options on very small pvc's - can I pick your brains please (1 Viewer)

[DBK]

If you do get a wind-out awning try and see if they will fit the leg mounting points you can get which fit on the side of the van. You can see these in use in this not very good picture below. There are occasions when they come in very handy, we've used them on aires, when stopping for lunch when it is very hot and if it is a bit windy you can roll the awning out a little way and secure the legs to stop it blowing away.
I would recommend a reversing camera because if you are on your own you won't have anyone available to jump out and guide you safely backwards for example if you need to turn round in a busy street or to stop you running over that cyclist behind which you can't see in your rearview mirrors. I've had the latter problem in a narrow Devon lane - but I managed to avoid running over him!

 

[bigalw35]

Forgive me for a "Newby" and uneducated to the "lingo" mh's but what is pvc,
Cheers
Alan

 

[Cal54]

PVC = panel van conversion.

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[bigalw35]

Many thanks, I tried to put a thumbs up smiley - but no go ?

 

[CWH]

Sorry not to have got back yesterday, I was on the move (train sadly) and not writing much now as I'm on a tablet which I don't like using.
However: more really thoughtful and useful posts, you guys are real stars, so much help and advice. I've got till the 7th to get my thoughts together before I meet with the converter.
@airwave you do make me laugh! But such good information and advice.
@John Laidler I hadn't thought of the leg mounts, seen them before and thought they looked useful though.
Thanks all for the time & effort you're giving me, it's very much appreciated.

 

[Reallyretired]

Surprisingly, very few people seem to use the leg mounts. They can be tricky to fit as you need to access the inside of the MH wall to fit them, luckily mine coincide with external lockers so a doddle to fit. They are better than pegged down legs if windy, in fact I experienced high winds which wrecked an awning but the support legs actually snapped without coming away, or damaging the sidewall mounts, so they're pretty strong.

Also if you have dogs on a running lead they don't get tangled round the awning legs.

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

Sorry not to have got back yesterday, I was on the move (train sadly) and not writing much now as I'm on a tablet which I don't like using.
However: more really thoughtful and useful posts, you guys are real stars, so much help and advice. I've got till the 7th to get my thoughts together before I meet with the converter.
@airwave you do make me laugh! But such good information and advice.
@John Laidler I hadn't thought of the leg mounts, seen them before and thought they looked useful though.
Thanks all for the time & effort you're giving me, it's very much appreciated.

Hi there,
I didn't realise you were having one converted. Exciting times. Bet you can't wait.
Ralph put everything we wanted in Pug and nothing that we didn't. That's the beauty about building one.
If you can , get water and grey waste plus your gas under the van. This way it frees up all the cupboard bed space that would usually be used. We've more storage space and work top space than most regular motorhomes. The flip up extra corian on the end of kitchen area comes in very handy when cooking. Or just sitting with the seats swirled round having a cuppa.
We wouldn't be without our cooker and hob. But we don't have a microwave . We've also got a compressor fridge it's great.
As we very very rarely ever have hook up we have solar panels a good battery and webasto diesel heating too.

 

[Stonemags76]

We downsized to a 5.5 metre pic two years ago, so here are my thoughts (not necessarily in the right order!)

• Two gas rings are fine - we also carry a small Remoska as our oven. No need to cook outside (although we can use the Remoska if we want to) because the kitchen is by the door, so have it open or even just ajar, so no smells.
• We drink boiled water from the tank, and fill a jug to keep in the fridge from the water supply - used all over UK, France & Spain with no ill effects!
• We have a roll out awning which is great in the sun, but also keeps the rain out & Gives you somewhere to take off boots etc if rolled out a foot or so in the rain. We also have a lightweight driveway awning which we thought we would need for more space, and have used only a couple of times! The wind break is more use!
• The van had a towbar fitted when we bought it, but we have never used it. Thought of using it for a bike rack, but too difficult to get to the back doors.
• I charge my phone when we are travelling, use a kindle (rarely needs charging) and have an iPad for everything else. The laptop stays at home.

Its taken us a while to get everything in it's right place in the van - much trial and error, but I think we are there at last! Plenty of space for two of us and the dog, and no worries about tight spaces and roads!

