dubwarrior2
Part of things
"Open up, its the filth"
Posts: 576
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Dec 12, 2015 21:03:36 GMT
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Whilst browsing Instagram recently for "Adventure vehicles" I stumbled across, what I believe, to be a very simple yet very effective idea.
It is to take a pick up or flat bed type vehicle, ie Mercedes sprinter or DAF truck, remove any bed or box fitted to the rear and simple bolt on an old caravan. Hey presto, one go anywhere mobile home.
At first I thought it was a bit of a rough, bodge job, but the more I have thought about it, the more I reckon its a genius idea.
Both the base vehicles and the caravans can be had for under a grand each and when bolted together would provide an awesome vehicle for travelling around in the summer.
Obviously the caravan chassis would have to be sufficiently fixed to the base vehicles chassis.
My questions concern the boring legal stuff. These pick up chassis' seem to have anything bolted to them, from pick up beds to large boxes to refrigeration units, would bolting the caravan on the back make much difference when it came to MOT time? Could it be reclassified as a motorhome? Would you be able to rock up to your normal MOT station for its annual test?
Any help appreciated as Ive got a serious hankering to build one now.
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peewee
Part of things
Posts: 103
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Dec 12, 2015 22:38:11 GMT
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your most likely best off sspeaking to a hgv mot tester regarding legal stuff
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I don't know about the legal stuff, but I've seen these done a few times. It does work for a cheap quick fix, but using a caravan is far less than ideal. Because of their shape, they're not very space efficient. You would be better off buying a large van or small box truck, stripping all the interior out of a caravan and putting it inside your truck body. This way you can maximise the floor space and change the layout, without having unnecessary features left over from the caravan like the wheels arches and the chassis. Generally you will get more head height this way as well.
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I don't know about the legal stuff, but I've seen these done a few times. It does work for a cheap quick fix, but using a caravan is far less than ideal. Because of their shape, they're not very space efficient. You would be better off buying a large van or small box truck, stripping all the interior out of a caravan and putting it inside your truck body. This way you can maximise the floor space and change the layout, without having unnecessary features left over from the caravan like the wheels arches and the chassis. Generally you will get more head height this way as well. This is exactly what I was going to say
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Hi, Another thing to consider is that when being driven the chassis on a chassis cab is subject to a lot of flex and twisting, which would be passed to the body on the back. A caravan is not built to take this and would soon start to fall apart. Even luton bodies built for the purpose become loose and rattly with age. So care would need to be taken with mounting it. Probably the best way would be a three point mounting, two one end and one the other. This would allow the chassis to twist and flex and not pass this to the caravan body.
Colin
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Hi, Another thing to consider is that when being driven the chassis on a chassis cab is subject to a lot of flex and twisting, which would be passed to the body on the back. A caravan is not built to take this and would soon start to fall apart. Even luton bodies built for the purpose become loose and rattly with age. So care would need to be taken with mounting it. Probably the best way would be a three point mounting, two one end and one the other. This would allow the chassis to twist and flex and not pass this to the caravan body. Colin What he said. You would be ok in the short term, but over time the flexing of the truck and caravan chassis would cause cracks on the caravan structure. If go visit the forum at ExpeditionPortal, they have loads of stuff there about it, loads of excellent build threads. Regarding the law over here,all it needs to be registered as a camper is a permanently fitted 'kitchen' area and sleeping area. This also means not having to be limited to 56mph on motorways. You can 'ignore' the 7.5t weight restrictions on rds Non hgv style mot testing, ( although probably have to use the hgv test station due to size on vehicle) No tacho or cpc requirements. ( this is of course subject to the whims of legislation) You used to be able to drive on your car licence,but that changed a while ago,so you'd best check up on that.
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Dec 13, 2015 17:36:38 GMT
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slomoshun
Part of things
Going forward one nut and bolt at a time
Posts: 319
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Dec 13, 2015 18:24:23 GMT
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this is on the road in West Sussex
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Traction and horsepower is nearing perfection
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slomoshun
Part of things
Going forward one nut and bolt at a time
Posts: 319
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Dec 13, 2015 18:25:24 GMT
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Traction and horsepower is nearing perfection
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vertex
Part of things
Posts: 928
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Dec 13, 2015 18:56:23 GMT
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.
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Dec 13, 2015 19:02:17 GMT
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This is on the road in West Sussex Is this an argument for or against?
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Dec 13, 2015 19:41:37 GMT
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I have a picture of what you describe somewhere because someone who lived a few doors down from one of my daughter's mates had built one. However, they appeared to have actually put it on the flatbed, meaning that the door was about four foot up in the air. Daughter's mate's Dad used to call in the cackavan.
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Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
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Dec 13, 2015 19:52:48 GMT
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Wouldn't it be easier just to buy a camper van? I can't see what advantage buying a Sprinter and sticking a caravan on the back would give. Sorry if I've missed the point!
