Where I went wrong with my van : mistakes & planned changes

[@bigfoot_101]

You're one of the few who talks about mistakes and failures. Good that some people shows that vanlife isn't always perfect and beautiful.

[@basstrammel1322]

Look up Dave2D and enjoy. You can thank me later.

[@thewanderingcanadians]

We totally agree with that. Honesty is so much better.

[@maninavan.2043]

All will get done, all in good time. I have been in my van for 18mths full-time and still doing jobs in the van, so don't be to disheartened.

[@roxyshadowhunter5133]

Haha love your sense of humour! I'm researching ambulance conversions for a possible purchase in New Zealand, so glad I came across your channel!

[@sunriseseven4366]

No way did you ' balls up' the van! its fantastic , so unique. Totally agree the outside decor is perfect, love the inside too , especially the layout and the way you utilized everything. There are many more things you did right with Amber than you did ' wrong'. It would be boring if every little thing was perfect! plus you have to use it and live in it first to find out if anything needs altering!. Good luck with it all and do take us along with you during the refurb. :)

[@Mal_Outdoors]

Very honest appraisal. Actually you have done a brilliant job mate for a first attempt basically singlehanded, and you do live in it so it does what's needed. Looking forward to seeing the changes when you get to it! Great channel.

[@TheBrewjo]

I'll be starting a van build in a few months, believe it or not, coming across videos like yours are far more valuable and informative than most.

[@michaeljohnson1006]

This has got to be one of the coolest campers I have seen! The grey colour just looks mint! Its got the space in the back as well!

[@sherry866]

Beautiful Home you've got there. Don't Worry about the Other Little things, you'll Figure it out in Time. Live And Learn Dear, Take Your Time. Stop Rushing the Rest and Chill. Enjoy What you've got thus far. Deal with the Water Issues First !!! You've Got This Babe !!!

[@lass-inangeles7564]

