My Self Build Camper Van 1 Year Later
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 มี.ค. 2022
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Mitsubishi Delica 4X4 self build camper van tour. A 1 year review.
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Watching the build of this camper was,without doubt,the best build story I’ve seen.
Thomas, as for the heater outlet, just fix a 90 degree elbow to it that you can angle towards the back of the van or ceiling so the air isn’t pumping straight out the door.
I was thinking the same thing. I also noticed the vents in the head of the cabin, if could flip the heater 180 degrees, you could pipe in to the pre-existing vents.
@@Lindenism they say don't tap into you vehicles ducting due to the fact that these diesel heaters get much hotter than the vans heater. it can melt them. I would also worry about a 90 degree elbow right at the outlet of the heater the way this is set up. That may restrict airflow and over heat the unit.
@@bobbyswampfox Ok, make a small aluminium deflector.
Or roll down you front windows a crack rather than the side door
@@bobbyswampfox Yeh, all ducting should have the path of least resistance, so the use of 90 deg elbows should be restricted, so maybe a 45 deg bend and then another 45 deg bend, further down a bit. Difficult in a vehicle this small.
You did a great job. I'd still like to see you add a roof vent. This might solve the door open when the heater is on problem. See ya next week. It's interesting to me that your channel is a great photography channel but your most popular video is the van build. You never know I guess.
Just crack a window and keep the door shut, not too good for security either leaving your door open!
Could you place a portable USB mini fan down by the heating vent to help push the warmth?
Roof fans and shrouds, along with accompanying closable and screened floor inlet are a must on all van builds. I run mine on a temp relay to kick on whenever the van get hot...which is often...Australia.
I remember being knocked out by your build videos. I had no idea building on custom aluminum frames at home was even a thing, and you did it so well. Great to see you're still going in what is still a fantastic build!
The tyre marks and footprints in the snow give the game away as to how much effort you're putting into filming your videos, great work.
There's a fairly serious community of Delica lovers - we love these videos! Great fitout, great ideas, great videos. Thank you so much, Thomas!
You've helped inspire me to van and camera travel. Love the channel. Thanks
Thomas, thanks for an outstanding van build series. I’m in the planning stage for a part time camper van build, not a van lifer sort of guy. I’ve watched more videos than I can count and can say I’ll be using/stealing many of your ideas!!
Excellent view..one of your best...compressed and on topic..thanks
My recommendation is that you get a van sponsor and petrol sponsor. 500,000 targeted customers (and growing) at a nominal cost. I predict this will be one of your most watched videos. In terms of the learning curve, yes experience brings wisdom. Thanks
Lol, imagine: A petrol sponsor 🤔 That would be better than a Bank sponsoring me. 😂
@@ThomasHeatonPhoto Yeah. It happens. Look at race drivers. But your followers are very targeted. Have to be a more internationally recognized name. I would recommend a Winnebago Revel, or something comparable. I can recommend a good lithium battery pack of at least 500 amp hours and the ventilation will be built in. 4 x 4 is essential, at least in my opinion. My van is some thing that I had to do a lot of modifications to as well, but after nearly 4 years, I would certainly go the route I’m recommending.
Good to see I am not the only Space Raider fan 😉. Enjoyed watching you build this van and think this year one review is great.
Loved the initial build and now the one year review. Excellent thought process and craftsmanship.
It reminds me of the space I had in my old 24ft yacht - good sitting room, easy to manouevre single handed, cosy when cold out, camping stove taken out from a locker, using a bucket for the loo etc. Last year I upgraded to a 28ft yacht and it's made a world of difference having standing headroom, an inbuilt engine, bigger cabin, its own heads. The small increase in length gave a lot more interior volume and the boat isn't too big to handle. It'd be good to see you get out on the water and take some seascapes, or views of the land from the water rather than vice versa.
The interior upholstery looks new! And 20 years old. WOW!
So much goes into your stellar production, and yet it is so seamlessly put together that one tends to forget that behind your beautiful talent there's also a lot of work for us! Cheers, Thom
Thanks for this! A lot of my Delica build was inspired by yours and this video reminded me that I'm also almost at a year of ownership.
You built a very neat camper. 👏 excellent job 👏 👍 👌
And created one of the best landscape photography TH-cam channel.
thanks for this good energy
Just added Faff to my dictionary.
Thanks for the long term review
This van was a big inspiration to my own camper car conversion.
Being able to be comfortable, warm and dry is a huge thing when out and about in the wilds- that’s a huge huge plus! You did a fantastic job with the build.
great job on the van - I built a sleeping pod in the back of my truck and watching your van build was inspiring and helpful. Thank you, take care and be safe out there....
