Van life, brahh

That looks like RAF Wroughton in the distance. Is it?

Keen eye!

During my tenure with The Science Museum I spent many months working on that airfield.

After a few days longer than expected, the window deflectors arrived and guess what? They are totally different to the advert on ebay, the wrong shape for the window, and covered in deep scratches!

Straight back they go.

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Started this hell of a job too. Gotta wait for the new roll to arrive, but had this remnant left from the shed.

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Arduous, and not my best work, but sod spending another minute on that!

Walls and ceiling covered and edges taped.

Gotta work out what to do with the doors, and vinyl wrap the ply until I have felt/carpet to go over everything completely.

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At some point, I will cover it with felt/carpet… but until I find a good source of thin (cheap) enough material, I’ve roughly vinyl wrapped the old ply. Since I already have the vinyl it’s a cheap/free way to add a vapour barrier and also see how the colour might suit.

Couldn’t relax all evening, with the job half-done. So I went back out late, when it was dark and stormy.

Rain was hammering down as I worked by Mini Maglite candlelight. Refitted both upper and lower ply as well as wheel arch box. Then, refitted the bed too.

By the end of the ordeal, with the windows closed the cab was condensation central. Lots of moisture from working hard, breathing sweating and swearing in an increasingly warm van.

That was an ideal test for the roof vents - a fine layer of condensation in the cab and on the ceiling.

Fast forward to this morning. Went and checked the van. Too my great relief, all of the condensation from last night had totally evaporated.

Windscreen as well as walls and ceiling were bone dry. So the vents work, at least from a minimum degree of airflow.

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Setbacks galore.

The tape I had been using wasn’t good enough on the roof. Most of the insulation stayed firm, but areas began to delaminate.

Stupidly, I persevered.

Cordura draped on the walls and never sticking down, it’s in place with the screws up top.

Then, using some contact adhesive spray “it’ll be fiiiine” it wasn’t fine. A whole day or two of work wasted. I ripped the entire ceiling back off again, because the Cordura wouldn’t stick to the insulation wouldn’t stick to the metal.

Dogshit mess.

Ah well.

Got more insulation and some ‘trim fix’ adhesive on the way. I’ll get there in the end. Just now I have to undo lots of things to redo stuff that shouldn’t need redoing.

Lesson learned. Learned the hard way, but nonetheless learned.

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In other news, deflectors attempt #2 arrived fitted and didn’t fall off going down the motorway.

Had to go get a spare key cut, as (another setback) the transponder failed in the key with the buttons. Daren’t risk being stuck without a spare key.

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Oh, and those poxy lights in the cargo space, when refitting, I had one arc on the frame and now I need to find the fuse.

Wow. Lots of updates missed.

Okay, so!

The initial insulation fell down. The glue wasn’t any good. So I ordered Trim Fix and second attempt was more successful. Walls have Cordura but it’s loose where the glue failed. Held in place with screws into the ply into the wall.

I rushed it all to be ready in time for ABR… and then didn’t bother to improve it after!

Sleeping in the van at ABR was okay but actually a little cold. No condensation issues.

Since then I’ve barely used the van and have spent even less time on the conversion. I had more pressing matters and weeks roll by.

Anyway, the gear shifting has been clunky. From cold it was impossible to get into first or second. Once rolling, downshifts were hell, like serious bullying was needed.

Finally today I dumped the transmission fluid and filled with Castrol Transmax. Stuff is hella expensive these days.

Only a quick drive around the block but it felt better already.

Also a mate sold me a dashcam and rearview cam/screen getup. I loosely fitted the rearview so now I have a screen in the rearview mirror spot.

Gotta fit the dashcam. Gotta do all the other stuff. Gotta redo the floor where it’s ripped. Gotta eventually finish the damn trim inside.

I also ripped out the festoon (?) bulb mounts in the cargo space and wired up little LED square panels. I was sick of blowing the fuse trying to fit them.

The two lights are very bright but would glow when off, because there wasn’t enough current to switch off completely. I wired in an extra LED spotlight over the side door and this was enough current to turn them off completely.

Also enough current draw that they dip when starting the engine.

Probably need new batteries too.

Any updates to this @pdlouche? I read this thread yesterday while looking for a general 'van-life' discussion here.

Oof! Where to start?

I still own the van, for better or worse. Back at the beginning of the summer I got rear-ended on the motorbike; stayed upright, but gained some neck injuries that put a dampener on any bike trips. I also found myself with sinus/ear infections and complications one after another. Even now my ears don't feel right but referrals and treatment is mega-slow. That means I've not used the van for big trips as intended from a personal point of view. But I also found myself spending more time getting mechanical work done this past 12 months than driving it anyway.

Some of this is a recap of the previous posts on here, but....

Insulation:
Used trim-fix to attach a couple layers all around. It's superfoil-type stuff.

Trim:
Found some non-stretch stuff kind of like roller-blind material in grey, and used that. It's a bit of a shit job but complete. Previous material was Cordura, but the plastic backing was impossible to stick.

