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Tomarse
Mar 7, 2001

Grr



The victim: A landrover 101 forward control Ambulance.


(pictured in 2003 just after it was dropped off the back of a recovery truck onto my parents lawn)



13 years ago I persuaded my parents to lend me some money and I bought myself a landrover 101 with the aim of camper converting it and driving it round Europe

The 101 was built as a chassis-cab by landrover in 1978, then converted into an ambulance in 1982. About 3000 were built over 8 years or so.

Built out of the land rover/range rover parts bin, so it has a custom chassis and bodywork but largely Rover mechanicals and components. 3.5l Rover V8 engine (detuned to about 110 bhp), range rover gearbox with lower ratio gears. Permanent 4wd with a centre diff lock. Slightly custom Dana/Salisbury axles on leaf springs. lovely drum brakes for 3 Tons of vehicle.


I then started a business, bought a house and ran out of time/money and as with many AI projects never got round to totally finishing it and only used it for the odd weekend here and there.

I have been ramping up work on it over the last 6 months, but the current hosed up brexit situation in the UK has made me realise that I should probably try and finish it within the next 12 months if I want to drive it round Europe easily.

I have also found myself without any significant fixed/long term work contracts after this September - and a lovely economy will not help me get anything exciting and new. Therefore my new target is to get this truck finished by April 2017 so I can gently caress off and use it for a while.

I'm starting this project thread to try and aid my motivation to get stuff done!




It holds 4 bodies as stock.


Engine inbetween the front seats


Here it is at an army base in the late 80's/early 90's (the one at the back is actually mine). Mine spent about 18 years in service, including the first gulf war.



2003 - 2011

When i got it, it needed minor works, lots of replacement wiring and a new radiator to make it road legal and needed tuning to get it to go past 35mph or so. It would do about 55 with the lovely original 3.5l engine once I got he carbs set up.

For the first year or so i used the back as a camper by just sleeping on the stretchers, but decided I wanted to go further.

I fixed the petrol eberspacher night heater:


The roof leaked a lot so it spent a long time like this, and at times with 6 inches of water in the back:


Before I reskinned the roof with chequer plate, carefully bolted on and sealed with sikaflex (phone for dating purposes!)


I stripped the interior bulkhead out, and most of the interior panels as the roof had disintegrated due to leakage:


and did a basic camper conversion with some parts from a scrap caravan:


I also converted it to LPG to make it affordable to run, rewired it to remove all the lucas gremlins and fitted a solar panel on the roof and a split charge system along with low powered 12v lighting, an inverter and a decent fridge.

Then I stripped it:


and resprayed it:


and then replaced the lovely 3.5v8 with a rebuilt 3.9 v8 and fitted better tyres so it didnt try to kill you everytine it rained (michelin XZL 255/100R16 rather than the 9.00x16 bargrips it came with). It would then do 70mph


View from the cockpit after I fitted comfier seats, seatbelts and some soundproofing.


At various points it also:

had the exhaust manifold brazed back together as it was cracked.
got a new stainless exhaust system
got an electric fan to replace the viscous one.
had a power steering conversion using mainly range rover bits
had a front disc brake conversion and replacement brake servo. Uses E-type Jag calipers and pads.
Got an awning

then it got parked up for about 3 years:



2014-now

Over the last 18 months I have been swapping it from carbs to EFI which will run from a megasquirt ECU and a seperate LPG ecu (for now).


I have also replaced the NLA lovely brake master cylinder with a later and better one and fitted a digital dash and done a lot more rewiring to refine and document my previous efforts.
As of last week, it will start and run (just about) on LPG and I have finished the wiring for the megasquirt but havent yet plugged the ECU in to try it, nor finished the mods to make it run the IAC valve.
It will only run badly on LPG as the main tank valve appears to have been leaking over the past few years and it only has 5 year old dregs left in it.



My immediate todo list is:

- Buy a new EFI suitable fuel pump and make it fit in the existing pump cradle
- Replace all the fuel lines
- Get my MS ECU finished
- make it start and run reliably
- make sure the digital dash and speedo works
- fit all new light fittings and wiring loom
- get the gear linkage rod re-bent so that it fits round the EFI plenum
- bleed brakes and ensure my hybrid setup works
- Fit reversing camera and screen
- Fix the radio (which has got wet via the roof leaks)
- Remove the wasps nest that is inside a rivetted up air duct in the cab
- Weld up a hole in the rear crossmember
- get it MOT'd so i can drive it again
- get the LPG tank filled and the system setup