I've done a lot of research on materials and solutions. I also have an RV that I tinker with. I think your ambulance looks great as is, but as you are discovering, it is an ongoing project. Its fun to do this, so don't feel its a chore! Here are some of my solutions to give you some ideas: 2:23 - use Dremel SawMax to cut a variety of materials. Fine cut, interchangeable blades. This is a mini angle grinder which can also double as a detail saw for wood. Tool is small and light and very powerful. Will easily cut metal sheets. You could also get a Bosch 5 inch Angle Grinder from Amazon for $80 refurbished which is heavy duty but weighs more. The Bosch will cut through a metal gate! If you get the Bosch, make sure you get a paddle switch, adjustable speeds, and a Leave On switch options. 3:35 - When you change your tires, make sure the inside wheel of the dually has a flexible stem that can be air filled from the front. I had a very bad install where this was impossible to reach. Had to remove both tires and fit out with a stem. Some stems leak! So be sure to buy quality valve stems and the flexible tube ones seem better. Funny how small things like a gas tank can be such a pain! The clutch check is a good tip, thanks! I've had some nightmares myself. Two rear tires went flat on a US Highway miles from anywhere, in 105F heat wave. I had no shoulder to park on, and commercial trucks were flying by about 6 inches away from my van. I had to call the police to get some peace of mind. Took me 5 hrs to find a wheel change and get tires swapped on the road. I could have died there! Ha, ha, ha! So true about 'stuff'. The one tool you leave behind becomes invaluable. Or clothing! I disagree about the microwave. I have a 4K Onan Generator in my Class C van. Micro runs on that. Get a small generator about 2000 watts and use it to recharge batts and run your appliances. I could not live without my microwave for reheating, because I cook in batches and just reheat all week. Also good for hairdryers in cold weather or emergency extra heating, AC, etc. If you want to remodel your cabinets, look into T-slot aluminum molding, which is also sold under brand name 80/20. Use this to build new cabinets to match these. There are 3 good channels which explain how this is used: Greg Virgoe, Ourkaravan, Dave Orton. 11:13 - the problem with putting your water tanks outside under carriage, is that they will now freeze in cold weather. Anytime you store the RV you will have to drain it out. Unless you insulate it well with a heating element. 14:00 - see what the 3 people listed above have done with their flooring. Dave has an interesting floor using rubber mat. Just cut to size and loosely stick this on. Done. Put a nice plush rug on top for your toes in winter. What you did with vinyl is just fine. Its durable enough under the bed and hard to reach areas. Its actually the best material you could have used. Wood would rot or crack, rubber would compress with weight of appliances, cork would disintegrate, ceramic tile would crackup, and carpet would turn gross. So what do you have left? Only vinyl. Good choice. Your issue with it moving is because you did not use an underlayment such as Silent Silver or Blue from Amazon. Use a good closed cell neoprene product underneath and redo. 16:38 - Bathroom door - Get the Nautilius screen door (pricey option) or use a Stromberg Carlson Extend-A-Shower curtain rod with a shower curtain. This pushes outward to give you more shoulder room in bath for $26. Push it inwards to use as a drying rack for wet clothes. For the floor, just use IKEA deck tiles in wood for a custom bath mat. I've seen stainless shower pans with a large drain, topped with a slotted wood cover. The depth is 2-3 inches. You stand on the wood cover and water flows below. Make sure you use a waterproof membrane below like Schluter Kerdi membrane or Kerdiboard. 17:28 - Home Depot sells fake plastic tin tiles on a roll that look like real embossed tin tiles. Easy to clean surface, gives texture, artistic flair, and not an industrial white. They come in all tints- copper, bronze, white, silver, antique tin, etc. Rip out the cloth and put these up instead. Don't feel bad, its a common problem with the dampness outdoors. Laundry basket - IKEA has great cylindrical wire frame nylon mesh bags that can be folded down into a flat disc when not in use. Easy to lug to laundromat, weighs nothing, and looks great. Isnt there a small chute on right side of your countertop? Great clothes chute. Don't use this for smelly trash, not the best option. You can buy a small high RPM spin dryer from laundry alternative for about $60. After washing by hand, spin in the electric spinner and clothes come out almost bone dry. 10 mins in sunlight, done! Absorption fridge - yes the downside is the leveling issue. Has to be level. So keep some small levels on hand. The other issue is the ash and rust and spider webs collecting and blocking flues. Tap the chimney to burner, and the burner flues then blow out with compressed air. Make sure electrode is near burner. Its old technology and a bit finicky. Bouncing around should have no effect on fridge. However, compression fridges are pricey and you need tons of power! Until you get the solar all fitted out, keep this fridge. Remember it also needs good battery power to turn it on. Some good compression fridge brands are Vitrifrigo, Nova Kool, and Dometic in that order of quality. Be sure to get a large freezer compartment separate from fridge. Spend the money, its worth it. At least 6 cubic feet in size with 2 cubic feet of freezer with separate door. Don't stint on this. Rev button? No, no, no, dear man! Get a small generator and a solar system. You already have an inverter, so solar is easy. Monocrystalline 100 watt panels from Renogy, MPPT Charge Controller - amps limit panels (30 am Controller = 400 watts total solar panels max limit), some in-line fuses, a battery monitor, and done! Easy to do yourself. This was a great learning curve. Don't be impatient. Van builds take time. Do it little at a time and use the van because your requirements will change as you use it. Its the same frustration for everyone. The van build exercise demands that you become an engineer. This is training you to analyze every detail before you embark, and then some! A great teacher is your van. If you were a Ninja, this is the same training for life. Thank you for sharing! I learned a lot from you on ambulances and find your honesty and humility endearing. So many people are arrogant these days and never learn from mistakes. I made so many mistakes and realized its an enjoyable process to redo one better the next time.

[@reubensmith348]

Very refreshing review. Especially like the rant about minimalist campers

[@martintin250]

Careful about putting the water tank outside the van below, big block of ice..... ask me how i know!!

[@gayehunter-gornall9628]

Van it not be insulated? Planning on putting all my batteries, gas and water underneath. Not planning to hit the arctic circle but .....

[@anitablades6033]

He won't be happy if he does put the Water under the Van, he'll figure it out !!!

[@thewanderingcanadians]

Truth, even near zero celcius you have to empty and drain tanks, even recommended inside as usually warm air does not circulate near them.

[@thewanderingcanadians]

@@gamerfortynine exactly why I said even indoors you should drain tanks. Been doing this for many years.😉

[@immortalsofar5314]

Yeah, our black water tank froze one year and the blade valve handle broke off as we tried to dump it. Of course, that only happens when you have 40 gallons of raw sewage on the other side of a valve you now need to remove. Not a pleasant job and our fresh water inside the RV occasionally froze in the pipes in Western Washington (similar weather to the UK) so insulate it well!