Bulkhead:
Still the cage behind the driver side. Recently put a sheet of thin black material up to stop people seeing what's in the back.

Seats:
Single driver seats for driver and passenger. Passenger is on a swivel base.

Floor:
I replaced the original slightly rotten ply with new sheets, cut to shape with a multi-tool using the original as a template. For a year I had some lino vinyl flooring on top, but it was looking worse for wear.
Recently I fitted laminate flooring on top. I kept the vinyl in place as an underlay. Looks much better. Quieter, stronger, cleaner.

Beds:
The bed on the wall worked well but wasn't massively comfortable. It also rattled around when driving and generally flexed when laying on top.
When I needed to fit the gf as well, I opted to buy a Jay Be single bed. Initially I had the Jay Be alongside the fold-down bed, and the gf and I slept side by side, but I slept badly. I ripped it off the wall and dismantled it, and got a second Jay Be single. They take up next to no space when folded up against the wall

Ideally I'd own the folding double, but I won't pay rrp for one, so it's scouring marketplace until one comes up. They are rare, though, so it's two singles for now.

The beds have Futon Company guest futons on top, not the Jay Be mattresses. The futons fit in the frame when folded no problem.

Storage:
I use a vintage gun safe along the base of the bulkhead fixed to the floor. This is a great bit of low-lying storage, and acts as a wheel-stop when loading the motorbikes.

Recently I also bought a couple long slim flight cases (think large musical keyboard-sized flight cases). Plan is to use them either inside or else they are perfect low-profile for a roof rack.

I also found two roof rack bars, that attach to the sil. I would prefer to have two more bars, or a full system on top. The roof bars aren't fitted at the moment as I want to treat and clean and polish the roof before fitting them and promoting any more rust.

There's always a wheel ramp tied to the wall in the back. Countless occasions the past year it has proved useful to leave it in there.

Camping:
As above the beds, and various stuff like gas stove. Start of the summer I also found a huge 4berth Cabanon canvas frame tent, which weighs a fair bit. The plan was to use it as an awning but it might be overkill... I have a line on a smaller awning that I might buy, but it needs some minor repair and doesn't have the inner bedroom compartments.

Sleeping in the van can be cold, there's a lot of volume to warm up. Even with the windows cracked open and the two roof vents, there's condensation inside in the morning. Tough to avoid and not uncommon. Clears quickly.

Extras:
The van has a cheap dashcam fitted high at the 'rearview mirror' position, and beside it a second screen. The dashcan has a rearview camera fitted at the numberplate, for direct view, and at the top of the rear door I fitted a second rear camera that points downward. This way I can always see the worst point in the blindspot when reversing before clipping anything.

Maintenance:
One of the first jobs last year was replacing the lower engine mount with one by Febi. That fixed the clunky gear shifting.

I managed to sort most of the typical van oil leaks. The dipstick mount needed tweaking to stop it leaking on the halfway up join, but I also paid for a genuine Ford one-piece dipstick tube and dipstick, but they're still sat unused now the original is leak-free.

On the way home last December, something struck beneath the van, and I had to get recovered. Van sat until a new oil cooler arrived.

There's still a minor leak around the injectors even though they had all been sorted by the previous owner. Probably just related to blow-by past the rings because it's a high mileage van. At 210k as of this month, it would be unrealistic to expect it to run without any issues at all.

Turbo was on its way out about a week after the bike rear-ender. I was going to sell the van but after umming and arring for a month or so I decided to keep it. I had the turbo replaced with a Garrett/Ford one. Thanks to age and seized bolts I also had the box section cut open to get the upper engine mount replaced, and it was then welded back.

A few months ago I also had a hit&run on a narrow road, where a land/rangerover type 4x4 screamed past and hit the wingmirror. I collected the plastic pieces and plastic-welded them back together. You wouldn't know if I didn't point out the hairline.

Next steps:

I have some little spotlights arriving that I may look to fit. Could work great as fog lights, especially how bad it gets in the morning driving back from Devizes. If nothing else I'd fit one or two for reversing so I can see better. Cat-eye LED's also on the way. They're awful for projecting light but great to be seen. Thinking about fitting some if there are any left over after modding the motorbike.

Long-term it's tempting to fit extra windows, and would be great to fit a window to the rear doors. If I did then I may remove the curtain and fit a proper rearview mirror as well. If it's a side-door window then it will be the typical vanlifer type.

Though tempting to have a towbar fitted, but with the high mileage, it could be a bit expenditure for very little use and zero increase in value.

Bigger wheels/tyres (higher profile) also tempting to jack the van up a little, increase ground clearance when turning up to events. No cashflow and I'm loathe to negatively affect the handling I currently enjoy.

Music, I was using a little bluetooth-fm adapter into the old stereo, which worked well. In the end I've been buying CD's from charity shops and listening to them instead. I would like to replace the stereo with something better, but I don't trust the android-interface cheapy double-din's, and I'm not sure what else I'll gain until I pay big money.

