1991 MK3 LWB High Top 2.5 Di Camper Conversion

[Highlander250469]

Started another project!

I was intending to eventually convert my County to a camper but the semi high roof on that one was putting me off.

Then this appeared on eBay the other week, quite local to me and looked an ideal camper project.

its a 1991 LWB High Top minibus 2.0 Pinto

It was originally owned by a centre for disabled people for day trips etc and has a rear wheelchair lift, this looks like it just bolts onto the underside of the van and swings out when needed.

Its done 80,000 miles and was on the road up until a few months ago when the clutch thrust bearing went (very noisily apparently)

So while it was parked up awaiting repair, a new minibus arrived and it was never done.

It was bought by a guy in New Galloway who wanted the engine for a track car.

He realised it was in pretty good nick for an old transit underneath so rather than scrap it he stuck it on eBay, its never been welded by the looks of it and still has all its white painted chassis, looks like a 5 year old van from below.

I went to look at it last week and stuck a bid in for it, winning it for the grand total of £205

It came minus the engine/box and prop but is otherwise complete.

I've lifted a 2.5 Di engine and box into it today that I had spare so just need a prop then hopefully I can get it MOT'd and work on the little bits and conversion later.

These are a couple of the eBay pics, I'll add more as I go along.

[blue estate]

Clean mk3 shame a mk5 aint as rust free

[Highlander250469]

Got a prop!

Its the original one that came out it, they guy thought it had been scrapped but has now found it.

2.5 Di and MT75 box now fitted too.

Hopefully be up and running this weekend

[whitemice]

Make a good camper that will, even got a roof vent.

[Highlander250469]

yeah, its a proper good quality opening skylight.

The roof section is all lined too and in good nick, hopefully be do some camping round the Highlands in it this summer

[Highlander250469]

Stripped a lot of interior stuff out today (it was raining)

Got the full day to spend on it tomorrow so with any luck it'll be running by tomorrow night.

Found a nearly new Di side exit exhaust in my spares pile too so more expense avoided.

Planning on lifting the minibus floor tomorrow which will give me just enough height to stand up and not hit the roof.

Will take plenty of pics tomorrow in the glorious Scottish sunshine!

[vanmanloki]

i was watching that one on ebay myself, cracking buy that was. should make a very good camper

[Highlander250469]

Did you bid on it?

Well it poured with rain all day so I spent the day inside the van removing side panels and the floor etc.

Only problem I found was all the side window surrounds have rotted badly and been covered with alloy plates\filler so I'll have to replace most of them with bits cut off another van.

Never seen that sort of rust before, almost seems like the windows were cut out and the bare metal never treated.

I wonder if It might possibly not have been a bus originally and had the windows added as a conversion later, will have to check that out.

[madbri]

it was u then outbid again

[vanmanloki]

No, i didn't bid on it, it was to far for me to collect if i had won.

also my dad would most likey go mental if i put another transit in his lock up, i've already got 2 on the go.

but when i seen it, i had the idea of turning it into a trailer to match up to my, W reg lwb hi top, but not as a cargo trailer but a posh caravan.

but would have been a shame to cut that one up.


i'm suprised about the windows, from looking at it you would think it was a factory fit?

[Highlander250469]

It may well be, seems funny that's its rotted out round the windows though especially as the rest of the van is so good

Its a conversion by a coachbuilders called Mellor in Lancashire and I would have thought they would have started with a bus rather than a van but maybe not.

The other thing I wondered about was the fact that this is a 160 and not a 190, I had thought all LWB minibus versions would be 190's

[ake]

Almost all non factory bus conversions start as plain panel vans, because they are cheaper

[Highlander250469]

That makes sense.

I guess they just cut the holes and fitted the windows leaving the edges bare metal then

[ake]

That makes sense.

I guess they just cut the holes and fitted the windows leaving the edges bare metal then

Again, very common

[Highlander250469]

Some pics