Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 12:37:00 -0400
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: cdesign@atlanta.com (L Christensen)
Subject: Re: more heating ideas (insulation)
Howdy.
Other insulation ideas for happier campers:
--------Buy a 4 x 8 sheet of styrofoam wall insulation. Pop top and place
across roof area, leaving access space for the hold down handles, & kick
stands. Cut slot for pull down handle. Fit to roof when pop top is raised.
(This really cuts air entering from top.)
--------RE: Curtain behind drivers seat. Don't bother buying expensive
vinyl. Buy a cheap shower curtain. Buy industrial strength velcro. Attach
this to top edge along full length of shower curtain and headliner. (Run
strip of Velcro along roof opening.) (And along side walls too if you
really want to seal.) You may also purchase curtain weights to attach to
the bottom edge of shower curtain. (small lead pellets or buckshot also
works) This will weight down the curtain and is malleable around seats,
over sink etc. You can also make other privacy curtains of dark or solid
cloth here, using same installed velcro for quick change or whatever, for
summer months. Then all you need do is change the curtain for its purpose,
using same velcro on headliner.
________Curtain by side door. Replace short stock curtain with one the
extends to the floor. It stores very handily into the area next to the side
table. You can use the same method mentioned above (clear shower curtain
weighted at bottom), or create a dual purpose curtain, sewing a clear panel
on top for visibility from your shower curtain onto a heavier windproof and
weighted bottom (old sails make good curatins). This longer-to-the-floor
curtain is also great when you have the door open and want to change
clothing, or whatever, without having to close the sliding door. The same
technique works great for installing a mosquito screen. Just install a
double curtain rod. One carries the netting (weighted on the bottom), the
other is the privacy curtain. (Remember to mount privacy curtain on the
INside curtain rod.)
________Make a SNAKE. Fill a tube shaped fabric bag with pellets (flax seed
also works great), and place along the length of the dash, down where the
defrost vents are. This stops an amazing amount of wind. You might consider
making two snake tubes, one for each side=8A easier to remove one if you nee=
d
to defrost or remove interior moisture.
________Remove cardboard panel along front of van underneath the dashboard.
(It should just pop out.) Install/fill with insulation. (Be careful not to
interfere with dash wiring.)
________Remove the small door vents. Get heavy plastic 5-7 ml, and place
behind the vent opening. Replace vent.
________RE: different subject: 110. I have a friend who stores a small
microwave in the fridge/cooler. He plugs 110 in at a campsite or wherever
he can find an outlet, and bought one of those Hot Seats, that you
*microwave* for three minutes on each side. (I have one & it works great.
STays heated for a long time=8A) Stops occasionally and finds a plug, zaps
the seats (uses one for bottom seat, one as back rest), and is toasty for
another 6-8 hours.
So! Wear Down and wool!, live well and hopefully somewhat warmer=8A
=46rom a happy camper
Louise Christensen
'72 Westy