Ex-Fleet LWB T32 to Camper Conversion

CJW

2016 T6.0 T32 SL-to-Camper
VIP Member
T6 Guru
Wanted to share progress on our family project. Bought an ex-fleet 2016 LWB T32 in December and been converting it over the winter. Judging from the tiny shards of vehicle wrap left on the body work, I think this was a British Gas van in its past life.

This is our second home-spun camper conversion , so we had a better idea of what we wanted this time, across the board. Oh and a child and a dog have been added to the family. That's our old camper just visible in the background of the first image. We wanted to upgrade from our previous spec because we wanted:
  • A totally hidden and comprehensive power installation
  • Lots of lighting options to suit moods
  • Much more power than before to allow us to use grass pitches
  • Spare electrical capacity for future-proofing
  • A table to sit around
What we liked about the previous camper conversion and wanted to keep:
  • Darker interior
  • No windows in the rear quarter
  • Tin top with insulation
...because, believe it or not, we had some of the best nights' sleep of our lives in that old camper.

I should also say this is our main and only vehicle, hence some of the decisions below are based on the reality of being able to put the van back together at the end of each weekend ready for use by the family. Working on it and using it at the same time is a bit of a hassle but possible with a bit of careful planning.

When we found the right vehicle, it had a BOTT shelving system and vice. Was surprised how quickly that sold second hand.

E8F340A7-41E9-4F00-A857-6CAE4388ACF2.jpeg

The bulkhead and inverter were removed... [note: we do not buy lard by the box full, it was waste from a café wheel bin :) ]

8EF0634E-77B8-49E5-95B0-ACA38E3660A1.jpeg

The floor had full width steel interlocks, and was a pain to get out, but lots of swearing solved that. Then the floor plate was cleaned and any holes from the shelving painted and sealed.

IMG_0688.jpeg

Then it was time for the windows...

IMG_0689.jpeg

And probably the job I was fearing the most turned out to be very straightforward - removing the bulkhead support rails. In removing the passenger seat I noticed the bung had been left off by someone and five years of motorway grit had collected under the passenger seat...

IMG_0751.jpeg

But it cleaned up OK and the bung was replaced.

IMG_0752 2.jpeg

The internal panelling was then degreased and cleaned. Started to look like a project to be proud of by this point...

IMG_0870 2.jpeg

Then sound deadening the large resonant surfaces...

IMG_0920.jpeg

...and insulating with Dodo liner...

IMG_0924 2.jpeg

By this time we'd booked a slot with Cascade Conversions for the Solace bed / seat system, so I had to finish the back end first!
IMG_0950 2.jpeg

All the while the electrical design was under way and parts ordered. Decided on a circa 100Ah battery and controller under the driver's seat but with all the load (bar the fridge) controlled by the YIS Marine membrane controller, and decided to hide everything behind the walls between the C and D pillars...

IMG_0988.jpeg

Then the floor - a single piece on top of the metal interlocked (biscuit) phenolic ply.

IMG_1009.jpeg

Then the paneling, speakers, control surfaces and monitors and a trip to Wales for the bed to be fitted. Can highly recommend Rob at Cascade. Fantastic guy. Super happy with the bed.

IMG_1059.jpeg

Then the ceiling with 21 different light fittings over four circuits...

IMG_1175.jpeg

Fitting the gubbins under the seat was going to take some proper planning, so I modelled the assemblies in 3D.

IMG_1195.jpeg

Then built it on the dining room table...

IMG_1286.jpeg

Working on the basis that all the fuses and isolators needed to be accessible from the front.

IMG_1303.jpeg

Then the biggest operation of the whole project - take the floor out and connect the cables, putting everything back, all in one day...

IMG_1309.jpeg

But now we have a very sleep-friendly full width, full length bed, and great lighting that can match our mood.

