Sprinter Conversion - Where to Start

rocksimmo

Hi All.
Firstly I would like to thank anyone who assists me in advance. This is my first thread started on Boards.ie so please bear with me as am new to forums.
I have recently purchased a Mercedes Sprinter 412 Crew Cab. I am hoping to convert it to a 4 berth camper. I hope to do this over the winter and hopefully I can have it in time to head off next year.
The van itself is in reasonably good condition but will need painting which I have set aside to do at the end of the build.
I have a couple of questions which I would like some assistance with.
1. The van is lined with fibreglass in the back and I was wondering if this was adequate insulation or should I rip it out and use proper foil back insulation.
2. Roof Light/Vent or Side Window. Van currently has a set of tinted windows at the sliding door. I would like to gain a bit of extra light in the back so am thinking Roof Light. Is this a good idea ?.
3. Where to start. Not sure what I should start at first so any suggestions please.

Buford T Justice

My short answer, is read my build thread, and my VRT thread and see what gaps it leaves for you. Then see where you are and ask questions away.

Long Answer

1. The van is lined with fibreglass in the back and I was wondering if this was adequate insulation or should I rip it out and use proper foil back insulation.

How exactly is the back of the van lined? Is it an ex refrigerated van or something? If you want to run wiring etc... you would be as well to pull away all the panels and run cabling behind, and re-install. Post some pics of the current internal.

2. Roof Light/Vent or Side Window. Van currently has a set of tinted windows at the sliding door. I would like to gain a bit of extra light in the back so am thinking Roof Light. Is this a good idea ?.

Personal choice really. Putting in extra windows means that you will limit yourself in terms of what you can build in front of it without obscuring the light. You will also need to install proper automotive glass to do this, like a window from a minibus. Alternatively you can fit caravan windows, but they need to have the correct stickers on them, Check this forum, there's more info on windows around here somewhere. Don't forget that with windows, also comes curtains, or something for privacy at night
I would also recommend installing a skylight or two. For light yes, but also for ventilation when parked, cooking smells etc.......

3. Where to start. Not sure what I should start at first so any suggestions please.

Umm. how long is a piece of string really.... It depends. Have you decided how you are going to build it, and what you're needs are? have you thought about the electrical side of things, or gas or plumbing? have you considered the layout? Where are you going to source you're materials from?

Lots of questions I know. If you read my thread you'll see how I did it. I'm not saying my method is gospel, because its not. It will however give you a heads up on some pitfalls I came across and things I would have done differently. I would also recommend that you buy a cheap caravan as a donor for the project. I would have easily spend double what the caravan cost me to buy the appliances and so on so forth, not to mention cushions, pipes, lights etc....... I also saved myself the hassle of having to build a kitchen unit, or doors for the cupboards and that kinda thing.

Things I got from the caravan are:
Lights
Doors
Kitchen unit, including oven, hob fridge & sink
Water heater
Thetford Casette Toilet
Bathroom Sink
Two skylights
Windows. (I didn't use them, but they were there)
Waste pipes
Conduit
Sockets & back boxes
Bed frames. (The fold out slats that make a bed)
Submersible water pump
Wardrobe doors.

Add all these individual prices up and you can immediately see the benefit of spending say up to 800 squid on a donor caravan.

There are plenty on done deal, and if you find one with a bit of damp or rot in the walls, its a great bargaining chip when buying, so long as you don't mention that you'll be gutting it and act like you'll actually be using it.

I will post some pictures later today and continue to do so throughout the build.

Please do

paddyp

Fibreglass readily absorbs water, water + van = rust

Campers always have condensation from respiration and cooking, fridge etc. so fibreglass is not a good idea in the long run.

If you want to use a fibre insulation rockwool batts are better.

We've used kingspan in the cavities of our latest one with crosslinked epdm (camping mat) over the ribs to prevent condensation as there was always condensation where the ribs were in our other vans.

Rooflight is definitely worth adding.

I'd advise to initially do the minimum conversion possible get it vrtd then improve it as you like.

rocksimmo

Thanks Buford T Justice for all the information. I had a look at your thread last night and found it really informative. Your van really turned out well. Think I might have the bones of a caravan sourced so this should prove useful.

rocksimmo

Thanks PaddyP. The van is insulated like a refridgerated van so might be best to rip it out and insulate it properly. Very hard to understand the Irish VRT rates.

Buford T Justice

If it was me, i'd rip out the fridge insulation and start again.

