Bounced over here from "Cruising the Cut" and just binge watched the whole build up to here. Really interesting documentation...you are fun to watch. Now back to the "Cut"! I know these are old videos now, but they are a great distraction from the present chaos. The English countryside is just marvelous. ❤
Congratulations David.👍 Of course you could have just bought ready made but: 1. It would have cost more. 2. It may not have been exactly to your requirements. 3. It may have used cheaper components. 4. You would not have a clue where the technical bits ran. 5. You would not have built up a shed full of tools’. 6. You would not have a real sense of achievement. 7. You would not have had the arse clenching moment(s) as you cut big holes in the van. 8. You would not be as confident doing projects as you are now. 9.If anything goes wrong you know where to look and who to blame. 10. You have saved a great deal of money , all other things being equal. Well done!👍
Excellent presentation and may I express how eternally grateful I am to you for two main reasons. Firstly for taking all the time to help others by showing how you did what you did. Secondly for not speaking in that Top Gear/ Transport Evolved/upspeak manner but as a normal person, who is simply saying words. So thank you!
Building out a vehicle always takes more time and money than originally thought. There is always second guessing about what should have gone where. Looks like a professional job to me. Very nice.
You’ll never regret spending big on a proper fridge. Bought mine 17 years ago for $1000 and have used it year in year out. It still performs like new and has been one of the best purchases. Not just for camping but think about picnics, parties at home etc etc. it’s even come in handy when my main house fridge had a problem and it saved all my perishable food.
To be honest that's actually not a bad price. Think about the actual cost of labor if you had someone do it.... Labor rates are insane. I am really impressed, excellent work. New follower. 👍✌️
5K to convert is pretty good. I totally concur with your choice to not do it on the cheap, it costs more in the long run, says the voice of experience. Plus the aggravation of removing the cheap item and fitting a replacement that never quite goes in the same way and does not look as nice. Well done and thanks for all the information.
You should be pleased with yourself. You made the vehicle you need and did it yourself far outside your comfort zone and got some good prices. Well done that man. Time for a g and t and don’t need to worry about driving home.
Your Vlogs are so much more reflective than some of the others out there. You are honest about your errors and are honest about them. I have been inspired by you to fit a Propex heater. There are always tweaks and updates to make, I view my van as a long term project/hobby. Some have MGs I have a Sprinter camper!. Looking forward to you new vlogs. I even watch your boating vlogs now.
Hello Richard, thanks. Good luck with the Propex install. My next vlog on the exhaust of that thing might be of interest too, probably have that online in a week or two.
Long time viewer of Cruising the Cut and just binge-watched the entire van build over several hours. For a self admitted "ham-fisted numpty" I think you did a wonderful job. There a few things I would have done differently, but it's not my van is it? The education that you received during the build is certainly worth the price of admission. Looking for ward to watching more of your adventures on and off the water. Cheers
Thanks for taking the time to lay out all the details, David. Great video and surely very useful for anyone planning s similar project. You really ended up with a marvelous, practically new van. And the last thing you are is “ham fisted” considering the brilliant job you’ve done.
Well my jaw hit the ground a few times, however you have made a quality Camper van. Like you said It's going to be around for a few years. Once you start travelling you will find that the items you have splashed -out on will be worth it's weight in gold. Comfort is paramount. Well done David can't wait to see the first excursion.
A good price. Sometimes items bought on the cheap actually cost you more on the long run. Because who normally have to replace them in the long run. You bought the electrical components that you had good success from your canal boat journey. I think all your purchases were wise purchases. People just underestimate what things actually cost. Dreamers!
Many thanks to the RV Geeks for mentioning this channel on one of their more recent videos. Expect that THEY will be your soon-to-be "guests" aboard the narrow boat. I binge-watched the "van" series over the last three days, and MUST say how much I enjoyed both your "give it a go" approach and the very nice end-product. Had I been in your, er, boots, I expect that the quality of the work done by me would have not come anywhere CLOSE to yours. Plus, the air hereabouts would have been made "blue" through constant application of naughty words, at high volumes. Personal, build, and other damages would also have been certain. So. IF I may, "well done". Thanks for taking me (us?) along, and For What It's Worth, really enjoy the "Cut" series as well. Sincere cheers from here, hard by Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada...
Thank you for sharing all the costs involved. It’s surprising how much it mounts up. I think you’ve done a fantastic job. You’ve done it all yourself and it looks so cosy. Really looking forward to seeing your travels!