IMG_1355.jpeg

Since then I've fitted the fold-forward mechanism for the passenger seat - that's where the dog sleeps in her travel crate. Next we're planning the kitchen unit, looking at the moment at an Evo 2 Pod that fits even with the bed fully extended. At some point a season or two away I might get chance to think about lowering the suspension, but let's see how much crap we can get in it first. :)

Nearly none of this would've been possible without the generous souls on this forum that have rekindled my love for the internet in times when so much of the internet is dark and lousy. Particular thanks to @Dellmassive, @mmi, @Pauly, and a special thanks to @Mud Digger for helping me solve the source of the fumes smell - an incorrectly fitted tailgate seal. Incorrectly fitted by me, I might add.

Lastly, a bit of encouragement to others considering a Startline as the base van - because there's so little kit in it, all the access routes are lovely and clear!
 
Last edited:
Awesome post, i love seeing build threads and progress pictures
 
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you done a lovely Job there built just to how you wanted it.... i also favor a dark interior

glad you sorted the fumes.. and we are all happy to help or give a suggestion or 2

love the feeling of sitting back seeing what we built it's worth all that hard work, worry and over thinking

happy times ahead ....
 
Wanted to share progress on our family project. Bought an ex-fleet 2016 LWB T32 in December and been converting it over the winter. Judging from the tiny shards of vehicle wrap left on the body work, I think this was a British Gas van in its past life.

This is our second home-spun camper conversion , so we had a better idea of what we wanted this time, across the board. Oh and a child and a dog have been added to the family. That's our old camper just visible in the background of the first image. We wanted to upgrade from our previous spec because we wanted:
  • A totally hidden and comprehensive power installation
  • Lots of lighting options to suit moods
  • Much more power than before to allow us to use grass pitches
  • Spare electrical capacity for future-proofing
  • A table to sit around
What we liked about the previous camper conversion and wanted to keep:
  • Darker interior
  • No windows in the rear quarter
  • Tin top with insulation
...because, believe it or not, we had some of the best nights' sleep of our lives in that old camper.

I should also say this is our main and only vehicle, hence some of the decisions below are based on the reality of being able to put the van back together at the end of each weekend ready for use by the family. Working on it and using it at the same time is a bit of a hassle but possible with a bit of careful planning.

When we found the right vehicle, it had a BOTT shelving system and vice. Was surprised how quickly that sold second hand.

View attachment 150180

The bulkhead and inverter were removed... [note: we do not buy lard by the box full, it was waste from a café wheel bin :) ]

View attachment 150181

The floor had full width steel interlocks, and was a pain to get out, but lots of swearing solved that. Then the floor plate was cleaned and any holes from the shelving painted and sealed.

View attachment 150183

Then it was time for the windows...

View attachment 150184

And probably the job I was fearing the most turned out to be very straightforward - removing the bulkhead support rails. In removing the passenger seat I noticed the bung had been left off by someone and five years of motorway grit had collected under the passenger seat...

View attachment 150203

But it cleaned up OK and the bung was replaced.

View attachment 150186

The internal panelling was then degreased and cleaned. Started to look like a project to be proud of by this point...

View attachment 150187

Then sound deadening the large resonant surfaces...

View attachment 150188

...and insulating with Dodo liner...

View attachment 150189

By this time we'd booked a slot with Cascade Conversions for the Solace bed / seat system, so I had to finish the back end first!
View attachment 150190

All the while the electrical design was under way and parts ordered. Decided on a circa 100Ah battery and controller under the driver's seat but with all the load (bar the fridge) controlled by the YIS Marine membrane controller, and decided to hide everything behind the walls between the C and D pillars...

View attachment 150191

Then the floor - a single piece on top of the metal interlocked (biscuit) phenolic ply.

View attachment 150192

Then the paneling, speakers, control surfaces and monitors and a trip to Wales for the bed to be fitted. Can highly recommend Rob at Cascade. Fantastic guy. Super happy with the bed.

View attachment 150194

Then the ceiling with 21 different light fittings over four circuits...

View attachment 150195

Fitting the gubbins under the seat was going to take some proper planning, so I modelled the assemblies in 3D.

View attachment 150196

Then built it on the dining room table...

View attachment 150197

Working on the basis that all the fuses and isolators needed to be accessible from the front.