The VRT process is explained in the thread in my sig.

rocksimmo

Started to rip out the insulation today. What a job. Every screw head rung where it is screwed to the panels. Took out my impulse by from aldi. Screw extractor kit. What a crap tool. Back to old conventional methods. Hammer and bolster. Ah well best to hit the snags at the beginning. Had a read of your VRT thread last night. Yeah think I might install the basics, vrt and then finish it.

paddyp

rocksimmo wrote: »

Started to rip out the insulation today. What a job. Every screw head rung where it is screwed to the panels. Took out my impulse by from aldi. Screw extractor kit. What a crap tool. Back to old conventional methods. Hammer and bolster. Ah well best to hit the snags at the beginning. Had a read of your VRT thread last night. Yeah think I might install the basics, vrt and then finish it.

Pain in the bum will you reuse the lining? Is it fibreglass or pvc? Just out of interest did you find any rust or dampness in the insulation. I reckon the nicer the job you do on your conversion the more the vro will value it at so simple conversion and work from there. You may find you'd prefer a different layout anyway.

Buford T Justice

paddyp wrote: »

Pain in the bum will you reuse the lining? Is it fibreglass or pvc? Just out of interest did you find any rust or dampness in the insulation. I reckon the nicer the job you do on your conversion the more the vro will value it at so simple conversion and work from there. You may find you'd prefer a different layout anyway.

Its swings and roundabouts really paddy. My van was valued around €5000 by them and the VRT was €665

Then again, someone else did a different conversion and they thought mine was a more valuable conversion than theirs, and the VRT was the same. Link

Yeah, it might be an extra few hundred quid, but do you want to do one conversion or two conversions tho?

rocksimmo

I did not get i out yet. Have to grind ot out in sections and the grinder packed up on me. I went and bought some new thermawrap and a grinder this morning in B&Q and woodies. Bought some really nice LED's also that were down from 60 to 25 in B&Q. Going to put a row of these in the ceiling. Not going to reuse the stuff I take out. Hopefully there will not be much rust.

rocksimmo

Buford T Justice wrote: »

Its swings and roundabouts really paddy. My van was valued around €5000 by them and the VRT was €665

Then again, someone else did a different conversion and they thought mine was a more valuable conversion than theirs, and the VRT was the same. Link

Yeah, it might be an extra few hundred quid, but do you want to do one conversion or two conversions tho?

I think I might just go with a two berth to start and conver the front part of the van at a leter stage. Have the bug now. Mrs not too happy at my spending spree as holidays coming up.

paddyp

rocksimmo wrote: »

I did not get i out yet. Have to grind ot out in sections and the grinder packed up on me. I went and bought some new thermawrap and a grinder this morning in B&Q and woodies. Bought some really nice LED's also that were down from 60 to 25 in B&Q. Going to put a row of these in the ceiling. Not going to reuse the stuff I take out. Hopefully there will not be much rust.

If the screws aren't sountersunk you might be able to get them with a decent vicegrip I twisted the heads off a load of screws in out van with a vicegrip.

smurph10

i own a merc capervan and bought it done up, the fella I bought it of had done an unreal job on it, if you want some pictures sent on , pm me. The camper is a bigger version than yours

The camper itself has

two double beds
a two hob ring cooker
Plenty of storage space
A small room for the toilet which i threw out straight away as I dont want it
A gas Fire ( unreal job, heats the camper up in 5 minutes).
The best thing about is the space inside it , its had many a night with 10-12 sitting round singing and drinking.
It also has a great sound system in it

hope this helps in some way

smurph10

Anyone on here from galway as im heading over to the races next weekend and was looking for somewhere to park the camper.

:):)

Thanks

Buford T Justice

rocksimmo wrote: »

I did not get i out yet. Have to grind ot out in sections and the grinder packed up on me. I went and bought some new thermawrap and a grinder this morning in B&Q and woodies. Bought some really nice LED's also that were down from 60 to 25 in B&Q. Going to put a row of these in the ceiling. Not going to reuse the stuff I take out. Hopefully there will not be much rust.

Are those LED's running on 240V or 12V?

rocksimmo

smurph10 wrote: »

i own a merc capervan and bought it done up, the fella I bought it of had done an unreal job on it, if you want some pictures sent on , pm me. The camper is a bigger version than yours

The camper itself has

two double beds
a two hob ring cooker
Plenty of storage space
A small room for the toilet which i threw out straight away as I dont want it
A gas Fire ( unreal job, heats the camper up in 5 minutes).
The best thing about is the space inside it , its had many a night with 10-12 sitting round singing and drinking.
It also has a great sound system in it

hope this helps in some way

Would love some pictures. Its hard to figure out what way to lay it out. Cheers will pm my email address.

rocksimmo

Buford T Justice wrote: »

Are those LED's running on 240V or 12V?

