Motorhome removed from chassis photo

[mitzimad]

mate of my dads used to build camper van from gown vans

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

When I was looking at pick-ups last year I thought there seem to be a lot of Mercedes’ ones around, turns out they are ex sainsburys delivery vans that have been converted into flat beds and tippers.

 

[DDJC]

12 bolts?
I'm slowing down.

For the first time, I'm getting the appeal of a big heavy, metal bodied PVC...

 

[TOT]

Tis the sort of image that wakes you in the small hours.....................

 

[uzsnowdrop]

mate of my dads used to build camper van from gown vans
View attachment 603169

A gown van? What are those?

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[TheBig1]

A gown van? What are those?

Not so common now, but the clothes shops etc used to deliver to store in a specially converted van with rails in the back. The posh shops often had one to deliver dresses to the customer

 

[68c]

I was trying to work out what "gown" was the misstype for, grown, brown, down....now I know I am the dumb one.

 

[TheBig1]

I was trying to work out what "gown" was the misstype for, grown, brown, down....now I know I am the dumb one.

not dumb, just something new to you. Many people have no idea what many customised coachbuilt vans were for. It used to be common. These days a standard panel van is designed to fit a full size euro pallet between the wheel arches. Not many people even think about it

 

[uzsnowdrop]

not dumb, just something new to you. Many people have no idea what many customised coachbuilt vans were for. It used to be common. These days a standard panel van is designed to fit a full size euro pallet between the wheel arches. Not many people even think about it

I know about ‘luton’ vans ( hat boxes etc) but had never heard of a gown van… or so I thought until u posted that and I vaguely remember my dad renting one when I was a kid… a van not a

 

[Platelet]

unlikely as even with a different cab, the battery would have to be bolted under the chassis and be way to heavy for the current capability of the suspension and would necessitate removal of water tanks etc. Far easier and cheaper to convert to use LPG or hydrogen though but massively expensive still

From what I’ve read recently, LPG is getting very difficult to source and will only get worse.

ambulancekidd do you remember the “detachable back” we used to have that took 2 days to swap!!

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[gus-lopez]

My first one was a converted laundry truck.

mate of my dads used to build camper van from gown vans
View attachment 603169

**& for those who don't know what one of those was it was a vehicle that used to go around collecting washing & dry cleaning from businesses & take it to a laundry & then when washed /cleaned return it to the drop off pick up shops.

 

[ambulancekidd]

From what I’ve read recently, LPG is getting very difficult to source and will only get worse.

ambulancekidd do you remember the “detachable back” we used to have that took 2 days to swap!!

Yes I remember them well MIAB (I think) bodied ambulances in the mid to late 80s.
The idea was that services kept the ambulance body & simply changed to a newer chassis when the old bit was worn out.
It never really caught on, but it was a clever idea.
The was a large rubber gasket round the saloon body which they'd replace each time the chassis was renewed which you can see in the photo that I've found & the wheel arch was movable for differing wheelbase vehicles.

 

[Gromett]

If it was 12 M3 bolts then I would be worried. But 12 well specced bolts should be more than enough.

 

[uzsnowdrop]

I’m sorry, I’m back on this thread and the whole 12 bolts thing has been haunting me….

 

[TheBig1]

I’m sorry, I’m back on this thread and the whole 12 bolts thing has been haunting me….

12 bolts the size of a man's finger. Each bolt probably capable of holding a tonne by itself. 3 double rows each side.

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[busbuddy]

One decent m12 bolt can hold 3500kg before it starts to stretch so 12 probably bigger than m12 and over 8.8 will make sure it's still there when you arrive onsite

 

[PP Bear]

Just think of the ability of a single nut….the so called Jesus nut as fitted to helicopters

Life literally hanging by a single nut and bolt, if one’s good enough for airworthiness, then 12 is fine by me in the jollybus

 

[EuroTrotters]

Might be another good reason to buy an "A class"

Or a PVC

 

[funflair]

Or a PVC

We did camping in the back of a van a few years ago and hopefully have moved on but "never say never"

 

[jezport]

12 bolts?
I'm slowing down.

For the first time, I'm getting the appeal of a big heavy, metal bodied PVC...

Yes that was one of my thoughts when a bought my PVC, I also fitted full air suspension as the cart horse suspension as standard is also a weak point safety wise!

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[busbuddy]

The alko part of the chassis is usually bolted together mechano style, some build their a-class with a chopped down standard cab bolted to alko chassis under the body or with a full bolt together alko chassis
The engine/gearbox is usually held in by 3 or 4 bolts and that spends its life trying to rip itself out of the mounts