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

We've got a fantastic vent fan fitted too. Great piece if kit. It's great for keeping the van cool in the summer. With the sliver screen on and the blinds up if we leave Buster inside we know he's not going to get too hot. It's also great for sucking out cooking smells . It also closes itself if it rains !

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[CWH]

I didn't realise you were having one converted.

There's a standard conversion, with no real choice in the layout, and a set of the most popular options, with quite a lot of flexibility in the little ' extras'.
I'd have preferred to design from scratch but as so often happens, circumstances got in the way. Maybe next time eh?
Still exciting though!

 

[corconx]

I will, but not yet - at this stage it feels a bit like jinxing it if I do!

I said small, I didn't say basic... I think of 'small' as 6-6.5 metres; maybe it's my inexperience showing???
It's 5 metres long on a Fiat Ducato.

Murvi?

 

[Peter Sansom]

That much???

OK, that's one to look at, thanks.

With both of these, not sure I'd have enough storage space.
I agree totally about external blinds; but I don't want to use externals if I'm off-grid, just to be on the safe side. Thank you for lots of ideas.

That's another one to check out, thanks Wombles.

Can I ask a personal question? What size are you? I'm a 6' 2" racing snake and to me anything smaller than our Coachbuilt is just not an option. Like my space, enough to swing a cat...well, the dog in our case. I admire what you're doing but could not imagine myself doing it. Remember the language rule when abroad, just put your face inches from theirs and speak very LOUDLY...and add 'O' to the end of words occasionally. They love it...trust me!

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[CWH]

Murvi?

No. That's as far as I'm going at the moment. I'll tell all once I have the van on my drive.

Can I ask a personal question? What size are you? I'm a 6' 2" racing snake and to me anything smaller than our Coachbuilt is just not an option. Like my space, enough to swing a cat...well, the dog in our case. I admire what you're doing but could not imagine myself doing it. Remember the language rule when abroad, just put your face inches from theirs and speak very LOUDLY...and add 'O' to the end of words occasionally. They love it...trust me!

Oh I'm only 5'6". I also like space - but I like it outside in the fresh air. I can manage with very little inside. I've yet to see if I can manage with this though. It just might be number 2 of the proverbial 3 before getting the right one. It's all part of the journey.... N'est-ce pas? Nicht wahr? No es asi? (sorry can't do accents & upside down question marks on my tablet...)

 

[wardj2010]

So here's what we have - a Vivaro with pop top - sleep in the roof bed to leave the main area clear - porta potty with SoG fitted - simple 2 burner hobb from 907 Gaz + back up portable from cans - 5 litres water pumped from portable can and 3 x 2.5 litres of bottled water (will not drink from refilled can) - silver screen for windscreen and door windows - simple home made screens for remainder of internal windows held in place by fitted curtains - also additional external insulation panels for pop roof insulation during colder climates - tow bar that doubles as a bike / storage box rack - only use the tow bar for collecting timber for log burner! - have a drive away awning that has covered thousands of miles but never used - also rock and roll bed for very wet days and short stop-over / stealth stops - we have been to N & S Germany / France lots / Spain / Netherlands / Belgium / Luxembour / Denmark and Sweden - all solutions bring compromise, each of us is prepared to tolerate different inconvenience - only single leisure battery (weight and space) with careful use and regular ACSI stops - happy travels

 

[hilldweller]

I've yet to see if I can manage with this though.

That's not a sensible statement to make before a huge expense. Can't you hire one first ?

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[CWH]

That's not a sensible statement to make before a huge expense. Can't you hire one first ?

Oh I know Brian, but circumstances are what they are... I know I'd be happy with a week or two's hire, it's much longer term I don't know about.
Plus I really want to have this experience! There are things I want to do that I couldn't do any other way. I just accept that although it may be a 'forever' van, it might also be a stepping stone to something else. Although they weren't 'forever' times, I wouldn't have missed my time backpacking or with the larger van, either.
But I do appreciate your concern and your advice, thankyou.

 

[hilldweller]

But I do appreciate your concern and your advice, thankyou.

You tolerate an interfering old fart well. Didn't someone mention a 5.5m chassis, every inch counts.

 

[CWH]

You tolerate an interfering old fart well. Didn't someone mention a 5.5m chassis, every inch counts.

Tolerate, no. Value experience, yes!
The spare wheel's on the outside, does that help???

