Campervan Build - Not My Work

[Pirahna]

HOLEEEEEEE SHEEEEEET
90 large
For a van

If you want to spend a bit more here's a couple of links:

https://vanworx.co.uk/maxtraxx/

https://www.mclarensportshomes.co.uk/vo ... vage/.html

[Pirahna]

Crafters and Sprinters are too narrow to put a bed across, especially after you've fitted insulation. Ducatos and Boxers are a bit wider and have vertical sides so you can just fit a 6ft bed across. Across the van beds save quite a bit of spavr but I've never thought about the downsides, my wife crawling across me 3 times a night to go to the toilet would get tired very quickly

People fit side pods to get a width ways bed in. I've seen stuff with roof pods to get extra height at the back, pop tops are another option for more space.

[Demannu]

HOLEEEEEEE SHEEEEEET
90 large
For a van

Have a look at cruising sailboats, essentially just a floating van/caravan, I have an Oyster and I contacted them about a new build so we can do what Pirahna wants to do (i.e. travel around the world) and I got this back...."The Oyster 565 starts at £1,450,000 for the standard layout..."

I've got some mates from back home that all bought campers, they spent about six figures but they use them pretty much every weekend, doing this 'wild camping' thing, which often seems to mean finding a remote pub with a good sized car park and saying they'll eat and drink in there all night if they can stay on the car park overnight. Their aim seems to be not to pay for a camp site, it's part of the fun for them.

Each to their own and they love it, every weekend Facebook has pictures of them somewhere in the UK and they've also been over to France in them before covid.
I could see me spending good money if I'm using it to that extent, or definitely if it was going to be my home whilst I was travelling, like the OP.

Looking at a s/h Beneteau, think I'll wait til the winter though so the prices calm down a little. I appreciate the OP wants something special to live in, but the reality of van life is if it breaks down, you're fucked, if its nicked/damaged, you're fucked. The slightest noise outside will have you on tenderhooks so you rarely get a good night's sleep, and its sitting there......depreciating.

[Count Steer]

HOLEEEEEEE SHEEEEEET
90 large
For a van

Have a look at cruising sailboats, essentially just a floating van/caravan, I have an Oyster and I contacted them about a new build so we can do what Pirahna wants to do (i.e. travel around the world) and I got this back...."The Oyster 565 starts at £1,450,000 for the standard layout..."

Not going for an 885 then?

I'd rather like one of those motorhomes with a car in the drawer underneath but parking spaces could be a problem for the main vehicle.

[David]

Typical!
I was thinking how lucky i was to sell mine before lockdown.....would have been worth lots more now...

[Rockburner]

I've got some mates from back home that all bought campers, they spent about six figures but they use them pretty much every weekend, doing this 'wild camping' thing, which often seems to mean finding a remote pub with a good sized car park and saying they'll eat and drink in there all night if they can stay on the car park overnight. Their aim seems to be not to pay for a camp site, it's part of the fun for them.

Each to their own and they love it, every weekend Facebook has pictures of them somewhere in the UK and they've also been over to France in them before covid.
I could see me spending good money if I'm using it to that extent, or definitely if it was going to be my home whilst I was travelling, like the OP.

That's what I did for 18 months (give or take).

I think I spent 3 nights total in camp sites.

In the UK there's a huge number of pubs where you can 'park-overnight', and in Europe pretty much every town larger than 4 houses has an 'aire' specifically set aside for it.
Legally you get around it by NOT putting out your chairs etc, and if anyone asks, you're taking a mandated 'rest period' after a very tiring long drive.
(in practise, most french/spanish cops won't care if you put the awning out and sit in your chair for a few hours, as long as you're not blocking another parking space).

[Rockburner]

That's what I did for 18 months (give or take).

I think I spent 3 nights total in camp sites.

In the UK there's a huge number of pubs where you can 'park-overnight', and in Europe pretty much every town larger than 4 houses has an 'aire' specifically set aside for it.
Legally you get around it by NOT putting out your chairs etc, and if anyone asks, you're taking a mandated 'rest period' after a very tiring long drive.
(in practise, most french/spanish cops won't care if you put the awning out and sit in your chair for a few hours, as long as you're not blocking another parking space).

It looks great, there is a little group of them that do it almost every weekend and then odd ones that tag on now and then.
If we don't end up sailing then I think we'll end up with a camper, if you're the sort of people that have itchy feet and you don't mind being away from home then they're great things.

