Network rail van to camper van

[RustWidow]

Good work, coming to mania to show it off?

[dirtydog]

Good work, coming to mania to show it off?

It's getting there.

Unfortunately not going to be at mania, got a dog competition that weekend

[dirtydog]

Got a couple of hours on it again today, finished off the wiring completely and got the sofa/bed frame finished

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[Thenugget]

Finally got it mostly stripped out, just a few strips of wood on the floor to pull up

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Next job is clean and make it water tight in the back, there's a few holes on the roof from work lights etc that need bunging up and a few on the floor where stuff was bolted through.

The rear most roof join/seam leaks a bit as well so I'll have to cut of the seam sealer and re do it

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I can't think of anything I could use the aluminium sheets for in the build so I'll probably just weigh they them in

Also ordered a couple of Varta 110 batteries from Euro car parts for under £60 for the pair as I've found the front battery is as dead as a dodo

Hi, so happy I’ve come across this chat, I’ve just bought a ex network rail van to convert, however having some serious trouble getting the last panel of the floor next to back doors, the rest of the van floor was 2 metal sheets which we managed to get up and scrap but the last piece is bolted to the van floor underneath, all the heads are rounded off. Been trying to remove for a week, it’s loosened but still not off. Any ideas?

Many thanks

[dirtydog]

Hi, so happy I’ve come across this chat, I’ve just bought a ex network rail van to convert, however having some serious trouble getting the last panel of the floor next to back doors, the rest of the van floor was 2 metal sheets which we managed to get up and scrap but the last piece is bolted to the van floor underneath, all the heads are rounded off. Been trying to remove for a week, it’s loosened but still not off. Any ideas?

Many thanks

Mine didn’t have any flooring right at the back when I got it but if the bolt or screw heads are rounded off quickest option is going to be grind them off

[Airthies]

the van floor was 2 metal sheets which we managed to get up and scrap

That's a bugger, I'd of had them of you for more than scrap value depending where you are

If the bolts are countersunk and you can hold them underneath and drill the top off with a drill same diameter as bolt


Sent from my A55ho11 using Crapatalk

[dirtydog]

Failed its mot on Tuesday on a brake light, indicator not being orange enough and ball joint rubbers. Tried some universal rubbers but they wouldn't stay where they should so ended up (well my mechanic mate did) replacing the ball joints. Few advisories but nothing out the ordinary

[dirtydog]

Well it’s been a long while since I updated this…

A few bits have changed in that time, I got rid of the awning as we rarely used it and then got rid of the full length roof rack as that was only on there for the awning and solar panel. Solar panel now just sits on a couple of normal roof bars, looks less like a work van now (at least it does to me).


I did get it almost finished, just needed seat base panels to hide electric etc and some paint here and there on the inside but never quite got round to it. But now youngest daughter is 16 and unlikey want to hang around with us now I’m thinking of rejigging most of the interior

My thoughts so far are
Rebuild the fixed bed to make it a double which means we don’t have to put away or make up our bed every day, which means I can change the pull out sofa bed to something a bit smaller to suit the space better. 2 fixed seats with a table that can be converted into a single sleeping space if the daughter does want to come with us occasionally
But with doing that it means changing a few other bits like the diesel heater location a bit of wiring nothing major though.

It does also need a few bit and pieces doing to it, Sld rail has broken at the bolt end so the door is a pain to shut and doesn’t always lock or unlock so that either needs replacing or welding. Welding it would be easier as replacing means taking out most of the interior and panelling on that side.
Panel in front of the drivers side rear wheel needs cutting out and replacing as its rusting through.
Reverse lights aren’t working, kept blowing the fuse, replaced the switch on the gearbox, they worked for a couple of weeks and then started blowing the fuse again
Headligh lenses need polishing up as they’re a bit milky
Headunit likes to turn itself on and off randomly when driving
Drivers seat is terrible and really needs new foam or replacing
And I need to swap the rear axle as the diff is horribly tall, screaming its tits off at 70mph

[dirtydog]

Other option I have considered is getting a newer lower mileage van and starting again. This one is at about 170k miles and is low spec, manual windows I would probably even opt for a fwd as well for a bit of extra head room



It also has an oil leak from the vacuum pump