Underslung Tank & Heater Brackets | Chassis Paint & Wheel Arch Repairs | Mercedes Vario Camper

[@WanderbusAdventures]

UPDATE: at a later stage we change this for a purpose built tank kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2WmlJmFqd6BmJI but the frame and whatnot remains the same.

[@Cheekymonkey1]

Good afternoon everyone cool videos of you and your wife and your girl helping convebting the mercedes van into a campervan for your adventures where ever it takes you. I only found your channel by scrolingl down on you tube to day I love your videos please keep them coming and you make me happy and smile

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Hey. Really glad KZbin found you and that you’re enjoying our vids. This one was a really early one too. Thanks so much for your lovely comment. Safe travels to you too.

[@catandgareth]

Fantastic video :) really looking forward to seeing your progress. We're full time in our van and now looking out for a Vario to build because of channels like yours. Thanks for the videos and keep them coming :)

[@WanderbusAdventures]

That sounds exciting. They are really versatile vans/buses. Thanks so much for your kind words - they’re really motivating on these cold days. Did you convert your current van?

[@catandgareth]

@@WanderbusAdventures Sincerely grateful for your videos, they give everyone an idea of what to expect from day one. If you don't mind me asking what have you found most challenging so far? Time to learn some new skills and I think 2021 will be the year of welding! Yes we converted our van winter before last although we'll be looking at a summer build this time :) Neither of us had any idea but had so much fun doing it. We can relate to your motivation on cold days! We're just reorganising the cab area as we're changing our layout starting this week so we'll have a few videos coming up to share our journey and hopefully help others too with different ideas.

[@WanderbusAdventures]

I agree with the learning as you go approach. Before this I hadn’t ever used an air compressor or an angle grinder. I’d say the biggest challenge so far was removing the floor. We decided to save the floor which meant removing all the bolts; mostly by drilling them out. Looking back I don’t think it took much longer than cutting the floor up but it was such filthy and laborious work. Thankfully we did save the floor to go back in :-). Your cab project sounds interesting. Will be sure to keep an eye out for your videos 😊

[@catandgareth]

@@WanderbusAdventures It sure does look like you had some fun with the floor :) Same here not much experience at all. It's truly amazing what can happen when you give it a try and great for children to experience what really is possible when you put your mind to something. We'll be following your journey and we'll keep the daft questions and comments from us at a minimum. :)

[@WanderbusAdventures]

@@catandgareth please keep the questions coming. A lot of the time it helps us check we’ve got it right 😊. The floor was tough but we now know what we are dealing with. We might even have it back in the bus soon 😮

[@chrisshaw4689]

looking good , i had a Merc 508D 25 years ago ,wish id got it now , i will be watching your progress ,cheers .

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Ah amazing. Hell of a rig. Thanks very much for your support. Take care

[@j_k_roaming_]

Deepest apologies for only just realising you had a channel. 🙈 Subscribed and will have a binge watch of all episodes later on. 👍🚌🤗 Keep up the good work. 🤗

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Hehe. No need to apologize and thanks for subscribing. Good to be part of the Vario gang 😊

[@T8RTU]

233! Great job guys, came across from Sometimes I Wander! Looks like you are making some good progress and some good choices too. All the best for growing the channel and I look forward to seeing the next update 😎👍✅

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Thanks so much for your comment and for subbing. We are learning a lot as we go (from channels like Sometimes I wander etc). Thanks again, this support Means a lot on the cold build days. Keep safe.

[@T8RTU]

@@WanderbusAdventures keep safe guys and take your time, your bus will be a great place to be for the family for a long time to come. Quality work now will pay dividends 😎👍✅✅

[@johnbateman3244]

Just found your channel with recommend from Graeme and John and Kerry. Looking good so far and looking forward to the build. Take care 💙❤️👍

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Welcome along John. Thanks so much checking out our channel. We’ve got some meaty work in the near future to share for sure 🚌🚌🔨🔨😊

[@ourroaminghome8943]

Hi guys. Just watched the video for some much needed motivation guys. Really awesome before and afters, you're flying ahead! :))

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Thanks guys. That means a lot as you are smashing your build. Take care

[@katrinagray7733]

Fantastic progress guys. Well done to Luke your welder, excellent job 👍

[@WanderbusAdventures]

He’s done a fantastic job of the arches. Bit of a head scratcher on the front arch but we will get there.

