# 8pm tonight, George Clarke's Amazing Spaces plan to transform a 60s ambulance into



## harrow (Oct 24, 2013)

On TV TONIGHT.......20:00hrs, 8PM

on Channel 4

George Clarke's Amazing Spaces
60 mins long.
(Thursday 24 October on Channel 4)

In the first episode of this new series celebrating the extraordinary world of small design spaces, George Clarke meets a couple who plan to transform a 60s ambulance into a campervan.

S2-Ep1: Bertie Blue

Is it possible to convert a 60s ambulance into a campervan for a family of six?

George Clarke's Amazing Spaces - Channel 4

It might be interesting? :dance:

What are your thoughts?


----------



## Sharon the Cat (Oct 24, 2013)

If someone else is doing it, should be good.

If he (or those being employed by the production company) is doing it, it will take the whole series, cost a fortune & will have at least one really stupid idea.


----------



## harrow (Oct 24, 2013)

*ambulance*

You can see a video clip on the website via the pasted link,

I thought it would be a nice bit of armchair campervan building.

So sit down in your armchair with a drop of your favourite brew and lets see how it turns out?:cool1:


----------



## NeilyG (Oct 24, 2013)

Don't expect too much DETAIL on the programme. It'll simply be made to be as entertaining to Joe public as possible. 
Will show them dismantling the heap at the beginning and then pretty much straight to the finished article with lots of slow arty panning over designer fittings etc. Might still be quite 'inspiring' though, I guess.


----------



## Firefox (Oct 24, 2013)

You can see the whole episode on the website, I reckon. I watched it two nights ago. It was 47 mins long.

The guy made a very good job of his bus. However it is an "entertainment" programme mainly filled up with waffle or the presenter acting like a twat. Great for filling up time, but don't expect too many details or hard facts about the conversions, that's all glossed over in favour of appeal to a wider audience.


----------



## NeilyG (Oct 24, 2013)

Great minds, eh?


----------



## Firefox (Oct 24, 2013)

I know -  it was a genuine cross post - I hadn't seen yours when I posted.


----------



## n brown (Oct 24, 2013)

ten grand !! £10,000 to fit a little box like that ! should be quite nice!,can't wait !


----------



## oldish hippy (Oct 24, 2013)

thats what i was thinking where the gold plate and silk curtains and axminster carpets


----------



## NeilyG (Oct 24, 2013)

Watching it now and can't believe the sheer stupidity of the couple with NO MONEY buying a clapped out TINY ambulance that will cost a FORTUNE to maintain, has cost them £1500 just to get the engine started, will cost £10k to convert and is meant for their family of SIX! 
Where do these idiots come from? They're going to go through all this trouble and end up having to sell it.


----------



## P McClure (Oct 24, 2013)

Gas bottle situated inside the internal cupboard.  No external ventilation?


----------



## vwalan (Oct 24, 2013)

best is they think they couldnt take the family away for less than a 1000 quid a week with out the ambulance . 
best they dont come away with us for 6 months . ha ha .
mind it would only be 26 grand . ha ha .
the gas bottle in cupboard like that is and was common for years . almost every uk camper untill recent never had a gas locker seperate .


----------



## oldish hippy (Oct 24, 2013)

crumbs the prices they quoted where stupid and the price they paid for it could have go a modern one for that sort of money ok it wouldnt have had the character and there wasnt a lot of storage space as where do they keep the duvet sleeping bargs ok under the seat but where the food storrage etc  clothes and didnt look like the gas bottle was even secured


----------



## Croftland1 (Oct 24, 2013)

Where do they store the mattresses, bedding, food, clothes, outdoor jackets, boots, buckets and spades, etc etc. those four seat boxes must be bottomless!

Haha, cross post with the one above


----------



## NeilyG (Oct 24, 2013)

£13,400 for that! Imagine what they could have got straight off eBay! Silly sods.


