TRIBEmeet 2021 project or Karandras_sh buys a van

[Karandrassh]

A quick preamble.

This a project log of turning a Van into a camper. Me and my wife decided to start a big project to keep us going through the Covid-19 lockdown, we had always wanted a camper van but getting a good one has always been outside of our budget. We found a decent van on eBay who was willing to have it delivered (HUGE RISK I know) but No contact. Now is the start of making it ready to accept 2 humans, a pooch and as many of our cats who want to join us(I doubt they will). Ready for lockdown to be over and TRIBEmeet happening again.

The Van Front

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• Karandrassh
• Apr 27, 2020

The van

Rear view

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• Karandrassh
• Apr 27, 2020

Van rear

So we have started to sound deaden the van, to stop panels rattling and noise coming in from outside. This is achieved in 2 ways first is butyl panels with aluminium backs shown in the photo, these change the vibration characteristics of the metal and the second is the type of insulation you use, as some have acucstic dampening properties.

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• Karandrassh
• Apr 27, 2020

Sound deadening the wheel arches

It is recommended that for the butyl panels you need over 50% coverage for bodywork panels for them to work efficiently,but closer to 100% the better.

Once the butyl panels and insulation is on. We are then going to look at getting the flooring fitted and have a look at the layout.

 

[Space Truckin]

This is awesome! Certainly going to follow this. I binge watched a few Sprinter conversions last week.

 

[ClockworkOrange]

I’m jealous always wanted to do this.

 

[Stoof]

I have a friend who did this. The end result was fantastic. Unfortunately when he totalled up what everything cost it turns out he had spent more doing up his ex-builder's second hand transit than it would have cost to buy a newer, much lower mileage second hand camper van. He eventually decided to include "time not having to listen to the wife" as a saving worth 10 grand, putting him firmly back in the black

 

[Karandrassh]

@Stoof There is a rock climber on YouTube called Nate Murphy, who also converts vans to campers, he recommends trying to work on a budget of spending about 1/2 the vans cost on upgrading it.

@ClockworkOrange me and my wife had talked about getting a camper well before we married.

 

[Karandrassh]

Okay spent most of the day working on the Van. So this is what me and the wifey have been up to.

First I have installed a Kiravans swivel base for the passenger double seat.

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• Karandrassh
• May 2, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• May 2, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• May 2, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• May 2, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• May 2, 2020

This was an interesting job as I had to relocate a wiring loom from within the base of the chair to under the floor. and also cut down 4 of the bolts in the floor so that the chair spin mechanism doesn't foul on them. I wish i had taken more photos of this but I was caught up in the moment.

While I was doing the above task my wife was getting on with the mind numbing task of cutting insulation and sticking it to the walls of the van. This is just one side the other is very similar

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• Karandrassh
• May 2, 2020

And the Styling of the van has begun as we have a mat in the front seat and it was time to get rid of the old battered 16" steel rims

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• Karandrassh
• May 2, 2020

And replace them with 17" alloys with new tyres on that we got (relatively) cheap off ebay.

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• Karandrassh
• May 2, 2020

 

[Space Truckin]

Looks like a great start. What are you planning on putting in it? As in putting in a bed? Kitchen?

 

[Karandrassh]

@Space Truckin We are trying to keep the plan simple with a full width rock & roll bed, a small kitchen pod behind the drivers seat, with a table on the side to take advantage of the swivel passenger seats and to give more worktop space and a leisure battery under the drivers seat to power the tap, a fridge in the future and any personal devices.

 

[Karandrassh]

Major Update

Windows have been fitted to the sliding doors on both sides.

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• Karandrassh
• May 19, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• May 19, 2020

Next big job is the leisure battery and associated electrics, as this is a modern van with smart Battery charging it will need a Battery to Battery Charger rather than a simple relay kit (which also means it is 3 times the price )

So planning on what needs to be done 1st is a wiring diagram

Wiring diagram.jpeg

• Karandrassh
• May 19, 2020

Main starter battery on the left leisure battery on the right and Negative earth (as we are working to DC 12v). The location of the leisure battery, the battery to battery charger and the fuse box is going to be under the drivers seat. While the starter battery is located front passenger side so some cable routing is needed. I will also need to run a cable from the battery to battery charger to a ignition relay so it will know when the engine is on.