Then I need to:
- Replace the remaining roof internal cladding and get proper retaining trim for it.
- replace the fibre glass insulation behind it with something better and less water absorbant.
- Re-seal the windscreens which leak
- Fully refit the rear door latching system (which never got done after i extended the doors to remove the rear step)
- Redo some of my leisure wiring to tidy it up and make the radio work


further goals
- Totally redo the rear conversion to add much more storage and make it look nicer and more professional
- Improve the cab - fit some more storage improve the comfort
- Get sides made for my awning
- Add a fresh water tank underneath (will have to reroute the exhaust and do something about the load based brake bias valve which is in the way)
- Add a grey water tank underneath
- Add some water heating (possibly solar on the roof) and a small hot water tank and some sort of field shower setup.
- Build a roof rack (I added mounting brackets when i replaced the roof)
- Fit pull out telescopic supports for my awning rather than the poles it has now.
- Fit some jerry cans to the roof rack
- Fit a roof box for more storage
- Fit my spare wheel somewhere (roof rack with a winch to get it up), or on the rear door.
- Build a bike carrier to hold my moped and pedal bike on the back. it really needs to slide or swing out so I can still open the rear doors
- Respray it again as my etch primer has started peeling all over :(

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angryhampster
Oct 21, 2005

Holy poo poo that is really cool. I've never seen one before.

meltie
Nov 9, 2003

Not a sodding fridge.
Yaaay! I was hoping you'd post about it at some point :)

cursedshitbox
May 20, 2012

Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.



Fun Shoe
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Seat Safety Switch
May 27, 2008

MY RELIGION IS THE SMALL BLOCK V8 AND COMMANDMENTS ONE THROUGH TEN ARE NEVER LIFT.

Pillbug
How big is the LPG tank?

Tomarse
Mar 7, 2001

Grr



Just finished wiring up this, which is my main ECU fuse box:

(just missing one connector for the LPG serial interface)

All my new wiring is modular and bits are all removable seperately. Am using 8 core trailer cable for links inbetween sections.

I have also become incredibly OCD about my wiring and so far have 10 visio diagrams documenting it all like this


Ordered a load of bits thismorning including:

EFI fuel pump
Inline fuel filter
10M fuel line

Which should keep me good for the forthcoming weekend!

Seat Safety Switch posted:

How big is the LPG tank?

its either 90 or 100L. I cant remember which.

CommieGIR
Aug 22, 2006

The blue glow is a feature, not a bug


Pillbug
This is straight porn.

drat you for not diesel'ing it, but drat, can't fault it.

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.
There was a really nice IIA FC camper conversion at the Doncaster car show at the weekend, but unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of it.

What's it plated at? I think if I had one, I'd have to knock the GVW down a bit to suit my post-97 licence.

Seat Safety Switch
May 27, 2008

MY RELIGION IS THE SMALL BLOCK V8 AND COMMANDMENTS ONE THROUGH TEN ARE NEVER LIFT.

Pillbug

Tomarse posted:

Just finished wiring up this, which is my main ECU fuse box:

(just missing one connector for the LPG serial interface)
Whoa, those are nice relay holders. I've been trying to find some for awhile and just ended up ziptying one of the relay pigtail kits to a backing board.

Fuse holders with blade connectors are also nice.

Tomarse
Mar 7, 2001

Grr



InitialDave posted:

There was a really nice IIA FC camper conversion at the Doncaster car show at the weekend, but unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of it.

What's it plated at? I think if I had one, I'd have to knock the GVW down a bit to suit my post-97 licence.

Most of them (including mine) came plated at 3652kg, while some were 3152 (this is the GS GVW so they just didnt get their plates swapped or got moved between production lines), and a few seem to have been inbetween. I've downplated it to 3499kg for my license.
I had it on a weighbridge when I first got it and in original spec with me in it and a tank of fuel it actually weighed around 2900kg. I suspect it weighs less than that now as I think that so far i have added less weight than I have removed. Even loaded up and with water tanks I should still be safely below my GVW plate (and thus legal!)

Seat Safety Switch posted:

Whoa, those are nice relay holders. I've been trying to find some for awhile and just ended up ziptying one of the relay pigtail kits to a backing board.

Fuse holders with blade connectors are also nice.

They are made by 'Ripaults' Their website (I think)

Decent pictures here, and you will probably enjoy the rest of the shop too as it sells loads of awesome stuff. I've probably spent £200 on bits from there over the last 12 months.

Adiabatic
Nov 18, 2007

What have you assholes done now?
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

autism ZX spectrum
Feb 8, 2007

by Lowtax
Fun Shoe
This is so rad!