----------



## n brown (Oct 24, 2013)

now I've seen it finished,it looks fun for the kids,but i'm otherwise underwhelmed for £13400,but like the woman said,she needs at least a grand a week to go on holiday [!!??] I thought it was dopey thing,no space,little storage,no loo,wildcamping was out of the question,so they'll still be paying a fair bit on campsites. thought the egg a bit arty but well made,loved the aquarium


----------



## oldish hippy (Oct 24, 2013)

more room in your daughter ambulance liked the interior pond also couldn't spell the proper name for it could have copied mr browns spelling


----------



## hextal (Oct 24, 2013)

Damn they spent a lot on not much.


----------



## Makzine (Oct 24, 2013)

Personally they just wanted their 5mins of fame so brought a rabbit that ended up costing them £13.400.  Go on eBay and see what they could have got for that money with a toilet and shower included, with 4 kids I think that would have been a necessity, more than an underpowered old ambulance, or perhaps their st*t don't stink??  

Thought the Egg was far more interesting and as for the aquarium what a boring place for the poor fish, no vegetation or stimulus for them.


----------



## Deleted member 24143 (Oct 24, 2013)

£2800 for the vehicle. I know classic vehicles can fetch silly money but the buyer saw them coming with a huge grin on his face. Yes the refit was very well done and it should be since they paid around 10k for someone to do it for them. I hope they get full enjoyment out of the vehicle, for what it's cost them.


----------



## GinaRon (Oct 24, 2013)

Maybe I am just easy to please - but I really enjoyed seeing what other people do - obviously when money is not a problem (Tree House £200,000) so I watched it for what it was just ideas.  I loved the egg I thought it was a beautiful piece of carpentry and building - All you clever people can make the beautiful  things for a lot smaller budget and get two pleasures one making it and two doing for less.  :dance:


----------



## n brown (Oct 24, 2013)

just been out in my daughter's ambulance watching my wife hang the last of the curtains,and seeing what the leds look like at night-could fit a family of fifteen in there easy!


----------



## Tezza33 (Oct 24, 2013)

They used square section steel tubing for the interior framework which would stop the furniture rattling but what did it weigh when it was finished, I haven't a clue what the GVW or GVM is on that base vehicle but can't imagine with six people and a dog it will be within it the limits with holiday stuff loaded


----------



## FULL TIMER (Oct 24, 2013)

NeilyG said:


> Watching it now and can't believe the sheer stupidity of the couple with NO MONEY buying a clapped out TINY ambulance that will cost a FORTUNE to maintain, has cost them £1500 just to get the engine started, will cost £10k to convert and is meant for their family of SIX!
> Where do these idiots come from? They're going to go through all this trouble and end up having to sell it.



Don't know but I wish a few would come my way, if I could get that sort of money for such a basic conversion life would be so much easier


----------



## El Veterano (Oct 24, 2013)

Just waiting now for the 60's ambulance conversion complete with internal aquarium and still room for 6 people, dog and gas bottle, in the next series :rolleyes2::drive:


----------



## tadpole58 (Oct 24, 2013)

However stupid, over-priced and impracticable the van was, they can sell it now for more than it cost them just because it was on the ridiculous show


----------



## scampa (Oct 24, 2013)

n brown said:


> just been out in my daughter's ambulance watching my wife hang the last of the curtains,and *seeing what the leds look like at night*-could fit a family of fifteen in there easy!



Those LEDs will really add to the ambience in that fine ambulance! (well, someone had to say it! ).  I wonder if that couple on the telly have any more like-minded friends who also have more money than sense? If so, there's a fortune there waiting for a half-decent van converter!! 

(And BTW, when that chap was swimming around in the fish tank, did anyone else think that the fish should've had their turn sitting outside on the settee and watching him?? )


----------



## Touringtheworld (Oct 24, 2013)

5 minutes of camper - the rest of the time b*llsh*t - every project out the reach of 99.99% of the population.

