# My new van for new camper project



## tclarkie (Apr 12, 2013)

here is a few pics of my van which i brought to convert into camper. It has had a respray and full 12mots on it, i am just looking now at caravans for sale to used all the stuff from caravan and fit most into the van. Hopefully nxt wk i am hoping if little girl behaves that is to start cracking on the interior. May just go to my friends scrapyard and get ply wood out of the vans there saves spending money.


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## Richard Bowers (Apr 12, 2013)

You can sometimes buy complete interiors on e.bay at a reasonable price,I use two batteries in my engine wired in patrallel then to leisure battery a solar tricle charger sits on my dash when parked I just plug it into lead that conects to my batteries  a good tip to start you off....


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## groyne (Apr 12, 2013)

Have a look at East Yorkshire Caravan Salvage If you're a member of SBMCC he'll give you a discount. But don't forget to haggle as well.


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## lotty (Apr 12, 2013)

Nice one Tracey. Good luck 
x


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## ellisboy (Apr 12, 2013)

Good luck with your build! Don't forget to take pictures.


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## Beemer (Apr 13, 2013)

Jealous!
One day I will do a conversion, have been itching to do one for years.


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## maingate (Apr 13, 2013)

Nice one Tracey, best of luck with sourcing bits.


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## Deleted member 4850 (Apr 13, 2013)

Great choice of base vehicle, plenty of head room. My latest van is based on a Transit high top minibus and it feels nice and spacious. I found some good caravan interior fittings on the local Gumtree. Good luck with it - exciting!


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## lotusanne (Apr 13, 2013)

looks great Tracey, will make a great campervan, will look forward to seeing it.  Hows life with baby? XX


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## daisymini (Apr 13, 2013)

Great van Tracey!! good luck with the conversion...mine is nearly finished,  Look forward to meeting you again, and heather at one of the meets !!!


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## tclarkie (Apr 13, 2013)

Thanks guys, i have a full hot water system with central heating which i took out of my last van b4 i sold it,plus my leisure battery it is a full wired panel with fuses and wires for lights etc which i have. I have source several items already which i say are free. 2 windows, smev hob and sink but need burners for hob, plywood is from my friends van scrap yard and my partner Noel has got me loads of foam for seats and bed. It just needs fitting. :hammer: 
Well the :baby: she is doing fine into everything she is really nosey..i hope will get to meet some of you again.


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## tclarkie (May 1, 2013)

Well i scarp the idea now using the parts i have and brought myself a caravan for £200 including delivered. here is a pic of caravan i got this on 23rd april and i have spent 2 and half days stripping it out and the 4th day it was demolished and gave the alko chassis to a friend who offer his help for those tight screws i couldnt undo...lol.. I am hoping maybe this week i can start to insulate the van and get building....
It has: cascade water heater, gas fire, fridge, 3 burner hob, oven, sink and drainer, shower but no toilet but i buy a new one for that also has the bunk bed in it too. noe cushions came with the van but i got foam already...








Be more pics coming soon.......


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## gaz2676 (May 1, 2013)

aye..that was a caravan ...but not so much now


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## Robmac (May 1, 2013)

Is that your Citroen H van behind the demolished caravan Tracey? If so, restore that it would be worth a fortune (probably worth a lot as it is!).


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## tclarkie (May 1, 2013)

No it isnt Rob. I wished it was it would of being sold long time ago... It is at my friends house and he was going to start welding it has it needs alot but the panels are too thin to weld even with gas so he told the guy who owns it this and it has being parked there for about a year. It is a real shame.. Yes it was a caravan at some point...lol


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## n brown (May 1, 2013)

looks like you got a good start,any advice just ask.best of !


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## tclarkie (May 1, 2013)

Well i know one thing the caravan manufacturers sure don`t shy away from screws, glue and those bloody staples.....Well it is all going in as the same side has it was on caravan so all gas pipes and electrics run along the same way but cut down to fit the van. Only thing i need to know is i have seen it on the internet somewhere how to fit the caravan windows on a transit has it has a curve body and not flat if anyone can give some pointers and ideas. I know you need the wooden frame but what do people used to fill the gaps were it curves or do the windows fit ok. I havent started the windows yet but just a few ideas will be good. Last van had normal van windows put in and didnt matter about the curve in the van body.


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## n brown (May 1, 2013)

when you take out a caravan window,it really helps to measure the hole,and sketch a corner-just hold paper against the corner and draw round it.then take off the rubber seal,this is held with staples too,but they'll pull through the rubber.now you should see little plastic corner bits.if you haven't got them make them out of ply. when you make the frame for the inside it's usually 3.5 cm


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## Deadsfo (May 1, 2013)

I have a van I intend to convert,I also have a caravan that is probably worth £1800 (though selling it is another matter)and has most of the bits I would need so a few questions 
1. if I could get £1800 for it would it still be worthwhile stripping it out ie. what parts could I buy for £1800 to do a good job
2. How do you go about stripping stuff out,there does'nt seem to be any obvious screws and fixings where the furniture meets the walls
3. if anybody out there has done this how did you find refitting it into the donor vehicle ie what did you do about the contours where the furniture meets the walls, make new sides ?
This post is on the Self Build forum and I was given your post from a reply ,having just done it how did you find the experience  .


