Transit Jumbo Camper capers…SOLD M8

[AxWomble]

1 hour ago, JJ0063 said:

Considering I was sat at 75mph for 40+ miles down the A14 earlier, I think 28mpg is actually pretty alright for the size of it. Expected worse tbh!

 

Great gathering, would certainly recommend going next year 👍

That's pretty good I'd say, especially for a jumbo. Our Ducato managed 37mpg over the last tank (nearly 600 miles) but I'm a coward and drive at 60 😂

[JJ0063]

Can’t remember if I’ve mentioned here before but we’re desperate to get an opening window fitted on the drivers side but I just can’t get my head round how to install it with the van already being converted. 
 

Usually you’d start from the inside with the bare wall, cut out from the inside then bond the window in, frame it and clad round it. 
 

Im going to have to try and somehow make a stencil, cut from the outside, remove the metal which will then leave me looking into the van from the outside so I can then remove the insulation and somehow cut the ply lining out from the outside, I guess using a jigsaw or a multi tool.

 

Cant think of any easier way of doing it, removing the inside is not an option. 

[Popsicle]

Very fine blade on an angle grinder/dremel type cutter? I think a jigsaw would snag and jump around quite a bit, particularly with the blade going into the insulation and cladding.

Obviously measure many times cut once.

[Dyslexic Viking]

Not sure what these are called in English, but I have used these saws before with metal blades and they are quite good in car body work. The only thing that is probably difficult is cutting a perfectly straight line, but it will proberly be better with someone that is more patient than me.

[AxWomble]

That's a jigsaw, @Dyslexic Viking 

 

A bit left field, but what about an oscillating multitool with a fine metal blade? I've found them to be fairly effective when I don't want to cut into whatever is beneath the cut surface. It'll probably be neater than a jigsaw if you take it slowly, and it won't rip up the innards quite as much. Do you know if there is any wiring etc behind the wall? 

 

edit - didn't spot that you'd mentioned multitools already!

[omegod]

Reciprocating saw with a short ,fine blade ? you could even shorten the blade so there's only 10-15mm cutting length so it would be quite controllable 

[JJ0063]

Thanks guys 

 

yeah a jigsaw wouldn’t be top of my list as every time I’ve ever used one, they seem to try and veer off rather than cutting where I want.

Angle grinder or multi tool would be my top choice.

 

Im 99.999% sure there are no wires behind - there’s nothing electric on the wall that side and the lights on the ceiling don’t run that way so fingers crossed! 

[3VOM]

Any way of using a cutting disc in a machine with a guide like a circular saw, so that you can set the depth on the blade. Not sure if you can get a guide on an angle grinder or a cutting blade in a circular saw, but I hope you can understand what I am proposing.

[cobblers]

I wouldn't really recommend using anything like a grinder as you don't know what the insulation is and whether being bombarded with sparks will set it alight.

I'd make a template, cut a rough access hole with a jigsaw and a fine blade a good few inches on the inside of your line so that you can see what you're dealing with and then open the hole out to suit. 

[3VOM]

30 minutes ago, cobblers said:

I wouldn't really recommend using anything like a grinder as you don't know what the insulation is and whether being bombarded with sparks will set it alight.

True.

[JJ0063]

48 minutes ago, cobblers said:

I wouldn't really recommend using anything like a grinder as you don't know what the insulation is and whether being bombarded with sparks will set it alight.

I'd make a template, cut a rough access hole with a jigsaw and a fine blade a good few inches on the inside of your line so that you can see what you're dealing with and then open the hole out to suit. 

The insulation is Kingspan so thinking about it, a jigsaw shouldn’t be too bad as it won’t grab like typical insulation would.

[cobblers]

Aye, I reckon that's your best bet, get it as closeewith the jigsaw as you can and then use a grinder to trim up to the line.

TBH That's how we did them when I did it for a living.