It's nice to see someone do a total costing with rundown of individual costs, not many of these on youtube, I did a full restoration on a campervan but never kept the miscellaneous receipts only for stuff bought from auto-spares shops those receipts went into the vehicle history folder. So put everything you bought and have receipts for into your own van history folder it's good for the future when you come to sell your van. Thanks for an excellent video.
Hi David. Just wanted to say how useful this and the others in the build series have been. This shows not only costs, but a lot of materials that get glossed over in most other videos. Has really helped in my planning to do my own conversion.
The whole conversion project was very interesting. You did an EXCELLENT job! Now comes the pay-off: getting to enjoy! Safe travels on land (and water) to you!
Very interesting film David and I know it’s amazing what you end up spending when you buy bits and pieces as you go, but you’ve ended up with a quality camper van , with the satisfaction that you did it all yourself, well done 👍 on an excellent job!
I think you are being too modest about your capabilities - you must have picked up a wealth of skills and techniques during this project, and personally I think you have done a brilliant job!
Despite having limited interest in van conversion I quickly found myself completely wrapped up in your heroic progress and looked forward to every vlog. Bravo! Van looks all kinds of amazing, too.
David, Kudos to you! We are very alike in as much as 'if someone else can, so can I' attitude! Came here from CTC to see what a boater would do. Very impressed Sir. Like many who have watched your channel, I am now very definitely thinking on a narrow boat instead of the 'live aboard' stealth van I was going to do, due to all the hassle that goes along with that. Honestly, as I watched the build, I was thinking this is going to be a £20k build. I think you did very well to do it for £15k.
Seems very good value for the quality of stuff you have outfitted the van with and of course the van itself is relatively new and low mileage. Looking forward to some trip videos.
HOLY SHIT DAVID!!!! I thought you were going to say 20-22 thousand but under 15, that's awesome. I'm so impressed with it being your first go at it. You have done such an incredible job on the conversion, it looks like you bought it off the lot. Thanks again for such great videos.
I may sound a lot of money, and it is but you now have a van that is the way you wanted it to be . You have done a fantastic job of it all and should be very proud of yourself. PS those little gaggets that lady’s use to remove the bobbles from woolly jumpers may remove the glue from your wall carpet. Good luck 😎
Absolutely it was useful David and thank you for being so conscientious with your project accounts. Anyone who has similar thoughts of following your example now has a very good idea of their potential outlay and a clearer picture of the many items needed to create a good camper van.
Thanks for the costings David. When you itemised the bits they seemed expensive but the total seemed very reasonable and when the van moves on you have all those useful tools.
Bravo! And we agree with the viewer who commented that only you could make this type of video entertaining/interesting. It appears to be a very satisfying investment of time, energy and money! You really are well fitted out now. Hope it continues to provide you with great opportunities for travel and relaxation. Thoroughly impressed here!👍🏼👍🏼
I've just watched this again and, after meeting you at Stratford and seeing the van in the flesh, you've done an amazing job. I reckon, in the current financial climate, you'd be looking at around double what you paid. Your current 'ripping out' project makes sense, diesel heater and induction hob is a great idea.
I was wondering how much ‘this’ and ‘that’ cost as I watched the transformation...... So thanks for me wondering no more!... I don’t think you overspent for what you now have... Like you say the cost of a ‘ready made’ camper is VERY expensive and yours is truly custom made and unique...
A great first attempt David. Hope you have many happy times in it. There is something so immensely satisfying about using something that you made yourself and can give one a real feeling of pride in ones achievements.
Hi again I think you have done a fantastic job overall , yes the costs were high but, the main thing to remember is that you now have a camper van that is made to suit your own way of life and a project that you wanted to do . The end results are all very good . Plus you can tell anyone exactly how and were things are . Like I said you should be very happy 😃 with what you have achieved in your project. Well done again and now you enjoy the fruits of your labours .. 👍🏻👍🏻😎👍🏻👍🏻🇬🇧
I spent the bulk of my employment working out of vans and trucks that I had fitted out for purpose in most cases. Not quite the same but similar. It seems to me you fitted everything in with an eye on weight distribution being pretty even. A very good job Indeed.
Having converted a bus with a gasoline engine years back I think your have done wonderfully . Now comes the time to enjoy the rewards of your time and effort. Enjoy and continue to inspire with your vlogs . All the best, Hal
Dave I have pretty good knowledge and skill in the areas it takes to do everything you did. I must say you did a lot better job than I could have!! Well done. You should be very proud of yourself. I think you've shown people to not be afraid to tackle anything they want to do. Just do the research and get to it. You've shown people that might think they could never take on such a project that with patience and time you really can accomplish anything you put your mind to!! Congratulations sir you did an amazing job!!