View attachment 150198

Then the biggest operation of the whole project - take the floor out and connect the cables, putting everything back, all in one day...

View attachment 150202

But now we have a very sleep-friendly full width, full length bed, and great lighting that can match our mood.

View attachment 150201

Since then I've fitted the fold-forward mechanism for the passenger seat - that's where the dog sleeps in her travel crate. Next we're planning the kitchen unit, looking at the moment at an Evo 2 Pod that fits even with the bed fully extended. At some point a season or two away I might get chance to think about lowering the suspension, but let's see how much crap we can get in it first. :)

Nearly none of this would've been possible without the generous souls on this forum that have rekindled my love for the internet in times when so much of the internet is dark and lousy. Particular thanks to @Dellmassive, @mmi, @Pauly, and a special thanks to @Mud Digger for helping me solve the source of the fumes smell - an incorrectly fitted tailgate seal. Incorrectly fitted by me, I might add.

Lastly, a bit of encouragement to others considering a Startline as the base van - because there's so little kit in it, all the access routes are lovely and clear!
awsome work
 
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Hi. Yes! I’ve changed the wheels to Devonports, added solar panels and had a wonderful summer of camping in it. Am now setting my mind to fitting the kitchen unit over the winter. I’m super happy with this van.

39D91A16-6B3D-4819-97B6-640C85A0829E.jpeg

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9C2334AF-3D09-4126-8C77-3AF76C65EACA.jpeg
 
Update to this thread. An important one for us, which takes a bit of explanation:

Our last camper had a kitchen unit. We didn’t use it much and it became a bit of a dumping ground for odds and sods, but we always assumed we were going to fit something like the Evo Pro 2 Kitchen pod.

For cash flow reasons we didn’t order the pod last year. After having used the van for a season without a pod, we had serious second thoughts on losing that space permanently - this also our main vehicle and we have a dog. We were really enjoying the extra space of the LWB, and really enjoyed cooking outside - an altogether better experience and not smelly / messy inside after cooking.

We also borrowed a portable compressor fridge from a family member. We really liked it and wanted the option of plugging in to the solar powered leisure battery.

The season without the pod was a season without a table, since we found that once camped, we liked leaving the bed down all the time for snoozes. So…

We set our minds to the idea of a flexible unit that could disappear when we wanted it to, but house our fridge and stand, say, a kettle on if on EHU, also provide a bit of prep space if indoors.

At work, we’d just decommissioned a bit of studio kit and there was a handful of different parts left over based around the Rexroth T-slide system.

The C.A. and I designed and made the structure and the panels first in MDF to see if we thought it worked. It really did, so we just remade the panels in Corian since we really liked the Corian in our last camper.

It’s a bit experimental still, but here’s what it looks like and how it works:

When stowed it is neat and very thin - thin enough not to clash with the driver’s seat in any position. I’m 6’4”, so this is important for long journeys.

IMG_5229.jpeg
IMG_5230.jpeg

If we just want a table, the upper leaf just pulls up and stays there on cantilever brackets made for that purpose. Only takes one hand. This also reveals the EHU socket.

IMG_5231.jpeg

If we’re taking the fridge too, the lower leaf is dropped by raising the latch. This reveals the fridge connector and isolator.

IMG_5232.jpeg

The reason it’s that size and location is so the bed, which is full width, can be out fully without fouling this structure when the leaves are out.

Structurally, it is fixed in three locations through the top ali section into three M6 rivnuts placed into pre-existing holes, and screwed to the floor, but that’s only really to stop it moving.

The fridge is secured to the frame using elastic bungees with hooked ends, I’m sorry I couldn’t be bothered to get it out just for the photos. Believe me, it looks neat and the top loading door opens fine.

None of it rattles.

Tasks remaining include getting some thinner nylon washers, tidier pads to manage the areas where the Corian touches the metal when stowed, and buy a length of the Rexroth black rubber strip to go along the bottom ali rail.

The cabin is looking great now with genuine leather covers, a new head unit and a dam good clean.

IMG_5233.jpeg

Soon I’m going to place an order for an evo overhead locker as the finishing touch.
 
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