New MK7 project

[Cheet22]

Hi all,

I've been reading this forum for months and finally got my 2011 Transit 370 15 seat minibus LWB last week.

I plan to convert to a kinda day van but with sleeping for a couple nights type thing.

The van doesnt look quite as big inside as i thought when buying, only 3.2m length of rear, but i guess just makes it more of a challenge to get everything in!

I need to have 4 belted travel seats (me, wife and 2 kids) so need to fit two seats in rear.. Or one if i keep double seats at front.... Plus beds, plus toilet, plus mini hob/sink!! Going to have to get very creative to make this work!

Anyway, looking forward to it and hopefully the help i am likely to get here i can repay from my experiences.

My first experience is getting these damn seats out! 3 hours with angle grinder (someone had welded rearmost row) and impact gun/sockets and only 2 seats out so far.

[Transitpete123]

Hi

I've just bought an almost identical sounding transit. 2011 minibus 15 seater. I've also got plans to turn it into a camper/ day van. And have 3 kids so will need the same seats in the back! Thankfully nobody has bodged the rear seats and mine all came out easy, ill be fitting one pair back in again once the floor is fitted. I'd be interested to hear what your first steps are and will be flowing along with interest. Is it your first conversion? Good luck!

[johnporter11]

Good luck with your project. The journey begins...
This stage, the planning stage, is very important. Decisions you make now will have a bearing on all other things that happen.
I'm half way through a Mk8 460 minibus conversion. I've got about 4.2 metres to play with. But I went through about 4 different concepts before I committed.
I've retained one twin passenger seat, making it a four-seater vehicle. I've also retained the original floor. Luckily the Mk8 seats just clip out. But I've just finished removing the seat rails, insulating what I could manage of the van floor, and just about to replace the sub-floor. I've found a means of filling the holes left by the missing seats.
The roof lining has been removed and the roof insulated with 7mm closed-cell foil-covered foam. First-fit 12v wiring completed (running alongside existing van harness).
Framework for kitchen units, toilet cubicle, beds completed in aluminium extrusion (20x20 profile). Ikea furniture board to complete.
Chinese diesel heater fitted in the boot, to be linked to a Bobil Vans hot water system.
230v coming in at the left rear of the van, with outlets running up the left hand side.
2 x 100AH batteries behind the drivers seat. About to purchase a Renogy 30A B2B charging system including self contained solar unit. Solar cables going straight up the drivers B-pillar and exiting the roof via existing plastic plug in roof.
I've spent about £3k on the conversion so far, hoping to top out at £6k.
Hope this helps you with your plans. good luck.

[Cheet22]

Thanks both, that's great were on similar journeys.

Yes, my first rodeo. I've been planning it for ages but now i have the van, i feel the need to think again about everything!

My main challenge is getting sleeping for 4 but with a toilet. My wife's only demands. My kids are 8 and 10 so been considering like 'hammock' style that go across the van. And can be removed and stored. Not sure, still thinking of all the options.

My first tasks are to get seats out, get interior completely stripped and then hopefully just needs a damn good clean. I want to get under it too when this snow clears and make any repairs there. It just passed mot last week so but not expecting anything major.

Quick questions, how much road tax do you pay, and did you insure as a minibus for now? I declared it sorn just now and but sometime soon i want to get on the road to pick materials up etc.

[Transitpete123]

Sounds like we have pretty similar demands! Working out how to get 4/5 beds in is a challenge at the minute though my kids are 4/4/1 so they don't take up much room, I've been looking at fold down bunks and cab beds, as well as a shelf bed at the back. Toilet we are going to go with a portapotty jammed in somewhere- I'm glad I'm not in your shoes on that front as I have no idea where a proper toilet would go. Interior is quite heavily dictated by the rear seats as I don't want to.have to move them and drill new fittings as the existing ones are in good nick. The things facing me the most are wiring and electrics, and how to keep the van warm with lots of windows and no fitted diesel heater. Thankfully the vans in good nick rust wise s less issues there but the first job is to seal up the holes from the rear seats and insulate and fit a floor. I know I should have everything planned out already but it's mentally easier to do things one step at a time keeping those forward jobs like wiring in the back of the mind.