It was thanks to your van build series that I started watching your channel, and I've been watching ever since. I now have a DSLR camera and I'm slowly learning how to use. Thank you, keep up the great work 👍
Cool 👍. Right on
Hi there, I’ve run Delicas as off-road camper vans for 12 years now and have found them the absolute dogs when it comes to getting further than other vans, I ran a swb for the first 6 years and then got the lwb which I still use, mine are both 2.8 turbo diesels, I’ve tweaked the boost pressure and upped the fuel flow and they have plenty of power, also i run one used cooking oil and bio diesel so very cheap to run. Would never sell mine there the best, I can send pics if your interested, keep up the fantastic work 👍
I think the van is brilliant, absolutely love Delicas and think you’ve done a great job with the conversion👍
I just bought an X Trail...no changes....job done...
Great job Thomas.
If you have to open a door to run your diesel heater you have it installed wrong and need to move the exhaust or something. Use the pillow covers for your sleeping bag and some clothes to get extra space. Great build and don’t sweat the power supply you can get something close when it needs replaced. Have fun traveling and stay safe.
I've been travelling and exploring 24/7 while living in my BMW X5 for the past 2-years. Love ❤️ it. 🙂
Love the JDM van build. Dream setup right here for photography adventures.
Great update! Brilliant build!
A top of the range California is now about £85.000 new. I have a 10 year old California, excellent condition, but I still like to watch van builds etc. Thank you for posting.
Amazing buildout
really admire the graft that goes into all of this
Very timely Thomas - my wife and I are just in the process of building out our Nissan e-nv200 inspired by your build (aluminium profile features heavily!). Thanks so much for the inspiration, we're taking it skiing this weekend as we are based in Norway :)
I converted my vw caddy to a small camper and took it all the way to the Noth Cape a few years ago. Excellent fast little stealth camper. Very cheap to buy and convert a tiny van.
Cheers man! Just living vicariously through you!
By far the nicest van conversion I've seen. I think that came from your attitude that the van was to be a tool to enable you to get out and do what you love doing - landscape photography, rather than thinking of creating a home on wheels. By deciding what was essential for you, you managed to keep it simple and very functional, you knew how you wanted it to work. Minimalist in the best way. And a very clean, slightly industrial aesthetic to it, too, but with some warm, rich colours to prevent starkness. Simple sophistication! You've clearly got a designer's brain. In one of your videos you said you wanted everything to be ready to use - none of the moving this and adjusting that to get a working bed etc. So many vans are too 'clever' to be properly usable. Yours seems to hit the sweet spot between mattress on the van floor and 1930s bungalow with velor sofa and knick knacks on wheels! Few seem to manage that.
I imported a 95 delica to convert into a weekend camper bc of you. Thanks for the inspiration and great videos to watch.
Brilliant Tom enjoyed watching, watched you build the van a year ago and have enjoyed all your adventures since in it, very well done, you should be proud of your achievement, agree with below a 90° elbow or any deflector will solve the heater direction outlet.
For someone who had never done a conversion before, I think you have done a marvellous job, the advice on getting a van and converting is also a great idea, I am considering a van purchase myself, Fantastic videos and I love to see you cook in the Camper van, Regards, Colin.
You made a very professional job of it. Well done.
Great job. I really enjoy your videos and love what you have done with the van.
I have fitted out a Delica D:5 4WD for the purpose of getting away overnight for hiking and astrophotography etc. I definitely took some inspiration from what you have done (although you've done a much better job of it)
Indeed, you did a good job on the van. As you said, there are compromises due size, but I think you have the good end of the stick there Mr H. Happy camping!!
I have to say I do love what you’ve done with the delica, it looks great and I can say first hand it’s very capable after our trip round Northumberland. Only draw back I can see is the fuel prices especially with the way things are at the mo. Another great vid tom 👍
I found your insights very valuable. My wife and I are making plans to start full time RV living. Whilst we will be pulling a trailer, your tips about camera mounts, gear storage, and more are invaluable. Internet connectivity will be a big issue for us as our trailer will be our home base and must have high speed Internet for video uploading.
Excellent pointers in this video. Thank you!
I've always been a big fan of this van! I love it! I dig that it is quite small!
You asked who was watching - me as a beginner to car camping who is interested in bird photography. I have a £4k Nissan X-trail and am about to kit it out for very little money just to enable me to get away for a few days at a time. Really enjoyed the video. Cheers!
Great vlog! Thanks!
I'm in love with the delica look! I've previously dreamed of doing vanlife, but gave up.
I really want to get a delica and build it as a camper to go on adventures. Who knows, vanlife may happen down the road.
Also. I stuff my heavy sleeping bag inside a large pillow case and use it for the couch back support. Stuff yours inside that long pretty one. Then you have more cupboard space.
