Planning First Project

[Funkleton]

Hi – first post and it’s a long one 🙂

I’ve been a biker for most of my motoring life, but I’m starting to get sick of the lack of shelter and the inability to haul any gear when I want to go diving / fishing / camping etc.

At this stage I don’t feel like I need a full camper conversion – just a cosy space to have a cuppa when I’ve been rained off, a dry private place to get changed, or somewhere I can grab a few hours kip so that I’m fresh for the drive home after an all night fishing session.

I also want to start small – partly because I rarely drive more than a few hundred miles a year at the mo so I want to get used to driving a vehicle with double the correct number of wheels again – and partly so that I can learn the basics of converting a vehicle without biting off more than I can chew all in one go.

Having done some research I’ve narrowed down a few choices and would appreciate some feedback and advice.

Vehicle Selection.

I want the biggest small van I can get – car-derived or similar.
I’m not intending on long stays in the van, 2 nights would be exceptional, but I’ll still need to throw down a camping mat and stretch out full length from time to time – so I’ll need a 6ft load length and as much headroom as poss.
I also want a side door so I’m not always climbing in and out of the back.
In terms of budget I could spend up to around 4.5k on the basic van – but I’d rather not spend much more than about 2k and looking at whats available in that price range I don’t think I’ll need to.
The van that seems to tick all these boxes is the Transit Connect (LWB High Roof variant).
Has anyone had any experience converting one of these?
Any snags or pitfalls I want to look out for?
Are there any other similar vans I might want to look at?

I’m not going to go into what I have in mind for insulation – that’s a huge post in its own right and a topic that attracts a million different opinions.
Suffice it to say I’m confident that I’ve specced a method and materials I’m confident with.
So we’ll move straight to:

Paneling the Interior.

It seems to me that precut ply lining kits are the way forward.
They’re only a few quid more than buying the materials and cutting them myself but will save a whole lot of time and effort.
Again, are there any snags or pitfalls associated with these kits ?
Any suppliers that warrant particular praise or avoidance?

Interior finish.

I’m a little bewildered by the options for the finish.
The simplest and cheapest option would be to buy some super cheap exhibition carpet and glue/tack it directly to the ply.
It doesnt seem like a terrible idea as I’m likely to be wet and dirty getting in and out – so a super-plush interior might just get ruined.
But with a view to looking ahead to future projects, I would like to stretch my skills a little and give it a touch of class and comfort.

Because the ply lining kits don’t cover the ceiling ( at least I’ve not seen one with that option) I’m considering using some nice hardwood panelling to cover this.
It’s pretty expensive stuff though so if anyone has any recommendations for where to get the best prices, or any tips for installing it, I would really appreciate it.
For the rest of the van I’d like to try some of the “ultra stretchy van lining fabric” they sell at West Country Campervans – they claim it’s really easy to fit – but I have heard from some that it can be a bit of a bugger – are there any instructions, tips or tutorials for fitting this stuff?

Ventilation.

Given that this will be more of a day van and will only see occasional overnight use, I’m wondering if I should even bother with ventilation at all.
There isn’t a great deal of additional expense involved for say a simple vented skylight, but it will complicate the conversion, particularly when it comes to fitting the ceiling.
Then again, if i do add some ventilation it does mean that when it comes to resale I could sell the van as a shell-scheme – ready for further conversion into a mini-camper proper if the new owner wishes.
Another alternative might be to fit a simple latch window into the side door that I can pop open to create some airflow.
It’ll cost a little more but it will be simpler to install, less prone to leak, and ticks one of the boxes required for getting the vehicle reclassified as a camper if a future owner decides to go down that route.
Once again – thoughts, tips, advice would be welcomed.

Electrics.

I won’t need much more than somewhere to charge a phone – run a laptop for an hour or three, light the interior – and maybe boil a kettle if I’ve left my Jetboil behind.
So I reckon a 85ah leisure battery that will charge off the alternator will be plenty – I’d probably add an inverter and a standard 240 socket or two – partly just for the practice and partly with resale in mind.
Any recommendations on these lines?

Bulkhead?
Having spent more than a few cold nights sheltering from a winter storm in the passenger seat of a car parked next to Chesil Beach – while the condensation dripped on me and my mate – it seems to me that it would be a good idea to keep the wonderful source of cold and damp that is the front cab separated from the rear – then again in a van this size, you’ll need every inch of space you can get.
What are the pros and cons of keeping / removing the Bulkhead that separates the front and rear?

