Now that I am back from my 2nd visit to the
Sportsmobile West factory it is time for an update on the W.A.V.E.'s progress. The Wheelchair Accessible Van for Expeditions is coming along nicely and while we have made a few changes, the overall result will be amazing. Working with everyone at SMB West has been beyond fun, from Alan the owner to Jonathan the Sales Manager down to the guys who are twisting the bolts, everyone has been excited about this project and is always watching for new creative solutions. These are very much hand built rigs and the shop guys know that people depend on them when out in remote areas, no shortcuts or half baked quality.
Ok now for some juicy pictures and details. It was beyond cool to walk into the factory and see how much progress has been made on the W.A.V.E, normally these builds take around 12 weeks but we started this project 2 weeks behind schedule and that didn't count the extra time for the mobility equipment install (about 1 week). The custom layout looks like it will provide a few cool features for the disabled user. In the picture above the drivers side buildout is for the guacho which faces the the cabinets, this will allow a person to scoot along the gaucho to the sink, the counter top with portable stove and the fridge, along with the storage under the sink. This will also allow a person who doesn't want to exit the vehicle to just enjoy the view out the back doors (of course the rear swingouts will have to be opened up first). Under the gaucho is easy access to the the fresh water tank, inverter, aux air conditioning, fuse block, and the shower hose connection.
