LittleBlackMule
Well-Known Member
Ha ha, Auto Smart floor mats! (Ex valeter here) It looks absolutely stunning, you are never going to be able to bring yourself to sell it!
Horsebox build.....our story!
- Thread starter Farmer Chalk
- Start date
LeannePip
Well-Known Member
FC - hows the horse area getting on? Whens the final reveal!
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Frustrating couple of weeks really..... The workshop has been mental with everyone chasing delivery of their own horseboxes at the start of the season...hence mine has come back from the spray shop and largely in the main sat there untouched.... My own work has been super busy so I also haven't been able to get down there as much as I'd like.
It is the final little things which are taking the time... I've made a long snagging list of jobs to be done....like wiring up and servicing the on board generator, fitting the gas struts to the belly lockers, fitting number plates, wiring the on board 12and 24 volt chargers, connecting the aircon unit up, etc etc....
Today I have spent the day fitting a pair of curtain rails, one for the sleeping pod for privacy, and one between the cab and living area and tonight I have resurrected my school needlework skills sewing on some rings on to the leather tie backs...
So all go..... Within minutes of starting I will either have sewn my thumbs to the tie backs or the sleeve of my fleece.....could be interesting....
One thing that was fitted yesterday was one of a number of security items that have been fitted to the truck. Yesterday was its CESAR registration plate.....
For those of you who are wondering what that is it is a registration and marking scheme that was designed by Police to help combat machinery and tractor theft...
It consists of a registration number which are affixed to the vehicle/tractor/trailer by means of triangular number plates. This links to a 24 HR database which records all the owners details including a 24 HR contact number for the owner.... Thus if the vehicle is seen moving in unusual circumstances or late at night it allows the police officer to contact me immediately to ask re its whereabouts...
The system also has a number of transponders that are buried deep within the machine which allows the vehicle to be scanned (like your horse, dog or cat to identify it.
After that the technician painted thousands of microscopic microdots throughout the machine and living area....so we can identify it even if it was stripped for parts ( heaven forbid)...
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So today I fitted the leather door retaining straps, curtains rails etc ...
I estimate it will be finished within the next two weeks.... And the grand reveal will be worth waiting for....can't wait! I need a rest!
It is the final little things which are taking the time... I've made a long snagging list of jobs to be done....like wiring up and servicing the on board generator, fitting the gas struts to the belly lockers, fitting number plates, wiring the on board 12and 24 volt chargers, connecting the aircon unit up, etc etc....
Today I have spent the day fitting a pair of curtain rails, one for the sleeping pod for privacy, and one between the cab and living area and tonight I have resurrected my school needlework skills sewing on some rings on to the leather tie backs...
So all go..... Within minutes of starting I will either have sewn my thumbs to the tie backs or the sleeve of my fleece.....could be interesting....
One thing that was fitted yesterday was one of a number of security items that have been fitted to the truck. Yesterday was its CESAR registration plate.....
For those of you who are wondering what that is it is a registration and marking scheme that was designed by Police to help combat machinery and tractor theft...
It consists of a registration number which are affixed to the vehicle/tractor/trailer by means of triangular number plates. This links to a 24 HR database which records all the owners details including a 24 HR contact number for the owner.... Thus if the vehicle is seen moving in unusual circumstances or late at night it allows the police officer to contact me immediately to ask re its whereabouts...
The system also has a number of transponders that are buried deep within the machine which allows the vehicle to be scanned (like your horse, dog or cat to identify it.
After that the technician painted thousands of microscopic microdots throughout the machine and living area....so we can identify it even if it was stripped for parts ( heaven forbid)...
So today I fitted the leather door retaining straps, curtains rails etc ...
I estimate it will be finished within the next two weeks.... And the grand reveal will be worth waiting for....can't wait! I need a rest!
Sophire
Well-Known Member
I have been following this for the whole time. I am dying to see the big reveal, I think it's turned out even better than I imagined when you first started. I have also linked my Dad to this thread, maybe this can be his next project after rebuilding his many motorbikes and my Brother has finished with his vintage mini, I'm sure its just like a big car really....?!
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Well i survived the night without any trips to A&E... my sewing skills are awesome.... sewn the rings on and they are still actually hanging on..... Why is it thimbles are only made for children sized hands.... searched the living room drawers most of the night looking for the elusive thimbles.. you know the ones that you dare not throw away from last years Xmas crackers because one day you will need it..... well i might as well have used Hula Hoops... the only one finger i could get any part of the thimble on was my little pinky on my right hand..... not useful if you're left handed.....