I don't know if I'd throw c100k at it, but I'm looking forward to seeing more of Pirahnas.

It's a very nice way to see a lot of countryside.

Downside is that you're moving almost every day (you can only stay one to 3 nights at any given location before you're supposed to move on, although on the south coast of Spain I think there's a lot of locations where people stay for weeks or even months), but that can be mitigated by simply moving on to the next spot and appreciating the new views.

[Pirahna]

Had an email exchange with the builder this evening, wheels and tyres will be ordered tomorrow. I've gone for Oz Rally Raid 17 inch wheels and BF Goodrich all terrain tyres, all properly load rated. The BFG's might sound like an odd choice but there's plenty of people running them on vans and motorhomes with nothing but positive feedback. The BFG's are wider than standard and can spray road crap up the side so I've also ordered some wheel arch extensions. These are from the rear of the 5t MAN version of the van, they fit back and front.

[Mussels]

I had Grabbers on my Jeep, not full off road tyres by any stretch but good on light mud and effective in the snow. The only downside I remember was a slight rubbing of the wheel arches at full lock.

[wheelnut]

BFGs are great tyres, just be prepared for them sapping power and increasing fuel consumption.

[Pirahna]

BFGs are great tyres, just be prepared for them sapping power and increasing fuel consumption.

I've done as much homework as I can, the effects are maybe 1-2 mpg at worst, nobody has complained about loss of power.

Annoyingly, given that BFG are owned by Michelin, they've introduced a new tyre in the US but not in Europe. I've tried getting in touch with both companies but they're a bit shit. The new tyre is called the "Trail Terrain", if it was available I would have bought it. Next time.

https://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/auto/ti ... errain-t-a

[KungFooBob]

This is going to look as bad ass as the van from Tango and Cash.

When one of my tyres delaminated on the M20 I looked at replacing it with a proper motorhome tyre. They're three times as expensive as normal van tyres!

So it's wearing normal van tyres and they have no grip on grass if there's a trace of damp in the air.

[Pirahna]

This is going to look as bad ass as the van from Tango and Cash.

Wait 'till you see the kitchen tap I've got my eye on.

[Mussels]

BFGs are great tyres, just be prepared for them sapping power and increasing fuel consumption.

I've done as much homework as I can, the effects are maybe 1-2 mpg at worst, nobody has complained about loss of power.

Annoyingly, given that BFG are owned by Michelin, they've introduced a new tyre in the US but not in Europe. I've tried getting in touch with both companies but they're a bit shit. The new tyre is called the "Trail Terrain", if it was available I would have bought it. Next time.

https://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/auto/ti ... errain-t-a

The ATs fell foul of the new EU tyre restrictions, I remember as I got mine just before they were announced. I thought they were going to make something similar that was allowed but maybe didn't manage it.

[wheelnut]

I've done as much homework as I can, the effects are maybe 1-2 mpg at worst, nobody has complained about loss of power.

Annoyingly, given that BFG are owned by Michelin, they've introduced a new tyre in the US but not in Europe. I've tried getting in touch with both companies but they're a bit shit. The new tyre is called the "Trail Terrain", if it was available I would have bought it. Next time.

https://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/auto/ti ... errain-t-a

I used to run them on a LR 90. It was a 2,5 n/a lump though so didn’t have much power to start with. There was a noticeable difference running BFGs though. Also handling in the wet can be interesting with them.

You have to bear in mind that BFGs are great tyres but they are made for a purpose and they aren’t all-rounders.

[Pirahna]

Also handling in the wet can be interesting with them.

You have to bear in mind that BFGs are great tyres but they are made for a purpose and they aren’t all-rounders.

I've read about and asked questions about the wet weather handling. There's plenty of comments about it from 4 wheel drive owners, on heavier vehicles it seems not to be an issue. There's lots of people run them on campers/motorhomes with no problems at all. If they are problematic I'll change them.

[wheelnut]

So it's wearing normal van tyres and they have no grip on grass if there's a trace of damp in the air.

I know it sounds daft but wet grass on a slight incline can be one of the trickiest things to get up. Any tyre, BFGs or not, struggle to get a grip.

[Felix]

Couple of bread crates with the sides cut off are great to get you moving from being bogged down or get you started on a grass hill. Going to be making under van storage on my old bus soon but being RWD i probably have better clearance than the average FWD.

[Pirahna]

Kitchen area taking shape.

[Demannu]

My most salient question is..........can you fit a Ducati in the back?