Serpens home made camper

[Serpens]

Hi, Ive been working on my van for nearly 2 months now. Its an ex bt 96 mk5. Bought from ebay without ever seeing it before hand for £1100.

I was quite dissapointed when I got it. But slowly fixing and cleaning it is slowly bringing me around.

It took me 6 hours to clean out the back from all the dirt wooden shelving and removing the bulk head.

the seats were in quite bad condition and some one had spilt alot of oil in the back and the front mat had soaked it all up so....

£70 later from ebay I got new seat material skins (tear off the old and recover with these) a new floor mat and a sliding side window(yet to install)

I was going to get it profesionally sprayed but I then decided that it wasnt worth the money and effort. The roof I sprayed with metalic silver from a can, but was too expensive to do the rest, so I covered the whole thing in primer and at first tried to hand roll the sides, but then used a brush as I found it had more control and it got into the cracs better. When dry you couldnt really see the strokes either.

I used the cheap not recommended option of the ebay fiber glass ''clean up your wheel arches'' overlays then fiberglass bogged them in after cutting off the rust and previouse bog attempts looked quite good. f/g the rear door bottom too then put the mud on and you cant tell that it was ever rusted.... for a while at least

slight reaction with the paint when I did the gt-stripes, but Ill clean that up at a later date.

the plan is to build it into a camper for europe, but I think Ill convert it then sell it and get a mk6, as I like the look of them better.

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[MrMPuk]

Pic didn't work and the avatar is too big.

[stevew]

Looks good though.

[Serpens]

whoo, whilst taling out the rubbish, a neibour had been ripping up their panel floor boards, which were stacked up neatly. Should do nicely for the walls and floor

[Serpens]

bumpage

[Serpens]

before





durin


After




When I was recovering the seats


recovered

[Serpens]

then I started on the camper interior after boarding and carpeting the floor, a sink and stove unit from ebay 40 quid. Started the timber frames for the cupboards ect...





then some rough outlines for shelving units

[Serpens]

and last weeekend, butched the sofa bed (also ebay 40 quid)

to maks a fold up double that fits me and mrs

[Serpens]

the green bags our awning for the side, havent tryed it yet.

but this last weekend, I finished the cupboard doors and paneling for the shelving unit. havnet fitted it all back tograther yet as I have some suffing around with the sink unit to do ( re fiving the pump, new hose for water, new regulator and hose ect..) plus the nutella guy with his red carpte has inspiers me to do something better with the interior pannels. will post photos next weekend.

I have a window for the pannel behind the drivers seat above the stove too, (sliding type) hoping to get it fitted when I get the winscreen replaced soon!! starting to take shape though. Slow going working on the street!

[Ucof]

I like!

[jamface]

I both like and dislike at the same time - mostly as its made me re-design everything I was about to put into mine!

[Serpens]

thought for ages about how to put a bed in there, and finally decided that I was literally sitting on the answer when I got out the tape measure. Im halfway through paneling at the moment, got the cupboards done and most of the shelfs. Ive moved the middle shelf up to the top, near the angle join, and will put doors on that too (board game storage!). This creates a wardrobe like space to hang clothes and Ive only paneled up to the first cross piece on the bottom, this gives additional loose storage space on the bottom of the shelves. Will also panel across the bottom of the bed, with a flick down door, (so you dont cut yourself in 2 when you lie on the bed) this will create storage for outdoor furniture stuffs.

Also have some malamine to make new work surface for the cooker and sink. Then in the gap between the shelves and unit, will be a flick up cover for water storage jerry can thing (halifords) .

hope it stays clear this weekend!!

[Luke]

yeah i think you've got a good layout there and some neat work going on

[Serpens]

Busy day on the van today,

Cut and fitted the new work top surfaces for the cooker and sink,





witted the trap door for the water storage





Screwed all the units back togather



and fixed the bed in place so it can fold out and back easly. and made a blank for the step. had to because the fold out bed
overlapped and didnt want it to bend in the middle of the night









and finally got my missus to test

[Serpens]

still got to fit doors to the top of the wardrobe unit, and under the bed. then have to replace the water hose on the sink (old one pretty mankey!!) and hook the pump up to 12v. And then get a longer regulator hose for the cooker so I can keep the gaz bottle out of site in the cupboard. (have to get a carborn monoxide alarm too)

Then when I can be bothered, get the window hole cut and the window fitted. (probably when I replace the windscreen)

all in all not bad for saturdays work!!