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[hilldweller]

Tolerate, no. Value experience, yes!
The spare wheel's on the outside, does that help???

I certainly does if you have a puncture, ours is underneath, takes super human strength to get it down. I'd put on the back but for the bike rack. Having said that we've used it once in 10 years, at Misterton.

Our Burstner is under 6m and works well because of the Luton bed. Here in the sunshine I've painted the wheels ready for new trims, changed the oil an filter and all of a sudden life is good.

We keep saying "thank goodness we did not head for the sun in Spain this year". It's when it's lashing down that you realise how good or bad the inside is, only place worse is in a tent as I reminded myself on the Rhein last year when I found myself a bit wet after having an afternoon nap with the tent open not expecting it to start hammering down.

 

[CWH]

We keep saying "thank goodness we did not head for the sun in Spain this year". It's when it's lashing down that you realise how good or bad the inside is, only place worse is in a tent as I reminded myself on the Rhein last year when I found myself a bit wet after having an afternoon nap with the tent open not expecting it to start hammering down.

Not too sure I'll be venturing out in the backpacker tent any more, I'm finding it more and more difficult to get out without falling over. And it's not as much fun as it used to be, trying to live ( in the rain) in a tent you can't even sit up in... At least I can stand up in the van

 

[hilldweller]

At least I can stand up in the van

Those were my thoughts too. The gods were not smiling on me, I got to one of the loveliest campsites in Italy, Camping Sagemuhler, Stelvio to be greeted by a new hotel being built next door so instead of peace and tranquillity in the mountains all I had was noise. It will be finished now so if you are in the area give it a go.

Two things about the area, millions of apple trees and they speak German. We'll be back !

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[CWH]

looked that up, it looks gorgeous... And I can do a weeny bit of German

 

[scottie]

I have a 6 meter ducato based Devon astec. 2 berth only. Based on my own experience in the uk only, I would get rid of oven, replace with microwave, for when you do go on ehu. and pots and pan space underneath. Never used my oven or grill. Dual leisure battery, with correct rated controller and as much solar on the roof that you can get away with. When time permits, would probably look at a cadac, but then external gas point. With pvc vans, is always a compromise. I for example would never have a fixed bed, unless it was an electric drop down, my lounge space is far too important to me. Cant be of any help on the other items as no experience with them.. Good luck, for whatever you do.

 

[CWH]

Good to hear your thoughts @scottie , thank you. I never used the oven in my larger coachbuilt in 3 years, don't see it changing now!

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[CWH]

Well everybody, so much to think about and decisions to make... I'm really grateful for all your input, it's been so helpful and a bit of a challenge matching your comments with what I hope I'll be doing, as well as what I might end up doing (the two aren't necessarily the same thing - or anywhere near!)
I'm seeing the converter on Friday, so if anybody has any further thoughts....??

I'd promised myself I wouldn't get any new bits for living in the van until I had it on my drive... Epic Fail ...but they're only little things honest

 

[CWH]

So, after some very serious pondering of your ideas, information and advice, I went to have my chat with the Production Manager at the converter's workshop yesterday.

Result of the conversation as follows:
COOKING - replace oven with 2 drawers, no BBQ outlet. I'm having a bit of extra drop-down work surface.
WATER - there's no room for Nature Pure system, so it'll be my Travel Tap and maybe a trickle purifier from Safeguard or Drink Safe Systems or similar, depending on where I end up
ENERGY - they tell me that due to newest technology, the 80 w panel matches the 100 amp battery. There's no space on the roof for any more than the 80 w so I've ordered a second leisure battery. Seems the 3 batteries will look after each other.
AWNING - decided against - I'll get a tarp or flysheet & poles & fixings from Ultralight Outdoor Gear or Backpacking Light or similar, keep the weight and volume down & increase flexibility.
CAMERA - had a good look from the driving seat and decided to have a twin camera. Women and men have generally different spatial awareness so I can justify it.
CAB BLINDS - seems it comes with internal thermals. I'll fit curtains at some point.
TOW BAR - decided against, for all the reasons you mentioned.

So - many many thanks for your help. I also have a list of potential future accessories from your posts.
Sadly there's still quite some time before I get the van - which means I still have time to change my mind - fatal!!!