Trying to push a needle through leather using hula hoops is also not advisable but at least i didnt go hungry! So the rings on the tie backs are sort of on- ish ..... not quite John Lewis quality i'm afraid but hopefully no one will ever ask to see the quality of my tie backs.....
Sophire... More than happy to set up a support group for your Dad and bro.... it actually has been quite good fun sourcing the parts and trialling ideas..... and if they have a man sized thimble can i borrow it....
Post man has just delivered next part of the project.... some curtain side material and canvas (from Macclesfield ) and an industrial punch and ring setting tool (from Poland ) ready to do the horse side protection pads to stop the usual haynet swirl on the side of the lorry.... May go into limited production of these....
Think i'll need at least ten thimbles to sew these up though!!
Trying to push a needle through leather using hula hoops is also not advisable but at least i didnt go hungry! So the rings on the tie backs are sort of on- ish ..... not quite John Lewis quality i'm afraid but hopefully no one will ever ask to see the quality of my tie backs.....
Sophire... More than happy to set up a support group for your Dad and bro.... it actually has been quite good fun sourcing the parts and trialling ideas..... and if they have a man sized thimble can i borrow it....
Post man has just delivered next part of the project.... some curtain side material and canvas (from Macclesfield ) and an industrial punch and ring setting tool (from Poland ) ready to do the horse side protection pads to stop the usual haynet swirl on the side of the lorry.... May go into limited production of these....
Think i'll need at least ten thimbles to sew these up though!!
blackhor2e
Well-Known Member
Brilliant thread FC, can't wait for the grand reveal. I'm looking into getting some side protection pads for my Horsebox. Can I just ask where in Macclesfield you purchase the materials from? as that is just a stones throw from where I live 😁
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Blackhor2e... I boo booed....got so many receipts and invoices coming through the letterbox that I messed up... material came from a lorry curtain side material specialist, two I highlighted one from Castleford not too far from you called Nationwide Trailer parts and the place I got mine from was Attwoolls in Gloucester.
Stand by for a week or so and I'll let you known how successful they turn out.... I am double siding them with a softer green canvas inside with the harder wipe down heavy vinyl on the outside. I've already bought the turnbuckles to mount on the lorry. A word of warning the punches and the rivet closers were quite expensive....hence we may start a limited production run but I want to know they are fit for purpose first!
As an aside I am now the owner of a large size thimble! John Lewis came up trumps as usual!
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Almost there....
Wiring wiring and more wiring...
Gas is now fitted for the oven and water heater....
Airconditioning is now up and running and great power for such a unit...ten times better than I anticipated... Nice and chilly!
On board generator with electric start is now up and running and powering everything up... Slight adjustment needed on the exhaust rather than exiting under the vehicle I need to extend it out of the side to vent properly....where it sat previously the exhaust gases sat underneath the lorry skirts....thought it would be OK . Goes to show the carbon monoxide sensor worked though....
Lesson to all hopefully....couldn't smell it but the sensor that I had just fitted within the living area started screaming but shows how dangerous it can be on a still night! Go buy a detector!
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Fitted these neat little clips to stop the step rotating down whilst on the move.... Spoke to someone recently who had exactly that happen to them on the move and almost caused a big accident...
Good old eBay!
Found these as well for holding things like the remote controls and the BD and BE rule books, entry forms etc for quick ease of access...
Nice quality!
Anyway hopefully on our last week.... Majorish jobs still to do is fitting the camera screens in the cab, fitting gas rams to all the lockers, fit the table, finsh off the horse area with the dividers and side interior pads etc etc...
Hoping next weekend will be its inaugural drive out! Fingers crossed!
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Fantastic!
Make sure it is finished before the first drive out. Nothing more off putting than scrapes and horse poo in a lorry that is not even finished!!!
Make sure it is finished before the first drive out. Nothing more off putting than scrapes and horse poo in a lorry that is not even finished!!!
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Fantastic!
Make sure it is finished before the first drive out. Nothing more off putting than scrapes and horse poo in a lorry that is not even finished!!!
Horse poo! Aaaaaarrggghhhh!
Need to invent some sort of horse nappy now! Though the horses are cleaner than the girls!
Bernster
Well-Known Member
Gosh it's such a luxury lorry! I love the little touches. Will you have the payload for a horse of two at the end of this? ��
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Fortunately yes....she is a 12 tonner therefore HGV and therefore weight was not much of an issue.... And although there is a lot on here all the underpinnings of the body are aluminium as are the floors ....
