New Project - The Search Started Today

indy4x · Jan 21, 2019

Wife wants a camper van, me, not bothered either way but don't have the £££ to go and buy a ready made one so looking for a medium wheelbase, medium roof van.

She found a Transit 280 welfare van in Neath that was within budget and as a bonus it was silver and had the 140PS engine, mileage not off the scale and it's a 2009 model

Popped over today and it's not beat up, few scabs on the paintwork but the amount of rust bleeding through the paint underneath and in the engine bay was worrying.

Then I checked it's towing capacity and it's a measly 700kgs

As it's the 1st we have really looked at we left it for now, gonna check out a few more and see if they have similar rusting issues

gaz1 · Jan 21, 2019

becareful changing a vehicle to another type may effect some insurances

what we all used to do years ago with transit vans commer cob vans dosnt mean you can do them nowadays

you may need to get a van thats been converted then strip out and adjust to your own liking instead

a few posts on the subject

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/caravan-project-or-not.72902/#post-993027

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/campervans.22315/page-2#post-246218

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum...r-conversion-info-or-forum.66947/#post-874288

Wendelspanswick · Jan 21, 2019

I looked at a 2008 Ford Ranger last year and the amount of rust showing through the paint on the chassis was appalling for a 11 year old vehicle, obviously designed to self destruct in my opinion.
I have a Renault Trafic that's 2 years newer but with 50,000 more miles on the clock and there is not a single patch of rust showing underneath.

Wendelspanswick · Jan 21, 2019

gaz1 said:
becareful changing a vehicle to another type may effect some insurances

what we all used to do years ago with transit vans commer cob vans dosnt mean you can do them nowadays

you may need to get a van thats been converted then strip out and adjust to your own liking instead

a few posts on the subject

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/caravan-project-or-not.72902/#post-993027

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/campervans.22315/page-2#post-246218

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum...r-conversion-info-or-forum.66947/#post-874288

Changing from light commercial to camper is a straight forward process, loads are registered every year with the DVLA.

"In order for a converted vehicle to qualify as a motor caravan it must have certain minimum features: a door that provides access to the living accommodationa bed, which has a minimum length of 1800mm or 6 feet - this can be converted from seats used for other purposes during the day but must be permanently fixed within the body of the vehiclea water storage tank or container on, or in, the vehiclea seating and dining area, permanently attached to the vehicle - the table may be detachable but must have some permanent means of attachment to the vehicle. It is not good enough to have a loose tablea permanently fixed means of storage, a cupboard, locker or wardrobea permanently fixed cooking facility within the vehicle, powered by gas or electricityat least one window on the side of the accommodation If the vehicle has all of these features present, permanently fixed and installed properly, then it is a legal requirement to have it reclassified as a motor caravan on the V5C."

Taken from https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...caravan/converting-a-vehicle-into-a-motorhome

Rig Pig · Jan 21, 2019

Wendelspanswick said:
I looked at a 2008 Ford Ranger last year and the amount of rust showing through the paint on the chassis was appalling for a 11 year old vehicle, obviously designed to self destruct in my opinion.
I have a Renault Trafic that's 2 years newer but with 50,000 more miles on the clock and there is not a single patch of rust showing underneath.

I had one in for repair a while ago, the chassis was in terrible condition, the front of the rear leaf spring mounts had peeled off to rails and folded back! I put some pictures on here.

eLuSiVeMiTe · Jan 21, 2019

If you can find a LDV Convoy in good nick there a decent conversion. Plenty of room underneath for tanks.
EX minibus 3.85 tonne usually up for grabs in reasonable nick and have up rated brakes and there cheap as chips to maintain.

A bit agricultural to drive but handles the weight well.

fizzy · Jan 21, 2019

indy4x said:
Wife wants a camper van, me, not bothered either way but don't have the £££ to go and buy a ready made one so looking for a medium wheelbase, medium roof van.

She found a Transit 280 welfare van in Neath that was within budget and as a bonus it was silver and had the 140PS engine, mileage not off the scale and it's a 2009 model

Popped over today and it's not beat up, few scabs on the paintwork but the amount of rust bleeding through the paint underneath and in the engine bay was worrying.

Then I checked it's towing capacity and it's a measly 700kgs

As it's the 1st we have really looked at we left it for now, gonna check out a few more and see if they have similar rusting issues

Are you sure about the towing limit? I have seen some 140bhp models showing a 2700kg limit - but I suppose it depends on weights and payloads etc.

Ahh that is the 330 model but the payload is only a little bit more - how does that account for such a huge difference in towing weight with the same sized engines?

cheb · Jan 21, 2019

And at over 3.5T means you need to be old to drive one without siting a separate test.

eLuSiVeMiTe · Jan 21, 2019

cheb said:
And at over 3.5T means you need to be old to drive one without siting a separate test.

