# Van built. Exciting times.



## mark61 (Mar 3, 2016)

Van has been made and just delivered to the company who are tweaking 4x4 system. Best get my conversion ideas sorted.


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## Sharon the Cat (Mar 3, 2016)

Have fun!


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## trevskoda (Mar 3, 2016)

You will get no sleep now.:idea::juggle::mad2::camper::cheers:good luck.


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## n brown (Mar 3, 2016)

are you going for a pop top ?


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## mark61 (Mar 3, 2016)

n brown said:


> are you going for a pop top ?



If I found one I liked for sensible money, I would seriously consider a pop top. The off roading toys come first though.


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## phillybarbour (Mar 3, 2016)

What made you go for white, your current van is such a strong vibrant colour?


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## phillybarbour (Mar 3, 2016)

What 4x4 mods are due, I'd have thought with all the electronics on a new vehicle you couldn't mess much with the drive train.


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## snowbirds (Mar 3, 2016)

Looks Great, good luck with the build.

Snowbirds.:wave:




mark61 said:


> Van has been made and just delivered to the company who are tweaking 4x4 system. Best get my conversion ideas sorted.


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## mark61 (Mar 3, 2016)

phillybarbour said:


> What made you go for white, your current van is such a strong vibrant colour?




Never ordered a new vehicle before. I knew exactly what I wanted, apart from colour, so went with white. 

4x4 mods are, convert the part time 4x4 to full time 4x4, front, centre and rear diff locks fitted. Low ratio box taken from the standard 1:1.42 ratio to 1:2.85 making it a proper low box.

All the 4x4 mods are carried out by the company who supply the 4x4 system to Mercedes in the first place. Mercedes only directly supply the most basic of their options though. 
Nice looking facility mind you.


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## caledonia (Mar 3, 2016)

Proper job! Wetting my appetite for a new van, which will be 4x4. Keep us updated. Well jealous.


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## Debs (Mar 3, 2016)

Something missing from those pictures.....oh yes, filthy muck and grease coated floors, with mechanics in same condition with fag hanging out of mouth, "other stuff" lying all over the place, and the head honcho yelling at you to get out of this area! :banana::lol-049::lol-049:


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## Deleted member 20892 (Mar 3, 2016)

If only.... If my No's come on the loto, i'll be in the que besides ya .!

jt


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## mark61 (May 1, 2016)

Finally arrived at UK dealer last week. Picked it up on Friday, took it up to some quarries north of Peterborough just to make sure everything works as it should. Only easy tracks, didn't want to wreck it on first outing, need some decent tyres on it first as well. 
Fun bit of getting it converted starts very soon. 
Difflock vacuums under passenger seat. A nice 6x6 at the dealer, which is just crying out to be a MH.


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## n brown (May 1, 2016)

sorted a layout yet ?


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## mark61 (May 1, 2016)

Think I'm going to do similar layout to the Auto Sleeper Symbol, minus the shower.


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## n brown (May 1, 2016)

sounds good, losing the shower increases the free floor area, and not having that floor to ceiling box will really make it more open and spacious feeling !


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## Buzzy Beans (May 1, 2016)

One of the members of the new diymotorhome forum is an avid 4x4 fanatic with a 4x4 Sprinter that he has converted but which also doubles as his work van where he goes out into the fields repairing farming equipment with his on boar oxy equipment.

Good luck with your conversion, it will be good to see how you are getting on.

All the best

Phil


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## mark61 (May 19, 2016)

Windows in last week, and today dropped the van of at Errol's place, Home

Decided not to do this one myself. Errol will do a far better job and it will get finished.

Still not finished the other van, in fact, still not finished my flat which I started on over 10 years ago, lol. So decided to pay and get a complete job.


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## mark61 (Jul 19, 2016)

Patriot roof rack fitted, van now back at Errol's to complete conversion. Best bit about that is I get to go away while work on van continues. 

Have to say, everyone I've dealt with getting work done have been fantastic.


