Blanche’s To-Do List
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Blanche is coming along, but there’s a lot we still want to get done
We’ve been on the road for a week now, and have started compiling our to-do list for Blanche’s next round of improvements. Our current plan is to spend the next five weeks or so on Blanche’s shakedown cruise. Then we’ll return to Las Vegas for the month of May, where we’ll work on finishing the things that didn’t get done before this trip, as well as anything we’ve since discovered she needs. We’ll surely be adding to it over the next few weeks, but here’s the list as of today…
Running Board on Passenger Side
It’s a high step getting into the van through the slider door. We added a grab handle to make it easier, but installing a running board would help even more.
Watch that first step - it’s a doozie
Diesel Heater
This was on the list from the start, but didn’t get done on the last round of upgrades. We have almost all the parts, so it’s only a matter of allocating the time.
Additional Solar Panel(s)
We currently have two 100 watt panels on the roof, which is on the meager side. I’m not sure another panel or two will fit without relocating the existing panels, but if I can find a place to mount them, I’d like to add them.
Additional Batteries
Our house batteries currently consist of two 105ah batteries, which, like the solar panels, are pretty marginal. On this trip, they’ve been quite adequate, but our next trip may be to less sun-intense areas, and we may need more capacity.
GPS
Our Promaster doesn’t have Apple CarPlay, so we can’t display a map on the van’s display. Even if we could, the display is small and difficult to see when the ambient light is bright. We used a Garmin GPS on Blue, our previous van, and really liked it and we’d like to install one on Blanche as well.
Mirror
There’s no mirror in Blanche, which is easily fixed.
Drawers
The bins under the bed are functional, were easy and inexpensive to install, and certainly hold all our stuff, but a cabinet with drawers would look better and be more convenient. If we can get to it, we’ll upgrade from the bins to drawers. A couple of overhead cabinets beside the bed might be nice, too.
The bins are okay, but drawers would be better
Settee
Originally, we planned to modify the two seats in the cab so they could be rotated 180 degrees and used for seating in back. The cab is about 4” higher than the back area, however, which means we’d either have to build a platform for our feet or sit with our feet dangling. We’ve since figured out that we have room for a small settee that backs against the front seats.
Toilet
Another advantage of adding a settee is that we could add drawers under the cushions. One drawer could hold the cassette toilet. When the toilet was needed, the drawer could be pulled out, then closed when one’s business was done.
Sink
We’d like to add a small basin to the butcher block countertop/shelf to use for brushing teeth and washing up. I’d put two five gallon jugs underneath; one with freshwater, connected through a foot pump to a faucet, and the other jug connected to the drain for gray water.
Curtain
Currently, there is a nice curtain between the cab and living area that provides privacy. Unfortunately, the curtain rod is too high and blocks access to the storage area over the cab. I’ll lower it a few inches.
Side Curtain
The side window has no curtain. So far, we’ve been in campgrounds where we have enough privacy that it hasn’t been a problem, but there will be times when we’ll want a curtain we can close at night. It’s on Marcie’s to-do list.
The side window needs a curtain
Sunscreen for the Windshield
to keep the interior shaded and cooler
Finish Carpentry
The previous owner wasn’t a great carpenter and there is lots of finish carpentry to be done. None of it is critical, but it is annoying and I’ll work on it as time allows.
The finish work needs some work
Screens
It hasn’t been a problem on this trip, but our next trip may well be to areas where black flies and mosquitoes are a problem. The side window has a sliding window and screen, but something we wanted to do on Blue was add screens to the sliding door entry and the rear doors.
CO Monitor
We should have a carbon monoxide monitor inside, especially after we install the diesel heater.
Thermometer
We want to add an indoor/outdoor thermometer, so we can see how cold or hot we are. Marcie insists that her temperature complaints be based on fact.
So there’s our list of the things we’ve thought of so far. Some are trivial and some will take time and dollars. Some will get done and some won’t, but none are “mission-critical”. We’ll continue to add to the list, then prioritize by importance and complete what we can by the end of May.
Meanwhile, we’ll enjoy this road trip. See you next week…