The couple were really struggling with the silver spoon stuck up their a... - new build detached house with detached double garage an almost new people carrier.

Daddy is keeping these poor hippy liberals in their twee lifestyle. 

Wouldn't surprize me if Daddy owns the tv production company.

5 minutes of fame from a made for tv production for the sheeple - no brain required.

No detail - No facts - just the equivalent of glossy pictures.


----------



## Robmac (Oct 25, 2013)

I actually think that they paid a reasonable price for the base vehicle, it's a classic. And although I agree with Mark that they paid way over the odds for the conversion, they have got quite a nice van, but I think they will find it too small for their needs and will end up selling it.

It would have been better to have seen a couple buying a vehicle and doing it up themselves and showing the problems they met and solving them without just throwing daddy's money at it.


----------



## Wooie1958 (Oct 25, 2013)

Didn`t get chance to watch it last night so i recorded it and i`ve just watched it over breakfast.

Having just read through the comments on here why are people taking it so seriously.

It`s a Light Entertainment program which features aspects of a lifestyle that the majority of us on here enjoy.

I don`t mind programs like this because every now and then there`ll be a bit where you say " what a good idea, why didn`t i think  of that ".

I will watch the rest of the series and enjoy it for what it is, Light Entertainment.


----------



## n brown (Oct 25, 2013)

(though I wouldn't use old pallets!)
for some,the idea of using secondhand timber is quite unpalletteable


----------



## hextal (Oct 25, 2013)

Wooie1958 said:


> Didn`t get chance to watch it last night so i recorded it and i`ve just watched it over breakfast.
> 
> Having just read through the comments on here why are people taking it so seriously.
> 
> ...



I guess (as someone nearing completion of my conversion) I just think it would have been nice to watch someone else doing the same, pricing things up, rationalizing the limited space, looking at the insulation options etc etc etc.  As opposed to watching someone with evidently no knowledge on the subject making a several bad decisions and getting ripped-off for a final product that was clearly unfit for their intended purpose.

I suppose my fundamental gripe (at the risk of going off at a tangent) is that these programs would be much better as 'how to' type shows as opposed to 'look - you don't need skill or knowledge - just keep throwing money at it' type shows.

Mind - saying that - I think they should start producing shows teaching people basic DIY / car maintenance etc - I think the number of practical people is on a rapid decline


----------



## outtolunch (Oct 25, 2013)

I said:
			
		

> I think that the steel was used to aid the seat belt mounting my old Tabbert has bits of ironwork cluttering up an underseat storage area for this purpose


----------



## n brown (Oct 25, 2013)

yes the 4 seats all had 3 point seat belts on them,nicely bolt upright too. but even so,i have seen hundreds of conversions,from half -stoned hippies' to amazingly innovative,and this ranks amongst the daftest,dearest and least practical. wonder how much George contributed?


----------



## Wooie1958 (Oct 25, 2013)

Where was the Toilet ?  6 people and no Loo, oh what joy............................. LOL


----------



## Robmac (Oct 25, 2013)

Wooie1958 said:


> Where was the Toilet ?  6 people and no Loo, oh what joy............................. LOL



It was a bad choice of base vehicle in the first place. 6 people and a dog in a confined space with quite a bit of glass, imagine the condensation. This van would have been far better suited to a couple, or single camper.


----------



## mark61 (Oct 25, 2013)

Not my cup of tea, but did look cute. Biggest mistake in my book. Never ever block of access to the kettle, everything else is dealable with. lol


----------



## Robmac (Oct 25, 2013)

Wooie1958 said:


> Where was the Toilet ?  6 people and no Loo, oh what joy............................. LOL



...............Also no loo restricts them to campsites, so where she said it will save £1000 per week in holidays, once she considers site fees and petrol etc. she will probably find it a false economy.


