Looks like a good winter project, keep updating the progress. Our next outing is up to the borders for the bank holiday weekend and then the last two PMBA events for Abigale. Its in at the Ford garage today, we couldn’t get any air into the cab whilst we were away, had to rely on the windows, turns out it got bonnet vents for a left hand drive which blanks of the right hand drive air intake. it got a bit warm driving back through Italy.

ah, at least you know what it is and sounds like a cheap enough fix. It looks like my new sliding door with window has been delivered so that is next for me!

Nice work on the floor, looks really clean under the gak.What’s all the rubbish in the last shot though? Going to the tip?

The last shot is all my camping kit, the white bags are the recycled bottle insulation for the cavities, it was retrieved from the last van, so just chucked in for now. 🙂

We have the same duvet cover.

munro – Ikea, everyone has it! 😉 The mattress cover is an even older ikea one too! 🙂

Anyone have recommendations for heaters? I am looking at second hand propex heaters, my lunatic buddy keeps insisting I need to install a wood burner.. anyone have suggestions for safe heating ideas?

Will most likely be getting a refillable LPG tank so propex is my preference if I can find one I can afford, I am hoping to have an electric blanket too for really cold nights.

Sazter, I’d really say that spending the extra and get and ehberspacher (whateva…) running from the tank might be a better bet in the long term. You’d not need to plumb in an LPG tank and so would not need to have it linked to the cooking bit of your van.

Of course, if you are planning a full-on fixed build with a granite worktop*, then LPG is no bother.

* other worksurfaces also available

I am using a fridge and stove that run off LPG too, so that is my preferred option, after reading up it seems that propex is a bit quieter and cleaner than eberspacher too, and I’d rather run out of LPG than diesel!

My worktop is (in planning) going to be 12mm ply with an alu sheet top layer. 🙂

I would go with a Propex, they are very quiet outside the van whilst an Eber sounds like a mini turbine (especially if you haven’t bought a silencer…I have one on my work van). If you are a light sleeper I would install the propex away from the bed, as the blown air noise can be enough to wake you up, I reckon a Y piece so there are two outlets would reduce the noise considerably. Controller near the bed, obviously!

I was watching for second hand but ended up buying brand new, I think a tatty old one was £300 from ebay, versus brand new with all the fittings for £420. And unlike a woodburner, they are completely safe as room sealed.

I have an LPG tank which is another big ticket item, but you could consider a Gaslow style refillable bottle, benefits are cheap LPG from petrol stations, and crucially, only need one tank as you don’t need to empty it, swap over to the spare and then exchange the empty. You would just need to budget for the fill point as filling stations don’t like you filling at the bottle directly, as the travellers have dodgy adaptors to allow standard propane bottles to be refilled from the pump which is very dangerous as they have no protection against being overfilled.

Spooky – that is exactly my plan, Propex heater, might have just got myself a 2nd hand bargain so we will see. Good call on a splitter and 2 outlets, will see how that fits once I start planning the layout. Refillable LPG was my plan, with a filler port on the side of the van to make it easy and looks like am just filling the on board tank. Away this weekend riding and marshalling in Peebles so hopefully get the electrics sorted next week in the eves and floor finished as soon as I get my saw back. Happy with progress so far though. 🙂

Got a new door which resolved the central locking issue and added a window, saved a couple of hundred quid too!

Got the ply and lino sorted for the floor and have the bed location sorted, need to get the wood this weekend to build the bed.

Looking nice and the insulation job is looking tidy too!

Are you going to stick with the 2+1 up front, or replace the double with a single?

Willard – for now keeping the double as it’s not too uncomfortable and I like the ability to take 2 people with me, might upgrade to two comfy seats in the future but that’s waaaay away, for now we can *just* squeeze through the gap if we need to get in the back when it’s being all Scottish outside so thats fine by me.

Oh and before anyone mentions it, the lino is not yet stuck down so its a bit wobbly, I need to fill a few floor holes then glue it all down, so it’s just plonked in for now. The bit behind the seats will be trimmed down to the step height once I have it all sorted and in place properly. Tonight I am untangling the existing wiring and making a start on that, hopefully the battery (later to be two) will fit under the passenger seats, freeing up the bench seats I will add later for storage for bulky stuff.

Pulled all the dead-end wiring out of the nooks and crannies last night, lots of it for the old beacons and equipment… now the van is dead… oops! I can get it working by bridging a 500A fuse, so need to check that it is indeed redundant as I believe and get rid of it. OOPSIE!! 🙂 Love learning stuff me!

Also removed the seats and had a good clean up and located a home for the leisure battery under the passenger seats.

very cool!

Thanks konabunny!

This weekend I fixed the problem I created when messing with the electrics, phew! Also took the opportunity to change the front 12v socket to a twin usb instead, will install the socket I removed into the back doors for my bike wash. Got the leisure battery and split charge all hooked up, small cab heater (temporary until propex arrives) and rear lights running off that. Reversing camera set up on a switch so I can have it on when I like and not just in reverse.

Going to install a 12v socket, twin usb and a 240v in the bed area and the same in the living area. Have run a decent amount of cable along the length of the van to use for this and powering the kitchen when I get to that. Ordered fabric swatches for the curtains and seating. Got the wood to build the bed. It’s all happening here!