As you may remember I followed your build quite closely, mostly it was my academic curiosity about what actually needs to be done to perform such a conversion. Some comments on costs, after seeing what the fit out cost I can see why you got a good solid van to start with, also for the quality of the items you used I think you did quite well on cost, you save more by buying the right things the first time than by buying them twice. Seeing what you spent on paint and other consumables was a solid reminder of why people end up with piles of that stuff that is half used. I still think you did quite well, but I can't wait to see how it all works and what changes you make once you start using the van, I believe I mentioned that things tend to migrate from their original storage locations and storage spaces tend to get modified once they are in actual use. One other thing I will mention is that you did buy some really nice tools, those should outlast you and the person who inherits them.
Thank you for that David a very interesting log of your build and as expected a very precise accounting the finances involved. I felt your pain at times but as you say it helps us understand why campers are so expensive to buy. Looking forward to your travels and adventures.
Coming back to watch these videos over again to refresh the bunch of ideas they contain, as I'm starting my own conversion. I take this opportunity to thank you again.
I throughly enjoyed watching this series of Vlogs. I think you have done fantastically well and not ham fisted at all. A very well put together series. Thank you.
Having done a few van conversions myself now I just totally refuse to pay the so called going rate for a "so called " professional camper and your Vlog perfectly highlights how ridiculously over priced they are. A great series and thanks for sharing.
Well I half agree and half not. I suspect that if I multiplied the hours I put in by a typical labour cost, then added rent of a workshop, commercial rates and overheads, insurances and business "stuff" I reckon it would be about what a "professional" one costs so I'm not sure they're overpriced as such - just unaffordable to me!!
Well....i've only just discovered this after watching many of your narrowboat vids. Having once owned a campervan i watched this with interest. As a novice first time self build i'd say you did excellently and yes you are absolutely right about choosing refillable gas because you cannot get Calor in Europe. Yes the "bits" soon add up but the average retail price of new professional build panel van conversion (PVC) is £50k - £60k. In UK our motorhome/PVC prices are crazily high compared to Europe. Happy travels in your van and i look forward to following them up! You're doing all this at the right time....giving the job up, cruising the cut, and now having some Vandemonium(!!) because my touring days ended two years ago due to health reasons.
Wow, so much good effort. I enjoyed you reasoning immensely. The prices were surprising. Sounds higher than here in California, and I trust your purchases were researched well. 1 tip for Americans- run at 1.25x speed, very clear and cadenced.
I am amazed at how cheap the Victron inverter was compared with their charger or pv controller. And I agree with you - don't, whatever you do, buy an 'unbranded' inverter off Ebay for £10 - that way disappointment (and possibly fire) awaits you..
An excellent video. It must be so satisfying building a camper van. You know all there is to know if something needs fixing at some time. Well done, I'm impressed.
That is an amazing amount $18,623.89 US today! You couldn't get a camper van for that anywhere! I am sure you will continue to customize it they way you want. Great looking van by the way.
In the end you got what you set out to do and have learnt plenty along the way so a win win regardless of how much money was spent. Been a great build to follow also. All the best
Having read or watched from the beginning. One thing that I wanted to tell you that could have saved you a lot of time and aggravation in building is to have used a tic stick. Boat builders use these because of all the odd shapes that are not square and level. You use it with patterns to duplicate exact shapes. Nice thing is you don't have to buy one. You can make one in five minutes. So if you ever decide to go through another build. Get a tic stick and a pencil and cardboard. Nice build by the way.
Great tip this. Also all that cardboard that Amazon sends us? I often just cut and tape together the flattened out card board to fit the odd shapes, then use it as a pattern. I use the cheap (but not the cheapest) clear packing tape on the dispenser, sometimes hot glue (I bought a big box of long glue sticks a few years ago, might end up being a lifetime's supply).
Ha - "Shore Power" - once a boater always a boater. Anyway, I was expecting it to be a lot more expensive. You have got a very decent camper for that money. Although, as a fairly recent DIY'er myself, I know that the new tools will be about the same cost as the rest put together.
I enjoyed watching the development of the van. Thank you for letting us your views know the costs you spent. It sure adds up as you are going thru it.I also watch Cruising the cut. God bless!
You’ll enjoy your new Toyota dinghy! I’m still waiting on your NASA narrowboat conversion! Standing it upright for launching might be a problem. You now own TWO escape vehicles... I like it!
