Epic Robs camper build

[Epic-Rob]

So everyone likes to see camper builds so i thought i would try to be a bit more proactive with piccies etc
Currently have a 2wd T6.1 (blk n wht) but shortly after buying it (and getting stuck) i thought why oh why didnt i get a 4motion...... so off back to VW to order one. with delays and everything its currently due in NZ Jan, but there is too much i want to do that needs a 4x4 so being impatient i went and bought a 2017 4motion ex Army mini bus - its mint, probly been cleaned weekly with a toothbrush by some naughty soldier only really plan on keeping it till new one is here so it can be a bit of a development conversion.
I can say though i took it for a 4x4 test at the weekend and it is impressive it climbed, decended, crossed rivers, traversed river rocks everything, without batting an eyelid
Its a bit diff with the mid high top, i did think i would be ripping that off to put the pop top in but they stick it on with some pretty serious glue and it looks like the roof hole is made a bit diff so there is chance pop top wont go in anyway.

I am thinking i am going to make a kitchen pod behind the seats rather than the traditional side kitchen, so we can pull it out and cook outside - sun tends to shine a bit more down here
So its off in for window tinting this week then at the weekend the fuel tank is coming off to put the Diesel heater pickup in, and we will get cracking with sound deadening.

 

[Epic-Rob]

Gangsta tint done.
Fuel tank dropped and Diesel heater pickup installed.
Dodo mat deadening done - used 58 sheets so far.

Tomorrow front seats out to dodo the cab and will put feed in for DCDC

 

[Epic-Rob]

pulled the cab mat out and ran the power feed from battery to seat for the DCDC also poped 12v ignition feed in.
stuck a few bits of deadening down whilst mat out.
going to get the 230Ah battery, DCDC and inverter nicely under the double seat, diesel heater will go under drivers seat

this was a great vid for fitting DCDC cable Ctek DCDC fit
I want to get the main electrics in so i can get seats back in then van is mobile again

 

[Epic-Rob]

Not my Fav job putting in electrics and takes ages - well it does me anyway.
under one side of double seat i have the battery (230ah Lithium 27x21x23cm) next to that i have a 1200w inverter as i plan to run an induction hob, then above i put a board that all the fuses etc can mount to put the DCDC on the side. then its just a case of running wires to all of them, all very neat i thought compared to some of my previous spaghetti efforts. I havent taken the supply wires off from the fuse box yet - that is where the f*** up of the day came in.

I took the back and base off the passenger seat to make access easier, and i had also taken the trim panel off the passenger door pillar as i was going to run the wires up the to the switches. Anyway after i had pretty much finished i had the 'bugger' thought, turns out you cant get to the seatbelt mounting bolt or get the trim on with double seat in place..... so tomorrow i will dissemble everything take seat base out, put the seat and door pillar back together then put all back together again..... wont be too bad as its been in and out most of weekend making it all fit nicely so probly about hour or 2 to redo.

 

[dane]

Hi rob.

Just curious as to what the red cables connected to batteries 2 and 3 positive terminals will be doing?? Are they for some sort of battery monitoring purpose?

 

[Epic-Rob]

Hi rob.

Just curious as to what the red cables connected to batteries 2 and 3 positive terminals will be doing?? Are they for some sort of battery monitoring purpose?

Because battery built from individual cells it has a BMS on the side, the wires you mention are the balancing/charging for each of the 4 cells.
i guess if you pulled apart a factory battery you would find something similar but this way you get a LOT more Ah for the size.

 

[Epic-Rob]

So this last week i have finished the carpet lining up to the roof level, this was a real hassle with the windows already in much easier to do befor windows go in. Passenger side all insulated, on the drivers side i have trimmed the lower clip on panels separately so i can take them off to get behind to run any wires.
Fitted diesel heater under drivers seat very straightforward when you have a hoist i wanted it inside van this time as i fully intend to be off roading and crossing rivers, didnt think it would work very well if i kept filling it with water!!!
I mounted the pump to that big block of polystyrene that is under trim panel in front of fuel tank, that should insulate it from body nicely.
I have had a bit of a layout change of mind, i am going to make a kitchen pod behind front seats, and also put in the next size up fridge.
Big thing is i am going to make a side bench seat that pulls out into a double, that way it will leave space down the length of van to put longer stuff in like 1 or 2 bikes and maybe paddleboard. save them getting all dusty and wet whilst traveling gravel rds.
Out of the end of side seat i will make a slide out table for the outside cooking, so will have the hob and sink inside and ability to use the back slideout to put the BBQ or a portable gas stove.