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## tclarkie (May 2, 2013)

Thanks nbrown i took the plastic bits out too has it saves trying to make something round corners, it just what to fill in the gaps on the van has the van hasnt got flat sides do i just used foam or something. 
Well the caravan only cost me £200 and you dont need a fancy one but if it was me if i could sell it for £1800 i would and buy a cheaper one has once you took out the stuff you need normally you have to pay to get rid of rest of it -but parnter got abit a land and he burnt rest of mine. On the caravan it was a 1988 model and the screws are counter sunk into the frames but i had to take the apppliances/shevles out of the cupboards to get to the screws. Another thing is they are also screw in from the roof battens too and there is glue also. The van i had had very bad damp on roof and sides so it wasnt to hard. Has for the contours of the van last time i use a cardboard for template but i seen on youtube how to used a piece of wood drill with measure holes were a pencil/pen fits in and a point at the other end. Someone on here may know what they called it but there is a video on you tube for it. Unless you have very good memory i found taking photos has you strip it out helps when you start putting it in the van just incase you not sure what goes where..

If anyone lives in the north west a place in manchester does the facing plywood i am going to get in touch with these has if like me i need some has the orignal one for cupboard got bit damaged so i replacing it. I find out how much sheets cost and put it up here..

I try and be as much help for you if i can.


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## Deadsfo (May 2, 2013)

Thanks Clarkie that was very informative,the general consensus seem to be have a go at flogging the caravan then look for a cheaper one,it makes sense really ,then I can use the money from the sale to buy some new appliances whilst using all the bits and pieces and some of the furniture from the donor caravan. There used to be a caravan breakers not far from me on the main Oldham Rd. but they seem to have stopped trading,post the address of that ply suppliers I 'm bound to need some ,I'm not far from Oldham so Bury isn't far for me


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## tclarkie (May 3, 2013)

I got all my appliances out of the caravan only thing i need to buy is a toilet has it didn`t have one. The place is called Noyek Plywood- Home | NOYEK PLYWOOD - Wood, Plywood, Timber Merchant Manchester. I haven't had time to ring them today so i presume they deal with the public as well as trade. I only knew about this place cos the builders merchant i work for has brought a couple of sheets of ply from these otherwise i wouldn't of know them. Have a look at there site it has the sizes on there too they are big sheets. It is a little tricky to find it at first even with sat nav i drove pass it several times if u come in from Queens Road end it is on ur right after going under the bridge. I think it is next to like a skip/demolition yard. There is suppose to be a caravan breakers in Oldham on duchess street, shaw. It is called ddssupplies they sell stuff on ebay maybe another breakers for you to try
Good luck with your project :goodluck:


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## phillybarbour (May 10, 2013)

Looks like a tidy base vehicle, hav,e you started the conversion?


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## mariesnowgoose (May 11, 2013)

Eee lass! You're an inspiration 

You and Heather will be out and about roaming the countryside in luxury van accommodation before you can say Jack Robinson 

Give it 5 years - you'll be putting your feet up having a beer and Heather will be doing all the work on the van :lol-049:


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## landyrubbertramp (May 11, 2013)

well done good choice of van, not much eletronics simple to fix loads of spare parts too


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## paul h (May 11, 2013)

tclarkie said:


> I got all my appliances out of the caravan only thing i need to buy is a toilet has it didn`t have one. The place is called Noyek Plywood- Home | NOYEK PLYWOOD - Wood, Plywood, Timber Merchant Manchester. I haven't had time to ring them today so i presume they deal with the public as well as trade. I only knew about this place cos the builders merchant i work for has brought a couple of sheets of ply from these otherwise i wouldn't of know them. Have a look at there site it has the sizes on there too they are big sheets. It is a little tricky to find it at first even with sat nav i drove pass it several times if u come in from Queens Road end it is on ur right after going under the bridge. I think it is next to like a skip/demolition yard. There is suppose to be a caravan breakers in Oldham on duchess street, shaw. It is called ddssupplies they sell stuff on ebay maybe another breakers for you to try
> Good luck with your project :goodluck:




they will serve public if not tell them paul from a6windows has told you to go there


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## paul h (May 11, 2013)

Deadsfo said:


> Thanks Clarkie that was very informative,the general consensus seem to be have a go at flogging the caravan then look for a cheaper one,it makes sense really ,then I can use the money from the sale to buy some new appliances whilst using all the bits and pieces and some of the furniture from the donor caravan. There used to be a caravan breakers not far from me on the main Oldham Rd. but they seem to have stopped trading,post the address of that ply suppliers I 'm bound to need some ,I'm not far from Oldham so Bury isn't far for me



theres a caravan breaker on gumtree in manchester


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## kimbowbill (May 12, 2013)

Nice one Trace, hurry thi sen up and gerrit dun, uou can come to our meets then :dance: looks great xx


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## iveco4x4 (May 16, 2013)

Beemer said:


> Jealous!
> One day I will do a conversion, have been itching to do one for years.



You can get cream for that....


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## tclarkie (May 21, 2013)

Well i haven`t really done anything else to my van yet due to me starting back at work full time little girl has gone to nursery so pass week i being too tried.....:sleep-040: I am going to be cheeky at work and book couple of days or afternoons off so i can get it done. i want to start using it before weather gets crap....lol..  

Watch this space project starting soon......lol.


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## Sandylands (May 22, 2013)

You may have already thought of this, but the remaining caravan chassis would make a good boat trailer as it will probably be galvanised, and braked too. You could get a good few quid for it on ebay methinks


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## tclarkie (May 27, 2013)

My good friend who let me parked the caravan outside his back yard i gave him the chassis for that very reason has he has a boat or 2......Well i couldnt sell it to him has he being nice helping me undo some of the screws and breaking up the caravan at the end...


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