[@johnkinnane547]

G'day and greetings from Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺 well I would just like to say what a lovely family you are, and what you have accomplished so far with the bus is terrific it's going to look great. I have subscribed and I look forward to the next instalment stay safe kind regards John

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Oh wow. We’ve always had a soft spot for the Toyota Coasters that are available in Australia; so much like our little bus. Thanks so much for watching and for your lovely comment; it means a lot. Thanks so much for subscribing; we’ve got some proper installs coming up.

[@annwild8035]

Great build enjoying the process The preparation will all be worth it in the end 👍🏻

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Thanks Ann for your kind words. Means a lot. We are finally seeing some good visual progress. It’s a funny thing; two steps forward one step back type deal.

[@SometimesIWander]

Great to see it coming along guys, really nice job on the wheel arches, looking forward to seeing your progress, take care 🚐🚐

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Thanks so much for watching Grahame. Keep safe mate.

[@Karelcostermans]

Zeer mooi en goed gedaan, ik blijf kijken.

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Hartelijk dank voor uw aandacht.

[@deanwood2332]

Sometimes I Wander sent me over .... and it was a good call . so i subscribed

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Ah what a gent he is. Thanks so much for subscribing. Means a lot.

[@MaxSophieinaVan]

Massive well done for smashing 100 subscribers!! All this hard work will be so worth it when you get the floor down and you’ll have that piece of mind that it’s a super rust proof machine!! Can’t wait for next week - keep it coming! X

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Thank you 😊. We hope it’ll keep it good and sturdy. Thanks so much for watching x

[@andyleadbetter7725]

Hi All, Have been watching your industrious work with interest as have very recently also bought a 814 2001 with very similar issues (luckily no leaking windows!). Whilst searching for available spares I noticed one of the most bought parts were the lower panels which the fibreglass skirts are attached to, so I decided to take one of the fibreglass panels off totally and discovered the reason (for the high replacement use) - where the fibreglass attaches is almost totally rotted out, and some parts even worse - have cut off some sections and realise am going to have to replace all the panels to future proof the conversion (have photos), It may be worth you doing the same, especially around the rear wheel arches which look to be in a very similar condition to yours.

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Hi Andy. Thanks for watching. That definitely is a problem area. On ours the lower skirts are now aluminum. As you point out there is some rust there on ours which is thankfully not structural at this stage. We will likely look into fixing this in the future. Meantime we’ve taken steps to clean and arrest any rust that’s there. Cosmetically from the outside it’s not a problem and there aren’t any strength issues. I think if our skirts were fiberglass we’d go down your route now as they are easier to remove. Ours are aluminum and Bonded on which could make it a future problem for us. Good spot though. Your build sounds really interesting. What are your plans for it? 🚐🚐🚐

[@notinthepublicinterest6137]

@@WanderbusAdventures , plan is to live in it! am now 55 having spent the majority of my life at sea under sail (old-school, not motor!). Returned to land about a decade ago, but never really settled. Did the reverse to you - have lived in the bus for a few weeks, but recently (last 3 weeks) parked at my sister's where I can work - have a very good idea about the layout required (NO to a fixed bed!), will covert front 2/3rds (up to last full size window - no rear barn doors) into an 'inner snug', then the rear into kitchen, head and workshop. Shower will be over emergency exit (drivers side) with the grate in the 'hold' so very tall shower, head (loo) will pull out from under sink with a urinal in the shower space so can easily wash off. Only diesel - no gas have a 2.2 kw diesel genset and will be getting a Chinese heater like yours.

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Sounds like a solid plan. The idea of a snug sounds great. Making use of the ‘hold’ for head height in the shower makes sense too. Please keep us posted 🚐🚐🚐

[@joemccrohon5304]

Another great video! We love how thorough you're being and dream of getting to this stage with our chassis. Keep up the good work guys!

