Sold AMM - Ford Transit 2.5DI Camper conversion SOLD

[The Moog]

Barefoot - all done on a small budget at the moment so I can get v5 changed. Captains chairs etc are bit out of reach. Not going to have toilet on board.

 

Keeping the double passenger seat with belts, building kitchen just behind driver ( just cooker and sink at moment) then rear lounge area. Space behind passenger seat is going to be dog cages/secure transport area for them.

 

All modular so that in 6 months when got more cash I can upgrade things.

 

Skizzer- ultimately they will be covered but again just painted or left bare at moment to save money.

 

To get it changed on v5 need a sink plus cooker. Will mean I can get camper insurance which will be a lot cheaper than van insurance.

[barefoot]

Fair enough, another tip then, sinks are generally a bit crap/ridiculously small, so fit it for the v5, but plan for it to be discarded. I've even got rid of the one in the bay, you couldn't fit a plate in the bloody thing.

[The Moog]

Yep, had that in t25. Going to fit it and then make a cover for it and use as work surface.

 

Only paid £20 for one with tap. Going to get a couple of Jerrycans and locate them underneath so they can potentially be hooked up (but not in reality)

[The Moog]

Sink and cooker unit built. It is progressing nicely.

 

Today I built the gas box. But I need some help regarding the gas pipes. I have attached two photos of my sink/cooker combo. The top of my gas box is about 25cm from my cooker.

 

Can I use rubber hose for now?

 

From the research I have done you cant have more than 18inches of rubber hose, but also most people run copper hard lines. For the sake of a 1/3 of a metre I think this is going to complicate things for now.

 

I will put a fridge in at some point(probably next year) but I will take the time to take it all apart and do it proper with copper then.

 

Thoughts?

[mat_the_cat]

I'm not sure on the regs, but you state 18 inches is OK yet you have a distance of 25 cm. Mixed units? I've done all mine in copper to a fixed tank so no help, but wouldn't personally worry about a little extra length, especially if just a temporary solution.

[rml2345]

18 inches is about 45cm so you shouldn't have a problem.

[The Moog]

Sorry about units. I will live with it for moment. Hopefully it will be finished to send off v5 this week.

[The Moog]

Spent another couple of hours on it today.

 

I had tried painting it all white with cheap gloss but it looked proper shit. So came up with plan b when I saw tiles for £1.25 each in BM.

 

Got the boxes roughly covered with floor tiles from B M. Currently screwed on, once i have laid all insulation and doing final fit i will glue the tiles on.

 

Covered gaps under the sink and cooker with hardboard. I will go back and fit proper doors later on.

 

Gas box built and sprayed green.

 

Left to do before sending off pictures

 

Trim table to fit width

Cover table surface

Fit rubber orange hose and drill hose hole

Take photos and send off for V5 change.

 

It is just designed to get the bus changed to a camper on V5. Almost all of it will be redone when I have got more money.

 

 

Costs

Floor tiles -£20

Sticky tiles - £5

More wood & screws - £40

 

So current total including van purchase is about £850

[barefoot]

I'll bet that seems a humungous amount of space after a T25.

[The Moog]

Yep it is mahoosive. I am going to build more cupboards etc at later date.

 

Plus once I add two massive dogs in the mix I think it will feel smaller

[The Moog]

Final tweaks made, pictures taken and V5 in the post.

 

Total Bill including van was £852.32 (so £350ish). It is usable for weekends but will need insulating, more cupboards, windows tinting, cushions 7& covers, curtains, fridge, leisure battery and electrics for more. Oh and a 5 speed box

 

Apologies for the shit pics but camera didnt like the sun.

 

[cms206]

Shit a brick man that looks brilliant! Glad it lives on

[RoadworkUK]

AUTOSHITE HONEYMOON SERVICE AVAILABLE

[The Moog]

Neighbour knocked today and wanted to know if I wanted his spare underfloor insulation plus rest of his waterproof laminate flooring. All for the best price of zero groats.

 

I can't see any issue with lobbing down laminate especially as it is already a wood floor. I can see that with metal it wont provide a place to attach stuff to but for me I can screw through it.

 

Anyone disagree with just laying foam insulation then laminate down?

