Upgrading The Tank

This is The Tank.  The Pike family's beloved, if somewhat junky looking, RV.  I have an earlier blog (one of my first) detailing the customization on it.  I got it for fifty bucks, a steal compared to the going rates for Star Travelers. 

Well, my friend Jennifer St Clair (also a pretty dang good author if you're so inclined) sent me two pictures yesterday.  Ten dollars, she said.  TEN DOLLARS!

All the bits and bobs appear to be in there, if in the wrong location.  Original dashboard and steering wheel.  No instrument display, but is it buried in there?

Axles and chassis look to be intact.  Look!  The roof!  The Tank has no roof!  

 I told my friend to teleport to the seller and nab it for me.  

I sorted stuff out to see what I had, figuring out what's getting cannibalized for The Tank.  Roof and ladder, definitely. 

Both bunks, the rear sink, and vanity are present.  Look!  Even the original rug is there! Bathroom door and one of the bathroom wall extensions.  The Pikes have an intact bathroom and they like their shower curtain, so I reckon these bits are safe.  For now.

The kitchenette, bench, and table (sans support bar).  The Pikes are totally stealing some of these.  Oh, yeah, and the other original rug!  The rugs are stickers, so won't be getting stolen for The tank.  Maybe they won't survive the cleaning process.

No instrument display but both captain's chairs and the dash with original steering wheel.  This one took a lot of thought, but I decided the Pikes would keep their jerry-rigged dash board.  I just like the look of the silly thing and it has, ya know, a speedometer and stuff.

Door.  Yes, I know it's upside down.  The Tank has a door so this one is safe.

Guts go in the dishwasher.

Stripped down chassis goes in the bath tub.  It won't fit in the dishwasher.

Extra goodies! 

Now to see what works and what doesn't.  The bunks are too long for the other side of the rear, but the bench fits almost perfectly.  The "George Foreman grill" and sink can go since I'll be installing a real kitchen up front.

The black bench (cannibalized from a Hannah Montana karaoke toy) is removed.  A screw hole in the wall can be covered when they get more travel stickers.  Midna's eyeballing this for her restaurant.

I covered the oven door with reflective duct tape.  This sticker didn't survive very well and who cooks actual pies on a camping trip, anyway?  

I was relieved the burners survived and coated them with clear nail polish, just in case.  Pegs are missing, so a generous application of super glue was needed.  Now we're cookin'!  

Woke up my suspected Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and needed a Band-Aid for one finger, but failed to make the under-bench cabinet fit back here.  So... A bit of one bunk to make this rear shelf the same height as the wheel well.

And the bench is in place.  Not sure if this will hold, but I'll keep the cabinetry just in case further stabilization is needed.  It's probably salvageable by someone with real tools and more patience.  

Ladder and roof in place.  Roof is not glued because I need to be able to remove it for play. 

They are keeping the extra bunk.  They can toss it on the floor for sleepy time.  Thanks to Jennifer, The Tank now has a real kitchen instead of  a "George Foreman grill" and a vanity sink.  No more cooking in the bedroom!  They also have two more sleeping surfaces, bringing them up to five.

Too bad there are ten of them - they better hang on to the tent!

Update - The Boy counted seven sleeping places.  He suggested the captain's chairs be recliners! 

***Stay tuned for my renovation of the chassis in my tub.***