Built-in satnav would be the only benefit to replacing the stereo unit, and so far a phone in a mount is okay. Maybe if I found a recent TomTom or Garmin at an affordable price (ie, free) I would use that instead.

The roof racks were initially for maybe fitting solar and a leisure battery, but I parked that after being unsure about how to fix everything in the most secure watertight manner. What's more is, do I really need them? Still, it would be good.

Might look at making a removable mount to pop the 25L water tank to the roof by the back, and invest in a gravity/solar shower type thing to use from behind the rear doors + awning.

I think that's it. If I find time I'll search out some in-progress photos or at least try take a couple new ones.

Ideally I'd own the folding double, but I won't pay rrp for one, so it's scouring marketplace until one comes up. They are rare, though, so it's two singles for now.

As @Squaredisk reminded me, I compulsively checked marketplace and scored the double-size Jay Be yesterday.

It fits between the wheel well boxes with maybe a few inches to spare. Best would be to raise it somehow (boxes could be removed but not lowered) and have it clear the boxes. I think as-is it the metal frame is just about level.

The bed sideways folded fits between the wheel well box and the bulkhead behind the driver, so it will take up the space of the two singles nicely.

Plan is to keep the singles anyway, just not all at once in the van. I don't want to dick about swapping interiors, but it's either single + bike inside, or double + no room. I'd sooner use the single myself when alone and keep the bike inside, but I suppose the reality is the events I'd go to, I can set an awning or at least a tent and lock the bike inside, or tether it to the van somehow.

Unlikely any camping will get done this winter. The van felt a bit sluggish the past few miles, I think maybe the diesel was a bad pump as it felt better once filled from a different station.

Thanks for the update and glad to hear it is still rocking, like the traditional CD's for music too. :)
I really enjoyed reading the thread.

Amazing amount of work - do you do most/all of it yourself? We need photos!

Engine work done by a mechanic but internal stuff done by me.

So I had a play earlier. Short version is yes, one single fits with a narrow gap for a bike, but not enough for two singles. Double fits, sits lower to the ground, but sags a lot in the middle.

Joys of this picture is you can see both a single unfolded, and where it is stored (since both are stored in the van). The OG mattresses were gotten rid of and Futon Company sleepover size futons used instead.

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Here’s the double. Problem is that it sags in the middle even with new springs and just me on it. Not sure I’d want it for two. OG mattress on this one for now.

I’m getting closer to the idea of getting shot of bed frames altogether and using the futons straight on the floor. It would be the least hassle, fastest setup, and most versatile.

I have turbo trainer mats that can go under for extra support and separation from the dirt.

Climbing off the floor would be the main concern, but at least they would fold up into cushion-seats at a moment’s notice.

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Bit of a poor photo but you can see the ghetto ceiling that was a real pain with non-stretch material.

Festoons are now square led arrays. Vents are adjustable but I always leave open for airflow.

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Only photos to hand of the van in a mess, but showing the passenger swivel seat. Also, bonus photo of when I brought the bike back after it was financially written off from the rear-ender. Got a new rear wheel and other parts and re-MOT’d and reinsured.

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As a bit of an aside @pdlouche had this van for sale, I spotted it and we had a chat about it but as you can see he still has it and I bought a Citroen Dispatch instead. I got it from a company just inside the ULEZ, as it’s not compliant. I’m in the middle of turning it into a camper. I fitted a maxxfan extractor in the roof and windows in both sliding doors. It’s been fine for warm weather camping but I plan some winter camping associated with a swimming tour of the Scottish coast in winter. So it’s going to get fully insulated and an eberspacher heater connected to the fuel line.
Just after I bought it (to replace an old transit connect) I sent a photo to an old friend now in Australia as we used to share an old escort van in the 1970s.
He reminded me that we called that old van the Enterprise.
Imagine my surprise a few days later when I noticed that my new van was actually an Enterprise, a Dispatch Enterprise. So I got a few letters from other vans in breakers, and rearranged them more appropriately.

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It too has been used to carry my motorbike

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Starship Enterprise. That’s genius.

Yea I was really 50/50 about selling it. After paying out for a new turbo I decided that I should just get my money’s worth instead. The market is too fickle to sell any time soon - can’t get good money selling, and can’t get good deals buying!

My van is more or less finished. Insulated, carpeted, ventilated and heated, and with a 12 volt deep cycle battery with lighting and usb charging Still fine to carry stuff and perfect for camping.
The heater takes 10 to 15 minutes to warm the interior and it takes about 7 hours to cool down.
The load netting keeps the dogs in one end so mud and dog hair doesn’t get into the other end. It’s also useful for hanging stuff from so it doesn’t all end up in the floor. If I push the netting to one side and lay out an air mattress I have space to sleep. I’ll be heading to Scotland imminently for a week in the highlands to test it out.

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