeks-end details of when we will be required to leave our vehicle with them to do the towing hitch fitting & camera installation.

Click on the link below to view progression photos of our new home.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108879761974384702036/New5VerProgressPhotos?feat=directlink

Our New 5’ver Update No 4

Tuesday 22nd Feb 2011
A bit more to report from this week’s visit; a few minor revisions set in stone and a preview of what the interior will look like. This week the “boss” Peter, is in Adelaide at this year’s Caravan & Outdoor Show with one of his 5/vers on display. So if you get a chance to go, why not call in & have a look at what we are getting. Don’t mention our name; he might throw something at you.

As we drove into the car park we noticed that the door where our van was last seen was closed. The van now has wheels and had been moved into the bay next door. This is where the interior of the van will be worked on. The customising of the chassis is complete, extra water tanks, shock-absorbers for the suspension and the two-pack paint along the external framework looks great. Progression is steady; the light-weight interior panelling had been held up but was on the way as we visited.

The lino has been laid & looks good. Johnno, the cabinet maker and his mate are now working on the cupboard and benches. I think Johnno has been able to get his head around our “Entertainment Centre” cupboard design & the best way to tackle it. Nothing like a challenge to keep the brain cells active, hey! , Mark is fitting the lights, cable ducts and running the 12v cables. The Dometic air conditioner is installed & it is definitely slimline, looks really good; skylights installed as well as the “Fantastic” fan in the bedroom. The hatch/cubby hole for the water pumps have been built & yep, another hole for me to fill up. I’m always looking for any nook & cranny to store things in – Col cringes at the thought. By the end of our visit today there were tradesmen’s body parts sticking out any space around the van, drills and drivers buzzing along. Now we’ll see the construction become more exciting, the fiddly-bits take a bit longer.

In early March we’ll be taking the Landcruiser to Truelux & leave it for the week for them to work on the tow hitch. The camera system will need to be installed (3 cameras). So we’ll be without a vehicle for the week. Perhaps it’ll be a good time to catch the train into the CBD & check things out. Have a look at the latest photos:


Click on the link below to view progression photos of our new home.


https://picasaweb.google.com/108879761974384702036/New5VerProgressPhotos?feat=directlink

Our New 5ver update No3

Tuesday 15th Feb 2011
On our recent visit to Truelux one would have been forgiven if on first glimpse it looked as though work on our van had not progressed any further since our last. But, upon a closer look things were better than they first seemed. We were greeted by Linda who noticed that we were peeking in the shed to see the progress. Her first comment was “No peeking just yet.” After the usual pit-stop & greetings to all in the front office, we were given the ‘royal’ tour & as usual, everyone was very helpful in answering all our queries & double checking measurements & designs with several cupboards etc. All checked off ready to begin internal construction.

What has been done so far since our previous visit; all the outside walls are now up & the body trims are being meticulously put into place, all the roof cut-outs (a/c, skylights, and fantastic fans, except in the bathroom). Various outside entry points have been cut & frames have been clamped into place on the water pump & gas bottles hatches. The shower alcove has been put inside ready for installation. The chassis has had the final coats of two-pack paint. The storage area is now fully carpeted; this area will house the two main batteries, gas/electric hot water system, ducted gas heater & general storage for all our gear.

We now have our wheels waiting for the day they will be united with our van. Slowly, bit by bit our appliances etc are being delivered. While we were at the factory a pallet from Dometic arrived with our fridge, washing machine, air conditioner, skylights & even the awning. It was exciting to see, but just as we were about to leave, the lino arrived – special delivery. This was an even better sight as Truelux had been waiting for it for several days. No sooner had it been placed on the floor that I had to check to ensure it was the correct design. Nothing else can be done inside until this is laid.

We’ve since had a phone call to say that some of the cupboard materials are being delayed. So this puts our van back a bit further. We were given an ETA of 4 weeks at the end of this visit. It seems Josh & Kendehl will have us for a bit longer. Another sanity break imminent!