Or downplate it. I took my c1 to drive mine on jersey. Downplated it before I registered it to save hassle with tachos etc

cheb · Jan 21, 2019

I didn't know you could do that, being a BOF I've never need to find out.

eLuSiVeMiTe · Jan 21, 2019

cheb said:
I didn't know you could do that, being a BOF I've never need to find out.

Had a lot of fun trying to downplate it.
Was on a jersey plate in the uk. Lots of faffing till someone at Dvla advised me to make a new weight plate. Mot it on that plate then register it as 3.5t

roofman · Jan 21, 2019

Been looking for a van myself recently (pleasure use) and i am leaning towards the Nissan Interstar or a Boxer. Transits seem to be programed to develop steel Cancer after 5 years and have not been on my watch list for this reason..

indy4x · Jan 22, 2019

Thanks for all the replies folks, just catching up on this thread

@gaz1 thanks for the links, have been reading them

@Wendelspanswick not restricting myself to a Tranny, just seems to be loads around, ideally want a MWB MHT van with windows, side loading door and can tow a useful amount. I am thinking that with my D1 and D3 I already have 2 project vehicles so a 3rd would kill me. I do have around 3t hanging of the tow bar of the D3 every few months so if the van can be pressed into towing duties the D3 can make way for a fun car instead although I will miss it and love driving it

@cheb yes I fall into the old category and can drive stuff over 3.5t

@fizzy yeah, well surprised, 330 can tow 2.8t and 350 can tow 3.5t, Ford must have a reason for slapping the 280 with a 700kg towing limit, guess it must be chassis/suspension/brakes related as it certainly isn't down to the l lack of power

knighty · Jan 22, 2019

any special reason why just mwb and medium height? I'd think lwb and high top would be better for a camper? - especially the high top?

you can get any length/high in fwd or rwd, a fwd might be better for you because the floor in the back is lower, so there's less of a step getting into it.... tho I guess if you plan to put any water tanks etc. under it the rwd might be better with a bit more room under there?

go for 115ps minimum... they all have the 6speed box as standard... and you really need the 6 speed or it'll be screaming it's tits off on the motorway... and non of these modern diesel vans like being revved... it kills them all pretty quick

if you sign up here http://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleRegSelector.do
(sign up button top right)

then put a ford van reg in it'll give you all the build spec info for it etc.
(you need to sign up before it'll show you any decent info)

indy4x · Jan 22, 2019

@knighty trying to get the best compromise between space and bulk. Downside with LWB & high tops is parking and access, some of the places we go are quite tight so LWB would be a struggle. Appreciate they give you more living space but its all a compromise

Thanks for the advice about power, I want as much as I can get :thumbup:

That link is gonna be really useful, just off to sign up now

Cheers

stuvy · Jan 23, 2019

eLuSiVeMiTe said:
If you can find a LDV Convoy in good nick there a decent conversion. Plenty of room underneath for tanks.
EX minibus 3.85 tonne usually up for grabs in reasonable nick and have up rated brakes and there cheap as chips to maintain.

A bit agricultural to drive but handles the weight well.

They have a fibreglass roof and are lighter than the transit they also have the most stupidest wheel arch encroaching into the cab and if you have normal size feet like a man you will hate that one bit

There build qualities awful too

cheb · Jan 23, 2019

One thing on the Boxer/Relay that really bugged me was the handbrake. It's next to the door and is too low to reach without hunching down when parking, and it comes up enough to bite my leg every time I get in or out of the van.

indy4x · Jan 26, 2019

Quick update, the search is now over :thumbup:

Planned a day out today looking at a number of vans and ended up at Merthyr Motor Auctions around 1pm. Had a quick look round their stock and there was a couple of possibilities including a 55 plate Vauxhall Movano LWB 2.5 ex council disabled persons minibus. It was straight, clean and tidy, already has a Airtop heater, additional AC for the rear, fluorecent lights in the roof, nicely panelled ceiling with extractor fan and 2 popup roof lights. Pop out side step and rear fold out ramp etc etc and the best bit only 58,000on the clock :cool:

The other bonus is its the same height as a MHT Tranny but I can stand up in this as the floor is so low, bonus!

Been years since I bought at auction so quick check on buyer costs etc before bidding commenced and its now mine for just short of £3k inc auction fees and VAT, well happy.

Got it home, drives well, won't set any land speed records but who cares and it literally just fits on the drive with inches to spare

indy4x · Feb 2, 2019

Few pics, have now sorted storage for it so not cluttering the drive. Storage is on the same site as where I work so can bring it home for weekends when I plan on working on it and leave the car there