Going, Going, Going, Gone…

We are on the move!!!

On my way to Toowoomba to get Gigi registered as a motorhome. Lots of paperwork and possible worries are ahead of me. But like my daughter reminded me, “where there is a Will there is a way”, I’m going to see how much energy I got left in the tank..

Filled up in Twa ($1.07 per litre) and up towards Hampton we went. Right up there, I hit a pothole, big enough to make a full family sedan disappear, when I heard a loud bang.. Oh boy, here we go again. I just made 50 km and I’m already in trouble.. I decide to stop at the park to check the culprit of such horrible sound… Oh boy, one of the cupboard door in the kitchen just fell off..

Luckily the door or the hinge didn’t break, but the two screws simply came out from the side. They are 10mm screws, and they are sitting in a plastic sleeve. The plastic didn’t have any real strength to hold the door, especially in a mountain twisty road. Once the door opened, the weight and G force did the rest of the job. To complete the trip I simply removed all the other doors and left them on the floor to prevent further damage..

Before I forget, you can always follow where Gigi is located by checking out the Map in the Statistics page.

Once I got in Toowoomba I got some longer screws that actually do bite into the timber and long enough to grab both side of the cabinet. That did fix one problem, however I also need it to find a way for the door to stop opening while driving. I did think about all the other moving part in the vehicle like the doors in the bathroom and the bedroom, but somehow I forgot about those three cupboard doors.. It could have been an expensive mistake. You really need to tie down/lock everything otherwise the Australian road will punish you very quickly and easily.

While I was there wondering this silly mistake, I looked out of the window and quickly realised that it was time to sit down, have a coffee, and smell the roses. After all the adventure had begun, and this was just a little setback. Possibly one of many more ahead to come. I did enjoy the coffee and realised that while I had travelled that road hundreds times before, I actually never really stop there.

Then, an old couple arrives in another motorhome and park just behind me. The husband get out and quickly come to the front to warn me that I have lost the number plate. I thank him and let him know that I’m actually on my way to get it registered. He has a quick look inside from the door and mumble something along the lines: “it is huge”… I smile and nod while starting the engine..

The rest of the trip goes without any new dramas, until  about 500 metre from the destination I stop at the traffic light where I’m having problem getting the first gear in to move again. It feels like the gearbox has moved and the gears are no longer in the same place.. I eventually find the second gear and get to my destination.. I’m not really worried about it, because after all, that’s the reason why I’m here in Toowoomba. Service and repair all the mechanical issue before taking it to the Department of Transport.

I ended up spending the next two weeks at MTR owned and operate by Mick and his son Anthony (you can find them under Links then select Mobile Mechanics). What I really love about this place is that it is run like workshops use to be. No bullshit, just great workmanship at very realistic prices. You may also get to meet Charlie and his unbelievable knowledge on about just any brand of truck ever made.. And he does particularly love to work on coaches.. 😁

But it is Mick with his huge network of connections that really puts this workshop ahead of the competition.. No matter what time of the day, or if the local part’s suppliers are out of stock.. Mick will find and get the part/s you need, make no mistake.. That perhaps does explain why this place is always so busy. People do come from all over Australia to get their vehicle fixed here. They can do anything, and they have no issue in taking any size job..

As you can see the waiting area is pretty full of vehicles, but I still managed to find a nice spot between jobs.. We changed all the oils and filters, fixed several electrical problems, and managed to replace most of the ball joint that didn’t allowed me to change gear.

Between jobs, I was also able to fix the kitchen cabinet, and replace the holding pin for the big pantry drawers with industrial latches, as while driving to test the vehicle, I quickly realised that my latching system was simply not good enough for the big drawers..

A quick trip to the hardware store, and I was also able to solve the problem of the cabinet opening while driving. It is just a temporary solution until a find a metal combination that is really strong.. On the right you can also see the new latches that won’t open while I’m driving. They may don’t look pretty but the definitely do the job. I also had to replace most screws on the runner with “proper” timber screws.. Bottom line is that either Bunnings or Ikea kitchen need serious modification if used in an RV on Australian roads! You simply can’t use the hardware supplied with the kit.

Nonetheless, after two intensive weeks of permits and certification, it came to pass that Gigi is finally a complete registered Motorhome setup to allow 5 people to be comfortable for up to a month with all amenities.

Lastly, I’m going to include the picture of the custom made number plate that was mounted on the bullbar, just in case Gigi would have failed the inspection..

I thought it was funny, but not all the local took it the right way.. 😂😂