I think that’s pretty much it …… for now 🙂

[Darren]

Hi Funkleton
Hi Funkleton

Sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into this!

The Transit Connect seems like a great van. I do not have experience of owning one, but they seem better than most other car derived vans. It’s the on I would choose I think. Or a LWB VW Caddy, but they can be expensive as they’re more fashionable.

The problem with the pre-cut paneling kits is that they are normally designed for tradespeople and their vans. So the panels are cut to cover the holes in the interior panels, but they wont be cut to go to the very edge of the areas you want to panel. When I cut my panels I make them the exact shape I need, and then covering the carpet, etc is simple as the panel underneath goes up to the very edge of the interior.
It’s worth checking out the results of a vehicle with one of the kits, just to ensure you’re happy with it.
They can save a good deal of time though.

Carpeting the interior is the easiest option. Proper lining carpet is way easier to use, as it’s light and mouldable. Try these guys:
http://www.kiravans.co.uk/campervan-parts/lining/carpet-vinyl.html

Other carpet works as well of course, but is heavy, harder to stick, and harder to work with.

I’d highly recommend using vinyl flooring or laminate flooring, as you can keep it clean really easily.

How a good quality sheet of 6mm plywood (9mm if you want to screw heavy stuff into it) for the ceiling? Get something with a oak veneer, and then wax or varnish it. It will be really light, fairly cheap and easy to work with. Birch veneer is cheaper and lighter colour.

I would go with a window rather than roof vent. Roof vents on their own don’t do a lot. A window is essential for a breeze in summer. Windows are less prone to leak also.

Your electrics sound perfect. Maybe go for 110ah battery if it fits, as it wont cost a lot more.
Get a good brand inverter, ie not the cheapest., but you probably don’t need to spend hundreds.

I’d recommend taking the bulkhead out. It just makes the whole space nicer, especially in daylight when you’ll want the light coming to the back.
However, I would recommend fitting a fairly thick and dark curtain instead. Make sure it goes edge to edge, and glue/stitch velcro to the edge of the curtain and stick it to the carpet on the sides.
The curtain will keep the light out when you sleep, it will look like a bulkhead from the outside (for security) and will keep the cold air in the cab, and warm air in the back (and vice verse in the summer, when you wake up to the sun blasting through the windscreen).

Sounds like a great vehicle in the making.

Have been tempted to get back into fishing myself this year.

[Funkleton]

Thanks for the reply Darren –
Thanks for the reply Darren – some good useful advice there.

In fact in the time since I first posted I’ve come to many of the same conclusions as you have offered in your advice.

The main thing I’m stuck on at the moment is a side window for the van.

I’ve seen a few perspex / polycarbonate caravan windows like the Seitz ones, but there don’t seem to be any of an appropriate size ( they’re all way too big) and they’re pretty expensive (probably because of their size)
I’ve also tried contacting some conversion companies who offer a window fitting service but they’ve all come back to me to say they don’t know of any appropriate products for the Connect.

There is a 5 seater Connect variant that had windows set into the side loading doors – I’ve tried a few Ford dealers to track down sourcing the part but they don’t seem interested – and I don’t hold out too much hope of tracking one down through a scrap dealer as this was an incredibly rare model.

So basically I’m a bit stumped.

[Darren]

Hi
Hi

Thats a shame about the Seitz windows, as I though them came in quite small sizes.
Have you checked the sizes on their website?
https://www.dometic.com/en-gb/uk/products/climate/windows-and-doors/windows

This seems to be the smallest one:
https://www.dometic.com/en-gb/uk/products/climate/windows-and-doors/windows/dometic-s4-top-hung-window-500×300-_-24669

500mm x 300mm. I guess that’s too big?

Those Ford side windows do seem rare, and most dealers wont have the inclination to help as their profit margins would be very small on those.

[nashboy309]

I have the Nissan NV200, little van but with plenty of room to kip in for a couple of nights, might be worth considering. I haven’t fitted windows as I tend to sit with the one of the doors open, and if I’m sleeping I prefer it to be dark. I bought the ply lining kit of ebay but covered it with carpet before fitting to give a better look and feel, I also stuffed insulation behind it as I fitted it. I covered the floor with foam matting and then some flooring and its been great. I don’t intend using it for freezing weather though its just a place I can crash while out fishing or kayaking. No fancy stuff such as lights, electrics or heating just the bare basics, place to lie down and sleep.

[Author]

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