Lenny's Modding the new Mini Gin Palace 2

[Lenny HB]

First job was to get some stock in.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Finally got around to starting a thread, at least it will stop you lot nagging me.
I've been a bit busy with daughter visiting from Thailand and fitting in the Hereford Rally a few days after getting the van.

This van is giving me a lot of earache, someone keeps going on about has small & cramped it is.

A few pics of the poky little van, to be honest apart from a few niggles the build quality so much better than the Hymers we have had, makes it look like Hymers were built in the Lada factory.


View attachment 920877View attachment 920878

The posy cushions they supply are quite nice but not very practical.
View attachment 920876View attachment 920879View attachment 920880View attachment 920881View attachment 920884View attachment 920885

Dash is quite nice apart from the steering wheel being on the wrong side.
View attachment 920886View attachment 920887

It looks very small Lenny

 

[BobJayne]

Have you had the dreaded airbag warning yet?

 

[poppycamper]

It looks very small Lenny

Not only small.. but the colour choice in bedroom looks a bit.... well.... gay!!!.
Njoy.yer new mini Palace Lenny HB

 

[CazPaul]

What the length, 7metre?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Had to do a couple of little repairs on the van before starting the mods, the cental locking wasn't working on the hab door, it is now Lenny has assembled it correctly (mentioned on other threads). And now the SOG switch has broken only £3.40 for a new switch so I will sort it myself.

 

[Lenny HB]

What the length, 7metre?

6.65m, 2.12m wide.

 

[Lenny HB]

Not only small.. but the colour choice in bedroom looks a bit.... well.... gay!!!.
Njoy.yer new mini Palace Lenny HB

Bedding from the old van it doesn't suit this one, & doesn't fit. I will have to get the sewing machine out and make some new fitted sheets in a more subdued colour.

 

[Lenny HB]

First mod was the step well mat as I found out the hard way nothing holds it in place, first time in the van at the dealers as I got out I went flying out the door, flipping dangerous.

A length of unequal channel alloy sorted that, unequal channel as then I could fit it using the original screws for the foot well.

 

[Lenny HB]

First job was finding the solar cables, I knew they came from above the fridge to the front of the van. Unlike a Hymer where the cables are just slung under the floor in a Carthago they really hide them and secure them with hundreds of cable ties.
Several hours later I finally found then under the footwell and cut them off and got a small hole saw out so I can easily (famous last words in a Carthago) extend and route the cables to the garage.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

How did you get the side seat to turn I can't see how on mine or is it just your model?

It is just the 141, doesn't turn, it's a bit of a pain.

Where you get the channel from please, our mat stops the fly curtain shutting.

Aluminium Unequal U Channel 20MM x 10MM x 1M | eBay

The unequal aluminium channel is Weldable One side of this channel is 20mm and the other is 10mm. It is 10mm wide externally, 7mm wide internally, has a thickness of 1.5mm and is 1m long. Get In Touch.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Lenny HB]

Next job was finding and getting at the battery, if my arms were an inch shorter I wouldn't have been able to get it out.

Had to get the boss down the hole to help getting the battery brackets out, also found out Carthago don't just bolt things in place they glue everything as well.

 

[Lenny HB]

Fitted two Fogstar 230ah Lithium, first charge one came up at 245ah and the other at 240ah. Been running just on battery power the last couple of weeks no charging rigged up yet.

Made up a panel to go above the batteries with a 4 way switch so if needed either battery can be selected, fuse for each battery and the BMV712 Shunt.

 

[Lenny HB]

Same width as our Adria Compact. Makes a big difference on narrow roads.
What tyres did it come with?
Your favourite Michelin campers?

Last two vans have been 2.21 so don't really notice the différance, I'm having more problem with the steering wheel on the wrong side, been driving LHD vans for 10 years.

Yep, bleeding awful Michelin Camper, got to be the worst tyres in the world.

 

[Lenny HB]

Got the Multiplus mounted and started sorting out the wiring, taken out the CBS charger and put a Victron Orion XS in it's place as I don't thing much of the Schaudt B2B looking at using it just for the fridge.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

This is the Master Plan.

Mains wiring not quite correct as Carthago fit an RCBO and feed the heater direct from that.