[@scottl5028]

Love it.! One of the very few "van lifers" who talk sense and tell it how it is... We all rush things so we can get out and explore.. Then whilst sitting around on location the mind starts wondering what can we do to improve it. But that's half the fun of it for me... Anyway subbed up and slowly catching up with your adventures... Nice work 👌

[@davelee-00]

That has become my new favourite self build video. An honest view of things you wish you had done differently. Brilliant.

[@matthewbushell85]

I'm afraid I can't offer any solutions to your problems, but thanks for the videos. Just starting out building mine, and it's taking so long to make progress. It's nice to know that taking my time might be worth it. However it's also nice to know even the experts gets things wrong. Still can't make my mind up on an awning though. Good luck on your repairs, might see you out on the road in future.

[@daftpuddin7034]

Unlike the trustafarians who do weekends away spending all their time setting up photos and post as tho they live their life in a van just so they can try and make money and gain followers you sir are doing it for real and being honest. Love it and also really useful. Thanks

[@ProjectAmber]

Thanks man 👍

[@ocrun6765]

Hey bro, your amberlamps is great. Thanks for the honest feedback of your own work. It's not major changes but I get your drive for perfection. Still the best van conversion I've ever seen. I wish I had spare cash to help you make the pop top, that would be so awesome. Keep having good times.

[@maidelie]

Thanks very much for this. I'm at the beginning of turning a Transit cargo van into a camper, and this kind of analysis is gold. The point about drains in each corner of the shower-obvious but brilliant; it's the first I've heard of it. Also, the 3-way fridge. Can't wait to see the updates.

[@adriancollie1322]

Subscribed following your visit to see OK Portugal. When you showed your ceiling areas it reminded me of a trick my dad used to do with wallpaper that had air bubbles behind it. He used to get a syringe of adhesive and just squirt it through into the air bubble, then press & smooth it down until it dried. Using a syringe meant the hole was tiny and easily hidden.

[@billopad9625]

Can’t wait for rebuild video series! Also great to see someone show their errors to help others!

[@johndwalker069]

Hey Dude, just a quick one to say thank you for this very honest video. I am currently selling my day van to fund the build and move to fulltime van life and as you know money is always a factor that means you start to question need for big ticket items like a compressor fridge etc, this video has helped me to stop questioning and make decisions now that will probably save me in the long run. Love your content. This years been a bust so far but hopefully meet you and your amazing van in 2021

[@grimuk3817]

I like this guy. Reminds me of me. The FML theme is just hilarious. EDIT: Just a lil advise, Buddy, use high temp glue in future. The heat disolves 'normal' glue and thats likely why ur ceiling cover is coming free.

[@Waynes_Travels]

Nice to see a totally honest review of vanlife👍 Good luck with the refit/improvements

[@rogerfaulknershomefromhome4458]

At last somebody being honest about van builds. I don't think you will ever finish tinkering with your van, I'm making changes to mine all the time and it's usually budget that holds things up . You can buy a throttle rod to control tickover when parked up it fits between steering wheel and throttle pedal and works on the same principle of a mystic gun costs less than a tenner from a good car parts shop . I've got a table top 240v compressor fridge in my campervan run it off the inverter once it reaches the right temperature and it's well stocked with goodies it hardly uses any power never had a problem with it. Just leave it on all the time but you must keep it pretty full so items inside hold the temperature down no goodies Moore power. Sorry for going on good luck with the changes.

[@ProjectAmber]

Roger Faulkner ahh brill ill look into this throttle rod! Ahh yeah on electric my fridge is the same, needs food inside, but if the van is even slight off level it'll just start hearing up, crap lol. I'll need a sit down and look up what fridge is best for my needs

[@donbrackenreg2270]

Definitely go with the compressor fridge - they truly are the bees knees. Also, Toyota Landcruisers have a hand throttle button on the dash which winds the idle speed up mechanically - I think it should be able to be fitted to yours.

[@pathfinder303]

@@ProjectAmber If you have an inverter over 1500 it will deal with a domestic fridge which can be bought for less than a £100 and will use no more power than the 12v fridge.