Terrible Robot
Jul 2, 2010

FRIED CHICKEN
Slippery Tilde

Adiabatic posted:

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

Safety Dance
Sep 10, 2007

Five degrees to starboard!

I, too, will be following this thread with great interest.

NitroSpazzz
Dec 9, 2006

You don't need style when you've got strength!


Adiabatic posted:

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

:f5:

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.

InitialDave posted:

There was a really nice IIA FC camper conversion at the Doncaster car show at the weekend, but unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of it.
I asked my mate who was with me, he got a picture:

Saga
Aug 17, 2009

Tomarse posted:

the current hosed up brexit situation in the UK has made me realise that I should probably try and finish it within the next 12 months if I want to drive it round Europe easily.

It holds 4 bodies as stock.



Can I suggest David, Boris, Michael and Nigel?

cakesmith handyman
Jul 22, 2007

Pip-Pip old chap! Last one in is a rotten egg what what.

Wonderful, I must come and see this shortly. How many sleeping berths do you plan on in the finished version?

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.

Cakefool posted:

Wonderful, I must come and see this shortly. How many sleeping berths do you plan on in the finished version?
We should have some kind of UK goon meet in it.

Interesting that the only two UK campervan projects are classics with V8s.

meltie
Nov 9, 2003

Not a sodding fridge.

InitialDave posted:

We should have some kind of UK goon meet in it.

Interesting that the only two UK campervan projects are classics with V8s.

Yes yes wrenchmeet yes!

I wanted to put a hammock in the Lightweight. Which coincidentally had a V8. Anyway, s'gone now.

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.
We can play traditional parlour garage games like "Name That Clunk" and "What's Smoking, Mr Lucas?"

Boaz MacPhereson
Jul 11, 2006

Day 12045 Ht10hands 180lbs
No Name
No lumps No Bumps Full life Clean
Two good eyes No Busted Limbs
Piss OK Genitals intact
Multiple scars Heals fast
O NEGATIVE HI OCTANE
UNIVERSAL DONOR
Lone Road Warrior Rundown
on the Powder Lakes V8
No guzzoline No supplies
ISOLATE PSYCHOTIC
Keep muzzled...

meltie posted:

Yes yes wrenchmeet yes!

I wanted to put a hammock in the Lightweight. Which coincidentally had a V8. Anyway, s'gone now.

Don't you mean 'spannermeet'?

:gooncamp:

Tomarse
Mar 7, 2001

Grr



Cakefool posted:

Wonderful, I must come and see this shortly. How many sleeping berths do you plan on in the finished version?

It has a 'cosy double' width bed (it's about a 1.5). I am however tempted to buy myself a roof tent too so I could have a bedroom and a living room or a guest room... (Will see how I'm feeling after I've finished buying everything else I want)

The beauty of a roof tent is that I could cut a hole in the bottom and then get into it via the roof/escape hatch...

Anybody in the UK who wants to come and help me finish it please get in touch, especially if you are good at interior design/furniture making and can cut a straight line with a jigsaw.
I am also keen for good ideas on how to mount my spare wheel, cycle and moped without fully obstructing my rear doors.

Tomarse fucked around with this message at 23:32 on Jul 8, 2016

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.

Tomarse posted:

Anybody in the UK who wants to come and help me finish it please get in touch, especially if you are good at interior design/furniture making and can cut a straight line with a jigsaw.
I am also keen for good ideas on how to mount my spare wheel, cycle and moped without fully obstructing my rear doors.
Put stuff on the front?

Saga
Aug 17, 2009

InitialDave posted:

Put stuff on the front?

Can you not get the wheel and the bike on the roof? For the latter maybe a fork type rack i e front wheel comes off, mounted directly to the roof?

cakesmith handyman
Jul 22, 2007

Pip-Pip old chap! Last one in is a rotten egg what what.

Tomarse posted:

It has a 'cosy double' width bed (it's about a 1.5). I am however tempted to buy myself a roof tent too so I could have a bedroom and a living room or a guest room... (Will see how I'm feeling after I've finished buying everything else I want)

The beauty of a roof tent is that I could cut a hole in the bottom and then get into it via the roof/escape hatch...

Anybody in the UK who wants to come and help me finish it please get in touch, especially if you are good at interior design/furniture making and can cut a straight line with a jigsaw.
I am also keen for good ideas on how to mount my spare wheel, cycle and moped without fully obstructing my rear doors.

I'll pontificate give you the benefit of my imagination tomorrow, my furniture skills are a small step above garage-grade.