----------



## vwalan (Oct 25, 2013)

in the 60,s and 70,s most of the 80,s . hardly anyone had a toilet in the van . might have a bucket with a lid . 
you use pubs or cafe,s or if you saw a toilet you used it . i remember it well ,oh a toilet go now then you wont later on . 
you may be amazed its quite easy to manage with out one . 
shame it didnt show more of the build . 
using box steel or amgle iron for seat frames is quite normal as well. you can get very light but strong steel box with more strength than wood . using steel or ally makes it ok for strong bolting down . as said ideal for seat belting .


----------



## Sparks (Oct 25, 2013)

Post Deleted


----------



## Robmac (Oct 25, 2013)

Trouble is, if you go in a pub to use the loo, you will probably need it moreso later.


----------



## vwalan (Oct 25, 2013)

certainly with a bit of training kids can find out door toilets in pubs etc . with out spending . it becomes another game . 
along with finding taps etc . start young and it all becomes a natural thing to do. 
my mates think i can smell a tap . i find them in places they would never dream of looking . 
having been brought up in small campers and having vw campers for years having no toilet etc isnt a problem . most never had therm . i now have luxury .


----------



## hextal (Oct 25, 2013)

Sparks said:


> If you haven't got the first clue on converting a vehicle then you have very little choice other than to pay others to do it.



I get what you are saying, but at the end of the day nobody is born with an inherent knowledge of anything - particularly converting a van into a camper.  You just read up on the subject and talk to people in order to broaden your knowledge.  The people getting paid to convert the camper will have started life with no knowledge on the subject.

I suspect that it may be that they are just not practical people, or more likely (with 4 kids) have limited spare time to even catch their breath.


----------



## vwalan (Oct 25, 2013)

hextal said:


> I get what you are saying, but at the end of the day nobody is born with an inherent knowledge of anything - particularly converting a van into a camper.  You just read up on the subject and talk to people in order to broaden your knowledge.  The people getting paid to convert the camper will have started life with no knowledge on the subject.
> 
> I suspect that it may be that they are just not practical people, or more likely (with 4 kids) have limited spare time to even catch their breath.



mind they found time to do other things , hee hee . could have made several campers in the time it takes to bring up a couple of extra kids . ha ha . 
mind you can always eat the children . saves having a fridge to keep the meat fresh . ha ha


----------



## shaunr68 (Oct 25, 2013)

They could have bought a half decent, 6-berth 12-15 year old coachbuilt motorhome for that sort of money, but I suppose that wouldn't have been an interesting subject for a design based television programme.

It was obviously a daft move for a couple who have no mechanical knowledge and little spare cash to buy a vehicle that is going to need constant TLC and will probably turn out to be a money pit.  The rear bed over the kitchen units didn't look too sturdy either!


----------



## vwalan (Oct 25, 2013)

could be more reliable than a 12-15 yr old coach built and not leak as much water. 
as to the beds you need to have a look at the boating world they have beds over sinks and beds in cupboards . quite amazing where the boat folk find space . 
they certainly will get lots of free camping at vintage shows etc . every weekend shows all over the country they will be able to enter for free and use the toilets there as well.


----------



## sasquatch (Oct 25, 2013)

A fool and their money are soon parted. Firstly paying £2800 for the van and then the Father 'loaning' them another £10k and finally the converter must have seen them coming with a telescope!
Very naive people with rose tinted glasses. They could have bought a new conversion on a lot newer s/h vehicle for that.That van must be dripping with condensation after a night in it. My concern is the rear seat safety,where were the belts fitted ?
This type of programme features stupid people with a dream,loads of money and little research.


----------



## Sparks (Oct 25, 2013)

Post Deleted


----------



## vwalan (Oct 25, 2013)

seat belts bolted to metal framed seats bolted to the floor . 
condensation might not be a problem as they were double skinned and an ealy version of a foam behind on some . 
all campers of that age and alot newer didnt have seat belts . i never had them as a kid , neither did my kids . and as i have bnever owned a after 2007 camper never had them in any i have owned . havent got them in my truck . not needed till oct 2001 so thats a good reason not to go newer. dont have them in the front either . 
but buy a pre1960 based camper no tax no mot . cheap motoring . get classic in surance very cheap.


