# just ripped out the interior on the van



## cooljules (Sep 16, 2011)

again been awake ALL night with nighmare back ache, but thought sod it and went out and ripped it out.  it naff layout from the previous owner, having seen a good few others recently.  im aching now, but stopped when it came to the electrics, im too tired to concentrate enough and dont want to risk doing something wrong.

have no batteries left in the camera, but might see what the one on my fone is like...give you a rough idea.  designed the basics on paper how i want the layout.


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## Miz (Sep 16, 2011)

*Sbmcc*

You may find some interesting reading on here

SBMCC Self Build Motor Caravanners Club

I know I post links to there on a regular basis, but just think it has some really good info.


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## cooljules (Sep 16, 2011)

Miz said:


> You may find some interesting reading on here
> 
> SBMCC Self Build Motor Caravanners Club
> 
> I know I post links to there on a regular basis, but just think it has some really good info.


 
thanks for that, much app.

i have been using ebay, and keeping a eye on the same VW LT's as mine, and looking at the fotos.   it will be a long slow process through winter, but at least i will have the cooking, sink unit in place, and hopefully a bed, so i can still use the van for weekends away.  my dogs love snow so would like to go up N Yorks over winter, even if stuck out there for a week or 2.  

again ta for the link, would never have crossed my mind there would a website for something like this.   will register later once i have got some rest


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## RobKeeble (Sep 16, 2011)

cooljules said:


> again been awake ALL night with nighmare back ache


Sorry to hear that cooljules.  I know there are a million types and you've probably tried everything, but my better half had back problems years ago and a waterbed helped in her case as it is always warm and supports every point whichever position she was sleeping in.  Some problems are better with a firm bed and others with a soft one, so if you haven't already, it may be worth trying a soft airbed and a firm airbed on top of your mattress to see if they make any difference.  Hope it eases soon.
Rob


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## cooljules (Sep 16, 2011)

RobKeeble said:


> Sorry to hear that cooljules.  I know there are a million types and you've probably tried everything, but my better half had back problems years ago and a waterbed helped in her case as it is always warm and supports every point whichever position she was sleeping in.  Some problems are better with a firm bed and others with a soft one, so if you haven't already, it may be worth trying a soft airbed and a firm airbed on top of your mattress to see if they make any difference.  Hope it eases soon.
> Rob


 
Hi Rob, thanks, had it for 16 years since i had bad fall and broke my back in 4 places.  its made worse when its cold and damp like it is now....sort of learnt to live with it.    off to pick up a new drug to me the doc has given me to try.

i use german horse cream, it helps a little, a TENS is good but costs a fortune in batteries and sticky pads.


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## AuldTam (Sep 16, 2011)

cooljules said:


> thanks for that, much app.
> 
> i have been using ebay, and keeping a eye on the same VW LT's as mine, and looking at the fotos.   it will be a long slow process through winter, but at least i will have the cooking, sink unit in place, and hopefully a bed, so i can still use the van for weekends away.  my dogs love snow so would like to go up N Yorks over winter, even if stuck out there for a week or 2.
> 
> again ta for the link, would never have crossed my mind there would a website for something like this.   will register later once i have got some rest



Gumtree is also a good place to look for parts. I picked up cushions, gas bottles, 1000w invertor/charger, generator, taps, portapotti, batteries, swivel seats and other odds and ends over a 3 moth period. I often see complete caravans for under £200 albeit old ones but you can still glean many parts from them, I might have gone this route if I had somewhere to store and strip a caravan then sell whats left for scrap or a trailer base. Aparently quad bikers use old caravan chassis to make trailers for there bikes. Ive even seen people giving away a caravan for free so keep an eye on your local gumtree ads.


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## cooljules (Sep 16, 2011)

AuldTam said:


> Gumtree is also a good place to look for parts. I picked up cushions, gas bottles, 1000w invertor/charger, generator, taps, portapotti, batteries, swivel seats and other odds and ends over a 3 moth period. I often see complete caravans for under £200 albeit old ones but you can still glean many parts from them, I might have gone this route if I had somewhere to store and strip a caravan then sell whats left for scrap or a trailer base. Aparently quad bikers use old caravan chassis to make trailers for there bikes. Ive even seen people giving away a caravan for free so keep an eye on your local gumtree ads.


 
thats not a bad idea.  i have been watching old caravans on ebay for that reason, and found a place in yorkshire that strips old caravans.  i like to use freecycle and when i had my old camper i had 2 of everything so gave 1 lot away (now its hard just to get a empty gas bottle....been after a old rotary washing like for ages, to use a tripod).   i do see people ask for old trailers on freecyce, gave away a couple of old tent trailers, as too hard for me to move and put up alone.  sometimes you can come across something really useful. im trying to save up for a towbar for my LT35, sods law its bloomin expensive and you cant just pop down to towsure etc to get one.  i have a towbar on the car if need be.

i really need head height storage units, storage is one thing im sort of.


