# Transit Conversion a lot of pics



## JoandNick

Firstly thanks to Simong for pointing me in the direction of this site.  I'll try and narrow down the number of pictures and this is a work in progress 

Here is a photo diary style of the best bits of my van conversion
	

	
	
		
		

		
			












First a repaint rollered on 




then a cab update


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## JoandNick




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## JoandNick

roof and insulation going in




Thats where I'm at for the moment.  Hope to get a lot more done this week and nearly ready for the electrics and plumbing


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## Hirohito

*Transit Conversion.*

That looks seriously good & really professional. Tell me though, will you have access from the cab back into the lounge/diner. I only ask because when I bought my own part converted Transit, the metal partition between cab & rear was still in-situ. This meant out of cab door & through sliding door. I felt this would not be on in bad weather & for security reasons. I therefore removed the partition with the grinder.   Regards.


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## JoandNick

Well I suppose at a push you could get into the back by climbing over the front seats but realistically, No its a side door only entry.

The little room at the back will be the bathroom so entry via the back doors isn't really practical either.  I don't mind really as I plan on an awning over the side door for a bit more extension and the dash from passenger door to side door isn't that far as you can easily slide over the seats from the drivers side.

Just as an additional point the whole build so far has cost around £900 and that includes the van for £600 plus £100 tax.  Units are made from laminate flooring at £10 a box and the OSB ply is £10 for an 8'x4' sheet.  Cushions £10 from Gum tree Cooker sink ebay £10.  The leather seats and dash cost £50 of material ebay and probably the most expensive thing so far was the wall paper.  Although my son broke the side window and it looks like that might cost me a bit to replace.

Total build time, well I bought the van in April this year so not long.

And for future reference the bulkhead in transits is bolted in so you needn't have used the grinder, you can just unbolt it.


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## Wez

Very impressive - i love DIY builds!
Wish I had started wiht a bigger van now 

Keep up the good work


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## simong

Wez said:


> Very impressive - i love DIY builds!
> Wish I had started wiht a bigger van now
> 
> Keep up the good work


second conversions are normally better than the first, as you get a good idea of what you want in a van and what you don't need, I know with mine there's things I could have done differently, and will more than likely get changed over winter lol


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## Hirohito

*Transit Conversion*

Hi Joan & Nick, grand reply & I do suppose you won't want to clamber over the seats. The reason I used the grinder ? as it was part converted when I got it, the cooker & sink unit were already bolted in place, wired & plumbed & I didn't fancy moving it. So out with the grinder, glass removed & a nice wee passageway made into cab. Must admit it is magic having that entry & the dog lies in the space beside the handbrake with her rear right through.
Now the reason I mentioned security is the fact that if disturbed & provided the yobs have left the wheels on, I can jump into the cab & be off post-haste.   But each to his own & good luck as you continue the project....Regards.


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## JoandNick

appreciate the security aspect and ideally I would have liked 2 single swivel seats at the front but at £159 a seat I cant justify the cost.  ~I wish my dog woud just sit let alone be happy in the van.

As for Big Blue aka simong, I am planning van No2 already lol and I haven't even used this one yet.  Hoping to get closer to the finish this week


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## simong

JoandNick said:


> As for Big Blue aka simong, I am planning van No2 already lol and I haven't even used this one yet.  Hoping to get closer to the finish this week


If ya near done for the 10th,11th & 12th we're having a weekend away, would be a good 'test' break, luckly the new ideas I have are just a bit of modding to the bench seats, but knowing me it'll be more by the time I come to do it lol


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## l77 tuf

swivel seats mate go on to 247 spares and put in renault espace seats and they come with swivel seats as standard we got our set for £80 complete the seat and the swivel base then i made to fixing boxes and got them recovered they are spot on mate


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## 888dee

looks good, very good...

damn you all with your self build vans, you're just encouraging me, everytime I'm out now I'm looking at vans of all shapes and sizes thinking hmmmm, that would be good for a conversion


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## BedfordMJ

Looks great! You might also get hints and advice from the self-build motorcaravanners club sbmcc but doesn't look like you need it.


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## JoandNick

firstly Simong, I don't think I'll be anywhere near ready by the 10th, all the electrics to buy plus all the plumbing and gas to sort out.  I will be ready for Transitmania though so hopefully see you there.

Secondly, thanks for all the kind messages, I got a lot of inspiration from the self build site and from peoples comments


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## jack/c

thats coming along really nicely,and i must say the cab is a real looker well done mate,regards jack


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## JoandNick

got a bit more done on Sunday, had a fairly eventful weekend so only managed to work on the van Sunday afternoon

Finished the ceiling, Made the top locker at the rear, made a drawer for the back unit( still to make the cupboard door, its just a front at the moment) and the Mrs ran up some curtains.


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## jack/c

great stuff mate,im currently converting a trnsit 04 reg into a day van,could i ask you what size(depth wise)your cupboards are and what out of ie.kitchen,camper etc,regards jack


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## JoandNick

Cupboard depths are 16 inches, that was determined by the sink/cooker unit.  All the units are hand made from 2x1 timber frames covered with laminate flooring. Make a section up, glue it together, cut to size then put a ply frame around the back to hang hinges and give it depth.  Finish it off with iron on edge strip designed for contiboards. Very cheap to make and lighter than contiboard.

 The only things to come out of a caravan are the cushions. These were cut to fit and then the covers restitched into the new shape.  The sink unit came from ebay and I believe it was from a T4 camper (£10). Everything else was built to spec on the job....very little measuring more of a feeling.

Laminate flooring for the ceiling too, now thats a challenge to fit.

The height was guessed as a "does that feel right" and I made a bit of a plan on google sketch up.  Quite useful to figure out what you could fit in although I did deviate from it a little once it started to come together.


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## JoandNick

this weekends updates
Lights fitted




Curtains




bathroom light




Bed




Under bed storage


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## JoandNick

Nearly finished now, carpets fitted, shelves in cupboards done just a few finishing touches like cupboard handles and shes ready to roll













even an in dash DVD player


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## Nomad1

great job,,i just love selfbuilds,,especialy transits,,i hope you have many good trips in it..


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## simong

JoandNick said:


> even an in dash DVD player



theres a couple of transits in our local scrappy that have the single din dash if your after one, can pick you one up and bring it down to billing at the end of the month if you want one


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## JoandNick

Thanks mate but too much hassle for me to fit a new dash.  The converter I bought will do for now.  Besides, I'm saving for  walnut kit that will hide most of it lol


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## JoandNick

Well it was delivery day today Inverter (500w) Sink unit and my 8Gb memory stick. So with 1796 songs loaded and plugged into the new DVD stereo headunit I set to work this evening rocking away applying some finishing touches.

Got the sink more or less fitted, just a bit of plumbing to route and an extra 2 water bottles to sort out (once again thanks Colin).

Wired a twin socket and the inverter up with an adapter I can also use campsite electric hook ups. Ill sort an external connector later.

Bought a set of 12 cupboard chrome handles for £9 from the local hardware store who also sourced me two 25 Litre water containers for £7.50, just a pump to get and we will be all plumbed up.

Few little jobs to complete the build now, trim the ceiling to walls with some coving. Rebuild the drawer as its rubbish and doesnt fit properly. sort out how to fix the gas bottle and water bottles in place. Find and fit a toilet and I think were done.

It's sad but me and the Mrs spend a lot of time just sat in the van on an evening in the drive having a drink and a chat and it feels like home, really comfy and suprisingly spacious. Cant wait to try it out at Billing with the big tent attached but we might just sneak a weekend away test beforehand. Anyway heres the latest pics


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