Vivaro camper Van conversion

[Poodle]

Brentacre have insured my boxer van for social and domestic use for similar cost to the insurance on my car, if that helps at all. I have my car insured with them as well, which may have helped swing it tbf.

[cully]

Insurance sorted now with Adrian Flux
social and domestic use, with modifications added as and when with no extra charge on a like for like basis

[1616six]

[cully]

First of the month!
its insured and now taxed
Ive driven it to my friends garage and stuck it on the ramps to have a look under
looks nice and clean and it has NO DPF fitted so thats a bonus!

the last couple of days I have been busy removing all the racking and stripping the rear back to bare shell, ready for sound deadening, first fix wiring and insulation

will start with the pictures once the back is empty and the bulkhead removed

[306carter]

Definitely following this build. Always wanted to build my own day van but we bought a touring caravan last year to take kids away.

I would imagine the old racking will be worth a few hundred quid. I've just got a Transit Custom for work a racking system for it was going to be £600. So I've made my own.

[cully]

been busy today managed to remove the bulkhead, all the internal side panels,
and all the secondary loom, but I'm struggling with the roof rails some kind person nut and bolted them through the roof onto load spreader plates inside,
I'm having to adapt the spreader plates inside with some Rivnuts to enable me to use the rails again if needed,
as i wont be able to get to the nuts when a new roof is fitted inside.
also making good and water proofing all the existing drilled holes in the roof


spreader plates with added rivnuts



sealing the roof holes with the use of Tap washers and silicon sealant



looking a lot larger inside now!

[rocker8742]

Could be a very interesting project mate, always wanted to do this with a scan but haven't really got the space or need to be honest lol just fancy the project

[1616six]

That's going to be boomy as hell for the time being :p

Amazing how much of a difference a bulkhead makes!

Following with interest

[cully]

oow first major purchase for the Van!
Thought it would be best to fit these while the van is empty so easier to clean up the swarf from cutting the holes

[Eeyore]

best of luck. im always amazed it seems easy to fit windows in vans.

[Danny Wideboy]

Don't fit too many windows dude.
Speaking from experience of owning a few live in vehicles, there is only so many opening windows you need.
Too many and it can turn from light and airy to an all out greenhouse/conservatory effect and you can't cool the bastard down.
More metal with insulation behind is better in a van than more windows.

[Dum-Dum]

It looks huge gutted out.

[cully]

Don't fit too many windows dude.

im only fitting two extra,
one on the sliding door and one behind the drivers seat

[cully]

todays mission!
1: remove the roof loom from front to back with the hope it will make things easier later
2: spice in the tow bar electrics while moving the loom



marked all the cables all 29 then cut them!



once the loom was cut i worked out the 6 cables needed for the towbar socket, then fed the cut loom back through the channelling of the roof
then soldered and slieved all the joints, tape wrapped it and sat back and admired the new clean lines!






for info....

[welshpug]

ahh schoolboy error with the cables there always stagger! granted a bit tricky with the space and number of them though.

[cully]

yup ideally needed to stagger but not enough room to stagger 29 cable in that space
biggest mistake was placing the numbers too far down the hidden loom as they didnot appear out the hole DOH!

[Seb_Ryan]

Dont forget to add a buzzer to the towbar electrics if there isnt one fitted

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk

[cully]

Dont forget to add a buzzer to the towbar electrics if there isnt one fitted

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk

yes im aware
but im unsure if it needs an isolation relay kit 
hence why ive only spliced in the cables ATM

[Seb_Ryan]

Is there bulb failure on it? If not then it wont

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk

[cully]

no idea maybe i should look at the handbook

[cully]

windows turned up think i may need a hand they are quite big!

   

[cully]

some progress on the van in the last few days,
I've fitted a brand new witter Towbar, the kit fitted nice and easy all electrics in and working No isolation relays needed



then onto something most of you guys rip out!
ive started to cover the larger internal panels with Flashband this is to cut down on the road noise inside the van,
I was surprised how effective it is, it certainly reduces the drumming noise

[Dum-Dum]

good progress man

[1616six]

How is this on fuel Cully? I'm intrigued as I've heard they'll do nearly 40mpg.

[cully]

How is this on fuel Cully? I'm intrigued as I've heard they'll do nearly 40mpg.

Ive not put any fuel in it yet as i bought it with half a tank
I know it has a large 90ltr tank thats gona cost a bit to fill

[WiNgNuTz]

Good call with the flashband, suppose anything will be an improvement over nothing.

Looks like some good progress you're making with this though, I've been tempted to try and lay my hands on a van to make into a crew cab with loadspace in the rear, as they seem rare as hens teeth, would likely be better for me to work from than an estate, though I do like my BMW now.

[cully]

todays job First fix the wiring 240v and 12v



second job was to extract the drawings from my head before i forget them!





now i can continue with the insulation

[mr_fish]

Certainly got the makings of a tidy outfit. Watching with interest on how it turns out.

[Danny Wideboy]

Getting on well mate.
I know flashband isn't the cheapest material to use, but probably cheaper than dynomat.
If you were to do it again, or anybody else, for reference, bituthene is a very similar product but is plastic backed instead of foil so a bit easier to handle. Also a lot cheaper per metre but you do need to buy a 20m roll.

[cully]

NEW tool day!
bought a clark nibbler for cutting out the windows, this one fits to the drill chuck
practice run by cutting a hole for the 16amp inlet
nice and easy to use and control, with a good finish



painted all the new edges and silicon sealed the box back against the van



think our new cat will soon be up for going on drives out