cold starting a 508d update.

[Terry]

Hi Winand and welcome :thumb: nice conversions but I cannot see any loo or shower how long is that narrow fixed bed ?
Terry

 

[winand]

@Terry; You mean in my bus?

toilet and shower (not finished yet): http://508.winand.nl/?p=674 (scroll down)

sketchup design: http://508.winand.nl/?p=463

The 4 p dinette which converts into a double bed is 1.89 x 1.40 m
Note that the inside of a 508 is wide enough for a bed: 1.90 m, try that i a modern Mercedes sprinter, Iveco Daily, etc (without polyester extensions)

 

[Terry]

No Winand not yours the other site pics . Yours is the longer version :thumb:Thanks for the width I did not know they were 6 ft 3 ins wide which is just about right for a bed
Terry

 

[vwalan]

hi. used to have flywheel and starter probs on the 508.but at that milage hopefully like new.
the rubber parts on the ex military stuff can be very brittle . jacksons or wythams seem to have a few in . i looked at the short ones before i bought my artic ,they are short.
there was alot for sail in holland at harderwijk at the time. think dutch army reserve.
mind there are a few daf ex army trucks going cheap as well.

 

[Snowbird]

Many thanks winand. Hope you stay around and don't wander off as so many European motorhomers do. We in the UK are newcomers to this hobby and we are all learning all of the time. I have great faith in the knowledge of Dutch motorhomers as many of the places I have visited have been recomended by the Dutch.

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[winand]

Thanks Snowbird
My "home" forum is http://www.campertechniek.eu in case i do wander off
I'm mainly interested in Old vans and busses, and home made conversions.
All those new "tupperware" boxes with satelite dishes are not my cup of thea.

 

[barearse]

Bomb proof old Mercs

Howdy Winand & co.I've just come across this thread via dedicated makes.Firstly,just around the time you were posting I was searching for my first potential campervan.For some time I felt I wanted an ex psv minibus,strip it out and fit it out.I've always been a German built fan and overtime seemed to gravitate to Mercedes ( Vario ) type.Anyway to cut a long story,I finaly plumped for an amature converted 709D,1989 vintage with only 294000.k.on clock,After a bit of detective work it turned out the proper previous keeper had only done 6000 mls in the past seven years.The interior in my opinion was so well done you would think it was a pro job.The owner said he knew the guy who did it over a couple of years about 12 yrs ago.My insurarance plan was/is my sister's partner can fix or repair just about anything so I could always fall back on him.His latest project is putting a 4wd Tata truck chasis under his old Bedford CF Ci dorma!Anyway the main point of this long winded post is like Winnand says,for me it's as much about the truck,for that's what it is as anything else."Matilda" is 22ft long,10 high & 8 wide.Like a snap on tool van.Same width all the way down with a rack on the back which carried a Harley Davidson!It's an om364 diesal and I would have no qualms going anywhere in her.In fact taking her up to Inverness if we get a summer all five of us.:thumb:

 

[Peter A Forbes]

The Vario is probably the last DIY mercedes van they made, although the engine is ECU-controlled.

Built like the proverbial outhouse the chassis is massive and the axle is rated at 5.6tonnes, even when it is plated at 4.3 tonnes as in our vehicle.

Spares are still good but not exactly cheap, I've been picking up cheap new spares when and where I see them pop up. The individual injection pumps are expensive but fairly simple and long-lasting. Flywheel is DMF but seems reliable.

Ours has 92K miles on since new.

Peter