Olympic Mathlete
Feb 25, 2011

:h:

Tomarse posted:

especially if you are good at interior design/furniture making and can cut a straight line with a jigsaw.

This person does not exist, this is like asking if there's anyone who's ever stood on the surface of the sun, it's just something that's not possible.

I can't recommend a circular saw and cutting jig enough. If I can manage to get one to do 8' long perfectly straight cuts on ply, anyone can cut straight with one. Jigsaws are shite.

cakesmith handyman
Jul 22, 2007

Pip-Pip old chap! Last one in is a rotten egg what what.

I bought a nice scheppach plunge/track saw and it's easy mode on long cuts.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?
This is a really loving cool project. I'm gonna have to start watching the US government auctions for a HMMWV ambulance or similar.

Tomarse
Mar 7, 2001

Grr



Saga posted:

Can you not get the wheel and the bike on the roof? For the latter maybe a fork type rack i e front wheel comes off, mounted directly to the roof?

The problem with the roof is the issue of getting it up there. Its high up and there is no bonnet to step it up via. Id like to use it but the spare is loving heavy.

On the front, I'm not sure there is enough space between the headlights and windscreen but i will go and hold it in place and measure up and see.

Did a bit today.

Got some deliveries this week. To the left is a spare empty fuel pump bracket a mate gave me - however my new fuel pump hasn't arrived to fit into it, then there is a replacement top radiator hose (mine is about to wear through where it has chafed against the radiator overflow hose, a fuel filter and some new fuel line.


There are access holes in the floor above the fuel tank to get at the pipes


Unfortunately I found that fuel return line is not below the access holes and is instead under the floor where you cant reach it, so I had to drop the tank:


I drained it and was going to drop it right off but then found that just dragging it out as far as I could with the filler hose connected gave me enough space to get at the return pipe.

I could then run some fuel pipes. I also made a bracket and mounted the fuel filter (the small plastic one is for the night heater)


For some of today it wasn't raining and I could open the sunroof. Fuel tank access holes to the bottom right. I clearly need to sort out my curtains too.


Also took out my fuel level sender so I could start to try and make it work with my ebay gauge. It goes from 30 Ohms when full to 280 Ohms when empty. Probably going to be challenging to make this work properly with the gauge.
Here it is along with my empty pump bracket (which I sand blasted to clean it up along with all the mounting screws) and the removed tiny stock pump.

Tomarse fucked around with this message at 22:41 on Jul 10, 2016

cakesmith handyman
Jul 22, 2007

Pip-Pip old chap! Last one in is a rotten egg what what.

I have an idea for your spare on the lhs door, I'll sketch it up and share tomorrow.

Would you consider making a new sunroof with a window? The extra light might be nice and it'd be cheap and easy without the invasive roof mods we discussed.

E: will the door take the weight of the spare or does it need to be mounted to the frame?

cakesmith handyman fucked around with this message at 22:53 on Jul 10, 2016

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.

Tomarse posted:

Did a bit today.
You'll be glad to know you've inspired me to deal with stuff I've been putting off on the 109 - rear hub seal (leather this time, see if it works any better), oil and filter, adjusted the brakes, fixed the manifold/downpipe joint that was blowing a bit, fabbed up a properly-aligned tailpipe mount, adjusted the brakes.

It still pulls right under heavier braking, though, I need to investigate.

Tomarse
Mar 7, 2001

Grr



Cakefool posted:

I have an idea for your spare on the lhs door, I'll sketch it up and share tomorrow.

Would you consider making a new sunroof with a window? The extra light might be nice and it'd be cheap and easy without the invasive roof mods we discussed.

E: will the door take the weight of the spare or does it need to be mounted to the frame?

The door will take the weight if I put a thick spreader on the back - and it will probably do the door good as mine is slightly twisted (its had a big hit from one bottom corner which would be visible if i could move it forward and open both doors!

Here is how someone else did it:
http://www.101fc.nl/conversion-05.html

They did an interesting roof extension too and made a nice job of the interior (index here). Not sure I want to do that sort of extension though I want some more storage up there.

Here is one mounted on a carrier:


I want to go lower to keep some rear window - and can do because I don't have the lower step that needs to stay clear. I think will have to remodel the bumperette to do it though..

I did spend quite a while trying to get hold of a removable glass sunroof (or a pair of!) to mount into the cab roof (it would add light and cooling!) and would still quite like to do this. Sunroofs are not so easy to get hold of though - I haven't found any local shops who have any stock or want to sell the roofs without fitting. I have Bristol Sunroofs on my 'places to visit' list as they were happy to answer questions and supply the roof only.

