r/Glasgow Tools

Title
Author	FidgetTheMidget
Comment	> How basic a startup was it before you done the dambo on it ? Sorry bud, I don't know what you mean? Maybe phone autocorrect? Assuming you mean "When I say scratch do you mean really from scratch?" Then yes, I built the teardrop from sheet aluminium, I built and welded the trailer frame from square section steel. When I say scratch I mean literally from a pile of raw materials. The only pre-assembled parts where the trailer hitch and the wheel suspension units and the door handles. [Here is a pic I found](https://imgur.com/a/wVafi5l) of me in a layby on Rannoch Moor with the actual teardrop I built, which I towed with my old red Avensis estate car. >I get how choosing the right one would be important because of the space and size etc but what would be the factors youd look for? Do u just mean enough room for say a large bed to fold away and give u living space to how you want it, etc? I think you need to figure out what kind of camping you will be doing and who will be doing the camping. A smaller van will work for smaller people, fewer passengers and for shorter camping trips. I am fairly tall 6'1", I just cant stand spaces for any length of time where I cannot stand upright. So that defined for me my minimum internal height 2000mm. My head just touches the roof of the BT van. I cannot abide sleeping with my head and feet touching walls, so that defined the width 2000mm for a sleep across bed (like I built in my van) or length if the bed will run along the van. Now I have height and width the length for me is dictated by the width of the bed, its a double so 1400mm plus kitchen worktop at 600mm, and I want 1000m for walk around room which makes a total of 3000mm. So I have 2m high, by 2m wide by 3m long. That is a space me and my other half can live in for a week without going stir crazy. The BT van is very close to this size internally. Now add in all the features you want. Kitchen? Yes, across the width of the van. Bed? Yes, need a double across the width of the van. Toilet? Yes, a camping porta-potti is fine. Windows? Yes, I want to classify it as a campervan with the DVLA. Stove? Yes 2 rings on kitchen worktop with gas from locker. Sink? Yes just a simple bowl (with no tap) emptying into a jerry can in the cupboard below. Electrics? Yes, 12v battery powered with VSR relay from alternator. Just make a list of your must haves. Get a sheet of paper or Sketchup and make a rough layout plan. >I'd worry with these Van's having some mileage and their age. Does that no bother you, nah. Yes that did worry me. However I bought a van with a complete and genuine BT Fleet service history. I did all my usual checks if you were buying a car and also a good long test drive. My van was MOT'ed yesterday and all it needed was a break pipe. I could have easily bought a lemon. I guess I was lucky. Think of it like buying a car, do all the same checks. Google "What to look for when buying a used transit". Also consider who drove this van. A large company like BT has a Fleet services department who make sure all their vehicles are well maintained and road legal. If you bought an ex-builders van they may have abused it more. Also consider what weight it carried in it's life. The BT van was a mobile workshop so it was not used for hauling tons of shite. A ex-builders van probably hauled all sorts. There are loads of blog posts about choosing a donor van that go into a lot more useful detail and also describe what kinds of vans to avoid.
Reddit Link	https://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/cn3u6a/campervan_project_short_term_access_to_workshop/ewb5oze/
Created	Thu 8th Aug 2019 11:23am
Status	()

> How basic a startup was it before you done the dambo on it ?

Sorry bud, I don't know what you mean? Maybe phone autocorrect? Assuming you mean "When I say scratch do you mean really from scratch?" Then yes, I built the teardrop from sheet aluminium, I built and welded the trailer frame from square section steel. When I say scratch I mean literally from a pile of raw materials. The only pre-assembled parts where the trailer hitch and the wheel suspension units and the door handles. [Here is a pic I found](https://imgur.com/a/wVafi5l) of me in a layby on Rannoch Moor with the actual teardrop I built, which I towed with my old red Avensis estate car.

>I get how choosing the right one would be important because of the space and size etc but what would be the factors youd look for? Do u just mean enough room for say a large bed to fold away and give u living space to how you want it, etc?

I think you need to figure out what kind of camping you will be doing and who will be doing the camping. A smaller van will work for smaller people, fewer passengers and for shorter camping trips.
I am fairly tall 6'1", I just cant stand spaces for any length of time where I cannot stand upright. So that defined for me my minimum internal height 2000mm. My head just touches the roof of the BT van. I cannot abide sleeping with my head and feet touching walls, so that defined the width 2000mm for a sleep across bed (like I built in my van) or length if the bed will run along the van. Now I have height and width the length for me is dictated by the *width* of the bed, its a double so 1400mm plus kitchen worktop at 600mm, and I want 1000m for walk around room which makes a total of 3000mm. So I have 2m high, by 2m wide by 3m long. That is a space me and my other half can live in for a week without going stir crazy. The BT van is very close to this size internally.

Now add in all the features you want. Kitchen? Yes, across the width of the van. Bed? Yes, need a double across the width of the van. Toilet? Yes, a camping porta-potti is fine. Windows? Yes, I want to classify it as a campervan with the DVLA. Stove? Yes 2 rings on kitchen worktop with gas from locker. Sink? Yes just a simple bowl (with no tap) emptying into a jerry can in the cupboard below. Electrics? Yes, 12v battery powered with VSR relay from alternator. Just make a list of your must haves. Get a sheet of paper or Sketchup and make a rough layout plan.

>I'd worry with these Van's having some mileage and their age. Does that no bother you, nah.

Yes that did worry me. However I bought a van with a complete and genuine BT Fleet service history. I did all my usual checks if you were buying a car and also a good long test drive. My van was MOT'ed yesterday and all it needed was a break pipe. I could have easily bought a lemon. I guess I was lucky. Think of it like buying a car, do all the same checks. Google "What to look for when buying a used transit". Also consider who drove this van. A large company like BT has a Fleet services department who make sure all their vehicles are well maintained and road legal. If you bought an ex-builders van they may have abused it more. Also consider what weight it carried in it's life. The BT van was a mobile workshop so it was not used for hauling tons of shite. A ex-builders van probably hauled all sorts. There are loads of blog posts about choosing a donor van that go into a lot more useful detail and also describe what kinds of vans to avoid.