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## Miz (Sep 16, 2011)

cooljules said:


> thanks for that, much app.
> 
> i have been using ebay, and keeping a eye on the same VW LT's as mine, and looking at the fotos.   it will be a long slow process through winter, but at least i will have the cooking, sink unit in place, and hopefully a bed, so i can still use the van for weekends away.  my dogs love snow so would like to go up N Yorks over winter, even if stuck out there for a week or 2.
> 
> again ta for the link, would never have crossed my mind there would a website for something like this.   will register later once i have got some rest



You do need to join the club to get full access to the forum

Copied from the forum 

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You can join the Club - This will upgrade your Forum Guest account to that of a Club Member. You will now see the Members Only areas and have unlimited posting rights as well as all the other benefits of membership._


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## ellisboy (Sep 16, 2011)

Hello Cooljules ! I'm also a member of the SBMCC and it's well worth the membership fee to have access 
To lots of useful info and could save you time& money. Good luck with your refit,regards Stephen :wave:


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## cooljules (Sep 16, 2011)

ellisboy said:


> Hello Cooljules ! I'm also a member of the SBMCC and it's well worth the membership fee to have access
> To lots of useful info and could save you time& money. Good luck with your refit,regards Stephen :wave:


 
Hi Stephen. yeah it seems ideal. esp how not to do things or pick up tips.  usually i do something, and while its ok, i find then it could have been better in a different way, like the bar me and my mates built in my garden last year when i was too ill to go out with them down town.  its ok, but realise how some things would have been better.

Hopefully join up by the end of the year.  got to get my dog its pet passport on 1st jan


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## Firefox (Sep 17, 2011)

Jools, I never joined the SBMCC as it was yet another forum you have to pay for  

A good tip I have, is if you go there you'll find there is a gallery of members vans. Click on these photos and links and you will often find the members have blogs and websites. Go along to these and all the information, tips, and photos on their builds are presented for free. You don't have to pay anything. There is also tons of other free information on the web for self builders.

If you have any questions, just ask them on Wild camping for motorhomes. There are loads of self builders here as we are generally thrifty people. It's a different crowd to some big MH forums where the emphasis is more on spending £60,000 on a van at a dealers and using pay campsites.


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## cooljules (Sep 17, 2011)

Firefox said:


> Jools, I never joined the SBMCC as it was yet another forum you have to pay for
> 
> A good tip I have, is if you go there you'll find there is a gallery of members vans. Click on these photos and links and you will often find the members have blogs and websites. Go along to these and all the information, tips, and photos on their builds are presented for free. You don't have to pay anything. There is also tons of other free information on the web for self builders.
> 
> If you have any questions, just ask them on Wild camping for motorhomes. There are loads of self builders here as we are generally thrifty people. It's a different crowd to some big MH forums where the emphasis is more on spending £60,000 on a van at a dealers and using pay campsites.


 
thats true.  i do like  home grown conversions, where people have put a bit of time n effort in.  rather than just go out and buy things straight of the shelf.   i had a table lamp, that my grandfather made me in the early 90's when i lived in london, the base is raised, with a little shelf to put a cup of tea, and just big enough to at the rear hide away my baccy tin.  i still use it now 

i plan not to be single for much longer (hopefully) so want to make the van attractive to a girl too.  so the more effort i put in, the more i hope they like it lol.   

oh again last night i gave some stuff away on freecycle, some nice gardening books, but no matter if im collecting stuff for me, or giving stuff away, people expect me to be female, cos of my name jules.   they are shocked when they see me lol


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## kell (Sep 17, 2011)

Hi Jules.

I too am of the 'bad back brigade' but have also converted my Iveco into a camper (the second one I've done). It's a case of doing what you can when you can but it gets done in the end. As much as a home conversion can be finished as theres always something new to add or improve on.

The first interior was built from various bits and pieces but for the second one I used the interior of a crash damaged caravan.

You can see both vans through my link below.

Keep up the good work.