They are 240v. Class looking. Should look really well down alon the aisle 5 on each side.

rocksimmo

Just wanted to thank Bufort T Justice and PaddyP for their sound advice. Got the fibreglass removed today and as the lads had said there was a good few damp spots between the fibreglass and the van panels. Not much rust spots so happy out there.
Hopefully getting some windows later on this week.

Buford T Justice

rocksimmo wrote: »

They are 240v. Class looking. Should look really well down alon the aisle 5 on each side.

You realise that you'll need to be either on a site with 240 hookup or you'll need to build in an inverter to run those lights?

rocksimmo wrote: »

Just wanted to thank Bufort T Justice and PaddyP for their sound advice. Got the fibreglass removed today and as the lads had said there was a good few damp spots between the fibreglass and the van panels. Not much rust spots so happy out there.
Hopefully getting some windows later on this week.

Word to the wise. Before you go lining the insides of the van again, cover the bottom of all the panels and sills with some waxoyl to stop rust building at the bottoms of the sills.

Throw up a few more pics of the van as you go.

paddyp

One thing about waxoyl it stinks and drips out on hot days for years afterwards especially with a non white vehicle baking in the sun, dintrol is better if you can find it much harder to come by though.

rocksimmo

Will definately treat it before I go lining it out. I took out 1.5" foam insulation from the floor. Is this good enough for the floor insulation or should I stick with the suggested rockwool nd thermawrap. Decided to try source a donor caravan so on the hunt if anyone knows of one for sale.

Buford T Justice

paddyp wrote: »

One thing about waxoyl it stinks and drips out on hot days for years afterwards especially with a non white vehicle baking in the sun, dintrol is better if you can find it much harder to come by though.

I got my hands on dinitrol easier than I did waxoyl

rocksimmo

Well got the van waxoyled today. Also got the layout sorted over the weekend. Drove to Duleek yesterday to pick up windows and skylights for the van but when I got up the lad said he had none. was raging as he told me to come up and he would sort me. Still on the hunt for a donor caravan. Missed a couple at the weekend. Going to tackle the wiring next.

Buford T Justice

My advice is wait until you get your donor caravan to see what appliances you are getting and going to install into the conversion. It'll make it easier to work out what cables you need and where you need them.

rocksimmo

Thermawrap installed today on the floor. Went to woodies this evening and bought some MDF. Going to use this to panel the floor. Was half price when I went to pay for it so happy days. Think I have two windows sourced from a breaker too so things are moving in the right direction.

Buford T Justice

rocksimmo wrote: »

Thermawrap installed today on the floor. Went to woodies this evening and bought some MDF. Going to use this to panel the floor. Was half price when I went to pay for it so happy days. Think I have two windows sourced from a breaker too so things are moving in the right direction.

What size MDF did you get? MDF can be problematic as it splits if you screw into it without predrilling holes. Its also quite heavy by comparison to WBP and doesn't take very well to water or moisture at all.

Not to put a damper on things, but i'd be wary of using it if I were you.

rocksimmo

Buford T Justice wrote: »

What size MDF did you get? MDF can be problematic as it splits if you screw into it without predrilling holes. Its also quite heavy by comparison to WBP and doesn't take very well to water or moisture at all.

Not to put a damper on things, but i'd be wary of using it if I were you.

Point taken. I used 6mm to keep the weight down. I also plan to put down a laminate floor on top of this. Wanted to keep as much head room as possible.

goalscoringhero

rocksimmo wrote: »

Point taken. I used 6mm to keep the weight down. I also plan to put down a laminate floor on top of this. Wanted to keep as much head room as possible.

Have you had a test walk on the 6mm MDF? I reckon it would be quite wobbly, and also not strong enough to drill screws into for tightening stuff like furnishings.

For the floor I used 18mm plywood, which is pretty solid, the walls will do with 6mm.

And Buford is correct, MDF won't go well with water spillings / moisture.

rocksimmo

I think you guys are right. Going to change the floor around to something heavier.

paddyp

Almost impossible to get decent ply now. WBP is a joke these days mostly meranti and its not even drizzle proof let alone water and boil proof. Smartply3 is great for flooring and you can get it in handy 2ft tounge and groove sheets. My cabinet maker neighbour was a total sceptic until he made a playhouse for his kids out of it and it hasn't budged after 7 years out in the elements.

gardoyle27

hey rocksimmo,

check out this guy's sprinter conversion, it might give yousome inspiration
http://www.youtube.com/user/mikemccannable
there are about 5 vids but they are mainly slide shows of what he has done, some brilliant work IMO