Click on the link below to view progression photos of our new home.
https://picasaweb.google.com/108879761974384702036/New5VerProgressPhotos?feat=directlink

Our New 5’ver update No 2

Tuesday 1st Feb 2011
Today was our first visit to the factory for this year. The day was quite warm which it had been for the past week. It took us approx 1 ½ hours to get to Kilsyth where the Truelux factory is situated; at the bottom of the Dandenong’s. Upon arrival we were warmly welcomed as we were on our previous visit. As we drove into the car park we noticed a 5’ver which was in the early stages of construction, I turned to Colin & said, “I bet that one is ours”. We weren’t wrong; a bit disappointed that they hadn’t progressed any further than having the two long side walls up. We had hoped that all the outside walls were up. But it wasn’t to be!

We were given a tour of our new 5ver. The storage floor was almost complete, the four water tanks had arrived & were in the process of being installed & of course the front panel was being prepared for installation (scoring for the curves & the two vents were being cut out). Our new recliners had arrived in Melbourne; they had been ordered prior to us leaving Melbourne last year in November from overseas. Ah yes, our bed has now been ordered; we were having it specially made for us – longer in length & a pillow-top. Our Entertainment cupboard is still an item of debate; trying to decide on the design & construction. This should be finalised within the next few days.

We eventually decided on a kitchen sink. Decisions, decisions.

Monday 8th Feb
By today, the entire roof is complete & they are now waiting for the adhesive to set. We can’t have it falling down. The lino floor covering will be laid within the next couple of days; shower alcove is inside the van awaiting installation. This needed to have been put inside before the back wall went on, otherwise it won’t get in because of the size it won’t fit through the door.
Refrigerator, Air-Conditioner and Gas Stove are ordered, the internal panels and cupboards are being custom measured for pre-cutting, by the end of this week, and the shell should be being moved into the “internals” area in the next work-bay. Another chassis will arrive for customer number 49.



Click on the link below to view progression photos of our new home.


https://picasaweb.google.com/108879761974384702036/New5VerProgressPhotos?feat=directlink

Our new 5’ver

Since April/May 2010 when we decided that we’d like Peter Groom of Truelux 5th Wheelers to build our next home, we have been on the waiting list. At the end of October 2010, we eventually received that long awaited phone call, “We’re ready for you to come in and begin / finalise the plans of your 5’ver.” Our appointment was for the 8th November 2010. We still had two weeks to kill, & did they seem to take forever. The 8th came & went; by the end of the day, we looked at each other & wondered if we actually achieved anything as there had been so many interruptions. A couple of days later we attended another meeting just to sort out some of our concerns which we had from the previous meeting. This time we had Peter’s undivided attention with no interruptions. At long last our new home was on the drawing board. We were told that they will start the chassis by the end of November & that the outside walls should be up by Christmas when they will shut for 3 weeks for the Christmas / New Year break.

So by the middle of November, it was time for us to head back home to Napperby & get ready for the Christmas festivities & of course to bake the Christmas cakes & Puddings (a bit late!). In the meantime, phone calls going back & forth to confirm various things & a trip to the local carpet & lino store in town to choose another lino. With all this done, we could relax a while. Straight after Christmas, Colin advertised our current caravan on the internet, a couple of enquiries but nothing serious. Oh well, we’ll try again in the New Year. Christmas Day & New Year came & went as they always seem to do, so it was now time to get serious with selling our current caravan. Yeah, we had quite a few enquiries about the van, but the response was; “You’re on the other side of town”, or “That’s a long way”. No one seemed to want to take a lovely leisurely drive out to the country to see our van. Time was moving on & we were beginning to feel that no one was going to buy our home & we didn’t want to put it on consignment locally.

The week before we were ready to drive back to Melbourne we had a prospective buyer. They came & left after leaving a deposit. We were beginning to feel a weight being lifted. The next week was spent cleaning inside & out so it sparkled, putting together all the bits ‘n pieces that we’ll no longer require for our next home. Thursday 20th January 2011, we watched one stage of our life being driven out the gate & the next stage beginning.

By Christmas Day, after another delay; (composite panel machinery breakdown!), Truelux had received our chassis frame & the outside fibreglass walls. Our next appointment will be a progress meeting on February the 1st, with hopefully, the chassis completed, walls should be up, roof on and well on the way.

Click on the link below to view progression photos of our new home.

http://picasaweb.google.com/108879761974384702036/New5VerProgressPhotos?feat=directlink