[The Moog]

AUTOSHITE HONEYMOON SERVICE AVAILABLE

With the extra large windows it is more like AUTOSHITE DOGGING BUS AVAILABLE -WIPE CLEAN

[danthecapriman]

Neighbour knocked today and wanted to know if I wanted his spare underfloor insulation plus rest of his waterproof laminate flooring. All for the best price of zero groats.

 

I can't see any issue with lobbing down laminate especially as it is already a wood floor. I can see that with metal it wont provide a place to attach stuff to but for me I can screw through it.

 

Anyone disagree with just laying foam insulation then laminate down?

 

Thats all ive done in my Transit camper conversion. I have a thick (12mm?) ply floor screwed to the vans metal floor pan, then laid a layer of the foam insulation over the top stuck down with double sided carpet tape then laminate over the top of the lot. Its fine. Mine will be secured by the furniture units once they are screwed down to the floor (through the lamminate into the ply). I have driven mine around without it being screwed down and nothing has moved, I wont leave it loose though!

 

Great conversion btw!

[The Moog]

Brilliant. Hopefully will keep costs down even more.

[mat_the_cat]

I've done similar, with a 6 mm ply floor bonded to the floorpan (to prevent rusty screw holes), then foam camping mats, followed by laminate flooring or carpet depending on where in the van. Previously it was just carpet on top of ply, and it was noticeably cold around the feet in autumn.

[The Moog]

Letter back from DVLA. I cant change V5 until I tax it which cant happen at the moment. So I need to insure and tax the beast, then get v5 changed.

[skattrd]

Insurance isn't checked when getting tax any more and as you're turning it in to a camper that should get cheaper insurance I'd leave the insurance until the class is changed.

[Anglevan]

Great job and a lot cheaper than when I built my mitsubishi camper.

Regards insurance mine is still registered as a van and the insurance company accepted it was a camper with no hassle and didn't ask for pics. They just asked some specific questions. I will let dvla know I've just not done yet.

[The Moog]

Just got insurance quote £220 fully comp including breakdown. So that isn't bad. Quote as van/minibus was over £600 so money well spent converting it.

 

Will hold off taxing it for a month I think. In meantime I am going to try fit flooring I have been given before end of next week

[dollywobbler]

I can confirm that insurance is no longer checked - the XM was showing as uninsured on MID when I taxed it, as I'd insured it about five mins previously. Nice work though! Looks ace.

[The Moog]

Took the battery out of the bus before Christmas as it was flat. Lobbed it on charge to top it off

 

Back on the bus today but no joy. Dash lights are ok but just does the think on starter and stops then lights go out.

 

Tried with my jump pack and still no joy so I think the battery has had it. Still registers 12.1v but definitely not starting.

 

Off to order a new battery

[mat_the_cat]

If it's only 12.1 volts after a charge then yes, it's no good. And it'd need to be a hefty jump pack to start a Transit diesel.

 

Do you know whether it went flat from age/cold, or a lack of use for a long period? If there's a small current drain then it'll do the same to your replacement, which will shorten its life too

[The Moog]

My fault through lack of use. Been sitting for a few months without being started. I need to get it started and MOTd so I can use it to move house with.

 

Pretty sure there is no parasitic drain as it pretty much has nothing fitted 😊

 

Might PM you about your conversion. Plan to get on with it again in a couple of months and could do with ideas.

[mat_the_cat]

Feel free to send a PM, and I've put some photos/info here if that helps? You can do a much simpler job with the electrics than I have mind, just that it's a pet interest of mine. But that's the thing with self-builds - you can tailor it to exactly what you want/need.

[The Moog]

One new battery delivered today from ebay and the bus fires straight into life.

 

Brakes were stuck on but using the starter trick. Took it for a tootle up the track 😊

 

Needs to go for an MOT sooner rather than later as it is going to get pressed into service as a removal bus.

 

Jobs to do are

 

Fix the washers- they stick on emptying the fluid

Fix left indicator- doesn't work from stalk but hazards do

 

Reckon both of those jobs are just a case of clean switch contacts or if worse comes to worse replacing them.

 

Aside from that I think it will pass.

 

I was going to get a quote to fit the 5 speed box that I have acquired off Jonthan Dyane. Is there an easy way to check if it will fit as he mentioned might be an issue with a cross member?

[barefoot]

Dead easy.

Drop the four speed and offer up the five - job done.

[The Moog]

You make it sound so easy 😊

 

Sadly the van doesn't fit the garage otherwise I would have a go. Hence having to get a garage to do it.