Ducato Hello - Freshmeat!

[NorthernLoop]

Hello all,

Just registered and next Monday I should be collecting my factory order chassis on a low loader box for a campervan conversion

Van spec,

Fiat Ducato 2.3 140 Multijet Euro 6D
Wide track
7in Touchscreen with DAB Radio - Bluetooth with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 1RB
Carter Seat 50E
Glove Box Under Drivers Seat 7WV
Heater - Predisposition On Fuel Tank 52X
Single Passenger Seat with Armrest 297 (special order only)
Tablet Holder 75Q
DAB Radio Aerial in Door Mirrors 54Q
Front Height Adjustable Saddle Head Restraint 188
Glovebox – Central 6ZQ
Height Adjustable Single Passenger Seat 454
Techno Dashboard 6BL
Manual air conditioning
Cruise control
Twin leaf suspension for heavy duty conversions

on a luton low loader 5.6m box

And yeah I'm bit crazy

 

[jackwhoo]

Hello all,

Just registered and next Monday I should be collecting my factory order chassis on a low loader box for a campervan conversion

Van spec,

Fiat Ducato 2.3 140 Multijet Euro 6D
Wide track
7in Touchscreen with DAB Radio - Bluetooth with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 1RB
Carter Seat 50E
Glove Box Under Drivers Seat 7WV
Heater - Predisposition On Fuel Tank 52X
Single Passenger Seat with Armrest 297 (special order only)
Tablet Holder 75Q
DAB Radio Aerial in Door Mirrors 54Q
Front Height Adjustable Saddle Head Restraint 188
Glovebox – Central 6ZQ
Height Adjustable Single Passenger Seat 454
Techno Dashboard 6BL
Manual air conditioning
Cruise control
Twin leaf suspension for heavy duty conversions

on a luton low loader 5.6m box

And yeah I'm bit crazy

Hi,

Several people have had problems providing a brand new chassis cab to coach builders .

The issues have been when faults appear following conversion the coach builder says nothing to do with us and Fiat say nothing to do with us becaused the coach builder must have messed something up.

If at all possible drive chassis cab as is for several miles make sure no problems especially attention to all electrical systems. If not possible to drive at very least run the engine and check ALL electrical systems , absolutely everything. Several times.

It may be a good idea to talk to the coach builder about how any problems will be resolved.
Talk to fiat too about how warrantee may be affected by conversion- do this in writing/email.



Best wishes

Jack

 

[jackwhoo]

Plus consider paying for some of your purchase of conversion by credit card. Look into how this could give you consumer protection.

 

[NorthernLoop]

Hi Jack and thanks for your reply. Other than the lights the van place arent doing anything to the van. That will all be on me doing my own conversion so any warranty for the box will be void when I start cutting big window holes in it

Chassis cab will be left untouched so no walkway or door into the box for Fiat warranty reasons!

 

[jackwhoo]

Hi Jack and thanks for your reply. Other than the lights the van place arent doing anything to the van. That will all be on me doing my own conversion so any warranty for the box will be void when I start cutting big window holes in it

Chassis cab will be left untouched so no walkway or door into the box for Fiat warranty reasons!

Glad to be a help

You would hope that the conversion place would be able to get the vehicle lighting correct.

one of the people who took a brand new chassis cab to a motor home builder had very upsetting problems caused by faulty vehicle lighting mods(from memory it caused all sorts of dash problems and vehicle engine to cut out)
sorted in the end but she Was sent back and forth between converter and dealer....

I'm glad you sound very capable and that you are doing your own thing - very refreshing.
dragonman has done some amazing stuff

So check your chassis cab electrical stuff for full function if you can before dropping it off . Good idea to check vehicle bodu6 very very thoroughly too , video photos etc just so you know of any issues prior to handing it to someone else.

Do you intend to keep the max vehicle weight under 3500 kg for European adventures?

Beware of overloading the max rear axle weight.

Best wishes

Jack

 

[NorthernLoop]

2 years rough planning in my head so yeah fully know the issues I'm going to be up against, bit scary but makes it fun as well.

I'm off to see the van this week (Wednesday) before it's IVA on Friday then collecting next Monday.

Weight is obviously the biggest thing as I have such a big space it's easy to go mad but yeah already done my spreadsheets for calculations and will be having weekly/monthly visits to the weighbridges locally through the conversion stage. I might be able to up plate it to 3650kg but need to ask that question on Wednesday.

For the money I'm spending yeah of course I could of got a semi decent motorhome but I have requirements that none of these would meet, well not technically true there is ones out there but we are talking mega money...300-500k etc! So I'll be on the cheaper scale of that but to my quirky style. I do outdoor/off-grid stuff, hiking/climbing/kayaking so this van will cover all those type of stuff. Long term looking to do full time and buy land somewhere warm

 

[jackwhoo]

2 years rough planning in my head so yeah fully know the issues I'm going to be up against, bit scary but makes it fun as well.

I'm off to see the van this week (Wednesday) before it's IVA on Friday then collecting next Monday.

Weight is obviously the biggest thing as I have such a big space it's easy to go mad but yeah already done my spreadsheets for calculations and will be having weekly/monthly visits to the weighbridges locally through the conversion stage. I might be able to up plate it to 3650kg but need to ask that question on Wednesday.

For the money I'm spending yeah of course I could of got a semi decent motorhome but I have requirements that none of these would meet, well not technically true there is ones out there but we are talking mega money...300-500k etc! So I'll be on the cheaper scale of that but to my quirky style. I do outdoor/off-grid stuff, hiking/climbing/kayaking so this van will cover all those type of stuff. Long term looking to do full time and buy land somewhere warm

Check your driving licence , you may not be allowed to drive a vehicle plated over 3500kg in Europe. Stick to 3500kg

 

[NorthernLoop]

Check your driving licence , you may not be allowed to drive a vehicle plated over 3500kg in Europe. Stick to 3500kg

Yeah I would need to pass C1 for that 150kg

 

[jackwhoo]

Yeah I would need to pass C1 for that 150kg

And you would probably have to change all four wheels to get a tyre size that has a sufficiently high load rating!
By the way Check out the load rating on the tyres fitted

 

[NorthernLoop]

Tyres standard are load rated to 115 if I recall but those might be changed to some BFG ones. We'll see if they fit in the rear arches

 

[jackwhoo]

Tyres standard are load rated to 115 if I recall but those might be changed to some BFG ones. We'll see if they fit in the rear arches

115 = 1215kg

What do fiat tell you the maximum rear axle load is?

 

[NorthernLoop]

Chill Jack It's not my first van, I know about weights/tyres/loads and all the other stuff that comes with converting a van.

 

[jackwhoo]

Chill Jack It's not my first van, I know about weights/tyres/loads and all the other stuff that comes with converting a van.

Ok just interested in your van and project.
I have no way of knowing what you know or don't know.
sorry if you felt at all criticised.
Very best of luck.
Jack

 

[NorthernLoop]

Yeah it's all good, self converting a van you need to be mechanic, builder, sparky, plumber, joiner and everything in between. At best you might do 1 of these role as a profession and the rest you learn as you go. However there is some people on the internet who will gladly point any minor error(s).

It's tidy little (actually massive) DIY project so things will be a be wonky and quirky but I'll love it because I did it