----------



## Deleted member 20892 (Oct 25, 2013)

Nice as the tree house was, if some one gave me £200k, i'd have retired 10 years ealier than i can,and bought a decent c'van to live in and watch the world go by.!

jt


----------



## Caz (Oct 25, 2013)

sasquatch said:


> A fool and their money are soon parted. Firstly paying £2800 for the van and then the Father 'loaning' them another £10k and finally the converter must have seen them coming with a telescope!
> Very naive people with rose tinted glasses. They could have bought a new conversion on a lot newer s/h vehicle for that..............



I'd like to know where from! My local converter has quoted me approx. £13K for a new conversion - plus whatever the van costs to buy.


----------



## Robmac (Oct 25, 2013)

Kainene said:


> I'd like to know where from! My local converter has quoted me approx. £13K for a new conversion - plus whatever the van costs to buy.



It's relative to the type of conversion, the one on the show was fairly basic.


----------



## sasquatch (Oct 25, 2013)

Sparks said:


> Didn't you watch all of it?
> There were some very substantial steel frames made for the rear seats that incorporated the seat belt mountings.


I probably blinked and missed it.


----------



## sasquatch (Oct 25, 2013)

Kainene said:


> I'd like to know where from! My local converter has quoted me approx. £13K for a new conversion - plus whatever the van costs to buy.


Imperial Leisure Vehicles - Home - Mazda Bongo UK from £11995.


----------



## vwalan (Oct 25, 2013)

what you need is a truck . ex prison trucks work well . done a few now . 13 grand could see a nice finished job . repaint inc . 

dont have to be purple but it does if you are purple bob .


----------



## vwalan (Oct 25, 2013)

i,lltry again


----------



## vwalan (Oct 25, 2013)

or here.


----------



## Tezza33 (Oct 25, 2013)

Sparks said:


> Didn't you watch all of it?
> There were some very substantial steel frames made for the rear seats that incorporated the seat belt mountings.


Which is why I commented about the GVW/GVM, that Ambulance was I think based on a Morris LD Van produced between 1952 and 1968, the forward control Morris LD series offered a 1 or 1.5 ton capacity, we are probably over weight with 3.5 tons these days lol, these were the frames used


View attachment 17906View attachment 17905


----------



## FULL TIMER (Oct 25, 2013)

Robmac said:


> It's relative to the type of conversion, the one on the show was fairly basic.



I would call it very basic, no hot water, no tanks fresh/grey, no toilet/washroom, no heating, no fridge, that alone would cost around £2000 just to buy the parts, it also never had any roof lining or insulation, should be nice and wet in the morning with six people sleeping in there. money well spent


----------



## Deleted member 25439 (Oct 26, 2013)

It taught me a valuable lesson... don't go on ebay late at night after a few.  I'm guessing that's about the only time it would seem like a good idea.


----------



## Tbear (Oct 26, 2013)

vwalan said:


> in the 60,s and 70,s most of the 80,s . hardly anyone had a toilet in the van . might have a bucket with a lid .
> you use pubs or cafe,s or if you saw a toilet you used it . i remember it well ,oh a toilet go now then you wont later on .
> you may be amazed its quite easy to manage with out one .
> shame it didnt show more of the build .
> using box steel or amgle iron for seat frames is quite normal as well. you can get very light but strong steel box with more strength than wood . using steel or ally makes it ok for strong bolting down . as said ideal for seat belting .



Back in the 50's when we dug through snow to get to outhouse.  Not for me nowadays, not with bored children crammed in a small space on a wet day. I would need a loo to take my kindle and go and hide in.