[tom13]

On 7/23/2022 at 10:35 PM, JJ0063 said:

Fan bloody tastic show. Don’t want to leave tomorrow! 

 

Was the overland show on as well? Went to the last one for a day and the overland section was amazing. As you mention the Vario selection was amazing as well.

Just as a guide remember that the edge around the window doesn't normally need to be that good a cut. There is normally quite an overlap and the trim covers the inside as well. Just in case you are worried about quality of cut.

[JJ0063]

4 minutes ago, tom13 said:

Was the overland show on as well? Went to the last one for a day and the overland section was amazing. As you mention the Vario selection was amazing as well.

Just as a guide remember that the edge around the window doesn't normally need to be that good a cut. There is normally quite an overlap and the trim covers the inside as well. Just in case you are worried about quality of cut.

This was basically the overland show but without the overlanders, focussed just on the camper side of things 

https://vanlifefestival.com

Was brilliant tbh! First time they’ve done it too.

 

Good shout re the edge actually, it’ll be boxed in with a frame regardless so hasn’t got to be perfect I suppose!

[tom13]

28 minutes ago, JJ0063 said:

This was basically the overland show but without the overlanders, focussed just on the camper side of things 

https://vanlifefestival.com

Was brilliant tbh! First time they’ve done it too.

 

Good shout re the edge actually, it’ll be boxed in with a frame regardless so hasn’t got to be perfect I suppose!

Ah it was the international campervan and overland show I ended up going to. A mate of mine went as they give out free tickets if you have an interesting vehicle. He said the nights are usually a good laugh.

[JJ0063]

New camp site has opened not even 30 mins from ours, bloody lovely. Proper off grid back to basics type site. 

[cobblers]

Those are the best ones. Anywhere with hardstanding or hookups just gets mobbed.

[JJ0063]

11 minutes ago, cobblers said:

Those are the best ones. Anywhere with hardstanding or hookups just gets mobbed.

Absolutely, this place is absolutely massive yet I noticed on the board as you go in it’s only licensed for 30 pitches… amazing, you could fit 3000 vehicles on this land with ease. 
 

All it’s got is a couple of composting toilets, a solar electric point to charge things up etc and a washing up area along with a cubicle where you can bring your own solar shower bag.

 

We will certainly use this place as our bolt hole for the sporadic night away. Still only 23 mins drive to Hunstanton beach.

[mat_the_cat]

1 hour ago, cobblers said:

Those are the best ones. Anywhere with hardstanding or hookups just gets mobbed.

All I want from a night's camping is somewhere with good views, where I'm not going to get disturbed, and ideally where I can't see any other folk.  Oh, and a spot where I can have a fire would be the icing on the cake. For a night or two, I just don't need any other facilities. It's good to see there are places offering this sort of thing

[cobblers]

1 minute ago, mat_the_cat said:

All I want from a night's camping is somewhere with good views, where I'm not going to get disturbed, and ideally where I can't see any other folk.  Oh, and a spot where I can have a fire would be the icing on the cake. For a night or two, I just don't need any other facilities. It's good to see there are places offering this sort of thing

without online booking and a drive-thru reception, a play area, 42 showers / toilets and a gravelled loop for the kids to do laps around all day, are you really on holiday? 

[JJ0063]

8 hours ago, cobblers said:

without online booking and a drive-thru reception, a play area, 42 showers / toilets and a gravelled loop for the kids to do laps around all day, are you really on holiday? 

This is a field with nothing around it, phoned the number on the booking confirmation text when we arrived and a bloke with his wife turned up 5 mins later in their 57 plate V70 cross country to welcome us.

My kinda place.

[bangernomics]

Absolutely, this place is absolutely massive yet I noticed on the board as you go in it’s only licensed for 30 pitches… amazing, you could fit 3000 vehicles on this land with ease. 
 
All it’s got is a couple of composting toilets, a solar electric point to charge things up etc and a washing up area along with a cubicle where you can bring your own solar shower bag.
 