A very very very good job!! Ive done lots of home and vehicle projects in the past 50 yrs and seen many others and cant ever remember seeing one better designed nor thought out nor finished with your quality of craftsmanship!! WELL DONE! And on the issue of tool expense, thats an investment that will save you money in the future. I have a pretty well equipped home shop with 6 welders, 5 air compressors and 3 large roll around tool boxes, and at times, i have needed every one. On the issue of us being sooo nosey on your costs, at least in my case, i see it as part of the educational part of your videos. You never fail to include the entertainment part, the great videos, the logic of what/where/why, and some bit of history or modern living along the canals and the places you go, but your inclusion of the costs for us, lets us know what we might expect to spend if we were to do as you do or if we embark on our own project or trips where we live. I see it as you are our indian scout, out into enemy country, searching out which way is best, which is more logical, and which is affordable. You provide us more than i think you realize,,,a revelation to our dreams at times. Our scout and instructor as well. Thanks for your planning, editing, hard work, creativeness, and inspiration!! A great job,,,we are all jealous of the final product!!! regards
David, Your van, your way. Thank you for sharing. It looks great and am looking forward to any travel videos you wish to share. Take care and have a good upcoming week. Don't forget to reset your clocks if you haven't already.
I think you did a super fantastic job sir and you picked very good fit out items so I would say you did excellent. Great work and can’t wait for you first adventure in it.
Yes very surprising just how much it costs to convert a van. Just finished converting my Fiat Ducato and although it did cost slighting less than your conversion I didn't fit any solar or a refillable gas bottle, just standard bottle. I also kept a spreadsheet but added an item weight column, I was only 100kgs out when I had my van weighed and most of that extra was due to outside chairs/table/pots/pans/crockery being onboard. The thing that most surprised me was the price of wood, for some unknown reason this has gone up dramatically post covid! Keep up the good work, love the little yellow boat.
Boy, you really went to town. And all those sealers and chemicals! Are you sure you are living in a "safe environment!" I think you are marvellous. Simply b. marvellous. Umm,..I have a small car I'm thinking of converting. Don't suppose you'd be interested? No. I didn't think so.
“The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten”
Sir Henry Royce
I’m glad you didn’t cheap out... Well done David!
Bounced over here from "Cruising the Cut" and just binge watched the whole build up to here. Really interesting documentation...you are fun to watch. Now back to the "Cut"! I know these are old videos now, but they are a great distraction from the present chaos. The English countryside is just marvelous. ❤
Welcome along!! 😀
next purchase - a barge to tow behind the narrowboat which will accommodate the van.
Pulling the van behind the narrowboat would be a challenge, wouldn't it?
You Always make me smile with your wicked sense of laid back humour.......
Congratulations David.👍 Of course you could have just bought ready made but:
1. It would have cost more.
2. It may not have been exactly to your requirements.
3. It may have used cheaper components.
4. You would not have a clue where the technical bits ran.
5. You would not have built up a shed full of tools’.
6. You would not have a real sense of achievement.
7. You would not have had the arse clenching moment(s) as you cut big holes in the van.
8. You would not be as confident doing projects as you are now.
9.If anything goes wrong you know where to look and who to blame.
10. You have saved a great deal of money , all other things being equal.
Well done!👍
All excellent points, including the arse-clenching ;-)
Excellent presentation and may I express how eternally grateful I am to you for two main reasons. Firstly for taking all the time to help others by showing how you did what you did. Secondly for not speaking in that Top Gear/ Transport Evolved/upspeak manner but as a normal person, who is simply saying words. So thank you!
Thank you
That's what I meant
I think you did a good job, saving yourself thousands 👍
Only David could make a list of conversion bits sound riveting!
As a builder ,van builder ,tiny house builder ,and a boat builder !
You done a great job! Enjoy 😉good work!
Building out a vehicle always takes more time and money than originally thought.
There is always second guessing about what should have gone where.
Looks like a professional job to me. Very nice.
You’ll never regret spending big on a proper fridge. Bought mine 17 years ago for $1000 and have used it year in year out. It still performs like new and has been one of the best purchases. Not just for camping but think about picnics, parties at home etc etc. it’s even come in handy when my main house fridge had a problem and it saved all my perishable food.
To be honest that's actually not a bad price. Think about the actual cost of labor if you had someone do it.... Labor rates are insane.
I am really impressed, excellent work.
