Starting my second camper build. Anyone want to come and check my measurements? 😉

Wife has responded with ‘Just get on with it’ which is a bit flippant given the circumstances!

Eek…much bigger than the windows in my last van…

Cutting out windows= terrifying.

If you are ready worried cut out the same hole size out of some hardboard or other cheap sheet material first.

Its a door, worst case is you need a new door from a scrappy.

Stop being a fanny and get it done.

Instead of cutting it just paint a nice landscape picture on the inside
Maybe a nice Caribbean beach scene

For the window cutting either use a nibbler or a jigsaw…….angle grinder is a “No-No” !!!

Following with interest..Why an iveco?

I did a template and used the cutout to check the door dimensions as well. Used a jigsaw, though needed a longer bit for timber to get through a section of rib.

I always start with the roof (two skylights in) as a major cockup just means a bit of fibreglassing to rectify, and yes, I went for the door first on purpose in case of a huge mistake 🙂

I’ve gone for another Iveco as its the only van that will tow 3500kg. And they are cheap…much much cheaper than Sprinters etc. (although thats relative as this van is only a couple of years old) I also run a forum for Iveco’s so it makes sense to keep the same vehicle.

Anyway, its cut out and primed, hopefully get the window in tomorrow morning.

Using the posh bowls to get a 75mm radius:

Template:

Daylight:

Only had time for a test fit yesterday due to a day spent at the stables, so first window fitted properly today. Now to repeat for the other side, except now I have a handy metal template 🙂

Thread resurrection! This weekend was meant to be the first trip away in the van, however the event was cancelled as we were hooking up the horse trailer and preparing to leave 🙁

So, with Trailrats constant updates, thought I should join in the fun and sort some pics out!

First up, goodbye old van and hello new!

My old van was a 2005 Iveco Daily MWB, 4 belted seats, garage, fixed bed, bog, 2800kg tow limit.

New van is a 2014 35s13 MWB. End of line special so its loaded up with some extras, climate control/cornering lights/reverse cam and double DIN radio. A bit more poke and an extra gear means it can tow 3500kg which means we use all the payload of our horse trailer.
In the picture: loadspace testing, headlight leveller fixing, towbar fitting…

I like it.

Good use of space.

I love campers. But all I see is a missed opportunity

Nice

Now work was delayed for three months whilst I tidied up and sold the old van…having three vans (including a work van) on one long drive is a logistical nightmare 🙂

Planning. Similar layout to my old van, although everything is going to flip offside to nearside. Garage is just big enough to get 2/3 bikes in with front wheel and saddle removed. Bed is 6′, and just enough room to sit up in bed. Space was tight and it took a long time to work out.
In the picture: Lots of measuring, templates, head scratching and Sketchup.

The Roof. I wanted to get all the through roof fixings done first so I could get the ceiling and lights in whilst I still had the old plywood floor down. Note, secondhand rooflights are a bugger to unstick from the section of caravan roof they are supplied in…knives, rubber hammers and lots of clothes peg wedges required!
In the picture: Rooflights, first holes cut into the van, and solar…after a long search I managed to find semi-flexible panels short enough to install sideways.

Reminds me, I need to start a van thread…

Yes, you do! Looking forward to it

Any chance of a link to the solar panels ?

I don’t have the skills to do this kind of thing – but I do love these threads!

Jeez Spooky b329, haven’t you finished that thing yet? :-p

Looking good by the way 8)

Pretty sure it was this panel…

https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/catalog/full/287-100W-Flexible-Solar-Panel-with-Rear-Junction-Box-made-of-back-contact-cells-for-motorhome-caravan-camper-rv-boat.html

I bolted each corner using bolts and rivnuts, rubber washers and sealant, then Stixall around the edges of the panels to stop them lifting. Be careful if you decide to buy the adhesive roof brackets, they are surprisingly big and wouldn’t have fitted on my roof corrugations.

For two panels you can get the 2 into 1 connectors and mount them on the roof, then get one long extension cable which has a male and a female end, chop it in half and it you’ll have a fair amount to play with inside the van and the chopped ends don’t matter as you’d cut the connectors off to terminate into the solar controller anyway. Obv you need an entry gland as well.

Cheers. Be a good reason to use my riv nut setting tool I bought to do 2 m12 rivnuts on the landy and not alot else 😀 one of them things you find a use for loads when you have it I decided. Never been super keen on the idea of simply sikaflexing panels to the roof

Why not? They glue the wings on aeroplanes apparently 🙂 We once drove the full length of the M50 with the fuel cap of our car on the roof after filling up and it was still there at the end.

People have lost solar panels, and the solid ones could do some serious damage coming through someone’s windscreen!

Sure it would be fine but if you’ve got release agent on the panel or excess polish on the van, could you trust it?!

I’m sure they do. How ever the wings don’t tend to have a half inch gap under the panel working at prying it off it’s bondings .

Pretty sure they ain’t using 512 either.

I have a couple of well needed weeks off now, van is back at Iveco to get some recurrent electrical faults sorted out during the last three days of its warranty and then its first MOT is due at the end of the week.