Tomarse fucked around with this message at 23:08 on Jul 10, 2016

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.
poo poo dude, I just sold a complete Fiesta sunroof (cut from the roof with all seals and hinges etc) to someone, otherwise you could've had it.

Best bet is ask someone breaking a car with an old-school "pop up" sunroof if they'll cut out the entire section for you.

For the rear mount, having a specific frame to take the load, with a link to open it as the door opens, is definitely the way to go in my opinion. Keep the load off the hinges.

Tomarse
Mar 7, 2001

Grr



InitialDave posted:

poo poo dude, I just sold a complete Fiesta sunroof (cut from the roof with all seals and hinges etc) to someone, otherwise you could've had it.

Best bet is ask someone breaking a car with an old-school "pop up" sunroof if they'll cut out the entire section for you.

For the rear mount, having a specific frame to take the load, with a link to open it as the door opens, is definitely the way to go in my opinion. Keep the load off the hinges.

you bastard! I also want one for my series 2 - my hardtop has one fitted but the seal is hosed as are the hinges and so it leaks a lot (i think i'm going to bolt the handle and silicone it shut)

The Webasto Hollandia 100's look alright and are about £200 new (http://www.webasto.com/int/markets-products/car/retrofit-roof-systems/our-sunroofs/pop-up/)

The hinges on the rear doors are 1.5m long heavy duty hinges. The weight of a wheel will probably stop them creaking like they do at the moment!

cakesmith handyman
Jul 22, 2007

Pip-Pip old chap! Last one in is a rotten egg what what.

Cordless sawzall and 15 minutes in a junkyard will net you a sunroof but I was actually thinking of making a new window hatch as a copy of your current roof hatch.

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.
Honestly, you can buy an entire sunroof-equipped Fiesta for £60 and cut it out yourself. Break it for the major components and turn a profit on the exercise.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?

Tomarse posted:

you bastard! I also want one for my series 2 - my hardtop has one fitted but the seal is hosed as are the hinges and so it leaks a lot (i think i'm going to bolt the handle and silicone it shut)

The Webasto Hollandia 100's look alright and are about £200 new (http://www.webasto.com/int/markets-products/car/retrofit-roof-systems/our-sunroofs/pop-up/)

The hinges on the rear doors are 1.5m long heavy duty hinges. The weight of a wheel will probably stop them creaking like they do at the moment!

You could look at Jeep Wrangler spare tire carriers for ideas for a latch to take the weight off those hinges when it's closed. Taking bumps will get things flexin' in no time if the weight isn't balanced (can't tell if there's something behind that tire getting the job done or not).

cakesmith handyman
Jul 22, 2007

Pip-Pip old chap! Last one in is a rotten egg what what.

Alrighty then I'm struggling because it's been a couple of years since I used sketchup seriously but ideas for the layout so far:

Whichever door the wheel mounts over won't be opened as often, so put deeper cabinets on that side. Shallow units the other side means you can easily squeeze in through 1 open door.

Decide early how much effort you'll put into the roof because it affects everything - working with the current height puts the usable counter height about 750mm, if you raise the roof you'll want it closer to 1000-1100mm, maybe more, you're taller than me.
The depth of your fridge dictates the depth of the units, but the lid's at the top right? You need either clear space above it or to be able to slide it out.
The highest cabinets need to be shallower, it gives the feeling of more space.

Mounting the spare wheel: if you're happy with weight on the door the simplest solution is a winch mounted on the roof or in the top of the door to raise/lower the wheel onto the mounting point. I'd want something better than threaded bar like the 101fc.nl link, a centre-bore sized tube & flange mounting plate ideally. There are more complicated wrangler-style frames but it's a lot of fabrication honestly. The wheel should fit below the window without obscuring the lights but the bumperette is a gonner on that side.

Motorbike is difficult, probably on the front is easiest using that channel you showed me, 1 section fixed and another you can hinge/remove as a ramp.

Pushbike I'd say keep inside or on the roof.

Here's a crazy suggestion, let me know what you think:

Mount a decent winch on the roof on a lazy susan rotating plate(or a vertical axis capstan winch if you can get those?). Mount an open (u-shaped) rope guide above each wheel so you can run the winch cable to whichever wheel you need to change. You could also mount a pivoting A-frame to lift the motorbike over the edge of the roof. Anything heavy can be brought up effortlessly.


Aaaannnnd you've got me thinking about building a teardrop caravan again.
e: I've sketchup screenshots but they're not uploading to imgur, I'll try again tomorrow.

cakesmith handyman fucked around with this message at 22:38 on Jul 12, 2016

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Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
This is the best ever

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