New follower. 👍✌️
5K to convert is pretty good. I totally concur with your choice to not do it on the cheap, it costs more in the long run, says the voice of experience. Plus the aggravation of removing the cheap item and fitting a replacement that never quite goes in the same way and does not look as nice. Well done and thanks for all the information.
You should be pleased with yourself. You made the vehicle you need and did it yourself far outside your comfort zone and got some good prices.
Well done that man. Time for a g and t and don’t need to worry about driving home.
Your Vlogs are so much more reflective than some of the others out there. You are honest about your errors and are honest about them. I have been inspired by you to fit a Propex heater. There are always tweaks and updates to make, I view my van as a long term project/hobby. Some have MGs I have a Sprinter camper!. Looking forward to you new vlogs. I even watch your boating vlogs now.
Hello Richard, thanks. Good luck with the Propex install. My next vlog on the exhaust of that thing might be of interest too, probably have that online in a week or two.
Long time viewer of Cruising the Cut and just binge-watched the entire van build over several hours. For a self admitted "ham-fisted numpty" I think you did a wonderful job. There a few things I would have done differently, but it's not my van is it? The education that you received during the build is certainly worth the price of admission. Looking for ward to watching more of your adventures on and off the water. Cheers
Well done to you for having the bottle to do it David, cutting holes in your prized van takes some guts.
Thanks for taking the time to lay out all the details, David. Great video and surely very useful for anyone planning s similar project. You really ended up with a marvelous, practically new van. And the last thing you are is “ham fisted” considering the brilliant job you’ve done.
Well my jaw hit the ground a few times, however you have made a quality Camper van. Like you said It's going to be around for a few years. Once you start travelling you will find that the items you have splashed -out on will be worth it's weight in gold. Comfort is paramount. Well done David can't wait to see the first excursion.
A good price. Sometimes items bought on the cheap actually cost you more on the long run. Because who normally have to replace them in the long run. You bought the electrical components that you had good success from your canal boat journey. I think all your purchases were wise purchases. People just underestimate what things actually cost. Dreamers!
Many thanks to the RV Geeks for mentioning this channel on one of their more recent videos. Expect that THEY will be your soon-to-be "guests" aboard the narrow boat.
I binge-watched the "van" series over the last three days, and MUST say how much I enjoyed both your "give it a go" approach and the very nice end-product. Had I been in your, er, boots, I expect that the quality of the work done by me would have not come anywhere CLOSE to yours. Plus, the air hereabouts would have been made "blue" through constant application of naughty words, at high volumes. Personal, build, and other damages would also have been certain.
So. IF I may, "well done". Thanks for taking me (us?) along, and For What It's Worth, really enjoy the "Cut" series as well.
Sincere cheers from here, hard by Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada...
Thank you!
Really not a bad overall total. I'm pleased for you as well.
Thank you for sharing all the costs involved. It’s surprising how much it mounts up. I think you’ve done a fantastic job. You’ve done it all yourself and it looks so cosy. Really looking forward to seeing your travels!
It's nice to see someone do a total costing with rundown of individual costs, not many of these on youtube, I did a full restoration on a campervan but never kept the miscellaneous receipts only for stuff bought from auto-spares shops those receipts went into the vehicle history folder. So put everything you bought and have receipts for into your own van history folder it's good for the future when you come to sell your van. Thanks for an excellent video.
Hi David. Just wanted to say how useful this and the others in the build series have been. This shows not only costs, but a lot of materials that get glossed over in most other videos. Has really helped in my planning to do my own conversion.
Well done! Amazing job! A low mileage bespoke camper van for under £15000, I look forward to watching your travels.
The whole conversion project was very interesting. You did an EXCELLENT job! Now comes the pay-off: getting to enjoy!
Safe travels on land (and water) to you!
We’re RV’ers and that is a bargain, but yes, DIY can’t ever be calculated ! Well done !!
You've got a good van there David and your attention to detail over safety is creditable. Well done.
Thank you for sharing. And yes it is an explanation of expenses not a defense of choices!
Very interesting film David and I know it’s amazing what you end up spending when you buy bits and pieces as you go, but you’ve ended up with a quality camper van , with the satisfaction that you did it all yourself, well done 👍 on an excellent job!
I think you are being too modest about your capabilities - you must have picked up a wealth of skills and techniques during this project, and personally I think you have done a brilliant job!
Excellent work David. I get a headache listing and adding all the items for a project. Those are excellent quality items at good prices.
Despite having limited interest in van conversion I quickly found myself completely wrapped up in your heroic progress and looked forward to every vlog. Bravo! Van looks all kinds of amazing, too.