Might even manage to tidy the garage, and get out on the singlespeed in preparation for a trip to Wales in a fortnight!

Underneath.
Getting all the underfloor items fitted…Fresh tank under the sill, refillable LPG and waste tank (Fiamma 70l, not shown) under the rear overhang. Direct mount crash sensing regulator fitted (with a homemade splash shield) as you have to crawl right under the van to reach the main valve.

Mines had underslung tanks in the overhang at some point in its life. You can see the ex fill points have been covered over.

How ever after 2 full weeks of graft mines looks superficially the same as it did when I got it 🙁

However it is significantly improved and much much cleaner.

Not sure I’d buy someone elses van again haha- although for what I paid I couldn’t even buy a van worth building and it would take me alot longer than 2 weeks 🙂

Looks like you are making great progress…lets just be clear, I’ve grouped the photos into little collections, but I’ve now had the van for 14 months and it has been frustrating through the summer as I couldn’t really get stuck in until I had key things like the spare front seat. The fresh tank couldn’t be designed until I knew exactly where the rear seat was going, and the rear bed/garage was held up for ages whilst I ummed and ahhed about cutting out the vertical supports.

After all that, I’ve just got the bed in it and the inside is perhaps 40% done. You’ve had yours for a few weeks and once its tidied up, you’ll be off on your holibobs! Hope to have mine done by the summer 🙂

I had the old van for about seven years, so it was strange this year having to pay for accomodation! We also missed out on a couple of short breaks as we couldn’t justify spending the cash.

Edit: Hello Guy! Just noticed your post 🙂

Oops, missed one earlier…

Windows and Ceiling.
Polyvision Aero windows fitted, and ceiling insulated with 20mm Celotex style rigid board, then 3mm varnished ply. Lighting is touch controlled LED units which saves on a heap of wiring, and individual switching is good as many of the lights are shared between two areas.

am liking your new layout spooky. after using your old van for almost a year, that would prob be my preferred layout IF it didnt mean losing the storage/worktop space which you seem to have a bit less of now.

Have you checked to see how many amps you get from your solar? I considered solar for a long time, but after fitting extra batteries we now have plenty power for around a week parked up, as well as a 6 stage charger to get the most out of the batteries.

Hello Jon! Yes, that is the big downside, considerably less kitchen space, no space for a draining board and the fridge has to go under the bed. This also means the bed is a bit higher so you can still get bikes in (vertically), which further squeezes the length of the bed. Fresh water tank has also had to go underneath as no longer space under the bed.

My wife still says she prefers the ‘old’ van 🙂 Every time I try and talk to her about layout or colour, she just says I liked the old van, make it the same!

P.S Strongly recommend fitting solar, wish I’d done it on the last one…never realised the value of having 2-4 amps constantly on hand (and more in the summer) to trickle charge the batteries! The fridge ran for several days when I first got it hooked up in February, with weak winter sun the batteries were still on 70% after 4 days. Overnight I had a radiator in the van to help the varnish dry so the fridge had to do a bit of work to keep cool.

Underneath.
Getting all the underfloor items fitted…Fresh tank under the sill, refillable LPG and waste tank (Fiamma 70l, not shown) under the rear overhang. Direct mount crash sensing regulator fitted (with a homemade splash shield) as you have to crawl right under the van to reach the main valve.

Excellent – another van thread!
Favourited

Wheels, Tyres and Flooring.
New tyres were high on the priority list as the van was struggling to drag the trailer up gravel tracks and across fields. Realised the old tyres would be worth loads if sold on the rims, so this covered the cost of a set of van rated alloys! (I think I got £520 minus ebay fees and postage for three wheels, and kept one as a spare) New tyres are General Tire Grabber AT2’s, LT225/75R16. Also made a start on insulating the floor using foam floor matting (recycled from the garage floor) and as hoped, turned out to be a very effective sound deadener…less road noise and I can’t hear the differential anymore 🙂

Why were the old wheels worth so much!?

Tyres were branded and good condition, 6-8mm, and the wheels were really good, most from breakers are covered in rust.

Most vans dont come with spares and you don’t get spacesavers either… So lots of buyers wanting a spare.

The best wheel sold for £170!

Wonders never cease!

Van looks great – keep it up!

Seats, bases and swivels.
After months of searching, and trying to arrange a collection in Germany, I finally got my hands on a matching sprung passenger seat. Channel section used to create new lower seat bases as the sprung seats are comically high, and handbrake relocated to make room for the swivels.

Just spent the first night in the van…in creepy Crawley 🙂 Relieved to report bed is long enough to not feel cramped, and cheap memory foam mattress nice and comfy. (the photo below is still one step behind current progress)

Final layout mockup.
Took the plunge and cut out some metal work to get a 6′ bed. (bit scary but they remove more on factory minibuses to fit the windows) Started the interior build (bed, fridge and propex cabinet)

Last update for a little while as bar a little varnish and bedding, we are pretty much up to date!

Interior build 1: Bed, garage, underbed cabinets.
Rear bulkhead, bed, fridge, propex heater, insulation and lining well underway. Happy coincidence, bed turned out to be almost the same size as a UK small double so didn’t need a custom mattress.