I nearly bought a Camper!

[Len]

Went to look at one last night!! yes i know! But it was in a work yard with plenty of lights!

Well I said Yes - but on reflection at home later I decided it was TOO much work.
The thing was potentially a really good long term project, but I just dont want to put in 100 plus hours to get it anywhere near decent!

No engine or gearbox, which want really a problem coz I was gonna change them anyway! The raising roof was a good one with two glass panels and two opening vents. The bare bones of the sink and cupboards where still there, but the rest was totally skip worthy!!

So if anyone wants TONS of work and some heartache I know where there is one going for £300.

 

[tobz.]

£300!!! Blimey what's the structure like? Gotta be a shed for that money

[Len]

It looked fine!
I mean there is a lot of surface rust and the steps have gone! And the rear valance ait there! But the chassis looked fine. What we could see of it!

I gave it a few hefty kicks and nothing fell off!!

[tobz.]

Heh heh tried and tested method of giving it a good kick.
The trouble with these things is they tend to rust from the inside out due to their not being much protection on the inside of the seams between the panels. Once the rust gets to the outer surface the damage is already done.
The main structural points to check seem to be the sills, outriggers, bottoms of the door pillars, underneath the windscreen and round the seatbelt mounts as a starting point.

[Len]

Cant be sure about the sills and outriggers, but the rest you mentioned seemed fine.
Think the floor looked a bit suspect in places.

Oh btw its a K reg so tax exempt I think!

I had first option on it being a mate of a mate thing and I know someone else is interested, so it could only be available for a short time.
And that might have been a mates price too!!!

Obviously it will have to be trailered/A framed away, so I think its a fair price, just not for me!

[Overseer]

sounds like a wise escape len .. ya wont get much camper for ya money if u pay out under 2k.. i'd try get something with a fresh MOT that runs!

[tobz.]

The only 'cheap' option that doesn't involve weeks with a welder is to consider a T25 although if you want one that is already converted then they can be pricey.
I picked mine up in the form of an 8-seater minibus this summer for £800 with 12 months ticket. After six weeks of messing about with a saw and plenty of wood we spent two weeks in it as a camper in cornwall.
Now it's my daily driver as I've put the golf away for the winter, it's a great beast to drive.

[Len]

Very true Overseer. Thats my thinking, get at least a driver with as much MOT as possible and go from there.

The only reason I looked at it was because it didnt have an engine/gearbox! Because I am going to change those anyway.

That might be an option too tobz. I do like the idea of a sink/cooker etc. but on the other hand do I really want to trust cooking with gas in a confined space!
With the T25's there is also the watercooled option!

[tobz.]

I fitted my cooker behind the passengers seat next to the sliding door, I just make sure either the slider is open a little bit or the front passengers window, haven't killed myself yet!!! The other option is to have the cooker in the standard position and have a louvred/sliding window on that side of the van.
True with a T25 you have the watercooled option but they bring their own specific problems. If the wrong coolant type has been used for any length of time the head studs have a tendency to disintegrate and then the heads literally fall off. also being such a long system they are notoriously difficult to bleed. However the 1.9 water does push out 8bhp more than the 2.0 a/c
I went for the safe option and got the last of the aircooled.

[Len]

Its just I have a spare 405 Mi 16 engine lying around mate! And if the rad and pipes stuff is already there.........

160bhp in a camper! 

Yea this one had a louvred window over sink/cooker.