[@thewanderingcanadians]

Truly refreshing, so tired of the perfect life lies that keep being told.

[@MidSummersNightWolf]

You're hilarious 😂 thanks so much for your honesty! I live in the UK in Coventry and massively considering making my own van, this is sooo useful!!!

[@trapfargo6051]

Never need to turn my compressor fridge off with 300ah of batteries and a 260w solar panel. They are definitely the way to go!

[@thewanderingcanadians]

Trap Fargo wow that is quite a bit of solar.

[@matmichael4732]

Heres a tip!!!! Put a made up BBC WILDLIFE FILM CREW - PLEASE BE QUIET sign on the van when you park up and you may not be disturbed!!! lol

[@ProjectAmber]

Hahaha bloody love this! I was thinking of getting "FLY TIP PROVENTION UNIT" printed on both sides 😂

[@frodobeutlin8683]

Thank you for the very helpful suggestions! I will consider them in my built! As 'bigfoot one' said "You're one of the few who talks about mistakes and failures"!!!

[@antonia4722]

Hey mate..I live on a boat..much the same as a van. I bought a second hand compressor fridge at a boat jumble for £40. Its lasted me 9 years and still going strong! Its far more efficient if you remove the compressor and heat exchanger and build it into a top loading insulated box. It acts as a cold sink and only switches on about 3 times a day so uses a lot less battery.

[@brendaswann7292]

You sweet .... thank you for this. You learn more from trial and error. Amber is a beauty and I hope you share her surgery(s). Best of luck.

[@DIY_Dad_GB]

Great that you shared your mistakes.........but they are the first stage of learning . Nice project

[@irelandbiker]

Don't be so hard on yourself buddy. You have done a great job on that van. It's unique and looks great. Looking forward to seeing you do the changes and onto trip 2. Best of luck. Hope you got home ok or are nearly there. Matt

[@earthlivingdiaries6277]

Those top down shots you mentioned with all the stuff in the van outside, I was thinking the exact same thing about my van hahha it wouldn't fit in the photo. For our dogs we use an anti spill bowl for water and two rubber collapsable bowls for food it works well and water doesn't go all over while driving.

[@stetomlinson3146]

Some ideas for your "upgrade". Try fitting a sinking shower tray with the plug hole in the middle and a slight slope into it, then it doesn't matter what angle your van is at. You could try a boat builders yard or some other fibreglass constructor who will make you one to custom fit your needs. We had our plastic shower tray replaced by this method when it split in our motorhome. Your fresh water tank is better being kept inside if you can. Outside, underslung ones can be very susceptible to damage from stones etc, especially if you're going off road a lot. They also need some proper decent waterproof insulation other wise a decent frost will freeze the water in it, and any pipework going to pumps etc. The things described in your video will cost you quite a bit, it might be worth looking at another van you can put together with your modifications for less. Or even look for one that has been already built. What ever you choose to do, good luck with it and I look forward to following more of your adventures.

[@cr0ft-2k]

Yeah, underslung tanks do make a lot of sense since it frees up SO much space, but then you have to consider adding some protective plate over it, and take frost and freezing temps into account. Big RV's often have electric heating pads, and that works, but then you need enough electricity capacity to actually feed heating pads. An Ultraheat pad (the smallest they make) is over 4 amps at 13.5 volts, and their pipe heating pads draw as much. So, what, 8-12 amps? going to keep the plumbing from freezing in the winter. That's a lot, and very hard in an off-grid vehicle without a generator. Advanced RV has done something pretty clever there though, they have channels added to their tanks, ie basically an indentation. They then run their water-borne heating return lines through there (they use an Espar Hydronic diesel heater augmented by an option to heat via mains AC electricity, by Rixen) and lump their plumbing and water return lines together as well. Free heating of the tanks and the plumbing, while heating the vehicle.

[@mrnobody8540]

Going under is smart - yes, you need to protect and insulate. Insulate the whole floor from the under side... This does to things - 1: keeps flooring from becoming to hot or cold. 2: the flat underside helps smooths airflow - may ad a few mpg's if your lucky.

