We Screwed Up | 9 MISTAKES We Made on our VAN Build | Ford Transit Conversion

Ford Transit Van Build Australia | Vanlife Australia

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0:00 Intro
0:46 Wall Panelling Too Heavy
1:53 Rear Deck Not Used
2:48 Front Passenger Seat Illegal
3:48 Fridge Too Small
5:32 Charging Locations Wrong Places
6:48 Salty Vanventures
7:36 Dimmable Lights Non-Existent
9:03 Clothes Dryer (Don't Have One)
10:19 Incorrect Undercoat Used

[wardsdotnet]

For the dim light problem just install some LED fairy lights around the edges of the ceiling

[svleoc]

Sliding doors are best for overhead cabinets. You won't need struts. You won't need a latch or lock on them because they wont open when your driving, You can't hit your head on them, and you can make them out of 3mm aluminium composite panel which is very light, doesn't need painting and comes in nice colours.

[MyLittleFarmhouse]

Ten !!
The Insulation!
Put a vapour barrier in and fill “every” gap with insulation.
I look at your van and I think of the mould and rust that would be behind those walls 😖

[Canoecamper]

Thanks for the ideas about what to watch for. I'm far from being a carpenter, but I'm pretty good at solving problems. You said you framed your overhead cupboards with wood that is too thin. Well, why not make the entire cabinet door out of one piece of plywood, then glue and brad a thin veneer frame on top of the plywood. No worries about the miters separating because they sit atop a solid piece of plywood.

[doraexplora]

Having done this myself:
1. Keep things SUPER LIGHT! No solid wood. No 2x1's. All frameless or thing frames epoxy glued together with a 'Coreflute' plastic insert (Bamboo for the Greenies).
2. Definitely align your work surfaces with your power needs. Use 12V to 19VDC(any laptop voltage selectable) adapters/chargers.
3. NO bright lights anywhere. Dimmable, everywhere.
4. Only have removable storage for the back slide outs.
5. Don't tamper with anything that might stop you from getting your Blue Slip (Road Worthy Certificate)[MOT]. Do all that afterwards. Make the car as stock as possible (engineering wise) 'just in case' so you are sure you will get it passed. (Only necessary if your van is not registered already or you need to get it reclassified.
6. Be VERY careful about the number and type of 'holes' you make in the side of the van. ie. Utility, LPG, H2O, Shore Power etc. Make sure these comply with the local Standards.
7. Don't over spec your 12VDC wiring unnecessarily. Understand which gauge can carry what current.
8. Use either wood glue or Locktite on every nut and bolt for rougher roads, including dirt. Avoid self-tapers like you avoid your mother-in-law.
9. RUST PROOF RUST PROOF RUST PROOF RUST PROOF

10. Take this guys advice about 'washing lines' and everything else he mentions, as it is spot on advice.

[distortionpedal]

Yeah I noticed many people don’t think about weight . It does my head in especially with petrol costs .

[jeffsteinmetz]

These kind of videos are of the most value. Thank you for telling us like it is.

[yornavSY]

Well done! Weight of the wood or weight in general during building, is a very common forgotten element. I saw many vans build with these pinewood planks. Some owners definitely did not like the driving behaviour of the car. I believe 5 mm light multiplex for ceiling and 8 mm maximum for walls. For furniture also 5 to 12 mm and 15 mm for seats. Anyhow enjoy your van, it is beautiful.

[prepparig]

Your lines are so clean especially where walls meet the ceiling. Great video!! I'm in the process of converting a shuttle bus and finishing off a transit van and this definitely solidifies some of my decisions. I'm an overthinker, which usually leads to procrastination, and videos like this definitely help me focus and make decisions.

[horusrage]

An alternative to the dimmer switch in the wall is bluetooth led light lights. You can set it up to control from your phone. And several have a variety of options including dimming, warm/cold light, scene lighting & colour sound lighting. You can also schedule tasks for it.
MIrabella has a variety of them that you could look in at bunnings.

[juanitadaniels]

Thank you, it's very helpful to see where challenges can crop up, now I'm forewarned it will help immensely!

[sadejasmin]

LOVE this video. Thanks for being transparent and giving us lots to think about. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[I_Am_SciCurious]

Thank you so much for this information! I was planning a pull out deck like yours but I’ll scrap that idea now. The undercoat info just saved me a ton of headaches too. I seriously appreciate it.

[elsaparsons]

I’ve enjoyed all your build videos, this one included. I have dimmer lights, but I use my dimmable fairy lights (Amazon) even more. It adds a cozy feel to my rolling home, plus they can be bright enough to cook etc, but low enough to just be cozy. Second, I do have a laundry line in the van, again on Amazon, that is retractable. What I would do different on mine is to have a toe kick on the kitchen cupboards because now that the doors are settling, they are scraping the ground. Question - are you happy with all your door locks and securement devices? That’s been a big one for me and I wished I would’ve planned the locks when designing all the cabinets and pull out drawers

[jewelrussell]

Re stealth lighting, would you consider fairy lights. They're often used in vans and can either run off solar or batteries. I use them in my bedroom and the light they give off might do the trick for a van.

[scoro]

I love your honesty. A fantastic design and build but always from for improvement. Thanks so much for sharing.

[michaelhackethal]

Nice work, man! 
Just one thing that keeps coming to my mind: with long pieces of solid wood covering the length of the walls what might happen in case of a highway accident is they can crack and come flying towards you like pointed spears. Plywood avoids that danger.
Also I see magnets for kitchen knives time and again in these vans and people don‘t seem to take them off when driving. I don‘t want to imagine having a crash with these blades swirling tthrough the car…
But thanks a lot for sharing your ideas and mistakes,  it helps me with my planning even though I will keep it way simpler.
Anyway, there is no perfect camper van for everything. You always have to compromise. And that‘s perfectly fine.

[juliewright]

Awesome! Thanks for the update and suggestions ☺️

[darrenjordan]

Great vid mate. Don't be hard on yourself. Your van is awesome.

[iandalton]

Maybe stretch the budget to a paired gas strut to minimize the flexing ! Just noticed today that all Ikea wall cabinets have paired struts ! Thanks to your brilliant video, now I know why !