Richard


----------



## Sharon the Cat (Oct 26, 2013)

Watched it last night. He was cooing over the little cupboards by the back doors but all the space above seemed to be wasted, only used for a couple of twee dishcloth-holder-thingies.

2 people, 4 kids and a dog on a wet day????? Nooooo

Just more people who will do anything to be on the telly.

Liked the egg but I kept wondering. Artist, living in it for a year, does a grant come into play somewhere?


----------



## mariesnowgoose (Oct 26, 2013)

Sharon the Cat said:


> Liked the egg but I kept wondering. Artist, living in it for a year, does a grant come into play somewhere?



More than possible.

Depends how successful an artist he is too, maybe?


----------



## Sharon the Cat (Oct 26, 2013)

mariesnowgoose said:


> More than possible.
> 
> Depends how successful an artist he is too, maybe?




Should have Googled it.

"The Exbury Egg has been funded by the Arts Council and private sponsors."


----------



## mariesnowgoose (Oct 26, 2013)

Ha ha. Spot on, then, Sharon


----------



## mariesnowgoose (Oct 26, 2013)

Also, don't forget those participating in the programme will probably get some dosh for doing so.


----------



## vwalan (Oct 26, 2013)

just saw this on ebay 1961 ( Unregistered ) Ford Thames 400E Calthorpe Camper | eBay
comments please.


----------



## n brown (Oct 26, 2013)

love the look and I like the mad molycroft,but wouldn't like to own it or drive it much.


----------



## mark61 (Oct 26, 2013)

Haven't things come along way.


----------



## vwalan (Oct 26, 2013)

it was a ford thames conversion with a cortina engine i first went to maroc . it bust a joint on the propshaft .in maroc they found some secondhand joints but had to weld them onto the shaft . wasnt a nice drive home . but it was an adventure .


----------



## Sparks (Oct 26, 2013)

Post Deleted


----------



## Tezza33 (Oct 26, 2013)

Sparks said:


> Seeing the rear of the headlamp buckets just makes me think 'front impact protection', or lack of.


They did have a good 'crumple zone', only trouble is you were sat in it:scared:


----------



## n brown (Oct 26, 2013)

mark61 said:


> Haven't things come along way.


 as a happily ex owner of many old bedfords,and other old wrecks with no power steering and no guts thank gawd for that !


----------



## vwalan (Oct 26, 2013)

all vw t2,s are like it ,so is my mitzy . the vw was the safest front over cab van of its class. had wrap round cage and roof frame . disgised as air vents . 
the mitzy is ok . mine had a serious hit in portugal a few years ago but repairable . they are stronger than you think . many vehicles with engines out the front arent safer . 
but steering these days is one finger . dont need muscles like footballs to drive them . 
or as in bedfords arms like a gorilla to reach the gearstick on the buses .


----------



## mark61 (Oct 26, 2013)

My old man had one of those Thames 400's. I do vaguely remember it, went to VW in about 1964. Never got a Ford again. lol.


----------



## n brown (Oct 26, 2013)

talking of gearsticks-after the porridge  -stirring hunt for gears,it was always exciting trying to guess what gear you'd be in when you let the clutch out ! dormobiles in particular had a very interesting gear linkage-they do say that if you took apart and laid all the components of the linkage in a straight line,it'd stretch from luton to slough,and you'd never get it to work again


----------



## vwalan (Oct 26, 2013)

mark61 said:


> My old man had one of those Thames 400's. I do vaguely remember it, went to VW in about 1964. Never got a Ford again. lol.



your dad was smart .ha ha . i never had another ford either . 
mind it was a share bus .