Right from the start I always knew weight could be an issue and as I was already an HGV licence holder it was the easiest choice... I then taught Mrs Farmer and she passed easily.... It really isn't that daunting and she can now eat Yorkie bars with the best of them!
Bernster
Well-Known Member
Haha phew, although it does seem a shame for it to get all that messy horse poo on it! I didn't realise a hgv licence was a legit exemption to Yorkies not being for girls ��
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
LouisCat
Well-Known Member
Your lorry is looking so good!
St Nicnaclaus
Well-Known Member
Looks great although far too complicated for me! How have you been so involved in sourcing parts and working on it? I thought one worked with manufacturer to spec out what one wants and then let them get on with it.
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Ordinarily that would be the case.... Trust me I walked around enough manufacturers at various trade shows to see the good, the bad and the ugly and the ridiculously out of my league ones who just sell you what they make..
Part of the reason for the blog was to highlight the grief and emotions when trying to choose a horsebox manufacturer. I had heard all the horror stories, seen some awful scenarios and thus wanted to be more hands on with the build so I could make sure it was never going to be cobbled together nightmare..
That was the beauty of choosing Courcheval as they will build you whatever you require...there is no set 'this is what you get package'.. The lorry that has been in build beside mine, the living area was designed around the owners dogs... Another back for service was built around the owners microlight....and therefore they are used to catering for the owner....what has impressed me most is everything is bespoke rather than unpacked and screwed on...
With my daily popping in they have tolerated me adding and changing things as we've gone along.... This site has been awesome and the ideas that people have given me has helped immensely...
It has also helped massively that they are a local company thus I could pop in for a few hours to annoy them!
Almost there now! Phew!
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Well folks....after almost 8 months in build tomorrow is collection day!
Finally going to drive her away from Courcheval where she has been transformed...
So so pleased with her with some very clever innovations....most of which were inspired by yourselves...so thank you for all your ideas and inspiration over the period....
The plan is to take her away and equip her for service so still a few little snagging jobs to do to finish her...
Hopefully the weather will be pleasant so I can take a few photos and post them up over the weekend!
Thanks again to all of you who took the time out to post on this thread. Your help has been fantastic and we certainly couldn't have done it without you!
Finally going to drive her away from Courcheval where she has been transformed...
So so pleased with her with some very clever innovations....most of which were inspired by yourselves...so thank you for all your ideas and inspiration over the period....
The plan is to take her away and equip her for service so still a few little snagging jobs to do to finish her...
Hopefully the weather will be pleasant so I can take a few photos and post them up over the weekend!
Thanks again to all of you who took the time out to post on this thread. Your help has been fantastic and we certainly couldn't have done it without you!
blackhor2e
Well-Known Member
FC that is fantastic news for you! I'm sure your family (horses included) can't wait to see the finished product. I recently bought a Horsebox that was an ex-demo from a company down south and you wouldn't believe the snagging list my husband has come up with so we are slowly putting these things right, I wish we had the time and expertise to do what you have done. As an aside, how did your side curtains for the lorry turn out?
WelshD
Well-Known Member
Wonderful. We need pictures from every angle now it's done!
Kylara
Well-Known Member
Love this thread, meant to comment earlier when you mentioned the Daktaris but didn't get around to it!
Looking absolutely gorgeous! And I wish it was mine
This is the route I would go down if/when I get a lorry - for some reason HGV chassis are so much cheaper!
Anyway back to the Daktaris...I am the proud owner of a zebra land rover defender. And not only that but it has excellent zebra stripes. I want a 90 but in orange with stripes so I can have a tiger too lol.
I had a chat with my father a few months ago as he was musing about running a little box rental business and he would have had trailers and boxes painted to match the landy - so a whole fleet of zebras! Unfortunately he decided against it as "he couldn't be arsed with cleaning them out after others people's pathetic attempts" so scuppered!
But if I ever get a lorry, I will endeavour to have it matching the landy
Piccy of it out BE fence judging!
Looking absolutely gorgeous! And I wish it was mine
This is the route I would go down if/when I get a lorry - for some reason HGV chassis are so much cheaper!
Anyway back to the Daktaris...I am the proud owner of a zebra land rover defender. And not only that but it has excellent zebra stripes. I want a 90 but in orange with stripes so I can have a tiger too lol.
I had a chat with my father a few months ago as he was musing about running a little box rental business and he would have had trailers and boxes painted to match the landy - so a whole fleet of zebras! Unfortunately he decided against it as "he couldn't be arsed with cleaning them out after others people's pathetic attempts" so scuppered!
