# Boo



## ThunderRat (Jan 9, 2021)

Noob From East Lothian. Self build or in the middle off.

Hi


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## yorkslass (Jan 9, 2021)

Hi, Welcome


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## Robmac (Jan 9, 2021)

Welcome along.


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## Silver sprinter (Jan 9, 2021)

Hi welcome along from Scotland


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## Makzine (Jan 9, 2021)

Hello and welcome from Kent


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## trevskoda (Jan 9, 2021)

Hi welcome from Co Antrim, good luck with the build and hope you are in a warm garage.


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## mjvw (Jan 9, 2021)

Boo to you Thunder Rat welcome  from County Durham


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## campervanannie (Jan 9, 2021)

Hi and welcome


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## The laird (Jan 9, 2021)

Hi noob I'm in West Lothian ,there's members in your area 
welcome along and enjoy remember we have motorhomebuilder forum also 
nice to have a new Scottish member


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## ThunderRat (Jan 9, 2021)

Cheers. I bought this old bus i call Covid as i just managed to get out of Wales and home when i bought it hours before the first lockdown. There is another reason ill tell you what in a mo

Covid





I hate that door. Not a great deal can be done security wise due to it folding in the way. At present i dead bolt from inside and climb out the drivers side but that will need to change when done. I am going to wire in a electric lock and rocker switch for the outside to open and close but unless i can fathom a proper dead bolt system you can still just push it open.





It came with a 300 watt panel so i added another 100 watt and the rear skylight. It did dome with two skylights but one was removed for the panel to sit over. Previous owner never covered the hole with anything to water was getting in when driving in rain.

Previous owner was living in this. This mess was the main reason it was called covid as its was a bio hazard. I did see part all this rubbish but it was still not the van i seen in the advert pictures. I was livid after a train trip from Edinburgh to Coventry. He had a piano in the back what was not bolted down. That had fell over when he came to pick me up and pushed a large side window out. Lucky the top of the rubber was holding it in place. Managed to pup it all back in before any test run.





Below mess was behind his sofa bed and next to it was his cooking area. That is spilled grease and food from the cooker. Not to fussed about the floor as it was thick heavy planks of wood that was getting binned anyway but all the side wall carpets and ply was rotten also. He even had a log burner in there with no flue. Just opened the doors for air. It was stinking. Anyway as i was the only one showing interest and had cash a got a good discount but....





After the deal was done i was going to south Wales to a mated garage to get the steering sorted and rear air suspension. Manage three quarter there and smoke stated to come out the dash. Pulled over on the motorway and the fuse for the wipers was melting before my eyes. Ignition off killed the power to that. Manage to get the mangled plastic and metal out and  luckily my junction was only 5 miles or so away as it was raining and i now have no wipers. Got off motorway and into a petrol station to check what was going on. Turned out it had a disabled lift at the back at some stage so under the bonnet was a primitive split charge relay. As the air suspension was buggered the van was running in the bump stops so the wiring fell out the relay and caused a short. Why it took out the wipers i dont know but manage to sort that and get to my mates place. Next day discovered the wiper motor was shot so got another. The wiring was also gone as in melted but still getting power to motor and the various speed settings. Took the gamble that it would get me home after fixing suspension and steering. Two days later i headed north with no great issue other than under powered but i think its never had a good service in years and also no doubt the EGR is blocked.

Anyway got home and only think i have done under the bonnet was anything needed to get the MOT after my covid extension ran out. The battery was running low all the time but it was getting replaced after i fixed the parasitic drain what obviously was the meted wired to the wiper motor. Cut all them out and replaced with new doing one wire at a time but its all good now. Slowly doing the conversion as various lock down rules i was never able to get wood when wanted but no great hurry. Not doing Europe this year so its can be a running project once i get to the low in power problem.





Got the basics all in now. Behind that picture of the wifes corner is my shower room. Or will be. Decided to just make it a loo just now and get the shower fitted at a later date. Next year its Croatia so want it done for that trip. Below gives an idea of how things will be set out





Stud work on the right is the loo/shower room. Two sofas facing each other what pull out to be a bed. Under bead storage x 2 and the overhead on the left. The seat on the left will be a cubicle where the wife will sit as in front is stairs to the door so she cant be up front (Bonus) Its a quiet runner so we can still chat but she is getting power sockets there for a small DVD player, charging phone and the likes. To the right is two lower storage areas  and one tall one for any hanging items of clothing. First tall locker is the 240v fuse box as well as the 12v and solar charger. It will also hold three 100+ amp batteries. 

I am not much further forward TBH. I have still been able to work during the lockdowns so not had a lot of time to do much. 90% of my work is gardening so quiet now so have two days extra a week to get into this so will get more done this week. Its just so cold just now. Bought a Chinese diesel heater but wating on better fuel hose to arrive before getting that plumbed in.


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## ThunderRat (Jan 9, 2021)

Makzine said:


> Hello and welcome from Kent



Was down your way three weeks ago (Sittingbourne) or however you spell it. Got a great deal on a car so decided to drive down for it as got a deal on my old heap also


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## ThunderRat (Jan 10, 2021)

How many posts before admin approval is lifted?


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## jeanette (Jan 10, 2021)

Hi and welcome from County Durham


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## ThunderRat (Jan 10, 2021)

jeanette said:


> Hi and welcome from County Durham


Never been down there since the late 80's. Looked nice then. Knew a lass (As a friend) Who drove a pink Fiat Panda and worked in the collage.


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## phillybarbour (Jan 10, 2021)

Hi and welcome along, all the best with the conversion.


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## mariesnowgoose (Jan 19, 2021)

Hello, welcome along, ditto with the conversion


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## GreggBear (Jan 21, 2021)

Hiya mate, welcome to the forum. Conversion looks great, good luck on your travels....


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