New used or conversion

[Liverpool]

Hi all new to motorhomeing my plan is to have with all I want in it separate toilet shower if possible. Murphy bed and a fair size garage. solar power if we have a conversion will need very good to carry it out does any one out their have any ideas

[Derek Uzzell]

Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums.

 

I can only think of one motorhome with a hinge-into-the-wall (‘murphy’) double bed and that was a small French design built by Pilote years ago. Forum-members may know of other motorhomes with that type of bed.

[colin]

If you want a "fair size garage", standard practice to put a fixed bed over it.

[Derek Uzzell]

All bespoke motorhome ‘conversions’ are likely to involve starting with a panel van, and a shower-compartment separate from the toilet is fairly rare in such instances (Yes I know that they exist, but generally the shower and toilet are combined to save space.) Similarly, ‘’genuine’ large dedicated garages won’t (as far as I’m aware) occur in panel-van conversions.

 

I’m doubtful that a motorhome with a ‘murphy’ bed is obtainable off the shelf, though it might be possible to specify one in a conversion (examples here)

 

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/542402348864377206/

 

Probably the best thing for Liverpool to do is study the Motorhome Advice Articles here

 

https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/buyers-guide/motorhomes/

 

and firm up on the requirements.

 

As things stand, with no indication of budget, motorhome dimensions, number of people that would be carried, perceived usage, etc. it’s very difficult to offer useful advice.

 

For instance, this Rapido 883F model

 

http://www.rapido-motorhome.co.uk/motorhome_a-class_serie-8f_883f.chtml

 

is 6.99 metres long, has a large rear garage and an independant shower-compartment, and costs £65K to £70K (and adding a solar-panel system should be simple enough) but it may be nothing like what Liverpool has in mind.

 

 

 

[Will86]

Assuming you're a young single person perhaps and empty van which you then fill with what you need for warm summer days only. If there are females involved then simplicity goes out the window !!

 

I doubt you could buy an interior with only the outer limits insulated, but you may be good at DIY then better still do everything yourself.

[Liverpool]

Thank you for you advice we are looking into buying a midi bus from our local council or. a disability van from the same people

[Brock]

From memory, Diamond Dave [Dave Newell Leisure Vehicles] converted a mini bus into a campervan although I don't know whether he finished it.

 

Liverpool should look at the Self Build website:

 

http://www.sbmcc.co.uk

 

Scooting around the web, there's no shortage of enthusiasm for converting mini buses but I'm less sure how many were completed.

 

First thing to do if I was Liverpool is to check my driving licence to ensure I had at least a C1 entitlement because from memory, mini buses tend to weight more than 3500kg.

[Will86]

Spud,

 

My first thought is any passenger vehicle will have lots of windows which would not be doubled for insulation so would not be at all warm in chilly weather, also allowing more noise to penetrate through. They would be a tough working vehicle and could be noisy and rattly with hard suspension throughout when driving.

 

Go find a traveler community and ask what they suggest or have used. And don't forget if heating at night toxic gas fumes can kill.

 

Not my choice as a starting vehicle for the reasons stated.

[trialsrider]

What about going down the route of a race van style conversion ? Full width garage with bed above. L shaped seating behind driver and passenger seats. They all have showers. Check out SC Motorhomes. They do great vans at a good price.

[Derek Uzzell]

Brock - 2018-08-24 6:28 PM

 

From memory, Diamond Dave [Dave Newell Leisure Vehicles] converted a mini bus into a campervan although I don't know whether he finished it.

 

Liverpool should look at the Self Build website:

 

http://www.sbmcc.co.uk

 

Scooting around the web, there's no shortage of enthusiasm for converting mini buses but I'm less sure how many were completed.

 

First thing to do if I was Liverpool is to check my driving licence to ensure I had at least a C1 entitlement because from memory, mini buses tend to weight more than 3500kg.

 

That would almost certainly be the case if Liverpool is actually considering purchasing a “midi bus” (rather than a “minibus”) as such vehicles are pretty large.

 

Dave Newell’s DIY conversion is mentioned in this 2013 MHFun discussion

 

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/iveco-daily-minibus.64135/

 

The cost of converting into a motorhome a vehicle originally intended just to carry passengers will not be small if the task is to be carried out professionall to a high standard. It’s likely to make better financial sense to purchase an already-converted vehicle that comes close to matching the buyer’s requirements for a motorhome, than try to exactly match those requirements by having someone convert a vehicle based on a rigid specification-list provided by the buyer. An already-converted motorhome is a known quantity: the result of converting, say, a minbus into a motorhome is not.

 

In his original posting Liverpool says that, if the vehicle-conversion route is to be taken, the converter will need to be very good. Good converters won’t be cheap converters and it would be worth him contacting companies that specialise in this work (a couple of examples here)

 

http://www.excelconversions.co.uk/minibuses.php

 

http://www.scsporthomes.com/

 

to get an idea of what’s possible and and what it might cost.

 

This 2014 forum discussion may be of interest

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/DIY-Subcontract-conversions/36561/