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Thanks Jo. It was dirty work for sure. We know the chassis will be alright for a good while at least 😊. Thanks so much for your comment. Take care.

[@bigyin1690]

Sometimes i wonder sent me here will start fron the begining and cacht up

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Amazing. Welcome along. Really happy to have you here. Stay safe.

[@cyril6696]

Hi Rich do you remember by any chance how many can did you used in total for your roof rack ? I belived you did 2 cots. My roof rack on my vario is a little bit bigger. And my favorit AI friend told me 10 can 400 ml when I ask him. Sounds a bit much. Thank you.

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Hey. I reckon it was around 6 cans of the Berliner. But the stuff I had was quite thin compared to something like raptor and easier to direct. What I would say is ensure every surface is keyed. I have had a couple of areas scrape off when hitting overhead trees etc so will need to touch up. Thankfully as it’s on the roof you tend not to be able to see the repairs if this happens.

[@pavelpotashnikov80]

👍👍👍

[@WanderbusAdventures]

❤️

[@lrakllinsoc1713]

Hiya pal, great videos really enjoying them. I am wondering what water tank you used & curious to know the dimensions of your LPG tank? this vid has been great for showing me how to install both on my 814D! Very nearly at the end of the rust treatment stage

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Thank you. Glad the vids are of use. The water tank is 250l baffled tank from tanks direct. We chose a 40 litre gas tank which is a shade under 80cm long and 27cm wide. But you do have to add on a little extra for the black box on the front (90mm from memory). We’ve managed to fit it in and have space either end; you could fit a 70 litre in this space like @wanderinghome did. It’s just a bit more of a squeeze and was more gas than we needed to be honest. Hope your build is going well 🚐🚐🚐

[@lrakllinsoc1713]

@@WanderbusAdventures Amazing, thank you! I've been looking at exactly the same water tank I think haha. My only concern with mounting it there as you have (I've been staring at that space for ages picturing how to do it!) is it being too low if the terrain gets a bit bumpy. Thanks good to know about the gas tank as well. It's coming along bit by bit, every swear word is worth it! it

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Haha. Totally worth it. Yes we are going to road test it when we can. It is higher than the axle but we want to do a thorough test. The 110 litre one is about 7cm shallower I think.

[@lrakllinsoc1713]

Would love to know how you get on if you do that soon. Best of luck with the rest of the build :)

[@climblivefree8344]

hi just wondered what size gas tank you fitted and where you got it ? also what size water tank and how do you feel that much lasts , cheers guys:)

[@WanderbusAdventures]

Hey. It’s a 40 litre tank from GasIt - have seen others fit 70 litre ones but to be honest it lasts ages (we are not full time). The water tank is 250 litres. In hindsight this is a bit big and Lasts for ages! For washing up and whatnot it lasts easily 4 days and it lasts a few days when using a shower. We are actually planning on fitting a slightly smaller tank soon - then potentially having a second one available for smaller trips (a smaller tank). We haven’t had a major issue with ground clearance but really need a bit more (we saw another van being put on tow and reckon it would scrape). I know others have done it the same way, but we’ve decided to fit a tank that goes a bit higher up between the rails. That said many of the other Varios have fitted 150+ litre tanks below the rails like ours and put them slightly further forward without issue. It’s a good space to pop a tank, but in hindsight we’d position it ever so slightly differently and opt for smaller tank. Hope this helps 😊

[@climblivefree8344]

@@WanderbusAdventures That's a great bit of advice thank you , I have concidered the gas it system as frees up other space just abit on the pricey side but bet is well worth it, I've driven around not being able to get a gas bottle before in my other van and it's not fun. I had a brand new unfitted fammia 70ltr water tank that came with my van when I bought it but thought this just maybe too small as I will be full time , 🤔 But One thing I did do on my old van is a gutter system that feeds rain water into water tank , as tank was smaller 😁 That's great help I did think about the ground clearance but this definitely has helped on the deciding , 👍

[@WanderbusAdventures]

That’s a great idea. One of our friends has 2 80 litre tanks and he fills one of his with River water for showers etc, but love the gutter idea. That’s neat.