crinklystarfish Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 ...that some companies are prepared to think outside of the box. I was at show all last weekend and this French company: http://www.azalai.co.uk/concept.php caught my eye. They have thought through materials, what they fit, and why - and haven't just followed the herd. Not saying they are perfect, nothing is, but there are some superb innovations and some very clever thinking. Their vehicles are not really made for pootling from site to site but if you venture off the beaten track a bit then you could do very much worse. I didn't see any Iveco / Sprinter based conversions but if their Land Rover based stuff was an indicator, they should be good. Definitely not the stuck-in-rut-tat that many converters knock out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I nearly went for a landrover based demountable camper when we outgrew 4x4 truck versions. The land-rover has a big load area so a good size demountable can be fitted. The test drive was enough to put me of the idea :-D to agricultural a drive for my tastes..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 - especially with a turning circle the size of the M25! Only vehicle in which Ive had to do a 9-point turn in a normal road! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 I get that Judge, but the Iveco / Sprinter / G-Wagon based stuff... One innovation is to run a coolant pipe from the engine / plumbed in diesel heater through a do-nut style hole in the fresh water tank to prevent any prospect of freezing. Just one of the many well thought through touches - and there are many. Clever, and very well built: all too rare these days. Of course, I have no connections or anything and I'm absolutely sure they will not be perfect, but it makes a nice change to see something like this instead of the usual in-a-rut poop that many firms knock out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 the campers I had used ALDE heating, with the engine heat option (overkill for us)..nice and toasty warm when you arrive on site :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Tony Jones - 2012-10-10 9:57 AM - especially with a turning circle the size of the M25! Only vehicle in which Ive had to do a 9-point turn in a normal road! you obviously hav'nt driven an Autocruise Starburst on a low-low alko chassis, I just had to think ' BUS'. Hence Burst-Bus, mini-roundabouts were very embarassing ! Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Sevels eh - who'd 'ave 'em? Oh, sorry, I forgot - nearly everyone, since there's almost no choice! Except the mighty bruisers referred to on this thread (respect!), and of course the OCCASIONAL Ford (which turns on a sixpence!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Thats strange I've seen that or similier in last couple of days, have you linked to it before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 colin - 2012-10-10 7:55 PM Thats strange I've seen that or similier in last couple of days, have you linked to it before? It was featured in C&CC Mag last month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Keithl - 2012-10-10 9:38 PM colin - 2012-10-10 7:55 PM Thats strange I've seen that or similier in last couple of days, have you linked to it before? It was featured in C&CC Mag last month! Yes thats where I saw it, not got a round to reading it yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 crinklystarfish - 2012-10-10 9:17 AM ...I didn't see any Iveco / Sprinter based conversions... 3C Cartier produce the "X-Cap" living-pod for a 4x4 Iveco Daily http://www.3ccartier.com/index.php/caming-car-x-cap France has a history of smallish manufacturers targetting niches in the motorhome market. The companies often start life as marine- or aircraft-related businesses where use of composite materials is commonplace. Some flourish, but others (eg. Bollore http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iakv9uvhLQo) don't make it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Derek Uzzell - 2012-10-11 9:49 AM 3C Cartier produce the "X-Cap" living-pod for a 4x4 Iveco Daily http://www.3ccartier.com/index.php/caming-car-x-cap OOooooww!...I think I'm "having a crisis"..... 8-) :$ THAT IS BRILLIANT!!.... ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 A bit much just for Glastonbury though Pepe! :D Son just got tickets for next year...£200 (each) :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 ..and I doubt very much,that they've got "woodburning stoves" on their options list... (lol) (..I bet your lad's chuffed! ;-) ...it was very touch'n'go for a while but we did eventually get tickets..). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 well done! 100,000 tickets went in less then 1.5 hrs :-D young chap that delivers wood for our wood burner lives in a transit van during the week with a wood burner... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 Derek Uzzell - 2012-10-11 9:49 AM ... but others (eg. Bollore http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iakv9uvhLQo) don't make it. And it's a crying shame. Some of the composites and general innovation now readily available are awesome. I guess the market is, largely, too conservative. I find it odd that so many are happy to continue to pay a great deal of money for badly converted commercial vehicles. There are options out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Tony Jones - 2012-10-10 12:37 PM Sevels eh - who'd 'ave 'em? Oh, sorry, I forgot - nearly everyone, since there's almost no choice! Except the mighty bruisers referred to on this thread (respect!), and of course the OCCASIONAL Ford (which turns on a sixpence!). Some misinformation here. As a former owner of a Transit and now an X250 both vehicles have good turning circles but the X250 (Sevel) is marginally better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 crinklystarfish - 2012-10-10 9:17 AM...that some companies are prepared to think outside of the box.I was at show all last weekend and this French company:http://www.azalai.co.uk/concept.php caught my eye. They have thought through materials, what they fit, and why - and haven't just followed the herd.Not saying they are perfect, nothing is, but there are some superb innovations and some very clever thinking. Their vehicles are not really made for pootling from site to site but if you venture off the beaten track a bit then you could do very much worse. I didn't see any Iveco / Sprinter based conversions but if their Land Rover based stuff was an indicator, they should be good.Definitely not the stuck-in-rut-tat that many converters knock out.Yes, but at prices starting from £72,000 for the conversion + base vehicle, better start saving now.David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Things move on eventually...Fiat now available with 4 wheel drive apparently. Maybe a lot more Fiat based 4x4's on the way http://www.promobil.de/test/wohnmobil-vorstellung-la-strada-avanti-628951.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 david lloyd - 2012-10-12 11:01 AM ... Yes, but at prices starting from £72,000 for the conversion + base vehicle, better start saving now. David Even as this is being typed there will be people in the process of spending much more for inferior quality and 20th century thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-10-12 2:42 PM Things move on eventually...Fiat now available with 4 wheel drive apparently. Maybe a lot more Fiat based 4x4's on the way http://www.promobil.de/test/wohnmobil-vorstellung-la-strada-avanti-628951.html 4-wheel drive has been available on Ducatos since at least 1990. The system has not been a factory option though, but a modification (apparently) approved by Fiat and installed by the Dangel company. http://www.dangel.com/index.html http://www.dangel.com/mediadb/1180_EN%20DUCATO.pdf I've seen one example in the UK - a LHD X244-based Possl at a Shepton Mallett show quite a few years ago, and I've read one letter in a French magazine from an owner of a Dangel-converted Ducato that had a transmission-related problem. Dangel were blaming Fiat and Fiat were blaming Dangel - now there's a surprise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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