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Dec 13, 2015 21:58:57 GMT
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I thought this VW T25 bolted to the the back of a Unimog is pretty cool- but obvs not really what you're talking about. A lot of people do conversions to old security trucks - perhaps because the rear -'box' is really well strenthened?
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dubwarrior2
Part of things
"Open up, its the filth"
Posts: 576
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Dec 13, 2015 22:42:49 GMT
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Wouldn't it be easier just to buy a camper van? I can't see what advantage buying a Sprinter and sticking a caravan on the back would give. Sorry if I've missed the point! Mainly cost and space. Ive always had VWs and would love another but realistically I'm never going to be able to afford a decent one again. T5s are great but not that much room really. T4s are stupid money with a poo 1.9 non-turbo non converted model starting at about £3500. Also, I like the idea of using two things destined for the scrapyard and making something useful.
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Dec 13, 2015 23:33:07 GMT
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Or just fit the caravan over the whole lot! ;-) But seriously, caravans have a shelf life - beyond a certain age they start to fall apart and leak. They simply aren't built to last. Add that to the fact that you're going to subject it to the stresses of actually mounting it on a flatbed - and you've got a lot of work, for a rather crappy campervan. It's also quite a lot of work to successfully mate the two - without it looking like you're just carrying a caravan to the scrapyard. You've also got to consider the complexity of wiring up a split charging system, installing drop out vents through the base of the van, moving the water tanks so they're not inaccessibly sandwiched between the floor of the caravan and the flatbed, and a host of other things, which mean it's not that straightforward a job. That's not to say it can't be done - but IMO it's always going to be a rather awkward compromise. You can get decent panel vans for not a lot of cash, and either fit the guts of a caravan (which are often a bit naff if you do it on the cheap) or build something quite simple yourself if you've got basic DIY skills, and some time to do it in. Check out the self build motor caravan club website www.sbmcc.co.uk for some ideas... Also if you limit yourself to VWs you're always going to be paying over the odds for a van (in comparison to what else is on the market) I built a campervan using a high roof LWB Renault Master (which can be picked up for next to nothing) and it happily sleeps four of us, and has been a real home away from home. Reclassifying it as a 'Motor caravan' is fairly straightforward - take some pics, post to the DVLA with a covering letter, and they send back the V5. It will be able to have a Class 4 MoT (the same as a car) with the only limitation being the size of the ramps at the MoT bay (I have to take mine to a place that does coaches, as it's too long for normal ramps). Keep it under 3500kg, and it's all very straightforward.
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Dec 13, 2015 23:56:51 GMT
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I've seen a few done over the years in exactly the way you mentioned, however they always tended to look a bit poo in my opinion. For something different what about starting with a Dodge50 or RB44 as the base vehicle, they aren't exactly expensive anymore and are really solidly built. Just found one you for sale ready done linkSomeone has already done an RB44 linkLoads of Dodge 50 live in vans
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Ex prisoner transport vehicles would make good campers. Older / cheaper caravans have nailed together timber frames under a "fag paper" thickness of alloy outer cladding. Rotting of timber or loose joints very common and main reason why a lot get scrapped. To find one that is worthy of putting on the back of a truck is going to be a hard search and you'd have to leave the original chassis underneath otherwise risk it collapsing into a pile of bits. When they build a caravan they start with the chassis and add floor before building up sides & roof. It'd therefore be very difficult, if not impossible, to successfully separate chassis from body without affecting the body strength. Any intention of off roading and you risk the fragile timber frame joints coming loose. IMO to do a decent job you'd have to find a caravan with a 100% fibreglass shell. The Polish made Freedom range are the first to come to mind. I'd also say got with small lorry rather than large LCV such as Transit and such pick-up / Lutons. The MAN lorry with a LT style cab could be worthy of consideration. At a show I saw a classic lorry with full canvas tilt on rear. Later in day part of the tilt was uncovered to show almost a wooden shed type structure that owner used as an alternative to tents when at shows - like that idea
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Regarding the law over here,all it needs to be registered as a camper is a permanently fitted 'kitchen' area and sleeping area. This also means not having to be limited to 56mph on motorways. You used to be able to drive on your car licence,but that changed a while ago, so you'd best check up on that. Re-registering as a 'motorcaravan' is a little more involved than that - you also need permanently fixed storage, water tanks, a dining area with a table, at least one window and a door into the accommodation area. I guess it's to stop people chucking a mattress and camping stove into the back of a Transit and claiming it's a campervan. The speed limit thing also depends on the weight of the vehicle. If the unladen weight is not over 3050kg you have car speed limits, if it's above, then it's car limits but a max of 50mph on single carriageways, and if it's longer than 12 meters then it's 60mph max (50 on single carriageways). Driving licences requirements are C1 for 3.5-7.5 tonnes, and C for over 7.5 tonnes. Keeping it below 3500 (fully laden) has many advantages, and is why kitting out an ex-prison van isn't alway a good idea - they've VERY heavy.
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