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## cooljules (Sep 17, 2011)

kell said:


> Hi Jules.
> 
> I too am of the 'bad back brigade' but have also converted my Iveco into a camper (the second one I've done). It's a case of doing what you can when you can but it gets done in the end. As much as a home conversion can be finished as theres always something new to add or improve on.
> 
> ...


 
Hi, not nice is it back ache....was a total mess until earlier, just aches a bit now but can walk fine just about 

i want to work out, a couple of hiding places, for passports, documents etc.  and a place where i can hide a few thousand cigs...not to avoid customs, as they will be for me, but if i still have a couple of weeks left heading home, i dont just want them in the van.    

Tomorrow i will do some measurements of the inside, already measured the kitchen area.  down the opposite side i want a little toilet/shower room, ideally the same space somehow.

i wont be going around europe until next summer at the earliest, so gives me time to do things, and use the camper over here on lots of little trips, so i can see how its going and if anything needs improving, as i am sure some things will.


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## Firefox (Sep 17, 2011)

My van has toilet and shower opposite the kitchen area. 800 x 650 was the smallest practical shower room I could fit in my van.

My dimensions are 800mm x 650mm for the shower room and 950mm x 475mm for the kitchen. This leaves a 600mm wide gangway in between. The kitchen could have been 800 x 475, occupying the same length as the shower but I extended the kitchen a bit into the sliding door area. There is also another work surface which hinges up so the kitchen is 1200mm long when that is extended.

I've got a rear fixed double bed 1825 long by 1225 wide over a garage, and a 5 seater lounge at the front. OK for a van which is only 5.4m long (17' 7" )

Even the most massive American slide out RV's and bigger European motorhomes or converted coaches often follow this layout. Lounge at the front, kitchen and bathroom in the middle, and bedroom at the back. It's probably the most versatile, practical, and classic layout.

If you come along to Farndon you are welcome to have a look to either get some ideas or if you prefer, throw up your hands in horror


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## cooljules (Sep 18, 2011)

Firefox said:


> My van has toilet and shower opposite the kitchen area. 800 x 650 was the smallest practical shower room I could fit in my van.
> 
> My dimensions are 800mm x 650mm for the shower room and 950mm x 475mm for the kitchen. This leaves a 600mm wide gangway in between. The kitchen could have been 800 x 475, occupying the same length as the shower but I extended the kitchen a bit into the sliding door area. There is also another work surface which hinges up so the kitchen is 1200mm long when that is extended.
> 
> ...


 
that seems a good layout.  i am not keen where people have the kitchen literally at the back across both rear doors.     i have to have either 200 litre or 2x 100 litre water butts, to store used cooking oil, infact on ebay i saw lots of people selling used oil.   

im thinking, have the seats/dinner table as you walk in the side sliding door, which is just behind the cab,   then that will turn into the bed.  across the width of the van.


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## Firefox (Sep 18, 2011)

My dining table converts to another single bed sleeping across by the sliding door. It's 6' foot 1" long - not the best for really tall people, but works fine for me. So I can sleep three if needs be.

If you haven't got them I would fit swivels under the front seats. They made a huge difference to my interior space. I either have a 2 or 3 seater stealth lounge with the cab curtain drawn, or on a site I can swivel the seats, draw the curtains and turn it into a 4 to 5 seater lounge. There are such a lot of layouts where they don't use the cab but it increases my usable space by 30% so it's a must in my size of van.


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## cooljules (Sep 18, 2011)

Firefox said:


> My dining table converts to another single bed sleeping across by the sliding door. It's 6' foot 1" long - not the best for really tall people, but works fine for me. So I can sleep three if needs be.
> 
> If you haven't got them I would fit swivels under the front seats. They made a huge difference to my interior space. I either have a 2 or 3 seater stealth lounge with the cab curtain drawn, or on a site I can swivel the seats, draw the curtains and turn it into a 4 to 5 seater lounge. There are such a lot of layouts where they don't use the cab but it increases my usable space by 30% so it's a must in my size of van.


 
im 6'1 and 3/4s so i have to sleep diaginal a bit.  my cab is totally seperate, has the thin metal panel with a little window, so once i have ripped out the kitchen items which are fixed in place, im going to cut a access into it.    i have had my mates sleeping in the front, on the 2 seats with a bit of wood over the engine cover.  not idel but not too bad.  i want to make a shaped piece of wood, so allows more width to lay on.  the seats down swivel.  they did in my old T3 which i liked.  its something i would like to do sometime in the near future.


