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Thanks all.

Home conversion advice much appreciated...

  • 26-04-2012 1:59am
    #1
    HandsomeRover
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭


    Hi All,

    First post from a long-time lurker - go easy on me!
    I have lots of questions on converting a Transit to a fully legal camper... There's lots of great advice on here, thanks to you all sharing your knowledge and experience...

    So I bought a Transit and have started to convert her into a camper. I brought her in form the UK and cleared her as a commercial with Customs - 50euro vrt paid.

    Currently taxed and insured as a commercial. She's a 2005 T350 LWB Hi-Roof with two rear windows (in rear doors).

    The work I have done to date is (in no particular order):
    1. Fitted insulation and vapour barrier behind ply lining on floor, walls and ceiling.
    2. Fitted LED lighting.
    3. Fitted leisure battery and split charge relay.
    4. Fitted 8-gang fuse box (off leisure battery) on parcel shelf
    5. Fitted cd player & speakers in back
    6. Added a bulkhead for extra security
    7. Fitted usb & 2 cigar lighter sockets
    8. Fitted submersible pump
    9. Built a sink unit with fresh and waste tanks enclosed within unit
    10. Attached a gas 2-ring & grill cooker to the sink unit (sits on the unit, next to sink, with gas bottle enclosed within unit underneath)
    11. Stuck 'Lino' over the plyed out (and insulated) floor
    12. Fitted a king-size bed (made from angle-iron, ply and laminated 4" foam) that folds into a couch during the day
    13. Boxed off the parcel shelf, accessed thru a hinged hatch.
    14. Fitted an outdoor 240v socket in engine bay with extension cable snaking through grommet into cab, under rubber flooring, up through pillar into parcel shelf to 4-gang socket for camp-site hook-up.
    15. Have bought camping toilet, fridge, extras from lidl/ikea/ebay etc.
    16. Fitted a sky-light

    So its a camper in many respects, but i'd prefer to make if official and not have to worry about being pulled over or God forbid, having an accident etc. The commercial tax and insurance are up in the summer and i'd like to sort it all out in time to convert it over when it runs out.

    I know I need an engineers report, the motor tax office to inspect it, send photos to the insurance company, and pay VRT...

    Can anyone advise what i should do next, and in what order? The van gets a DOE every year as a commercial, and passes no problems, and i'd like to continue that as a camper.

    I need to add a table. I have the bed, sink and 2-ring gas cooker, and 1.8m standing height.

    To pass any inspections (customs/motor tax/insurance/engineers report) do I need to:

    1. Carpet the walls? (it looks a bit 'homemade' with just Lino and ply)
    2. Remove the bulkhead? (added for extra security)
    3. Swap the passenger bench for a single seat?
    4. Fit a swivel to the front seat(s)? passenger? driver?
    5. Fit a side window?
    6. Do anything else?

    Any advice greatly appreciated...
    Sorry for the essay,

    Cheers All,

    HandsomeRover!


Comments

  • #2
    Buford T Justice
    Registered Users Posts: 6,250 ✭✭✭Buford T Justice


    That pretty much covers it all. But you'll need to remove the bulkhead or you wont get insurance with dolmen anyway.


  • #3
    HandsomeRover
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭HandsomeRover


    Buford T Justice wrote: »
    That pretty much covers it all. But you'll need to remove the bulkhead or you wont get insurance with dolmen anyway.

    Cheers Budford...

    I spoke to Dolmen already and they could not tell me why I had to remove it (but that I had to remove it!). I offered it was extra security - they did not understand I wanted to keep it, to keep cab separate from back. I'll try again with them on that one.

    Are these a requirement or a 'nice-to-have'?
    1. Carpet the walls? (it looks a bit 'homemade' with just Lino and ply)

    3. Swap the passenger bench for a single seat?
    4. Fit a swivel to the front seat(s)? passenger? driver?
    5. Fit a side window?

    As is can I get away with not doing them?

    Thanks again...


  • #4
    defike
    Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭defike


    I put van lining felt on the walls and ceiling of mine.Looks good I think.


  • #5
    Irishgoatman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,741 ✭✭✭Irishgoatman


    Buford T Justice wrote: »
    That pretty much covers it all. But you'll need to remove the bulkhead or you wont get insurance with dolmen anyway.

    Hi Sheriff,

    What' s with having to remove bulkhead?.
    Why?.

    I assume this is only for self-builds because my Romahome only has rear entrance and Dolmen never raised the issue.


  • #6
    HandsomeRover
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭HandsomeRover


    defike wrote: »
    I put van lining felt on the walls and ceiling of mine.Looks good I think.

    Nice one defike, where did you get the stuff?
    I see some on ebay from UK; any available here?

    Did you use evostick spray glue (or similar)?

    Any photos of vans/interiors here?


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  • #7
    donkeykonky
    Registered Users Posts: 44 ✭donkeykonky


    That pretty much covers it all. But you'll need to remove the bulkhead or you wont get insurance with dolmen anyway

    Yep I was told the same thing. No Bulkhead. There has to be a clear walkway between front and back. They had issues with my bench seat up front too which I had to swap for a single. Ludicrous rule!!!


  • #8
    defike
    Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭defike


    Can get some from greendogcampers in Wicklow,but as I was doing landbridge to France one year I picked mine up from Megavanmats.com in UK.(much cheaper)
    High temperature upholstery glue is supplied with it at extra cost.