[@martinbrunning4532]

Very interesting video thanks for sharing its never easy to admit you’ve cocked up or cut corners here and there. Look forward to seeing your changes 👍🏻

[@MartynJennings]

Fantastic video. Always seeing videos on how epic van life is but it's good to see a video about experience and balls ups. Well done and thank you 👍🏻👍🏻

[@ou6037]

Even with your planned changes is still think it’s SO cool mate 👍

[@kingneptune8937]

Respect and thank you for your honesty, life's a learning curve, we never stop learning and I mean NEVER. Great video.

[@ProjectAmber]

Thanks buddy! Very true! 👍

[@marcusharman7879]

Great video & great van. It’s only when you use something that you find out how you can improve it. Good luck with the upgrades!

[@louisasky7224]

Love your honesty. Doing my van on a very tight budget so lots of corners cut so I have to chill about it. At least it's my own home.

[@nadeemleon4197]

jane parnell where are you getting you van converted

[@louisasky7224]

Nadeem Leon I'm doing it myself it's very rustic,

[@nadeemleon4197]

jane parnell brother if your near London perhaps I cud kindly view your motor perhaps get a drink talk about conversations

[@brassmonkey001]

If your throttle is cable controlled then you can fit a universal choke cable to bring the revs up, like the ones they used to have on most cars in the 70s where you pull the knob out and twist it to lock it in place. My current Toyota has an "Idle Up" switch but my previous one had a cable with a twisty knob where you just wound it up to whatever revs you like.

[@artisansportsman8950]

Thanks for been so honest & admitting your mistakes, this is exactly how i am i never have time to do the things i want to so this will help me when i do get round to doing my van conversion .

[@sunriseseven4366]

GREAT!! a video from you, great to see you! Look forward to more films . Thanks. (now I shall watch the video lol)

[@MartinJHarris]

there's a device for army land rover radio fitted type that you pull out and its connected to the accelerator cable, I can't remember what its called, but I use to use it for charging the radio equipment in the back of my FFR.

[@dibley1973]

Awesome video. Thank you for your total honesty, and humour.

[@Basman59]

Greatest respect for your honesty and insight most helpful. Good luck! Your attitude is first rate.

[@popuptoaster]

you can fit the 16" rims all round from the newer dual wheel sprinters but you need to change the studs and nuts as well. it's also possible to fit the super singles on the back but then you end up with two different tyres sizes. Far as awnings go you can pick up a second hand house awning that should do the job for loads less than a Fianna one. ;) You can get spill proof dog water bowls for a tenner off amazon.

[@ProjectAmber]

popuptoaster yeah someone else mentioned the super singles but I'm not too keen on them, but I didnt think about tinkering with the studs for the newer Sprinter steelies! Thats worth looking into a bit more, thanks!

[@Dan-wo4bx]

Yep the dometic/ engel fridges are pricey but you can’t put a price on cold beer ! I have a big top loader that i remove and use in other vehicles when i need to,quite happy to run it for 12hrs+ parked up in the back of a landrover without a split charge in 40c no worries.

[@Basman59]

Any used car my dear old dad taught me a lifetime ago (1960s) breaks, tyres, shocks, wash the engine before test drive then check for oil leaks and clutch. Tyres and belts are easy peasy but the others are more consequential he did add points not that cars have em now and also plugs which if there is oil in there that is a warning.

[@vansolo9794]

I rushed my first van and spent the next year doing 'things' every weekend but it was great fun. My van was a LDV crock-O- Shite where the clutch slave unit would leak fluid all over the brake pedal every so often and had to be replaced every 6 months.....and then issues with the gears and clutch......still it was worth it for the experience. That was 8 years ago. I am in the process of selling my house to motor home full time round euroland probably mid 2019 ! Good Luck buddy with your build. Might see you out there one day :-)

[@MotorbikeJunkie644]

I think its awesome 👍 But will look forward seeing the changes.

[@stevehughes7224]

I like the colour, it is the best van build I have seen. I would never build one without a proper shower and toilet. Has the back got aircon. If so do you use it alot

[@somethingforkaren]

I am finding this video and the few like it faaaaaar more valuable then the how to videos! THANX FOR SHARING! all the best in the tweeks.

[@SuperMCkilla]

tip - taper your sink like --v-- with plug in the middle, alloy and bare steal need a seal in-between the two metals, alloy and steal don't like touching each other, if moisture gets in-between the two it corrodes the steal very quickly.

[@DimmyFritz]

You’re too hard on yourself mate - you’ve made a great van!!