 

[Lenny HB]

The seal on the front of the roof which seals the cab area to the roof, I remember someone many years ago telling me his Carthago A class leaked and it was a very complicated construction in that area.
On other top end German A class it is just a simple straight sealing strip/tape which is easily sorted.

He had to take his back to Carthago in Germany he said to get sorted. I wonder if it’s the same construction? Oh r have they changed it?

Similar to Hymer and most A class, it's got a 10 year water ingress warranty providing I get ripped off for the annual damp check/

 

[Lenny HB]

Why does the Multiplus have a Starter battery connection?

To charge the starter battery, why else.
It will charge the starter battery all the time the hab batteries are connected.

I will still fit a Ablemail battery maintainer as I can't see the point of having the Multiplus running if the van is just sitting on the drive.
That is the reason for fitting the 10 ohm resistor so I can pre-charge the capacitors in the Multiplus when it's been off for a while, big inverters don't like being switched off & on it doesn't do the capacitors much good if connected directly to the batteries.

 

[Lenny HB]

Don’t think I could live with the loo/shower arrangement.

It actually works very well gives quite a large shower, I just need to fit some hooks on the back of the door for towels & some hooks with suckers for flannels.

Why have you got the chopping board on top of the lavvy.

Jealous, just because you haven't got one.

 

[Lenny HB]

Nice van Lenny if a little small think me a Misses D would have a serious bout of cabin fever in something so compacted.

You know how small Mi is and she keeps giving me earache about how tight the lounge is but does make driving easy.
Where did you get the table top from?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Always surprises me that you don't build your own from scratch, then everything would be as you want it from the start instead of buying dear vans and changing everything.

Wouldn't cost much less and I'd never finish it. My chippying skills are way down my list of skills.
Just a decent spec Ducato panel van is £65 to £70k these days.
Irrelevant really decided we couldn't live with a PVC and I don't think I would stand a chance at building an A Class.

 

[Lenny HB]

So is this one you have now wider than a van ? As it seems very narrow

It's a little wider but it had twin beds over a large garage and the abeyance inside of an A Class with the large screen. Things you just can't do in a PVC.

 

[Lenny HB]

Will you be able to disable the CBE hab to cab charging (Happens when the main panel is on and the HAB is above 13.5v)? Mine still does it despite disabling the cab to hab (R37 snip), and not sure what to snip next.... Cant be doing any harm though.

I've removed the CBE mains charger, I noticed there is only a single feed to the distribution unit so I am now thinking the distribution unit distributes the charge to the starter battery. I'll check that out if the rain stops. May not need the connection from the Multiplus.
No R37 to worry about as B2B is standard.

 

[Lenny HB]

Great looking van Lenny. Enjoying reading about your modifications. It must have been very frustrating not being able to get started.

You don't think daughter coming over stopped me do you?
Just not had time to put a thread up. Rain stopped play today.

 

[Lenny HB]

Which Camper tyres are they Lenny. I've just put All Seasons Camper on mine and they're like chalk and cheese compared to the previous Agilis. Much quieter and better ride. If you've got Agilis on yours they must be pretty old.

They still make both types.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Who was first to bang their head on the overbed lockers ?

No one, I take it you mean above the beds, more headroom than in the Hymer.

 

[Lenny HB]

If you are meaning me , I am not criticiseing anything just saying what I think about it, and I also hope he likes his many trips away in his new van.
But as for being jealous nothing would be farther from the truth, I wouldn't beg a new van.

One of our few luxuries in old age is new Motorhomes, only ever had new ones, can't bare the thought of buying a used one.

 

[Lenny HB]

PS where's the PI?

??

 

[Lenny HB]

Sitting in the house not a chance of that happening for while.

 

[Lenny HB]

When is your first trip abroad in the new motorhome?

Probably mind September, not allowed to go until after granddaughters birthday.
Will do a little bit in the UK doing the Lynton Top Rally & retro Festival, may do a bit more if we can be bothered to find park ups.

and i am worried about putting a tv bracket in the bedroom as it might void the warranty

I can never understand the need for 2 TV's in a Motorhome, wouldn't even have one in the bedroom at home.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}