In The Shop
Unveiling the Vision & The Color Dilemma
The morning of assembly brought double the anticipation: it was the very first time I got to lay eyes on the actual modular boxes fresh from the powder coaters.
If you are a future Moduon customer, picking your color scheme is easily one of the most exciting stages of the build—you have the freedom to choose virtually any shade you can imagine. But with that freedom comes a bit of creative stress: How will this exact sample look on a full-scale build? How does it react in deep shade, under the harsh midday sun, or framed against the red sands of the Kalahari dunes?
I had a specific olive green in mind from the start. We requested several physical color swatches from our powder coating supplier to test. While comparing small swatches can make you second-guess yourself, the moment I saw one particular sample, I was sold. Seeing that exact olive green finish applied to our first test-coated door confirmed we made the right call—it gave the panels a rugged, natural feel that instantly brought the concept to life.
The High-Stakes Moment of Truth
On past builds, we always did a full test assembly before painting a single part. This time, we didn't have the luxury of time—a bitter irony, considering we set our own deadlines.
Up to this point, everything existed on paper, in CAD files, and in money spent on pure concept. We had invested heavily in components without 100% certainty that every real-world tolerance would behave. Worse yet, every single panel, box, and frame member was already painted or powder-coated before final assembly. There was no room for error. No taking a grinder to a bad edge, no re-drilling out-of-line holes without destroying the protective finish, and no second chances. Today was the first time these precision-built components met in physical space to prove whether our measurements were truly square.
Clearing the Canvas
Before we could bolt down the final components, we had to strip back the temporary parts. The original mudguards didn't survive the transit between the two workshops and that was fine by us. They were never bolted down permanently they had served their purpose as setup templates and a temporary guard against flying rocks on public roads.
The rear bumper came off next. Like the mudguards, it was used to pre-drill mounting holes prior to frame coating. We also took this opportunity to upgrade the finish on all black structural parts including the fenders, bumper, and mudguards to a far more durable, heavy-textured powder coat.
The Big Transformation
With the chassis prepped, the moment of truth arrived. My dad was there and having him there and an extra set of hands to help assemble made a world of difference. Miraculously, every bolt hole lined up, every face pulled flush, and the structural geometry sat dead square. Within a few hours, the main modular boxes and nose cone were aligned and securely mounted. Visually, this was the most dramatic shift of the entire build: in a single afternoon, an abstract metal frame turned into a tangible, production-grade off-road trailer.
In the below photo you can see there is a few holes missing in the rear right box, the one on the left has the two holes for the handles precut. Later on I mounted one reflector just to be safe...
The Devil in the Details & A Victory Lap
While mounting the main boxes gave instant gratification, the real test began with the smaller sub-assemblies. The fridge slides, internal drawers, water plumbing, and 12V routing didn't offer the same immediate visual impact, but they demanded twice the precision and time.
Working against a tight weekend deadline pushed us deep into the night. That’s when the mosquitoes arrived in full force. I’ve never experienced a swarm quite like it—working under the harsh shop lights, constantly swatting, and running on fumes. In that moment, a wave of doubt hit: Had I built up this grand idea of overlanding and weekend escape in my head, only for the reality to be a relentless struggle against the elements?
With just three doors left to hang, we decided to call it a night and take a well-deserved victory lap. We hooked up the trailer and took it for its very first night-time test drive, stopping at a 24-hour Wimpy. After pouring everything into the build, I didn't even have R20 to my name, but thanks to my wife's debit card, we ordered a round of burgers and chips. Sitting there sharing that late-night meal felt like the ultimate reward—we had set out to do a mammoth job, and against the odds, we pulled it off.
The Verdict
Looking back now after taking the trailer out on actual adventures, I have my answer. It wasn't as good as I had imagined and always dreamt.
It was better.
Let me know what you think!
Happy camping,
Jannie