[@SteveWilde]

Love your work! Thanks for showing us your van and being so honest!

[@atschris]

We use an £80 domestic counter-top fridge on solar thru a decent sine inverter. Works a treat plus you’ve got 240 on tap hit anything else. Great retrospective of your mistakes, we all make them.

[@kathrynarnold1966]

I've seen a build that has a drawer at the floor with insets for the dog's bowls. Pull out to give access to poochy, push in to have out of the way.

[@avocado3748]

LOL you killed me, thank you all the information you shared helped me learn and figure out the pitfalls. I can’t wait to see your changes 🙏🌹🤗

[@maninavan.2043]

Hello, think the van looks great, you've done a great job. Keep up with the good job. Invest in a 700w generater, I did now powers my battery charger, TV , and charges mobile,tablet etc

[@flurblewibble7735]

Refreshing to see such honesty, and very, very useful information.

[@bugzie-a1769]

Regarding the fridge, i have the Dometic CRX110 12 volts, never had an issue with it, worth checking it out, not cheap i paid $1490 for it. but sure is worth it. it comes with 3 year warranty

[@rafaelvega6249]

You're so honest... a true God sent. I'm about to start my built. Thanks

[@scottanson7524]

It still gets you down the road man it’s all good ! Great video! Safe travel

[@HandyKindaGuyUK]

Get an lpg tank with a filler. Like the ones they use in lpg conversions.

[@allen921]

Very useful matey, thanks and happy touring.

[@bigstu118]

hiya, I wish my wife would allow me to buy a ambulance im well jealous of all your travels, I luv the outdoors and admire you for what you are doing, watched all your vids and knows its not all plain sailing and the problems along the way , but I bet you cant wait to be travelling again, the feeling of freedom, I work all week to be able to get out on my days off work, I look forward to your next exploring vids, keep up the videos and best of luck with your exploring

[@Marimilitarybrat]

About securing the dog dishes, here in the US there is a slide out component for The undercabinet kick panel in your kitchen that allows you to drop the dog bowls securely inside. They can slide in to hide the dishes and pull out when the dog wants to get to them. It sounds like things cost a lot more money in the UK. Do you have a luxury tax? Hope your hard work pays off.

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

15 inch wheels .... but which size tyres? I go on Maxxis Ma Las all year 225/70 R 15 "c" with the C as a "reinforced" indicator for my 2 ton bus, works well on gravel and soft roads and even in winter until I need chains anyway, and it's not a loud all-terrain tyre keeping up still ok-ish in terms of kilometres .... mine is a 1999 Sprinter 212 d first series though, I don't know what tyres You're supposed to put under Your second series with this twinwheel rear axle; it's a 3.5 ton ++ axle, so "c" might not suffice - or You reduce Your max load in terms of registration, something we do in Germany to get a wider range of tyres to be allowed. Sprinters won't become 2cv-s anyway, they aren't really offroad wonders in 2WD versions (factory 4WDs aren't so much better either by the way), so I suppose before getting started with an axle change or things like that to get single wheels/tyres on, You better might get Yourself a GOOD electric winch in the front and another one somewhere under the body in the back as well as an assortement of pulleys, belts, shackles and stuff like that to help Yourself when stuck. Only reason to change rear axles in my book would be the gearing. Mine's a "long" axle, actually the longest they made for 212s, and I get an absolute dream-milage out of it with a hightop swb 2 ton version. There was even a gearbox version for 210/212 with a secondary power outlet to drive a winch directly back in the nineties - so no option for a semi-automatic I subsume, and it would be another place to become leaky now or later, that's why I prefer electric winches.

[@ProjectAmber]

Yeah its a bit of a minefield, but your right I think with a winch or two I'll be a lot better off on the event of getting stuck

[@simoncpe]

Haha enjoyed your rant, 100% with you on the fridge and dog bowls. With the draining in the shower and sink why not level the van on jacks or ramps. Might help with the air suspension repaired.

[@koningbolo4700]

best to get a larger size cooler style fridge...you know the type which opens from the top... For various reasons but mainly because heat rises and a chest fridge doesn't get as much "cold" loss as a standard style fridge. You can set these guys on a drawer thing which also opens the lid whilst it is rolled out...