Thank you
Compelling... the quality of the fittings you chose makes it all worth it David.
Now, time to enjoy yourself!
Wow David, you have turned into quite a handyman, bit different to your narrowboat. Well done
Might have been a little expensive but look at the value that you added to your Van/camper. Great job.
David, Kudos to you! We are very alike in as much as 'if someone else can, so can I' attitude! Came here from CTC to see what a boater would do. Very impressed Sir. Like many who have watched your channel, I am now very definitely thinking on a narrow boat instead of the 'live aboard' stealth van I was going to do, due to all the hassle that goes along with that. Honestly, as I watched the build, I was thinking this is going to be a £20k build. I think you did very well to do it for £15k.
Thank you
Seems very good value for the quality of stuff you have outfitted the van with and of course the van itself is relatively new and low mileage. Looking forward to some trip videos.
I think you have done a fantastic job, David. I hope you are very proud of yourself, as you should be.
you now have the best of both worlds a n/b and a caravan cant beat that.
The best kind of numpty there is! So you should be pleased. Love your build and your boat, and I love your videos. Thanks for sharing.
HOLY SHIT DAVID!!!! I thought you were going to say 20-22 thousand but under 15, that's awesome. I'm so impressed with it being your first go at it. You have done such an incredible job on the conversion, it looks like you bought it off the lot. Thanks again for such great videos.
I may sound a lot of money, and it is but you now have a van that is the way you wanted it to be . You have done a fantastic job of it all and should be very proud of yourself. PS those little gaggets that lady’s use to remove the bobbles from woolly jumpers may remove the glue from your wall carpet. Good luck 😎
Absolutely it was useful David and thank you for being so conscientious with your project accounts. Anyone who has similar thoughts of following your example now has a very good idea of their potential outlay and a clearer picture of the many items needed to create a good camper van.
Thanks for the costings David. When you itemised the bits they seemed expensive but the total seemed very reasonable and when the van moves on you have all those useful tools.
Bravo! And we agree with the viewer who commented that only you could make this type of video entertaining/interesting. It appears to be a very satisfying investment of time, energy and money! You really are well fitted out now. Hope it continues to provide you with great opportunities for travel and relaxation. Thoroughly impressed here!👍🏼👍🏼
I've just watched this again and, after meeting you at Stratford and seeing the van in the flesh, you've done an amazing job. I reckon, in the current financial climate, you'd be looking at around double what you paid. Your current 'ripping out' project makes sense, diesel heater and induction hob is a great idea.
Thank you
Your energy is amazing
I was wondering how much ‘this’ and ‘that’ cost as I watched the transformation...... So thanks for me wondering no more!... I don’t think you overspent for what you now have... Like you say the cost of a ‘ready made’ camper is VERY expensive and yours is truly custom made and unique...
A great first attempt David. Hope you have many happy times in it. There is something so immensely satisfying about using something that you made yourself and can give one a real feeling of pride in ones achievements.
Hi again I think you have done a fantastic job overall , yes the costs were high but, the main thing to remember is that you now have a camper van that is made to suit your own way of life and a project that you wanted to do . The end results are all very good . Plus you can tell anyone exactly how and were things are . Like I said you should be very happy 😃 with what you have achieved in your project. Well done again and now you enjoy the fruits of your labours .. 👍🏻👍🏻😎👍🏻👍🏻🇬🇧
Thank you
I spent the bulk of my employment working out of vans and trucks that I had fitted out for purpose in most cases. Not quite the same but similar. It seems to me you fitted everything in with an eye on weight distribution being pretty even. A very good job Indeed.
Cheers; I tried to balance it, in particular putting the leisure battery in the middle.
Wow i'm impressed and i think the cost and experience of doing it yourself is worth it! You're going to enjoy that!
Having converted a bus with a gasoline engine years back I think your have done wonderfully . Now comes the time to enjoy the rewards of your time and effort. Enjoy and continue to inspire with your vlogs . All the best, Hal
Dave I have pretty good knowledge and skill in the areas it takes to do everything you did. I must say you did a lot better job than I could have!! Well done. You should be very proud of yourself. I think you've shown people to not be afraid to tackle anything they want to do. Just do the research and get to it. You've shown people that might think they could never take on such a project that with patience and time you really can accomplish anything you put your mind to!! Congratulations sir you did an amazing job!!
Thank you!
Bravo
I find you entertaining to listen to. So articulate. Thanks. Here's to you and your van!
Thank you!
That's the word!, thank you... articulate..