But if I ever get a lorry, I will endeavour to have it matching the landy
Piccy of it out BE fence judging!
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Many thanks for your kind words and good luck with your snagging list...spent all day on it doing the last few bits and started to fill it with our stuff.....
Spending the weekend on it and will be fitting the side curtains hopefully tomorrow...
Will let you know exactly how it goes....design has had to change slightly ... Will show some photos hopefully tomorrow! 😉
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Love this thread, meant to comment earlier when you mentioned the Daktaris but didn't get around to it!
Looking absolutely gorgeous! And I wish it was mine
This is the route I would go down if/when I get a lorry - for some reason HGV chassis are so much cheaper!
Anyway back to the Daktaris...I am the proud owner of a zebra land rover defender. And not only that but it has excellent zebra stripes. I want a 90 but in orange with stripes so I can have a tiger too lol.
I had a chat with my father a few months ago as he was musing about running a little box rental business and he would have had trailers and boxes painted to match the landy - so a whole fleet of zebras! Unfortunately he decided against it as "he couldn't be arsed with cleaning them out after others people's pathetic attempts" so scuppered!
But if I ever get a lorry, I will endeavour to have it matching the landy
Piccy of it out BE fence judging!
Love your Daktari...fantastic looking truck! We already have an orange tiger....this is what has towed our horses around for the last few years..
Spending tomorrow filling the truck with all of our stuff...and finishing off a few jobs.... We try and get some photos to do it justice!
Thanks again all!
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Well she's home... Spent the last couple of days doing the final fit out... Saddle racks, sorting horse end, cleaning etc etc..
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A few photos over a couple of posts to show where we now are....
Spent the day lining out the cupboards...this is the horse prep locker designed to house the things like studs, brushes, travel boots, plaiting stuff etc......
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Next locker is the horse cleaning locker which houses the horse shower, buckets and cleaning shampoos etc etc..
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A few photos over a couple of posts to show where we now are....
Spent the day lining out the cupboards...this is the horse prep locker designed to house the things like studs, brushes, travel boots, plaiting stuff etc......
Next locker is the horse cleaning locker which houses the horse shower, buckets and cleaning shampoos etc etc..
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
The next locker is for all the mechanical things...hydraulic tail lift, fuel for generator, switches for ramp and rear floodlights....
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The next locker is the full width under living locker which houses things like the additional bed frames, tool boxes, protection mats, bbq and loungers...
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The next locker is the full width under living locker which houses things like the additional bed frames, tool boxes, protection mats, bbq and loungers...
DragonSlayer
Well-Known Member
We are putting a washing hose in the back locker of our lorry this summer. Thought about one of those coil ones but now I think about it, it might get in a knot! It's all hands on deck to get the living area finished before the TREC season starts as OH is always so busy but it's getting there....
Do you mind if I post a few pics of our box here? Just to show yours is a far superior beast! Our build is a slightly scaled down version...!
Do you mind if I post a few pics of our box here? Just to show yours is a far superior beast! Our build is a slightly scaled down version...!
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Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
For the all important horse area the truck is stalled for 2/3 horses..
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Accessible via a hydraulic power ramp, the lorry also sits on air springs so you can lower the back of the lorry to reduce the ramp angle...
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We have also been playing with the lorry electrics which has allowed us utilise the reversing lights to be switched on as loading lights...
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The rear horse area is also air conditioned so if we get stuck in the summer on the M25 we can chill the horses out! You can see the vent in the top right hand corner of the photo on the back wall...
Accessible via a hydraulic power ramp, the lorry also sits on air springs so you can lower the back of the lorry to reduce the ramp angle...
We have also been playing with the lorry electrics which has allowed us utilise the reversing lights to be switched on as loading lights...
The rear horse area is also air conditioned so if we get stuck in the summer on the M25 we can chill the horses out! You can see the vent in the top right hand corner of the photo on the back wall...
Farmer Chalk
Well-Known Member
Sorry for the multiple posts but the forum doesn't like multiple photos on the same post...
Back to the horse area...
We've fitted coloured LEDs in the rear to keep the horses calm when travelling. By choosing a colour like violet, this can be dimmed down when travelling at night, or in the early hours ...
Thus the horse can be aware of their surroundings without being blinded by white light...
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Next photo is to show how bright they are...
[/URL][/IMG]
Back to the horse area...
We've fitted coloured LEDs in the rear to keep the horses calm when travelling. By choosing a colour like violet, this can be dimmed down when travelling at night, or in the early hours ...
Thus the horse can be aware of their surroundings without being blinded by white light...
Next photo is to show how bright they are...