Installing the Side Panels

BTW, I've been asked how long this will take and how far along I am.  The project is estimated to take around 250 hours, but a lot depends on how simple or complex the builders decide to make their campers.  I haven't kept track but I reckon I have spent about 20 to 25 hours on it so far, so I still have a very long way to go.  The shell itself goes together pretty rapidly, but things start to slow down quite a bit after that--there are a thousand small details.

The side panels go in next (I hope everyone realizes that the camper is mounted upside down in the cradle, so the roof panels are at the bottom for now).

This is panel 3 on what will be the right side.  You may have noticed small white labels here and there that make it easier to find the right pieces. 

Even if those stick-on labels are lost, though, ClC has engraved labels on every part.  For example, this is right-side panel 3 at the rear end.  The engraved labels always go to the inside, so it's pretty easy to make sure everything is oriented properly.

The above photos show the right-side panel wired in place and both the right and left panels wired in.

Panel 4, right side, is ready for installation.

And here it is attached to panel 3 with copper stitching wires.  Looking closely, you can see dotted lines where the doorway will be cut out.

Here, I have stood the shell (in its cradle) on its right side to prepare for finishing the seams.

Looking down at the inside-right.  You can't tell, but I have "tack-welded" the joints with super glue so the copper wires can be removed.  Tack-welded is CLC's term for it.  Sticking with the sewing model, you might want to call the operation "basting."

And here the joints have been filleted with thickened epoxy and covered with fiberglass tape and unthickened epoxy.  This is actually the left side of the shell--I waited until I was finished with this operation to take the final picture.

In the next few steps I'll be installing a bulkhead that separates the cabin from the rear galley, working on the galley hatch, and installing the cabin floor.  After that the basic cabin is finished and the cradle comes off.