[@urban_fox_cub_urbex]

Put some double usb 240v sockets in so u can charge ur phone and use the sockets. Would love to do a road trip like this! Ever need a road trip drone flying buddy hahaha👍🏻

[@zogworth]

Then you'd need the inverter on all the time. Dc to dc is much better

[@lifesasprinter4409]

Av just bought the weaco crx50 your right 550 is a lot for a fridge. But they are superb. My 200w solar system runs it 24 7... great video's and adventures. ATB dave

[@scottb5716]

You'll struggle in winter. My 200w barely ran a laptop all day over winter and that was in Portugal. If I had a compressor fridge on top then I'd have had no chance. 400w is better for fulltime with compressor fridges.

[@autoshineblackpool]

Good video, if you want chunkier tyres look at winter tread tyres. They'll do them in your size and rating as in places Europe its a legal requirement in winter. and the tread will much more aggressive than normal tyres. 👍

[@rainbowsontheroad]

This was really interesting and helpful. I've been debating about an awning as I do not like how they look and its just another thing that can get damaged by walls/tress what with our van being tall. But I think you've persuaded me :-) Food/water bowls are an issue for us too....look forward to seeing what you come up with.

[@TK42138]

From watching your videos, I would say your van conversion and trip has been successful despite the 'bumps in the road'. You learn from your mistakes and it's best to look back on this as a 'shakedown mission' to find out where the improvements need to be made. Glad you're going to ditch the laminate flooring. Too damn heavy and every kilogram removed means less fuel being used when driving.

[@360-media]

Yeah, Great video, honest commentary, extremely helpful. Thanks.

[@jamstudiostheshed1]

Thing thats really scaring me is the electrics in espeshly Ambulance Aero Engineer till 1984 the all music after ATB u done a great job once you get all the snging done its going to be spot on .

[@laurenpage8948]

Hey van life dude I am currently thinking about power---fresh out of mind-an alternator with fins so when your travelling and in some cases not wind power to help charge your batterys!!! Hope I will be bumping into you on the road and not literally lol

[@TravellingK]

Really interesting to see. I'll agree with the microwave being a waste of space. Mine's out and is now more food storage. Wish I had 2 plugs in the base of my shower as well - always a fun job getting the water away so I can use the toilet. AND I can sympathise about a dodgy fridge too!

[@ProjectAmber]

Haha the struggles of alternative living 😄

[@MrSmith-hd8od]

Subscribed! Awesome video. Realistic, practical, and very down to earth helpful with your honest take on things that can require more than meets the eye in the planning/building stage, compared to the day to day living with, aspect. Cheers :)

[@hmmmnz]

look for the vitrifrigo fridges, they can be bought considerably cheaper than most other makes and still run the danfoss compressor and controller thats fitted to every compressor fridge, my first massive euro trip was with a stupid 3 way fridge, it sucked balls, at one point it actually heated the fridge, so it stayed off for the rest of the 3 month trip, bought the compressor fridge and havnt looked back, it'll run for about 6 days (with out any charging) on a 200ah system with no solar (mine charges the batteries as i drive, via a relay or if i plug in ) if i drive half an hour a day its enough to to keep the system ticking over nicely

[@stevegraham3817]

Instead of using the stick idea for higher idle speed, see if you can adapt a throttle control off a push mower. I don't recommend using it as a cruise control, but if you are going over really rough terrain, you can hold your revs constant while you bounce around inside the cab.

[@darrenjones3681]

Dude have a look into hand throttles, off road vehicles have them to bring the idle speed up slightly in low range for crawling at low speed, some older Land Rover and Millatary trucks used them possibly unimogs as well

[@watahyahknow]

might not work in his case , i think the newer mercedes trucks have an electronic trottle

[@Dan-wo4bx]

Yep might be a job if throttle is fly by wire but works well on a jeep fitted to the gear stick

[@zogworth]

If it's electric then probably even easier. They'll be a thing you can plug straight into a obd2 port.

[@ProjectAmber]

That would be ideal, but unfortunately my age sprinter has it's own version of the OBD port, the star drive or some crap, just to make diagnostics etc. that little bit more expensive 😂

[@honorharrington4546]

Keep your water/plumbing inside unless you plan on never camping in winter. Get a 12v top load chest fridge, much more efficient and you don't cool the floor every time you open the door. If you need a freezer get a larger double model or use 2. Good Luck

[@Mister_G]

Fantastic video, thanks! Loved the instagram rant - would give you two likes for that alone if I could. Love the honesty and your delivery style. I'm half way through converting a Citroen Relay van at the moment, and making the transition from rushing things because you're keen and impatient, and rushing things because you're fed-up and just want it finished! :D Please keep us posted on the reworking.

