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Subject Topic: Has anybody designed their own van
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07/2/2010 at 10:58am
 Location: Lincs
 Outfit: Skoda Yeti and Coach
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Hi

Has anybody taken the shell of a caravan and completely redesigned the interior.

Most of todays van,s are all the same we want something different I like the new Stealth van.

Sennen


07/2/2010 at 11:29am
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well talk to the guys who make their own teardrops they are the ones to ask very clever people!


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07/2/2010 at 12:00pm
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Currently in the process of doing one and we have a totally empty shell at the moment - except for the island fixed double and that is staying, I will add that we went for a 8' wide van to make the most of the design (a gamble that paid off - we bought before we knew about the new legislation)

Our design idea is similar to the Stealth but, with the added width, a lot better, we have been taking loads of pictures of the project and will be publishing a site when we have finished.

We now know that no caravan is immune from the dreaded caravan damp having found rotten wood, ultimately caused by non-repaired outside damage and badly fitted accessories through the skin

Our next job is obviously taking out the damp, then altering a couple of windows. Then we can put down the new flooring before putting in the new walls. We hope to be using it for Easter So a lot of work to get done. The hardest part so far has been sourcing the required materials which has caused us to change our thoughts more than once.


07/2/2010 at 1:56pm
 Location: nottingham
 Outfit: Grand Canyon 8 Pennine Fiesta
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My late father and I were given a very old van in the early 50s and completely stripped the inside to start again,this included the interior walls which were hard board. As a wood machinist I was able to buy all the timber  and,make all the furniture bit by bit in my own time at work.The furniture had to be assembled inside the van as things like the wardrobe,sink unit and beds were unable to go through the door in one piece.We worked winter evenings and weekends and I still remember the smell of Evo Stik glue as we had the windows shut, and the heater on, making my head spin .Weight didn't come into the equation as it was going to be put on a permanent site at Ingoldmells on the east coast but we had to borrow a towing vehicle, as our Ford 8 had no chance of shifting it We had it there for a few years. When the east coast floods devastated the area we went back to see what damage was done and ,all we found was the chassis 

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      Corpogreen esq
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07/2/2010 at 3:10pm
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pity about that! Yes find any leaks and fix then you will have a sound van even new caravans leak!


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07/2/2010 at 5:03pm
 Location: Yeadon Leeds!
 Outfit: Swift Challenger & Defender 110SW
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I know my dad did it many years ago, he also shortened it from a 16' body to 14' to fit on my grans drive (twas her van and she wanted a garage but the van wouldnt fit)

ended up a front kitchen, side washroom, rear lounge with side bunks.


07/2/2010 at 6:15pm
 Location: Northern Ireland
 Outfit: Bailey Pegasus Milan
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A couple of years ago Bailey ran a competition to design your own van, these are the winners

http://www.mybaileyvan.co.uk/competition/results.htm

I think it would be great to do this, maybe if a van was available as shell and you could pick a mix but I expect the price would be astronomicial!

Wendy



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07/2/2010 at 6:34pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Bailey Orion 560-5
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I am sure i watched a caravan programme on tv called caravan sights, and on there one of the more expensive manufacturers will change whatever you do not like in a particular layout, be it colour, materials, furniture type and size, fixtures and their positions etc. but i bet the cost will reflect this level of 'modification'! Doing it yourself could potentially mean you end up with a poor weight distribution, and therefore a bad to tow van. But i recon if you stick to heavy stuff near the axle, and lighter stuff at either ends of the van you could quite easily design your own. Seems to me the best place for a kitchen is in the middle of the van, with lounge/beds/washrooms going at either end. Maybe email the big manufactureres and ask for their advice. They may well ignore you, but if they reply it may save you building your 'perfect to camp in, but worst in the world to tow' van.

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Why am i doing this instead of camping??!!


07/2/2010 at 6:49pm
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I don't think advice from the big guys would be of any use. One of the problems with the big manufacturers is that they seemingly design without ever using a caravan for themselves, because I'm sure if they did they would find many of the impracticalities that exist in their vans that has made us design something more practicable.

