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This is what I want! Just not enough room on the drive, money under mattress, wife with parking skills (at the moment)
Think it might have been a utility company van. One came out to my mum's village once when some drains overflowed and they had all the kit for showering etc. And that looks suspiciously like a washing machine by the door. Just think you could have fresh kit at Mountain Mayhem no matter what the elements did.
I'll just go and check under the mattress again....
only 2 berth - I'm oot
I've got to say, for the size of the base vehicle, that is a pi$$ poor use of space. The living area, headroom excepted, is barely bigger than my SWB T5, which also has a fridge (I think it's a fridge by the door, not a washing machine), sink and hob.
Admittedly it's (probably) got an onboard bog/shower, but that's not anything we've ever really missed as you're likely to be at a site with those anyway.
IHN - as with most 'race vans' half the rear is taken up by the garage.
My ideal race van (which hopefully i'll make one day) would have
Garage
4 berth (+4 belted seats)
Fridge
2-ring hob.
Swivel front seats.
And that's about it (portaloo under a bench somewhere).
Might not be the ideal thing for "living in" but for mucky riding trips I think it wouldn't be a bad set up. I'd expect the shower to be better than average as well if it was a company van.
If its a fridge what are those dial controls on the top and that box of switches on the surface above?
Yeah, I realise that, but even so I've seen them done better.
If you need a 'garage' for a couple of MTB's, have a look at the LWB T5 conversion from Amdro for ideas. I've got the SWB one and it keeps a fixed boot (unlike a lot of T5 conversions), and an MTB (or two roadies) will fit minus the front wheel. The LWB version would definately get two MTBs in the boot, plus a LOT of other stuff.
[i]If its a fridge what are those dial controls on the top and that box of switches on the surface above? [/i]
Controls for the gas/leccy (it's probably a dual-fuel fridge) and the fusebox for the van electrics.
Not a bad layout, but I'd changhe a few things, for one the table should be convertible to a double bed so it at least sleeps as many people as it can carry.
I do like the idea of a shower though, IMO it's more usefull than a bed. Go for adaytrip somewhere, ride, shower, get changed, go to the pub, eat, etc, drive home clean. If you're sleeping somewhere and biking then you're going to need a shower as well. And if you're staying on campsites then for a few quid more you could stay in a hostle and have a propper bed/shower! Quite tempted by some sort of landrover style roof tent on a van, then the 'downstairs' can just be kitchen/shower/garrage.
And the finish is completely tasteless. Not just bad, but completely absent of anything at all! Mmmmmmmmm grey lino and formica everywhere.
13 grand for a van that's 11 years old and 132.000 miles on the clock. Is that actually cheap?
Not sure if there's vat on top.
OK, it's got a bed,fridge toilet and shower. So do B&B's. You could do a whole lot of travel lodge for that kind of money using your current car.
iolo - don't know about the price. Race vans tend to go for less, but they don't usually have the shower.
But you're missing the point of a van like that.
By staying in travel lodges you'd miss out on all the sunsets/sunrises, all the evenings sat out by the side of lakes, rivers, etc.
It's like camping but with zero setup/takedown time and always somewhere dry.
Not as easy to do in this country and with a van that large than it is in some places, but it is a very special thing to do.
My ideal van.
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Isn't there rather a lot of cigar ash in the footwell and not much rubber on the tyres?
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Query: Why do you call them 'Day Vans'? An old girlfriend used to call one of the rooms in our house 'The Day Room'. I had no idea why, and I never cared to ask her.
Why do you call them 'Day Vans'?
Because there's (the OP is a camper, not a day van) no bed, just a mode of transport, and a place to cook, eat and store stuff.
Very popular in Japan, hence lots of imported Mazda Bongo's, which are far to small to use as a camper van.
After looking round for years for my ideal 'race van', I'm currently converting a 6 berth motorhome so there's a full height rear garage available when I'm away racing, but the double bed can be replaced over the garage for family weekends away.
The problem with van conversions is that the main garage access is always round the back, I wanted something with side access from within a walled wind out awning.
Got myself a finance Repo, 57 plate, 23k miles transit based Chausson for £14.7k 😛 Been told its forecourt value is actually circa £25k, so I'm feeling pretty smug 😆
One of the things that appealed about the original one was the fact that it was kitted out with lino etc, which makes it good for real riding situations. Wipe/wash clean after clambering in with wet, muddy, dirty kit at the end of a good ride in winter. When you've got a camper with wilton carpets and chintz curtains you might not be so prepared to get in.
<shameless plug>My camper van, which is for sale in the classifieds, has wipe clean floor and space to carry bikes</shameless plug>
I would post a link but don't know if spamming own ad would go down well 😉
Yeh its a fridge, doesn't look like an ex utility van, it looks in good nick. Fresh conversion on what quite likely was a carpet fitters van (they like the xlwb's)
My first concern would be the weight, xlwb van will have a low payload and all that checkerplate will make a serious dent before you load up all your kit/water/bikes/passenger.
take a look at what some of these ones are like
http://www.racepassion.co.uk/conversions/latest-sprinter-mx-van-conversion/
Though MX vans are for lots of bikes and single blokes.