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## Firefox (Sep 18, 2011)

Yes, it's good to have access from the cab to the living area. Great for stealth camping, you can just park up and slip through the curtains. Whereas otherwise you have to open the big sliding door, enter that way, and slam that, which can attract attention from the local busybodies.

I had a big 9mm plywood partition in my van from it's previous life as a delivery van. I removed this and used the plywood to make my front seat locker unit which forms the bottom part of the bed inside the sliding door.


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## cooljules (Sep 18, 2011)

Firefox said:


> Yes, it's good to have access from the cab to the living area. Great for stealth camping, you can just park up and slip through the curtains. Whereas otherwise you have to open the big sliding door, enter that way, and slam that, which can attract attention from the local busybodies.
> 
> I had a big 9mm plywood partition in my van from it's previous life as a delivery van. I removed this and used the plywood to make my front seat locker unit which forms the bottom part of the bed inside the sliding door.


 
cool.
yeah its damn noisy having to slam hard the side door with force.


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## n brown (Sep 18, 2011)

on my lt i took out the bulkhead first as the seats cover half the gap anyway,then the bed can come from the back of the drivers seat,gains about 4 or 5 inches.so i have an "L"shaped seat there,the front sldes out to form a 2 metre bed.then took the kitchen all the way to the back door. on the passenger side started at the back with a shower up to the wheelarch,smallish but adequate then a 5 foot seat bed then a shallow wardrobe up to the sliding door.this layout means i can use the van for work i.e.loading ply thru the back and when the  bed is out the kitchen and shower can be accessed,and as there are no walls sticking out in the middle it feels more spacious


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## cooljules (Sep 20, 2011)

n brown said:


> on my lt i took out the bulkhead first as the seats cover half the gap anyway,then the bed can come from the back of the drivers seat,gains about 4 or 5 inches.so i have an "L"shaped seat there,the front sldes out to form a 2 metre bed.then took the kitchen all the way to the back door. on the passenger side started at the back with a shower up to the wheelarch,smallish but adequate then a 5 foot seat bed then a shallow wardrobe up to the sliding door.this layout means i can use the van for work i.e.loading ply thru the back and when the  bed is out the kitchen and shower can be accessed,and as there are no walls sticking out in the middle it feels more spacious


 
yeah its hard working it out so most spacious feel but eveything inside i need.  kitchen area is coming along, sort of worked out in my mind where things will be going.........i think lol


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## kell (Sep 21, 2011)

cooljules said:


> cool.
> yeah its damn noisy having to slam hard the side door with force.


 
To avoid having to slam the sliding door I fitted a strap handle (using a short length from a one inch wide ratchet strap) near the top rear inside the sliding door, this means that I can slide the door gently untill nearly closed and then pull the strap handle to pull the rear of the door inwards without too much noise.


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## Firefox (Sep 21, 2011)

I have a similar strap arrangement on mine.  It needs quite a tug to compress the rubber seal but it works. I only usually use it on campsites at night.


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## Byronic (Sep 21, 2011)

For what it's worth, I would say the most important thing to consider (even ideal layout) in a panel van conversion is avoiding internal condensation, even if your camping is restricted to southern Europe.
In the 5 vans I've converted over the years I've employed different materials/ways to overcome the problem. Some more successful than others. 
My present van (as Pics. on "show us your van" thread) layout has been altered 2 or 3 times over the years to suit changed circumstances, such as campsite useage originally then change to wild camping, eg. more space for gas bottles required.
I've now ended up with something of a comprimise ie not an ideal layout.
As for noisy sliding doors it helps if a window or vent is opened whilst closing.


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## cooljules (Sep 21, 2011)

Byronic said:


> For what it's worth, I would say the most important thing to consider (even ideal layout) in a panel van conversion is avoiding internal condensation, even if your camping is restricted to southern Europe.
> In the 5 vans I've converted over the years I've employed different materials/ways to overcome the problem. Some more successful than others.
> My present van (as Pics. on "show us your van" thread) layout has been altered 2 or 3 times over the years to suit changed circumstances, such as campsite useage originally then change to wild camping, eg. more space for gas bottles required.
> I've now ended up with something of a comprimise ie not an ideal layout.
> As for noisy sliding doors it helps if a window or vent is opened whilst closing.


 
I have plenty of time to work on mine until the spring, but want to get it right as much as i can first time round.  

yeah i always have a vent open, its just a old noisy, hard to shut door without needing to get it up to a fast speep to shut right.


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