1. How to Self-Build, DIY, your Motorhome, Campervan. Views of Unconverted Camper RV Video

Check my channel for later vids! This video shows the van unconverted with the basic layout marked out. It's a Vauxhall Movano MWB 2.5 CDTi Panel Van. I got it for £5,500 and it's less than 3 years old. 64,000 miles on the clock with full service history. These vans are pretty much identcial to the Renault Master and others of the same period. The way European van making works, is many of them are the same, and they are just rebadged.

It's about 3.2m long, 1.8m (max) wide, and 2.0m (max high inside the loadspace. I'm going for a continental layout with half dinette at the front and swivel cab seats seating 5 at the table, midships shower/toilet and kitchen, and fixed transverse double bed over garage/storage at the rear. Front area will also convert to a bed so the van will sleep 3 or 4.

That's a lot of motorhome in a vehicle less than 5.4m long total, so it will fit in a standard parking space and could be used as an "only vehicle" with ease.

The continental layout is much more versatile than the standard British layout wich has rear kitchen shower area and two single beds with a central aisle. The continental half dinette makes best used of space integrating the cab into the dining area, while the raised double bed allows massive storage underneath while still allowing headroom to sit up and read in bed. It means the table and shower and kitchen are all free to use while someone uses the back bed rather than clogging up the whole vehicle when the double bed is made up. While travelling, the raised bed area can also be used to store bags, bedding, personal effects and other holiday items, again leaving the aisle, seating, kitchen, and dinnette free for use while touring.

Budget for the conversion is about £4500 so for around £10 k total I'll have a fairly new van which would cost £30,000 to £40,000 to buy.

Disclaimer: The advice I give is purely for information only. If you are not sure about electrics, gas, and other safety items, get them done or checked by a professional. You're responsible for building your van safely. See my channel for many other videos.

So cool!?
So cool!?

Your speaking ...
Your speaking complete rubbish there. You clearly dont know what? your talking about. Another silly american

Great - look ...
Great - look forward? seeing how your project goes!

My engine is 125 HP ...
My engine is 125 HP 2.5 litre TD. I get about 33 mpg? and it will do 95 mph top speed. Not bad for a van! But I usually drive at about 60 mph in 6th gear.

Yes I have cut down ...
Yes I have cut down on the thickness of boards where possible. Main walls 18mm Mdf (not much of this). Bed base and some floor 9mm ply. Most floor and furniture 6mm ply? (6mm ply is very light). Wall covering panels and ceiling etc 3mm hardboard.

Best of Luck & Fun ...
Best of Luck & Fun with your Van, try to use light materials to help you get good fuel econopmy. My 7.3L International Engine is a Beast, but the Turbo and a Computer Chip allow me to set the computer to a 60 HP extra setting, 80HP and 100HP. The 60HP Tune gives me the best fuel @ 18 MPG if I drive careful, but if I step-on the juice I get? 15-16. Yours is a diesel you can get a computer chip for it to gain some instant Horsepower. My van was Dyno'ed @ 427HP last year using the 100HP setting.

I noticed in your ...
I noticed in your van you used plywood. It is very heavy and you may consider lighter materials to cover the walls with. They make a plastic plywood with a honeycomb center that is flat, smooth and strong. When? you are going to install cabinets, custom whatever, you will screw into the metal frame/studs anyway so you may not need the extra weight of the plywood. New adhesives will allow you to glue to the new wall-boards. In the USA we have so many new products, you may not have them there yet

The interior has? ...
The interior has? the Explorer Company Conversion with Leather Seats and Suede Trim. The back bench seat is electric and turns into a double bed. I have the High Top Fiberglass top that has a 20" LCD TV Overhead and a 7" Kenwood Excelon DNX9140 in the Front dash. The KVH Trackvision gets the Dish Network Channels. There is 3 miles of cables in the van. HDMI-CAT5-RCA-USB &Firewire Panamax pre-wire connects. The cabinets are real Walnut wood, not laminated. I will learn how to post the van soon.

I have a custom ...
I have a custom 2000 Ford E350 SD Extended Conversion Van with a International 7.3L Turbo Diesel Engine and I had the entire van double layerd on the walls, floor & ceiling with DynaMat & DynaLiner,? the floor has the DynaPad over the Extreme. The soundproofing was well worth the extra money. I have a 4" Stainless Magnaflow Exhaust that is completely wrapped with Thermo-Tec 2" Heat Tape (Header Tape) and it made the interior noise level go way down, all I hear is the Turbo Whistle. Continued

Great series of ...
Great series of video instructionals. You've got yourself another subscriber. Just been reading other comments and was surprised? by lightening777's comments. Maybe they just have weird sense of humour...

Thanks a lot ...
Thanks a lot William!!! You also mentioned in your video that the battery box will be top vented, why is that? wouldnt it be better to be bottom vented like the gas compartment? Is? the hole for the shower dumping the water right out or you have some collection container ? Does it pass MOT without any problems with all these holes? How do you prevent other vehicles gasses from entering into the van through the holes? When will you post your nest video? Thanks a lot!! Zohar

Hiya I will make a ...
Hiya I will make a hole in the floor of the? van and shape the insulation so the whole shower floor falls to the hole in the middle. Yes holes in floor drilled to vent gas locker. See video 7 or 8 (I think !) I will move the two seat at the front to the back. The seat will be bolted through the floor & I will strengthen the floor. The seat belts are attached to the seat as before. I hope to show this in video 10 coming next. I will buy a new passenger single seat, but my van will only seat 4.

Hi Wiliam, ...
Hi Wiliam, Wonderful set of videos!!! cant wait for the following ones.... I wanted to ask some questions if I may. How do you drain the shower? Did you drill holes in the floor to vent the gas chamber? How are you going to atach the seat belts so they will be held securely? I am thinking of making such a conversion? myself, but I have to make 3 seats ( I have 4 kids and a wife to seat :-) ) with the belts etc. cant wait for your next video... Thanks, Zohar

Errrrm yeah... that ...
Errrrm yeah... that sounds more like criminal damage to me, not urban exploration. But enough of that. Back to? motorhomes.

Yes we usually like ...
Yes we usually like to get in there and smash stuff up, wreck sinks, heave concrete blocks through floors and doors etc. We'd? likely park a fair distance away and get away on foot.

Yes I've done a bit ...
Yes I've done a bit of urban exploration, this van is great for weekends? away. Would probably want to park up a fair way from target site and approach on foot.

I'm not that keen ...
I'm not that keen on using Celotex. It could be a bit squeaky but hopefully if I glue it down and firmly screw down the top sheet on it, that will? stop the noise. Celotex will support a little light foot traffic with the top ply as spreader and regular battens.

Good advice Rick. ...
Good advice Rick. Yes I will be insulating. I'm going for that rockwool spaceblanket stuff you can buy at Wickes. It's encapsulated in silver polythene which reduces radiated heat and also acts as a vapour barrier to stop condensation soaking the rockwool. The floor will be? existing 6mm ply + 25mm Celotex + 6mm top ply sandwich.

Hi William - looks ...
Hi William - looks like an exciting project. Looking forward to seeing future videos. This van is the taller version of my own van and I LOVE the high-up driving position. Take note next time you follow a ford transit - you can see the roof! which means your driving position is way higher. If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be to fit inulation. ? Rockwool is ideal. I didn't fit it, and seriously regret it, as I cant use it in cold conditions (temp drops scarily fast!). Rick.

This looks great. I ...
This looks great. I was thinking? of getting something like this for urban exploration trips. I can't wait to see how it develops!