As for tax I'm not sure of the top of my head, but it's insured as a 'van in the process of being converted' by Adrian Flux which was 1/3 the price of insuring it as a minibus (£900+ vs roughly £300). I have a year to get it to camper spec and they say that if that's not happened within the year they can simply extend it. Its useful to be able to drive it, keep it ticking over, day trips and carrying materials like you say.

[Cheet22]

Thanks transitpete,

Just what i needed. I'll call AF this week

See the kids beds, i watched a video called A van with a Dan on YouTube. I like his idea but i want to make something a bit more of if i can. I also saw transit cab beds online too that sit across front seats.

But my thoughts just now are to make front seats swivel (not cheap i know though) then use more substantial metal posts/brackets to hold up similar beds to his in that video, but using steel poles and maybe some kinda slats rather than canvas. One over turned around front seats, one over rear seats.

I plan to try to design it in next couple weeks but as you say, right now I'm one step at a time.. Which means seats out, clean, clean, clean and clean some more, then flooring, wiring first fit etc

Where are you located?

[Transitpete123]

That video was super helpful, I've got the beginnings of an idea. Maybe using these as my kids are still small enough to fit them.

https://www.gelisimgunlugu.com/products ... 3uEALw_wcB

Also on amazon. The folding brackets is a great idea. Screw fix do a pair for 25 that will hold 100kg each.

I'm located in Kendal, cumbria. You?

[dumper]

The road tax on my mk8 460 as a bus was £160 now logbooked as a camper still £160 I was expecting a jump to 350 van rate the same as my old mk6 350.

[Cheet22]

Cheers dumper

[Cheet22]

Transitpete - the idea of having kids beds up front for me is key. Then i can fit a toilet behind rear seats, then couches/ double bed. Just. I hope.

On other side with sliding door, a small kitchen area.

I've seen one these too for our van, but this one is for a later one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Transit-Cust ... 890.l49292

But I'm still thinking i could have something just like that, but where it hooks into slots or brackets rather than rely on folding brackets or resting on doors.

I'm in Hamilton, South of Glasgow, but i travel to bolton a lot to see my folks and family (i moved up here 20 hrs ago) - well, not right now obviously.

[Transitpete123]

Hi Cheers

I can't get that link to work but am interested to know what you're suggesting, it would be good not to use brackets, I agree. Can you describe it to me, or send your search terms that you used so I can find it on ebay?

[Cheet22]

Try searching - Campervan Motorhome Childs Cab Bed custom made to any size Fiat Merc vaux etc

Or this:https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Campervan-Mo ... 890.l49292

[Cheet22]

Well I'm still fighting the seats.

Wd40 underneath, snapped torx and still got 14 bolts to go.

Got the heat on some today with some success so likely that's my answer.

Just can't get into the good stuff!!

[Transitpete123]

Sounds like a nightmare! I was super lucky with mine, got all prepared with wd40 and a heat gun bit in the end they came out with a breaker bar and a standard t55 bit. My van was ex mod and mostly very clean so I got lucky.

Found the bed you were talking about previously, looks pretty spot on. I'm going to try and get the floor done soon, sealing the bolt holes first with nylon bolts and sikaflex. Then closed cell foam for insulation, ply and vinyl. Have to make a decision soon about which windows to keep and which to board over. I've been led to believe that a minibus will be impossible to keep warm / cool with all the windows. Do you have a plan yet for the windows?

[Cheet22]

Not really. Same as you need to decide which to cover.

I've seen some campers where they wood clad over the windows but leave much smaller ones. So from outside no change, but from in, much smaller boxed in Windows. Not sure though really.

I feel it likely i will cover the back side Windows, make the rear door s look like small round Windows from the inside and leave the front side and sliding door Windows as is.

I'm just fed up with these seats. Once they are out I'm hoping i can really get a feel for the space. Paper plans are all well and good, but seeing it will make it real. Fingers crossed I'll get them out by this weekend.

By the way, did you sell your seats? I just want shot of them to be honest.