We will certainly use this place as our bolt hole for the sporadic night away. Still only 23 mins drive to Hunstanton beach.

Ping a link to it please we are aiming to do a U.K. tour next year and any good places like that go on the list. Fancy a bit of Eire too along with the Highlands and Islands.


Gzongenflatch

[JJ0063]

1 hour ago, bangernomics said:

Ping a link to it please we are aiming to do a U.K. tour next year and any good places like that go on the list. Fancy a bit of Eire too along with the Highlands and Islands.


Gzongenflatch

https://fouroakscamping.co.uk
 

its lovely. Actually thinking of going again next Friday! 

[Sunny Jim]

Re. cutting a window appeture: use self-tappers and maybe some glue/sealant to fix a guide rail to the piece you're going to remove. Butt the cutting tool up against it and viola, nice straight cut. Like so many jobs preparation is the key.

[JJ0063]

Nothing much to update on this, just been enjoying it.. a lot.

We have a list of things to do over winter, main thing being windows and ventilation. It’s just too warm in bed at night at the moment - luckily on sites we just sleep with the back doors ajar but we want to be able to wild camp next year. 
 

Going to replace the sliding door window with an opening one, two opening porthole windows in the rear doors and two small opening side windows up high on the rear/side area so when you’re laying in bed, there’s a window to the side of you.

 

window plans:

 

[AxWomble]

10 hours ago, JJ0063 said:

Nothing much to update on this, just been enjoying it.. a lot.

We have a list of things to do over winter, main thing being windows and ventilation. It’s just too warm in bed at night at the moment - luckily on sites we just sleep with the back doors ajar but we want to be able to wild camp next year. 
 

Going to replace the sliding door window with an opening one, two opening porthole windows in the rear doors and two small opening side windows up high on the rear/side area so when you’re laying in bed, there’s a window to the side of you.

 

window plans:

 

That’s the main issue we’ve found, full timing in ours for the last 7 weeks. The heat a few weeks back was brutal - we’ve got two big roof lights that open, one with a 12v fan integrated, but there wasn’t anywhere to draw in cool air from low down in the van and no side windows. Grim! 
 

Looks like a nice balance that you’ll have there - do you have any roof ventilation? We found there were some serious hot spots wherever there was stagnant air that had no reason to move. Looking great though, van holidays are awesome!

[JJ0063]

1 hour ago, AxWomble said:

That’s the main issue we’ve found, full timing in ours for the last 7 weeks. The heat a few weeks back was brutal - we’ve got two big roof lights that open, one with a 12v fan integrated, but there wasn’t anywhere to draw in cool air from low down in the van and no side windows. Grim! 
 

Looks like a nice balance that you’ll have there - do you have any roof ventilation? We found there were some serious hot spots wherever there was stagnant air that had no reason to move. Looking great though, van holidays are awesome!

A decent roof vent is on the list but further down as I think it’s going to be a pain in the arse for various reasons - the only space will be towards the front of the van (in line with the side door) due to the solar panels, and the inside is obviously already insulated / ply lined / has electrics for the lights etc. One day though. 
 

All we have are 2 small approx 6” extractor fans, mainly for when cooking.. they’re noisy too so never get used.

I think with a few opening windows we’ll be much better - currently we tend to leave the back doors ajar when we are somewhere safe and it makes a huge difference over being in a sealed box! 

[JJ0063]

New decals fitted today, didn’t want cliche campervan ones.

 

Went for a small brand I have followed since my Land Rover days, Explmore.

 

Their mantra is “Find community and inspire others to seek out life changing adventure”

 

 

[JJ0063]

Gorleston, Great Yarmouth then Reedham ferry campsite for the night.

[JJ0063]

Just won an eBay auction for a window to go on the drivers side, this goes basically where the sliding door window is but opposite side.

Genuine Ford and opening too. For £26 I’m well chuffed.