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• Karandrassh
• May 19, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• May 19, 2020

The red dotted line is where I have routed the cables under the floor and the red wire hanging out is the wire that is going to an ignition relay (i am going to plug it into a fuse that is live when ignition is on)

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• Karandrassh
• May 19, 2020

 

[Karandrassh]

Ok I have been busy with the van. Finished of the battery to battery charger and fitted the Leisure battery

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

As I had a day without the van (it went to the garage for a service) I put up some gutting around the porch and lounge window.

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

Then we set up for a big day carpeting the door cards and running cables around the van ready for lights and 12v sockets.

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

Then we layed the floor insulation ready for floor boards (which I pick up tomorrow) and then the vinyl floor.

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 8, 2020

 

[undertaker]

Nice work.
They say every van has a silver lining!

 

[ClanBuckCANS]

Holy crap. That is awesome. Tell me it will be Necromunda themed. . . .

 

[Karandrassh]

Alas it won't be Necromunda themed but I am planning to at least get a Necromunda themed sticker (van Saar if possible) and an Inquisition one too.
Update the kitchen pod has arrived it has a single burner, a sink with an electric pump and 2 12ltr containers one waste, one clean water.

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 22, 2020

The hound has been neutered hence the cone. The only downside to this arriving was the van was in a workshop for a week to have a pop top fitted.

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 13, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 13, 2020

This includes a bed board which raises and a memory foam mattress.

 

[Karandrassh]

Been slow going these past few weeks as going back to work and real life events taking over so here is the next update. I have finished the floor, fitted my cooking unit and got the rock and roll bed fitted.

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 9, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 9, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 9, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 9, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 9, 2020

The it was time to fit lights.

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 9, 2020

I also had time to fit a table piloted by the pooch

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 9, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 9, 2020

 

[undertaker]

Very compact and ergonomic. And the bed fits so we'll in the space. I love it!

 

[Karandrassh]

So we have had a good weekend. pushed had to get jobs done on the van. So we now have Solar power, this means we are not beholden to pitches with electric hookup or turning the engine on to charge the leisure battery.

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 13, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 13, 2020

I have also started the box storage unit down the side of the bed just need to make some lids and a find a way to make the cushions sit nicely on top of them.

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 13, 2020

 

[Space Truckin]

Those swivel seats are a game changer! Van is looking awesome!

 

[Karandrassh]

Last update we bought a fridge for the van a small compressor style as these are a more efficient design so you less power then the thermo-electric cool boxes. It fits nicely into the storage box under the first cushion.

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 28, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 28, 2020

We tried it out on the in-laws driveway

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 28, 2020

Then headed down to Dorset to enjoy a small adults only basic campsite (a field with toilets in a garden shed) for a few nights.

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 28, 2020

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• Karandrassh
• Jul 28, 2020

Now it is time to return to my modelling projects including my terrain boards ready for TRIBEmeet. We have ideas for other additions but we need to save a bit for them.

 

[Karandrassh]

So after three years of good times, the interior was starting to look a bit tired. So this spring I decided to upgrade the interior units.

First thing to go was the old bench seat down the side. My plan was to use sections of 30mm x 30mm aluminium extrusion to create a frame to put panels in to make new sturdy and clean box.

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• Karandrassh
• May 31, 2023

Basic look

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• Karandrassh
• May 31, 2023

Internal frame

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• Karandrassh
• May 31, 2023

Finished bench unit with added socket for when using 240v hookup

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• Karandrassh
• May 31, 2023

The beginnings of the replacement sink cooker unit.

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• Karandrassh
• May 31, 2023

 

[Karandrassh]

Over the weekend I have been working on my replacement sink/cooker unit.

This was the frame I had finished before the weekend

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 5, 2023

Drawer in place for the fridge with worktop test fitting

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 5, 2023

front of the unit the switches on the right hand side are for the water pump, the 12v ignition for the cooker and lights I am looking to add

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 5, 2023

Worktop now cut to size/fitting

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 5, 2023

Fridge drawer working as intended

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• Karandrassh
• Jun 5, 2023

Last jobs are cutting the worktop for the Gas Hob and Sink but cannot do that till they arrive, adding the gas drop vent and lastly plumbing the gas and water.