Newbie annoying question time

markie79

Ok so I bought myself a 00 old shape high roof transit going to convert into a stealth camper that will carry a motorbike and sleep 3 (well 2 and da dog lol). This will be a budget build, The overall layout i have in my head is at the back have a garage space with double bed above and a bathroom on left handside of garage. Then couch on rhs that will also function as a bed. Kitchen on lhs with sink and twin hob camping gas cooker. Kitchen unit will house fridge. Will have fold down table from bulkhead. I'm going to put 1 skylight and a vent at the back above bed/garage.

back layout im aiming for garage and space on rhs will be bathroom



Now for insulation I was thinking fiberglass insulation on a waterproof backing, and the attaching cladding to timber for the actual finish inside as will be stealth i think carpet will be too dark. will put in some spot lights in the ceiling and a powerpoint to charge laptop/phone etc. Will but timber under lay and laminate floor on plywood for the floor. The garage/bed and bathroom section will be made of ply.

Ok so will the fiberglass be warm enough ?
Do i need to put any acoustic barrier on walls ?
Will the Pine cladding suffice straight onto timber for finish?
Whats the cheapest way of having enough power to run lights etc, extra battries ?

and any other help info be greatly appreciated. thanks

spaceHopper

How often and for how long will you use the camper, something you use for a long weekend might be different to a full on motor home.

For power, add the biggest leisure battery (can be run down to 20% charge with out damage) you can get, something close in AH to the starter battery and charger it by a split charge relay. The ignition switches on a relay to charge the battery, when the engine is off it's not connected to the engine battery, so you will always start. Look at a cheap solar cell less then 20W should not need a charge controller and will keep a weekend camper battery topped up.

For a fridge you could use a electric cooler box, check lidl and aldi, one you can plug in at home to get it cold, ice packs also work well in them.

Are you going to add electric hook up - buy a book and study well best be safe. Put the gas in the back and vent it to the outside through the floor,

markie79

spaceHopper wrote: »

How often and for how long will you use the camper, something you use for a long weekend might be different to a full on motor home.

For power, add the biggest leisure battery (can be run down to 20% charge with out damage) you can get, something close in AH to the starter battery and charger it by a split charge relay. The ignition switches on a relay to charge the battery, when the engine is off it's not connected to the engine battery, so you will always start. Look at a cheap solar cell less then 20W should not need a charge controller and will keep a weekend camper battery topped up.

For a fridge you could use a electric cooler box, check lidl and aldi, one you can plug in at home to get it cold, ice packs also work well in them.

Are you going to add electric hook up - buy a book and study well best be safe. Put the gas in the back and vent it to the outside through the floor,

Will spend max 3 nights when in mondello but would like to do a week long trip next summer. Ya I will add electric hook up as when I'm in mondello I can plug it in. Ya I was going to get an electric cooler. Not goin to bother with shower. Just toilet as can't ask female passengers to use the bushes lol. Would I need an internal heater ?

martyc5674

Just my opinion.
But the bike is going to take over the whole van. Would you not buy a trailer for that and enjoy the extra living space?
You won't be able to swing a cat in there!!
Just my opinion so dint shoot me down
Best of luck with the build.
Marty.

niloc1951

Make sure you don't fall into the 'living van' category instead of the 'motor caravan' category as among other things it will be classed and tested as a commercial vehicle.

The definition of a living van.............“a vehicle whether mechanically propelled or not which is used as living accommodation by one or more persons and which is also used for the carriage of goods or burden (including livestock and more than one motor cycle) which are not needed by such one or more persons for the purpose of their residence in the vehicle”.

defike

Just a little hijack here but when I tested my van last week i noticed on the cert the garage gave me said "Living van".Didn't think anything of it at the time as I didn't know there was a distinction.
Does it reallly matter.

markie79

martyc5674 wrote: »

Just my opinion.
But the bike is going to take over the whole van. Would you not buy a trailer for that and enjoy the extra living space?
You won't be able to swing a cat in there!!
Just my opinion so dint shoot me down
Best of luck with the build.
Marty.

it will be my main form of transport also, its for a stunt bike, so the bike will spend most its time in the back. once I have enough room to sit down and have something to eat and watch a movie i be happy, ideally a sprinter or iveco be the job but budget is tight.

im thinking now to forget about toilet and just go with garage with bed on top. have seating area just infront of garage below bed and put the kitchen on the right. seen a similar set up on a newer transit and it looked quite well. the main factor of the van is to carry/house the bike. and when im up in mondello for the weekend have a warm comfortable bed to sleep in. And also something i can just take off for a night or 2 when i can.

markie79

niloc1951 wrote: »

Make sure you don't fall into the 'living van' category instead of the 'motor caravan' category as among other things it will be classed and tested as a commercial vehicle.

The definition of a living van.............“a vehicle whether mechanically propelled or not which is used as living accommodation by one or more persons and which is also used for the carriage of goods or burden (including livestock and more than one motor cycle) which are not needed by such one or more persons for the purpose of their residence in the vehicle”.

thanks

niloc1951

defike wrote: »

Just a little hijack here but when I tested my van last week i noticed on the cert the garage gave me said "Living van".Didn't think anything of it at the time as I didn't know there was a distinction.
Does it reallly matter.

A 'living van' is not the same as a 'motor caravan' and it's treated as a 'goods vehicle' in lots of ways.