Don't second guess yourself too much. That's an awesome van.
New follower and loving the van very tempted my self keep up the great work
Great job Thomas, and congrats on having made it bullet proof!
thanks you were my inspiration to get a van, never looked back thanks....
Nice followup video, entertaining!
Great job with the van and the van video, Thomas. I might have missed it but I don't recall your mentioning one of the most positive attributes of your van: 4-wheel drive when you need it. This is what gives you the confidence to go out in winter conditions and on those off-road jaunts that you need so often. It's not something that you use all the time, but when you need it you really need it.
(yes, you did mention 4-wheel drive in your first sentence. I missed it the first time).
Glad you and your van are getting in well buddy
Absolutely love the Delica ❤️❤️❤️❤️
A great and amazing job, a great adventure. Love the small size of van.
Hi Thomas,
You had inspired me towards a Delica. But being 6'3" and aiming at slippery, icey, roads and camping not off road I thought I'd aim for a long Wheelbase high roof... Now watching your 1year...and you finding lack of room... Soo glad that I did...
Thanks heaps
Going to take my sweet time doing any build though.... Minimal to start with.
Great vid Thomas.
Great to see a year on review. I'm about to make all the same mistakes but happy to do so! Driving one of these things is worth more than the extortionate price of petrol! Take care.
im watching your chanel from Delica build videos time. You made perfect minicamper- bomb proof and very estesic. Great job !
Love it !
That was and is still one of the best small camper builds I've seen.
One word of advice, if thats petrol which is the 3.0 I believe, please make sure to have the timing belt replace if you haven't done so!! It would be a shame if that snaos at some point on a long drive. If you have the 2.8 diesel then keep driving as those are timing chains.
Be safe 🙏
Love the van build, guess what......and now I watch the photography vids, inspirational, well done
Just putting the finishing touches on my “retirement project”, getting it up and running while I’m still working. It’s smaller than yours (micro camper size) but it’ll do the job. Your videos were a big inspiration! 👍
Couldn’t agree more as a keen photographer i love getting away in my self built camper just had a great weekend in Glencoe all for the cost of some fuel 📷💪🏼👍
Watched your build last year as it was the same time as our son and his partner were building their Delica camper (indefinite wander). Made me chuckle when you said it was too small for 2, they are travelling Australia then shipping to USA and both living in it. You did a great job on your van 😎
I'm just about to convert my iload into a campervan. Some great tips here, thanks Tom.
This is an awesome small van 🚐
nice van. thanks for your review 👍🏻🚙🏞🇺🇸
Found your description and design/choices for your van interesting, definitely giving me some ideas for the interior of an old 27ft Navy Whaler project I have been working on. Added a deck, widened the hull, and built a cabin on it. Now working on the interior. The intent is to use it on lakes in NW Ontario, Canada, to use it for my own photography expeditions. Thank you for the documentation on your work and experience.
Fantastic experience, very nice!
Given you're not a professional at retrofitting vehicles, I thought at the time you did an amazing job on the Delica and I'm still of that opinion. The mileage? Well, you added hundreds of pounds of weight to the thing so something had to give, I guess. My only concern is its balance. As you said, its wheelbase is narrow. That might make it a bit top-heavy and I wonder how steady it feels when you drive off-road. Fascinating video overall though. I'm not mechanical at all and I can't imagine undertaking this job myself.
These vans handle amazingly, even with a roof load. Can go anywhere most standard use 4x4s can. It's a Pajero/Triton with a van body. Very capable vehicles on sand, mud and literally designed for snow and ice (most common use is ski resort transfers, hence the 8 original adult sized seating.
Hey Thomas, my wife and I watched your videos last year on build and have been looking to upgrade past our Ford Transit Connect to something where we can standup up. Just this week we pulled the trigger on a new Sprinter 144 cargo and plan to build it out as we go. We've meet friends, always have stories to tell and get to explore California, hoping that with the Sprinter we can take it to the next level. Love your channel and somehow your videos come out on point and inspire us all.
Getting my own photo van and doing landscape (mainly of populated areas) photography is a dream of mine. I'm currently making the best use of the train, but even if I get on the first one of the day I still miss my favorite time to be out in (and not) nature - before the sunrise. And in areas with no public transport hiking for hours to get up to a good vantage point with all your geat is real hard work!
Your negatives are minimal and mostly unavoidable. Both your design and construction are enviable. As for size, bigger means lower mileage and right now that could make the difference between the choice to go or not go. And if there is one thing I continually learn when watching your stories is that it is better to go than not go!
the fact that this vehicle is over 20 years old, turns me right on. a little re planning and I bet it goes another 20.
You have the same CO alarm as me :)
Well done on the build quality, I think that's amazing that after a year there are still no rattles!