[@run4eva]

Subbed👊 I made the same mistake laminating my floor.. my biggest regret. Weight & blistering up ffs. Great content👍

[@jamstudiostheshed1]

HAHAHA Dont get angry sledgehammer loll great info you got to get the drop right on the water ATB cheers .

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

It's a nice truck so you built it nice if it has no windows in there that's crappy because now you got to use your battery power just in broad daylight just to have light inside we still make no sense to me got a couple Windows if it's broad daylight was freezing cold at least it lights up your vehicle which means you you use less power to light up your vehicle inside...

[@pyrodynamix]

Not sure if you sorted your tyre issues but I think bf Goodrich do chunky tyres with a load rating to suit your van. Not cheap but well worth it

[@santapodracer1980]

Add 10 inch to the roof height so then you can do a drop down bed that's made up. Lights can be in the bottom of the bed for when it's up

[@WonderingWomble]

Looking forward to the newer look ambo bud..? Just DON'T turn into a shed with Tong-n-grove boards.. Far better idea with the under slung water tank, and gasit, it lowers the gravity line.. Stay safe, cheers

[@jonc67uk]

I'm definitely with you as far as 3 way fridges being a waste of time. I've got 200w of solar & a small compressor freezer along with my fridge, but tbh you'd be better off with a bigger compressor freezer & highly insulated coolbox running off icepacks from the freezer 😁. In hot weather it runs continuously without having to run the engine at all. I am running a 200ah leisure battery...

[@stephenmorgan5100]

ARB top loading fridge are amazing, ultra quiet and very low on power comsumption. They are pricey but are brilliant. As your taken the rear off vehicle, why not buy another from a breakers and do all the work on that and just swap over. Yeap the air ride systems are cool one to lift 3500kg with auto level is about £3500, not sure how much for 5000kg would be cool but pricey.

[@diogenes9295]

Install a throttle cable to the dash, like the old trucks.

[@sixmagpies]

A good basic rule of thumb when building is never to 'layer' stuff. In other words, as with a well made boat, try to make each and every element ( such as shower, cupboard, flooring, ceilings, panels, chairs etc.) separately and individually removable.

[@paulscussel140]

Hi, thanks for the great video! Just a thought, but since you went to the trouble of making your own sink instead of having multiple drains as you mentioned, you may want to make the bottom sloping towards the existing drain? That may work for the shower floor as well as it's relatively compact. Cheers, Paul

[@micjakes1]

Wish I could get one of those. That is a sweet combination.

[@ctruth5366]

I got mine stripped now mate it's a 2006 sprinter the body is sweet but that floor was rusted at the bolt points (which by the way took 3days of WD40 and tapping with hammer to get out) , the back right in the middle rusted and by the sliding door in-between wheel arch ...get that rust grinded out weld if needed and repainted with the good stuff hammerite. The parts can be replaced the body eventually can't it's a job but a job worth doing.

[@ArtVanGrow]

I took out my microwave when we demo & built cabinet doors for the space & it made a HUGE difference (: sweet van!

[@valtito9297]

that looks like hundreds of hours in the shop!!!!. makes me glad that i spent the 80 grand on a slightly used class b rv. good luck with that thing.

[@ProjectAmber]

Nope, almost done after a week. ☺

[@georgemay3196]

80k? Blimey that's some expensive cardboard and crisp packets...

[@valtito9297]

nice glad to hear that. blessings!

[@georgemay3196]

Your smug 80k bragging snobby presence is a blessing, good luck with that thing...

[@valtito9297]

idiot i am in debt up to my ass on that 80 grand. I'm glad you thought i was bragging . but all class b is about 80 grand some more some less. you peasant!

[@roygardiner4002]

Really useful video - thanks for making it.

[@roygardiner4002]

Oh, the other thing - you can rig up a hand throttle simply with a cheap lever and bicycle cable with a clamp onto the accelerator linkage for about a tenner I reckon.