It needs to be roadworthiness tested to the goods vehicle schedule (every year from new)

Its road tax is based on the goods vehicle rates afaik and there may also be insurance and toll charge implications.

Aidan_M_M

Did you see Mattie Griffins van?

markie79

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

Did you see Mattie Griffins van?

ya, thats where i got the idea. I organize and am the founder of Stunt Ireland, the Irish National Stunt series which is run at Mondello. Thats why I got the van. Tent is cold and a pain to pack up at the end of the weekend when your tired lol

Cedrus

You also need to think about keeping fumes (Fuel, solvent cleaners etc) out of your living/sleeping space and also getting them out of the garage space. I'm not sure what the legal situation in Ireland is re this, but I'd nearly guarantee it will be stricter when you graduate to racing abroad (including NI).
It would be a lot easier to concentrate on the 'stealth camper with a really big toolbox' and trailer the bike.

markie79

Cedrus wrote: »

You also need to think about keeping fumes (Fuel, solvent cleaners etc) out of your living/sleeping space and also getting them out of the garage space. I'm not sure what the legal situation in Ireland is re this, but I'd nearly guarantee it will be stricter when you graduate to racing abroad (including NI).
It would be a lot easier to concentrate on the 'stealth camper with a really big toolbox' and trailer the bike.

theres no fumes, maybe a small jerry can, stunt/race bikes run with low fuel for weight anyway. its the same as u carrying a jerry can of fuel in case u run out of juice, theres besboke companies in the UK who make race vans with this layout

http://www.mclarensportshomes.co.uk/Sports%20Home%20Twin%20Superbike%20Garage/

Cedrus

markie79 wrote: »

theres no fumes, maybe a small jerry can, stunt/race bikes run with low fuel for weight anyway. its the same as u carrying a jerry can of fuel in case u run out of juice, theres besboke companies in the UK who make race vans with this layout

http://www.mclarensportshomes.co.uk/Sports%20Home%20Twin%20Superbike%20Garage/

I regularly carry a jerry can of petrol, I carry some solvents occasionally. I wouldn't sleep in the same enclosed space with them EVER.

"Anyone who lightly says there is no risk, has simply not addressed the risk"

markie79

Cedrus wrote: »

I regularly carry a jerry can of petrol, I carry some solvents occasionally. I wouldn't sleep in the same enclosed space with them EVER.

"Anyone who lightly says there is no risk, has simply not addressed the risk"

it won't be in the same area, theres a seperate garage space which is blocked off from the living area, and the bikes are not in the van when sleeping there outside. Plus I only fill the jerry can at the nearest station to where im going with the bike and the can and the bike are 99% empty by the time im finished and ready to put it back in the van.

markie79

ok so after a bit of googlin' this is the layout im aiming for. but will be mirrored with garage and bed on rhs as I will put a swivel front passenger seat. And il put a storage/wardrobe where the bathroom is.



This is the kitchen design il do with a triple camping gas stove insetad of the the single ones that are here, round sink and 12v mini fridge. Will locate behind the drivers seat.

moodrater

markie79 wrote: »

ok so after a bit of googlin' this is the layout im aiming for. but will be mirrored with garage and bed on rhs as I will put a swivel front passenger seat. And il put a storage/wardrobe where the bathroom is.



This is the kitchen design il do with a triple camping gas stove insetad of the the single ones that are here, round sink and 12v mini fridge. Will locate behind the drivers seat.

I wouldn't line it with timber panelling it burns at an incredible rate. The one above looks like its lined with fibreglass or pvc. l would look at lining with PVC board its foamed on one side and solid on the other you can get high quality versions designed for architectural use and hygienic use in kitchens / surgeries it's self extinguishing and comes in lots of sizes. The PVC stuff comes long lengths too so you have hardly any joints and you can get neat connecting profiles. can get the veltrim carpet in lighter colours too we have a beige which is fine and light.

markie79

moodrater wrote: »

I wouldn't line it with timber panelling it burns at an incredible rate. The one above looks like its lined with fibreglass or pvc. l would look at lining with PVC board its foamed on one side and solid on the other you can get high quality versions designed for architectural use and hygienic use in kitchens / surgeries it's self extinguishing and comes in lots of sizes. The PVC stuff comes long lengths too so you have hardly any joints and you can get neat connecting profiles. can get the veltrim carpet in lighter colours too we have a beige which is fine and light.

don't like pvc, was thinking even line it with ply and stain the ply ?

markie79

Ok was advised to carpet walls for snugness and sound deadening so will do. And will make the units from ply.

Stupid question but for sink is it just a matter of hooking tap and pipe up to water bottle as simple as that and a waste bottle then for drainage ?

cir287

markie79 wrote: »

Ok was advised to carpet walls for snugness and sound deadening so will do. And will make the units from ply.

Stupid question but for sink is it just a matter of hooking tap and pipe up to water bottle as simple as that and a waste bottle then for drainage ?

yip, its that simple if you can get the water tank high enough otherwise you'll need a pump too but they're not that expensive.

the van with garage option is definately the way to go as far as I'm concerned.
The speed limit for trailers is just too low for doing any sort of miles. Its also easier to park, easier to just abandon at home after a long weekend and unload the next day, doesnt get unwanted attention ...............

On ours, (its work in progress going on a long time now but still gets regular use) I made the garage the full width of the back of the van, and put the portoloo and shower in there. For me it gives me greater flexability but may not be to everyones requirement.