----------



## hextal (Oct 26, 2013)

Ha. You're as bad as me. "That car has no safety features, now excuse me while i get on my 150bhp bench"


----------



## wanderlust51 (Oct 26, 2013)

I love watching this program,because i like building things and it does fuel my imagination but what that build did was to make me thankful for what i got for 13,000 .A 2007 boxer van and everything that i put inside brand new 6000 for the van 7000 for materials job done,been to spain twice and counting the days for the next trip


----------



## Deleted member 24143 (Nov 9, 2013)

*Nov 7th episode*

Watched this weeks episode (7th Nov) and the double decker bus looked great. It weighed 11.5 tons before the conversion so must be a heavy old thing now. I think the owner was planning to park it permanently so mpg doesn't really come into it. That would be a difficult vehicle to use for wild camping though.


----------



## zildjian (Nov 9, 2013)

Yes he mentioned the fact he 'had a piece of land' somewhere in SW and intended spending time surfing, apart from there I'm not sure where would even let you pitch up, and as you say it might be  bit obvious a stealth-bus


----------



## Sky (Nov 9, 2013)

vwalan said:


> just saw this on ebay 1961 ( Unregistered ) Ford Thames 400E Calthorpe Camper | eBay
> comments please.



Wow, that brings back some memories.  My granddad had one of those in the sixties; we had great fun in it.  It was only good for making cups of tea in though, and it never had a toilet, we always had to make like a bear. :ninja:


----------



## zildjian (Nov 9, 2013)

Out of interest, sleeping in one of these earlier vehicles,
would that be a COLD experience
I mean given modern insulation techniques since those early days


----------



## n brown (Nov 9, 2013)

extremely cold. but at that time there wasn't a lot of central heating about so we were all either hardier or had low expectations . I tend to go for the former of course !


----------



## Sky (Nov 9, 2013)

We had central heating in our house - it was a paraffin stove in the centre of the room.  My mum even used to boil the kettle and cook on it.


----------



## n brown (Nov 9, 2013)

we had one of those ,with an oven on top-nice cakes too but a funny taste !


----------



## Penny13 (Nov 10, 2013)

I enjoyed the programme and will watch others, it is for the masses not us anoraks lol 
Now my son wants to sell my bus and buy a double decker


----------



## n brown (Nov 10, 2013)

*double deckers*

I have a bit of experience with double deckers. they are sort of ok as static homes,but that much glass gives extremes of hot and cold !but no good as a travelling vehicle. all routes need to be carefully planned to avoid low bridges and steep hills,no spontaneous side trips ! deep pockets needed for diesel and god forbid repairs !parking is difficult, and i don't know anyone who hasn't hit a heavy branch or overhanging roof . and on top of that,they're built like battleships and really difficult to scrap when you finally decide to get rid.imo an impractical vehicle for impractical dreamers


----------



## zildjian (Nov 10, 2013)

Yes I can imagine the repair bills might be a bit startling I'm not even sure where I'd begin calling for a mechanic (beyond local bus station maybe)

I noticed he was stuffing insulation in behind the aluminium wherever he could pop some rivets out.

On the van however, I once got stupidly stuck in a field middle-of-nowhere and spent one very cold night before I could get a tractor out to it next morning.


----------



## n brown (Nov 10, 2013)

on the subject of pop rivets,the bdouble decker we scrapped had quite a few missing,and behind every hole was a little wasp nest ! little sods go for any black spot in case it's a hole they can build in


----------



## maingate (Nov 10, 2013)

Steady David!

This is a family forum.


----------



## n brown (Nov 10, 2013)

ooh la la !


----------



## zildjian (Nov 10, 2013)

This thread is useless without pictures :heart:







there, I fixed it


----------



## CooP (Nov 11, 2013)

zildjian said:


> Out of interest, sleeping in one of these earlier vehicles,
> would that be a COLD experience
> I mean given modern insulation techniques since those early days



Sure, my 1972 Kombi has only basic insulation but thankfully modern clothing, duvets and sleeping bags compensate nicely. We usually "pre-heat" ourselves with a raging campfire and lots of sherry and somehow manage to forget that it's winter.


----------