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## carol (Jul 19, 2016)

Wow, Mark, just seen this thread...a new van! Looking good. Have you won the lottery?


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## mark61 (Jul 29, 2016)

Almost done, I think   Just a single seat/bed to go in back, then get some proper tyres on it and a few other bits.


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## n brown (Jul 29, 2016)

well i'd say Errol's done you proud mate !pretty good amount of space left considering the massive amount of storage you've got in a small van, and a nice finish too. i like the cranked VW table leg mounted on the bed leg , in fact i like the whole thing !


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## oldish hippy (Jul 29, 2016)

awso,e bloke that errol


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## mark61 (Jul 30, 2016)

n brown said:


> well i'd say Errol's done you proud mate !pretty good amount of space left considering the massive amount of storage you've got in a small van, and a nice finish too. i like the cranked VW table leg mounted on the bed leg , in fact i like the whole thing !



He certainly did, Errol is pleasure to deal with too, I couldn't be happier.

I have now developed a fetish of opening and closing cupboard doors for hours on end, haha.


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## Robmac (Jul 30, 2016)

Top job Mark!

Can I ask, is the cooker a Spinflo Triplex? If so, what venting is required behind it?


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## mark61 (Jul 30, 2016)

Cooker is a Dometic Moonlight. Manual only mentions that nearest side of rear burner should be 150mm from wall, so about 75mm gap behind the whole unit.


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## mark61 (Sep 19, 2016)

Good weekend away and tested the van on a few tracks. I have taken it down Salisbury plain a few times, but nothing much to test it on there, apart from deep mud holes, which I try and avoid.
Difflocks and lower low range definitely worth it.


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## vwalan (Sep 19, 2016)

looking very nice . makes us all a bit jealous in a nice way. 
hope you have loads of fun. mind i,m sure you will. 
i can see Timbuktu and other places being on your warpath.
small does work . but i have been spoilt too long . mind that really is nice.


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## mark61 (Sep 19, 2016)

vwalan said:


> looking very nice . makes us all a bit jealous in a nice way.
> hope you have loads of fun. mind i,m sure you will.
> i can see Timbuktu and other places being on your warpath.
> small does work . but i have been spoilt too long . mind that really is nice.



Thanks Alan. Timbuktu is very tempting, one day, hopefully. Really fancy heading east too, Georgia, Azerbaijan & further. Still, plenty to see and do in UK, Europe & Morocco for a few years yet.

Get your truck packed, we have trips to do.


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## vwalan (Sep 19, 2016)

mark61 said:


> Thanks Alan. Timbuktu is very tempting, one day, hopefully. Really fancy heading east too, Georgia, Azerbaijan & further. Still, plenty to see and do in UK, Europe & Morocco for a few years yet.
> 
> Get your truck packed, we have trips to do.



dont worry mine is almost packed already. just some bacon and gammon joints to get . 
almost wondering if i shall still have enough diesel from spain to get back to spain . hee hee .
might have to get bigger tanks . only carry 400ltrs these days . 
be nice to get the middle east sorted . wish uk and usa would stp their bombing . it makes it worse. but never know might all open up again . get isis back in charge we shall be ok. hee hee .


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## n brown (Sep 19, 2016)

fun truck Mark, right for going to those places i'd try and fail to get to ! [which is why i carry such a good towrope !] good size too


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## st3v3 (Sep 20, 2016)

Combining two things I really like - off road and the van. Very cool.


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## stonedaddy (Sep 20, 2016)

*Ribblehead*

A good test for it is getting it out of the Ribblehead pub car park in the middle of winter when snowing and ice'y. Great van and a great job you have done there Mark.
.... Tom .... LM


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## Wully (Sep 26, 2016)

Think i saw you heading south on m40 just outside Oxford. I was heading north and saw white 4x4 sprinter with
A snorkel must be you not too many of them around. Looks impressive cheers Wully


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## mark61 (Sep 26, 2016)

Most probably, was on way back from show at Stratford.


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