I brought a non custom Transit a couple of months ago to convert from bear bones, not started it yet though have most of the materials and gear for the build including a heater. Thought I'd just use it as is for a while to decide what I want and where I want it before I start. Use of an inflatable bed has been ok and guess will continue to be for a few more weeks but wakening up by the side of a high-ish altitude Welsh lake in Snowdonia with 6 inches of frost on the inside last weekend wasn't my idea of a good time. A cup of coffee and two sausage sarnies later (post sunrise) all was good. I appreciate your yay's and nay's, it's given me a couple of points of reconsideration to the position of items. As I'll be building it as an 'off grid' camper I'll be installing a 12volt power invertor but plan on carrying a Jackery for back up. Solar panels is something else to think about.
You can turn one of the rear windows at the back into a 15 to 20cm magazine holder type of storage area. I blanked out one myself and it is great for shoving stuff into.
Great Vlog Thomas
My son says "I wish you could drive when you're 8 years old!" (we have a Mitsubishi Delica too, and we're loving your videos!)
A huge plus about having a very confined space is the ability to keep warm with not only your heater but, your body heat itself provides a somewhat warmer atmosphere.
Tom this van is awesome, ive enjoyed seeing the places it takes you. slowly hoping to turn my truck into something similar slowly. Also look into a roof vent something like a fantastic fan could probably be installed, they work great in trailers.
Great job on the build, very nice and cozy Tom! Also you should be able to pick up an after market cruise control kit! Rock Auto has a great supply of automotive equipment! Love the videos and camera work! Awesome!
Great videos well presented. Blown away by the professional looking craftsmanship and designs 👍 I'm basically sold on the Delica because of the positives of a mini 4x4 van. Here in sunny Queensland Aus I'll be doing 95% of cooking / eating and dishes outside under the shady awning, using the interior only for sleeping and lounging while enjoying the tranquil solitude of mother nature 🙏🏼 🌴☀
Hi Thomas, I used to own a long wheelbase version of your van. 1992 2.8 diesel version. I also did a similar camper van layout as you did. I used it for mountain biking trips. I could just about fit 2 people in (expanding width type bed) and due to the extra length could fit 2 mountain bikes in the tailgate area with the wheels off.
A note about front brakes: due to the fact that these vans have usually sat for months or years in japan, the front brakes can partially seize. I would always recommend replacing both calipers with new factor ones. Cost is quite low and if you're mechanically minded and have a friend to help push the brake pedal to bleed them, will only take a day to do both. Don't bother trying to repair old brake caliper pistons!
I've nearly finished my latest motorhome build based on an ex-Tesco Iveco delivery van. Keep an eye out, I'll be touring about the UK!
Great video 👍
I recently read that in the some states in the USA (Maine is one) have started to de-register these vehicles, which I think is unfortunate. I concur that having a camper van is the best thing as a photographer. I bought a Ram Promaster and had it converted, just returned from my first long trip in it. Brilliant! It's not as capable as the 4x4 Delica, being only front wheel drive, but when I was out aurora hunting the other evening it was great to be able to be out and then come back in to warm up. I love the care & attention that Tom took to create his van - the year review is a testament to the craftsmanship. Well done, sir!!! And yes, your home, the UK, is splendid. Look forward to a return visit when the world is sane again....right?!
Loved the build and still enjoy you talking about that car 😁💪🏻💪🏻
Looks great, very jealous. I use a Volvo XC90...no conversions but very nice to be able to stealthily sleep in the back with a small foam mattress at photo locations.
Just found you - very enjoyable video! TFS!
Currently building a micro-camper with my 3rd gen Tacoma (Hilux) and I can't wait to get out and explore
Thomas! I’m glad you made a video like this letting us know the real deal of the good and bad. I actually was very inspired by your design layout building out my Delica L400. Probably watched it about 15 different times as I built mine out to mimic certain things. You were one of the only videos I saw with a practical layout that made sense for longer term stay. Changed some stuff and implemented my own ideas into my build. I’ve got a video on my channel giving a full tour of my setup and would love it checked it out. Feel like you’d think it’s cool. Hope you see this comment cuz you really impacted me a lot from the beginning of my van journey and I just want to say thanks for uploading your build and process. It helped me astronomically with figuring out what to do in my van.
Brilliant, just subscribed. I'll enjoy watching your other vids. 😊👍
Greet video and idea, Tom. All-in-all, it's serving you well. When a camper gets too large, you tend not to want to "pack it up" and move. I think you've got a good mix of comfort with portability. Not too complicated or time consuming to move from one place to another. After all, is your purpose glamping or photography. I think we know the answer. By the way, I think your photography sojourns since having the van are really great. Keep up the excellent work! Cheers!