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Here are some pics,more will be added as I get used to the site.

Seating arrangement

Leisure battery with 150 watt inverter being installed behind drivers seat.
This battery is protected by a rubber cover.It is charged by a relay wired in to the alternator warning light.

Cooking area on the right hand side of the van,Under the tops there is a simple 1 burner camping cooker and a bowl for washing etc.

My new Van arrived on Friday and we went to Lakeside to test it out and do some shopping.

We bought some stuff and then went to IKEA to buy a bed base for the van.
When I came out of IKEA I found that the previous purchases had been stolen. It was only in the light of the next day did I realise that the drivers door look had been pulled out and I hadn’t been stupid and forgotten to lock it.

Now, of course, I am thinking that every night I sleep in the van a queue of scum will be lining up to rip open the locks and rummage through my sock drawer.
Will the sound of snoring put them off?

Maybe it's just IKEA, my old Rascal was broken into at a different IKEA and they ran off with a 9 cigarettes.

Any ideas on how to make an Expert Van more secure?

Insurance is tricky, especially if you are going to be a Van owner which may or may not be a Campervan.

In fact is it a Campervan?
It needs to have a Cooking, eating and washing facilities (gas & running water) to be a camper.

My Van will have a bed, a table, a chair, a cupboard. So its not a camper. So I can't have Motorhome/Camper insurance.

But I'm not a business so its not a Van (I mean the Van insurance folk wont insure me for SDP & commuting)

Benedicte, her kids and myself, took our first camping trip on the 19th of September 2008. We have just bought our first van, a 2006 Fiat Ducato G350 with Torino Carozzo coachwork. It was a good 3 hour drive from our home near Toulouse to Ainsa in Huesca Aragon, Spain. The jounrney took us about 3 hours and there was some dificult climbing to be made before hitting the tunnel dividing France from Spain.

However, the trip was well worth it. There is a beautiful drive through the valley to Ainsa and the main road is dotted with numerous camping sites. We chose the camping site in Ainsa itself, overlooking the fortified town. The camping site has all the usual facilities and is totally secure through the night. It is roughly 30 minutes walking to the town and another 10 up the hill to the old walled city. Food and drink are cheap and the people friendly (most speak English).

We stayed a total of 2 nights, which cost us (1 van, 2 adults, 2 children, a dog, electricty and water) a total of 34 Euros. I honestly think that it was a fun packed weekend at minimum cost and well worth another look.

Thank you for reading and I hope the info is useful.

Regards

Terry

Tried to put photo's on here, sorry was unable.
We went on first Campsite a couple of weekends ago Bo-Peeps in Banbury it is very nice well worth a visit.
Selina

Here she is, delivery due next Thursday.

My old VW is sorely missed.
I sold "Swee'Pea" 6 years ago.
Haven't had a good nights sleep (in a van) since.

I'm looking for a Peugeot Expert to convert to a "sleeper".
I dont need the fridge, cooker or sink.
Just a locker or two, a bed, decent stereo and a wi-fi connection.
Oh... and a swivel chair, LOTS of insulation, nice floor, Roof vent, blackout system and an extra seat for the third person.

Hi my camper conversion is gonna be basic, nowt fancy just practical & cheap for us to travel in with basic necessaties. I bought a 2000 peu boxer minibus & pulled seats out. Its already insulated with 3 good interior lites & two speakers in the ceiling. I built frames & boarded them for seating/large bed with addition of air mattress (stored under seats 12v pump) it should be comfy !
I buit my own carcasses for kitchen units & bought doors (10 euro each B&Q) then stuck a cheap B&Q sink in worktop. Whilst ive been busy inside my beloved has been outside overhauling the rear brakes & new shockers & a full service in progress so far. Today i dropped lucky a new Halfords opened in our local Town Portlaoise whilst browsing i found a coolerbox 12v 74 euros it will suffice as a fridge as i have no plans to make huge meals it'll only be for milk marg etc.
Things are going well with conversion, toying with idea of a europe road trip next year & Norway but this year i think we'll just be ire/UK.

I went with my dad back to Middleton panels to get the floor. This time we managed to get it back. Before going back we called by buck-lands again. This time i got, a spare sliding door, a complete roof lining, a new door rubber for the sliding door and door window for £25. I then went to a place called Twigworth Auto Salvage and got a window for the sliding door for £5. We then took all the stuff back to the garage and began to cut the floor out. We finished half way through due to it hammering down with rain.

I have taken a lot of photos whilst the work is being done. So i will get them on the laptop soon and get them on here.

As you may or may not be aware. I bought my van for a project for me to do over the year. It needs alot of work doing to it. It needs a new rear half of the floor, both front wings need replacing and both rear half of the front arches need replacing. I also has to have the passenger side rear spring replacing which i had with the van.

Me and dad went to Middleton panels to pick up my floor. Unfortunately it wouldn't fit in my car so we had to go home to get the trailer. whilst there i also managed to get a drivers side wing and the replacement arch for the front. Also whilst in Gloucester we went to a car breakers called Harry Buck-lands. We managed to get a new back door for my van and a new locking mechanism for the side door for £15.