Well done David, give yourself a pat on the back, nice one :-)
As you may remember I followed your build quite closely, mostly it was my academic curiosity about what actually needs to be done to perform such a conversion. Some comments on costs, after seeing what the fit out cost I can see why you got a good solid van to start with, also for the quality of the items you used I think you did quite well on cost, you save more by buying the right things the first time than by buying them twice. Seeing what you spent on paint and other consumables was a solid reminder of why people end up with piles of that stuff that is half used. I still think you did quite well, but I can't wait to see how it all works and what changes you make once you start using the van, I believe I mentioned that things tend to migrate from their original storage locations and storage spaces tend to get modified once they are in actual use. One other thing I will mention is that you did buy some really nice tools, those should outlast you and the person who inherits them.
Yes I'm very pleased with my tools. I will also be curious to see how the van evolves!
Great job that’s a very useful vehicle I’ve actually watched the whole series twice first time was when you were doing the conversion. Well done.
I hope you have a wonderful companion for your travels. You are a delight to listen to, as cute as a button, and clever beyond measure. Happy Trails!
Thank you 😀
Thank you for that David a very interesting log of your build and as expected a very precise accounting the finances involved. I felt your pain at times but as you say it helps us understand why campers are so expensive to buy. Looking forward to your travels and adventures.
Coming back to watch these videos over again to refresh the bunch of ideas they contain, as I'm starting my own conversion. I take this opportunity to thank you again.
Thank you! Have fun :-)
I throughly enjoyed watching this series of Vlogs. I think you have done fantastically well and not ham fisted at all. A very well put together series. Thank you.
Pretty good price for a camper built the way you want it. Now you can enjoy the fruits of your extensive labor!
Having done a few van conversions myself now I just totally refuse to pay the so called going rate for a "so called " professional camper and your Vlog perfectly highlights how ridiculously over priced they are. A great series and thanks for sharing.
Well I half agree and half not. I suspect that if I multiplied the hours I put in by a typical labour cost, then added rent of a workshop, commercial rates and overheads, insurances and business "stuff" I reckon it would be about what a "professional" one costs so I'm not sure they're overpriced as such - just unaffordable to me!!
If a company can develop truly modular conversion parts to slash the man hours they'd make a fortune.
Great video as usual. Good choice fitted quality products. Buy cheap, buy twice!
Well....i've only just discovered this after watching many of your narrowboat vids. Having once owned a campervan i watched this with interest. As a novice first time self build i'd say you did excellently and yes you are absolutely right about choosing refillable gas because you cannot get Calor in Europe. Yes the "bits" soon add up but the average retail price of new professional build panel van conversion (PVC) is £50k - £60k. In UK our motorhome/PVC prices are crazily high compared to Europe. Happy travels in your van and i look forward to following them up! You're doing all this at the right time....giving the job up, cruising the cut, and now having some Vandemonium(!!) because my touring days ended two years ago due to health reasons.
Wow, so much good effort. I enjoyed you reasoning immensely. The prices were surprising. Sounds higher than here in California, and I trust your purchases were researched well. 1 tip for Americans- run at 1.25x speed, very clear and cadenced.
What...?
You did very good for what you spent. Nicely done.
I am amazed at how cheap the Victron inverter was compared with their charger or pv controller. And I agree with you - don't, whatever you do, buy an 'unbranded' inverter off Ebay for £10 - that way disappointment (and possibly fire) awaits you..
Its only a 700w inverter - i should hope it’s relatively inexpensive!
You've made a really good job of this conversion..you should be proud of yourself!!
As meticulous and very detailed as I've learned to expect from you David ,well done.
Cheers from Canada
An excellent video. It must be so satisfying building a camper van. You know all there is to know if something needs fixing at some time. Well done, I'm impressed.
I'd be pretty happy with that David! Inspired!
Brilliant Video chief, I have just discovered your channel as I plan my van conversion. Really useful information, much appreciated.
Respect
Thank you. Don't take anything I said as gospel, I was making it up as I went along! Have fun :-)
Hey David ,for total “numpty” first attemp that is very well done!
That is an amazing amount $18,623.89 US today! You couldn't get a camper van for that anywhere! I am sure you will continue to customize it they way you want. Great looking van by the way.
Thank you
And it’s a great big YES from me, and excellent set of videos.
Looking forward to you road trip.
10/10
In the end you got what you set out to do and have learnt plenty along the way so a win win regardless of how much money was spent. Been a great build to follow also. All the best
Thank you, kind sir, for the time and effort you put into your entertaining and educational videos. Extremely helpful information!