Great stuff, very inspiring…I just need to sell the car & find a van!

Fantastic. Keep the photo’s and posts coming.

Sorry, good work, looking forward to seeing the end result 🙂

Sazter, I’ve updated the earlier Trafic thread with shots of my van, finally back on the road:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/traficvivaro-swb-as-a-camper-will-i-regret-it#post-7147162

Wanna meet soon for a coffee and I’ll demo? I saw you on the vmx/jump bike heading down Elderslie St the other day, going quickly 🙂

Hey Gary, That looks ace, very clean and pro! That 24″ bmx is my commuter machine, 2 miles each way, well good fun! 🙂 Will have to sort a time to see your conversion, pretty busy just now on my conversion, just got the funds which allow me to get a propex heater, skylight and refillable LPG tank. 😀

I now have van envy… For all my previous plans, I have settled for only a fixed storage unit/half bed and a removeble table in mine. That leaves space for bikes, dogs and random kit. No heater though.

Got a bit more construction sorted this weekend. Holes in floor filled (Left by equipment used by previous owner) then ply and lino are stuck down and sealed round the edges. Constructed the bed properly, 3×2 with 110mm bolts through each end right through the horizontal strut of the van, so very solid, recessed the bolt heads into the wood for a flat finish then some 10mm slats to finish the bed base, these are supported on the three 3×2’s so I used thin material for a bit of flex and comfort. Full size double mattress on top of this. Made a start on the garage, bottom shelf for spare wheel then my bike wash and tools above and still room for a top shelf for lighter stuff if I need it. Carpeted the wheel arches using scraps as will be hidden anyway but better for insulation and sound deadening and ply lined the sides above the arches up to the bed with extra insulation stuffed in the cavity.

There was a small bit of rust where the holes are in the drivers side behind the plastic rubbing strip so took that off, wired brushed and sanded it back to bare metal and painted it with zinc paint before replacing the plastic strip.

[img]https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11947452_10156013013335203_6830119472217385069_n.jpg?oh=c5afa8432f8112015360dfd12a4b0d01&oe=56A6042F[/img][img]https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlp1/v/t1.0-9/11987063_10156013013495203_5762127695749124619_n.jpg?oh=66b936350bd7293fea449090a223aae8&oe=565CF5AC[/img]

In the last week have had lots of stuff delivered, so this weekend is build time again. Need to finish the sofa and start building cupboards and my bike store. Have a gaslow system to install which will then run the stove, propex heater (which also arrived) and fridge (which I still need to test as bought 2nd hand). The job lot that I got the fridge with had the 12mm ply I have used for the garage so far and some cushions, removed the covers from these and they look decent underneath so just need some nice fabric to recover them. Got the fabric in for the curtains which has a retro pattern so just getting a colour match to a solid colour for the seat covers (probably red). As most stuff is running on gas I am hanging fire on adding an extra battery and solar panel for now and see how I get on with the single 110A battery I transferred over from the last van.

Should be lots of photos after Sat! 😀

Looks great

Looks great.

Are there any good resources where I can learn to do this sort of thing myself?

Excellent.
Looking forward to Saturdays pics.

Thanks all!

Rich, I just keep looking up various sites and searching for the job I need to do as I go, but I found Van Dog Traveller to be a fantastic resource, he also has a book, though most of the content is on his site, the book makes it easy to find the bit you need, it was £10 and I am very happy with it. Has given me the reassurance that I probably won’t die when I install the gas system! 🙂

That’s brilliant.

Thank you Sazter.

Nice going! The bed and storage looks properly solid an useful. I’m impressed.

I have no actual idea what this thread is actually about and I probably don’t care.

Nevertheless, the title word is reminiscent of vagina, or vagazzle, which is somewhat unnecessary.

Can’t wait till the thread disappears entirely. 😐

Well that has been said before, but it was my van name based on Angelina and Van… and I didn’t think it sounded rude until people like you pointed it out… but since we are now discussing it that means it’s here to stay for a bit… oops!

If the mods feel it polite to stop upsetting people I don’t mind if the title be changed to something like “My van conversion” or whatever, but I think it’s a bit silly really to be bothered by it as it not actually rude or meant to be in any way and there are far worse things to worry about IMO.

Nevertheless, the title word is reminiscent of vagina, or vagazzle, which is somewhat unnecessary.

Probably says more about how your mind works than anything.

Can’t wait till the thread disappears entirely

I bet you’re a right little party animal.

Great thread and inspirational to many, including me, as I’m now considering getting a van to convert.
Keep up the good work sazter.

Thanks Captain! 😉

I have no actual idea what this thread is actually about and I probably don’t care.

Nevertheless, the title word is reminiscent of vagina, or vagazzle, which is somewhat unnecessary.

Can’t wait till the thread disappears entirely

I’m amazed you managed to put your Daily Mail down for long enough to type that. How can you possibly be bothered or offended by that.

Can’t wait till the thread disappears entirely.

So posts on the thread and helps to keep it on the front page 😆 🙄

Never entered my head, don’t think the title needs changing. Keep up the posting, may even see it on the road when we are up further north.

@sazter..

You’ve actually n.a.m.e.d. your van..? 😯

Each to their own, I suppose.