  • #9
    Buford T Justice
    Registered Users Posts: 6,250 ✭✭✭Buford T Justice


    Megavan mats are good for the lining carpet. I got mine from them
    HandsomeRover wrote: »
    Cheers Budford...

    I spoke to Dolmen already and they could not tell me why I had to remove it (but that I had to remove it!). I offered it was extra security - they did not understand I wanted to keep it, to keep cab separate from back. I'll try again with them on that one.

    Are these a requirement or a 'nice-to-have'?
    1. Carpet the walls? (it looks a bit 'homemade' with just Lino and ply)

    3. Swap the passenger bench for a single seat?
    4. Fit a swivel to the front seat(s)? passenger? driver?
    5. Fit a side window?

    As is can I get away with not doing them?

    Thanks again...

    Just nice to have as far as I know. Its personal taste how you want your camper to look, though they might have an issue with access with a bench seat.
    Irishgoatman wrote: »
    Hi Sheriff,

    What' s with having to remove bulkhead?.
    Why?.

    I assume this is only for self-builds because my Romahome only has rear entrance and Dolmen never raised the issue.

    Yeah. Its only for conversions and I've no idea why you have to have the bulkhead removed. As said above you must have a walkway from the front of the van back to the living area. No clue why though


  • #10
    HandsomeRover
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭HandsomeRover


    Buford T Justice wrote: »
    Yeah. Its only for conversions and I've no idea why you have to have the bulkhead removed. As said above you must have a walkway from the front of the van back to the living area. No clue why though

    I think the reason is it is harder to use a home-converted campervan with the bench seat and bulkhead removed as a 'panel-van' for the carriage of goods (security, safety & visibility).

    Could be way off, but I guess they want you to use your van for the purpose for which it is intended (and as a result pay the appropriate VRT).


  • #11
    Irishgoatman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,741 ✭✭✭Irishgoatman


    HandsomeRover wrote: »
    I think the reason is it is harder to use a home-converted campervan with the bench seat and bulkhead removed as a 'panel-van' for the carriage of goods (security, safety & visibility).

    Could be way off, but I guess they want you to use your van for the purpose for which it is intended (and as a result pay the appropriate VRT).

    Yes, this sounds feasible. It does prevent it being a dual purpose vehicle to a certain extent.
    Thanks guys.


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  • #12
    siteset
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭siteset


    Very interesting guys i too want to do a conversion on my crew cab LWB transit, i have a bulk head too, iam thinking of cutting it just enough to walk from front to back of van so i will lose a seat i recon, or i may just leave it as i still want to use my van for work, from the bulk head to the back van doors i have 8foot so i think i will make to large boxs down each side with a centre piece that i can slide between the two boxs to form one large bed at nite, so dueing the day the boxs can form bench seats with a centre pole placement were i can fit a table. wont have a permanent cooker or toilet but will have removeable ones.


  • #13
    Irishgoatman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,741 ✭✭✭Irishgoatman


    siteset wrote: »
    Very interesting guys i too want to do a conversion on my crew cab LWB transit, i have a bulk head too, iam thinking of cutting it just enough to walk from front to back of van so i will lose a seat i recon, or i may just leave it as i still want to use my van for work, from the bulk head to the back van doors i have 8foot so i think i will make to large boxs down each side with a centre piece that i can slide between the two boxs to form one large bed at nite, so dueing the day the boxs can form bench seats with a centre pole placement were i can fit a table. wont have a permanent cooker or toilet but will have removeable ones.

    Not that I've done a conversion but I can see various problems other than the bulkhead!
    The obvious ones are:

    1/. Campervan insurance does not permit permanent use.
    2/. To be classed as a campervan for road tax purposes cooker must be permanent fixture.

    I'm sure Sheriff Buford will give you more info but I can't see you getting very far with those ideas. Sorry about that.


  • #14
    siteset
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭siteset


    Irishgoatman wrote: »
    Not that I've done a conversion but I can see various problems other than the bulkhead!
    The obvious ones are:

    1/. Campervan insurance does not permit permanent use.
    2/. To be classed as a campervan for road tax purposes cooker must be permanent fixture.

    I'm sure Sheriff Buford will give you more info but I can't see you getting very far with those ideas. Sorry about that.

    Nothing to be sorry about, iam keeping it as a van so insurance will be the same and tax, the van as i have posted was never to be a full conversion,
    Theres nothing wrong with my ideas.


  • #15
    Irishgoatman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,741 ✭✭✭Irishgoatman


    siteset wrote: »
    Nothing to be sorry about, iam keeping it as a van so insurance will be the same and tax, the van as i have posted was never to be a full conversion,
    Theres nothing wrong with my ideas.

    O.K. I misunderstood your use of the word conversion.
    As you're only adapting it then you're right. No problems.


  • #16
    paddyp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,927 ✭✭✭paddyp


    I was looking at converting a ducato minibus too a 2001 proper factory panorama bus - very nice indeed. Then I discovered that the Dolmen Camper Insurance policy excludes conversions of what they describe as large buses except minibuses with up to 8 seats. So I went with a panel van. My friend has since bought a minibus conversion and its insured with Stuarts but it might be worth checking.

    Get the glue I recommended on this thread its great stuff: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=74783216&postcount=1


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