I havent hooked up the electrics yet, decided to leave for time being as not important at this stage and i will probly need to take front seat out AGAIN for something else....

so next i will do the roof lining or the seat - see how the mood takes me.

 

[t6blo]

Coming along nicely dude

 

[Epic-Rob]

This weekend (and Friday) i consider Friday a van day and another day that i cant be arsed to do real work joys of being self employed. but unfortunately this week i am going to have to do some real work :-(
These conversions take so long, i just cant imagine having to do one if you only have weekends, don't have an undercover garage you can work in etc.
so what i have done these last few days is put the stick-on insulation onto the roof above the cab, into a little void in the back, then just carpeted a few fiddly areas i wasn't going to carpet.
TOP TIP FOR CARPETING - Get a scalpel, even a sharpe snanley knife doesn't cut the carpet very well and it can look like you have cut it with a steak knife, A scalpel is much sharper and far better for precision cutting.

I fitted an internal tailgate release button, was also going to put a couple of LED lights in the tailgate but there is no Perm 12v into tailgate (i was sure there was!) anyway as i had carpeted there was no easy way to pull a wire in, so i canned that idea.

Now i could get started insulating the roof, but 1st i had to sort the roof rack out, so i have fitted a set of Vanstyle roof bars (i think these are the OEM VW ones? - they do seem pretty substantial, and i also fitted the roll out awning to the side.
I have stuck that stick-on foam on to the roof, next job will be the roof lining. I plan to use a sheet of 3mm ply that i will cover with some suede i got from Harrison trim, i will mount into that LEDs for the roof.

 

[Epic-Rob]

Finally finished the lining, lined the roof with some of the vello type trim with a foam backing i got from Harrison Trim, also fitted in some little mini spots (they are about 40mm dia)
I have just started building the bed, i am having a side one that pulls out.

 

[Epic-Rob]

Have got stuck into it this week and been full time on it for the last 5 days. have tidied all the electrics up under the passenger seat and just changed a few things.
all the cables run up to the roof just behind the drivers seat where i mounted the fuse box and will put control panel in front of it.
I made up the control panel to fit what i had, the tank monitor is a bit big but i had it, so will just use it it can monitor 2 tanks but i will just have it doing fresh which will be in the 2 skirt tanks (about 45L) shunt meter and Diesel heater control.
i put a 2 way switch in for the roof lights, one on the control panel and another + USB just inside the back door so can turn them on/off whilst in bed. and the pista resistance - DISCO LIGHTS yey baby, just mounted these under the shelf but they go all round so we can set the eve light to Red, blue, green or white plus fades etc - Disco 2000.
Fitted the.
The jumble of wire is all connected up onto the panel - then the big test, will it work - and yes it all seems to
I put the solar panel on as well this eve.
just need to fit a socket down back connected to the inverter then we can put the side panels on and that's the big conversion work done. i started to put drivers seat back in but seem to have 'mislaid' the 4 nuts to fasten the base in...... i am sure i will have put them somewhere safe but dont know where that might be lol.

I have half made the bed so will get that will get finished as well this week, as were away sat night - being winter here the heater will be needed.

next job will be to get the tanks fitted underneath along with the pump. get the Snorkel on and i need to make the kitchen unit.
so were far from finished but glad to get all the electrics and stuff out the way.

 

[Epic-Rob]

Bit of a shakedown trip into the Canterbury high country. has been pretty wet so tracks were a bit greasy and through the station (big farm to you) the tacks were pretty muddy - good place to test the 4Motion, it was dark when we got to the river crossing so didnt want to try it, but it was a nice place to camp up. tackeled river in morn, 1st section was easy 2nd section was about knee deep so no problem there.

Few little issues to be addressed
1. for some reason heater Diesel wouldn't start Grrrr. E8 which is fuel shortage, it has been fine every other time i have started so have to figure out why fuel drains back to tank.
2. Shunt isn't recognizing inverter draw. i have the inverter earth straight to shunt and the power straight to +terminal on battery. all other systems showing power draw

the 1200w inverter with the 1200w induction hob worked flawlessly, i really think gas in a camper is just outdated now. The color selectable LED was cool as at night.

still need to sort the internal furniture out, 1st trip away showed up a few probs so i might re jig some stuff. one thing we did was just use an airbed on the bed platform and i have to say with a full width bed as apposed to 2 seater rock n roll it was a much comfier night, so i think instead of getting a load of squabs made up to fit we will just use an airbed.

Did a bit of mud plugging on the way home and got stuck! the tug of shame behind a Nissan...

Few pics bellow, would put a vid up but cant figure out how to link it...