Having read or watched from the beginning. One thing that I wanted to tell you that could have saved you a lot of time and aggravation in building is to have used a tic stick. Boat builders use these because of all the odd shapes that are not square and level. You use it with patterns to duplicate exact shapes. Nice thing is you don't have to buy one. You can make one in five minutes. So if you ever decide to go through another build. Get a tic stick and a pencil and cardboard. Nice build by the way.
Thanks
Great tip this. Also all that cardboard that Amazon sends us? I often just cut and tape together the flattened out card board to fit the odd shapes, then use it as a pattern. I use the cheap (but not the cheapest) clear packing tape on the dispenser, sometimes hot glue (I bought a big box of long glue sticks a few years ago, might end up being a lifetime's supply).
Ha - "Shore Power" - once a boater always a boater. Anyway, I was expecting it to be a lot more expensive. You have got a very decent camper for that money. Although, as a fairly recent DIY'er myself, I know that the new tools will be about the same cost as the rest put together.
Wow! Really ..
in the USA they say shore power regarding campers or caravans in the UK. its not limited to boats
Nice Plug for Journey with Jono...good on you David for supporting another Narrow Boat Vlogger
I enjoyed watching the development of the van. Thank you for letting us your views know the costs you spent. It sure adds up as you are going thru it.I also watch Cruising the cut. God bless!
You’ll enjoy your new Toyota dinghy! I’m still waiting on your NASA narrowboat conversion! Standing it upright for launching might be a problem. You now own TWO escape vehicles... I like it!
A very very very good job!! Ive done lots of home and vehicle projects in the past 50 yrs and seen many others and cant ever remember seeing one better designed nor thought out nor finished with your quality of craftsmanship!! WELL DONE! And on the issue of tool expense, thats an investment that will save you money in the future. I have a pretty well equipped home shop with 6 welders, 5 air compressors and 3 large roll around tool boxes, and at times, i have needed every one. On the issue of us being sooo nosey on your costs, at least in my case, i see it as part of the educational part of your videos. You never fail to include the entertainment part, the great videos, the logic of what/where/why, and some bit of history or modern living along the canals and the places you go, but your inclusion of the costs for us, lets us know what we might expect to spend if we were to do as you do or if we embark on our own project or trips where we live. I see it as you are our indian scout, out into enemy country, searching out which way is best, which is more logical, and which is affordable. You provide us more than i think you realize,,,a revelation to our dreams at times. Our scout and instructor as well. Thanks for your planning, editing, hard work, creativeness, and inspiration!! A great job,,,we are all jealous of the final product!!! regards
You are adventurer, how great is that? Love your posts and wish you the best going forward. Thanks for the post.
Quite a bit cheaper than what I would have figured! And like you said, you got a newer van with less miles, and it just looks damn good!
Thanks so much for the breakdown. It’s a super van. Enjoy it as it’s all your hard work 😊😊
Well done! I'm heading back to CrusingTheCut (#118) for a bit but will be back to continue with the Vandemonium series.
David, Your van, your way. Thank you for sharing. It looks great and am looking forward to any travel videos you wish to share. Take care and have a good upcoming week. Don't forget to reset your clocks if you haven't already.
Yes they are reset :-)
Good good... it sounds as though you did well at keeping costs within reason... can’t wait to see some van travel blogs!!
I think you did a super fantastic job sir and you picked very good fit out items so I would say you did excellent. Great work and can’t wait for you first adventure in it.
Great price for a great van - well done on the conversion, David!
Yes very surprising just how much it costs to convert a van.
Just finished converting my Fiat Ducato and although it did cost slighting less than your conversion I didn't fit any solar or a refillable gas bottle, just standard bottle.
I also kept a spreadsheet but added an item weight column, I was only 100kgs out when I had my van weighed and most of that extra was due to outside chairs/table/pots/pans/crockery being onboard.
The thing that most surprised me was the price of wood, for some unknown reason this has gone up dramatically post covid!
Keep up the good work, love the little yellow boat.
Nice to see you have the van as well as the boat David,now the hard works done go and have some fun,a pleasure to watch as allways.enjoy yourself mate
Boy, you really went to town. And all those sealers and chemicals! Are you sure you are living in a "safe environment!" I think you are marvellous. Simply b. marvellous. Umm,..I have a small car I'm thinking of converting. Don't suppose you'd be interested? No. I didn't think so.
Glad to hear everything is staying where you placed it. Can't wait to see where all you go.
Thank you for being open about the costs. Nice job