I know there are a lot of people quite happy with the mainstream designs but there has to be, at least, an equal number unhappy, that are just putting up with a compromise due to the lack of design thought.



07/2/2010 at 9:23pm
 Location: Southwest
 Outfit: Mondeo 2.2 Titanium X
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Quote: Originally posted by K9Wendy on 07/2/2010

A couple of years ago Bailey ran a competition to design your own van, these are the winners

http://www.mybaileyvan.co.uk/competition/results.htm

I think it would be great to do this, maybe if a van was available as shell and you could pick a mix but I expect the price would be astronomicial!

Wendy


We thought the layout of the winning caravan was lovely with masses of storage, we actually measured up our drive to see if we could get one in with enough room to get the cars around it but it was just too long.

The Pageant Brambler had its name changed to the Pageant Ardennes. We were talking about it with the salesman up at the dealers this afternoon & he told us it was no longer being made. It'll be interesting to see if any come on the market second hand.

BB



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07/2/2010 at 11:16pm
 Location: Swindon
 Outfit:  CRV 2.2 + Bailey Pegasus
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In the Canal Boat world, its almost normal practice to design your own layout within the constraints of balance etc - similar to caravans.   Wonder who'll be the first manufacturer to offer this service?

Oh - this is my drain on my wallet: 9' long x5 wide' x 4' high

97 



07/2/2010 at 11:21pm
 Location: Wiltshire
 Outfit: Grumman2 + Modernistic coppertop+
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We moved to a caravan after many happy years as tent campers, and whilst the caravan is great when the weathers bad, I wasn't happy using it in the summer.

I liked the idea of sleeping with solid walls,some storage for clothes, and basics and having a good galley set up .

This used to be a 20+ft caravan:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a link to the build photos;

http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd4/thejackdaw/First%20teardrop%20build/?start=all

It's had a few changes over the last 2 years including a new roof  after resin failiure,and an aluminium skin to protect it.

Then there's my second build....

 

 

 

Here's the build album from concept to completion.

http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd4/thejackdaw/2009%20build/?start=all

I'm currently working on number 3, It's a lot like the first one, with a few tweeks here and there. I'm building this one inside the donor caravan, and will have to cut it out when it's complete. It's ment I can build over the winter, as I don't have a workshop and the others have been built on the drive. I've sold off the stuff that I don't need to help pay for the build. 

http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd4/thejackdaw/Teardrop%20%203/?start=all

 

I hope you like them, but I know they aren't for everybody.

 

Dave



Post last edited on 07/02/2010 23:29:17

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07/2/2010 at 11:28pm
 Location: Wiltshire
 Outfit: Grumman2 + Modernistic coppertop+
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Quote: Originally posted by PeteDeFeet on 07/2/2010

In the Canal Boat world, its almost normal practice to design your own layout within the constraints of balance etc - similar to caravans.   Wonder who'll be the first manufacturer to offer this service?

Oh - this is my drain on my wallet: 9' long x5 wide' x 4' high

97 


Hi Pete,

Hows your build comming along ?  Are you going to be ready for the summer?



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08/2/2010 at 10:47am
 Location: Lancashire
 Outfit: Caravan now Sold
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believe bailey will now built to your design and layout with the new vans being produced.

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the only silly question is the one you do not ask.


08/2/2010 at 2:13pm
 Location: Lancashire
 Outfit: Nissan X-Trail & Bailey Ranger
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Quote: Originally posted by michael on 08/2/2010
believe bailey will now built to your design and layout with the new vans being produced.
Where did you get that idea? Bailey's construction methods make it more difficult for them to be flexible in layout terms. They are going for standardisation, not modification. The advantages are increased quality of fit and lower prices, but even their interior fabric range is limited to a choice of three.

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* You never know where you're going 'til you get there...


08/2/2010 at 3:08pm
 Location: Lancashire
 Outfit: Caravan now Sold
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should have said a more refined options such as materials,chest or no chest,cooker not sure on that.

http://www.baileypegasus.co.uk/



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the only silly question is the one you do not ask.



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