Tam and Toby ~~ Hunting Zorba .....Take two.

This site contains affiliate links for which MHF may be compensated.
nicholsong said:
Yes it is atourist hotspot in summer. It used to be full of young scandinavians and some really stunning chicks amongst them - you should hang around, or come back after Bulgaria.
Click to expand...
Ill hopefully be back next year if i can get out of the uk
 
More bad news from home today , my cousin mary and her husband ronnie both have covid , ronnies dad also had it but he passed away this morning aged 72 , mary has lots of health issues and is in intensive care she's 53 ...ronnie has bad flu symptoms at the minute but coping ok
 
Lucky bugger Tam this is what we have

image.jpeg
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
 
Northernraider said:
More bad news from home today , my cousin mary and her husband ronnie both have covid , ronnies dad also had it but he passed away this morning aged 72 , mary has lots of health issues and is in intensive care she's 53 ...ronnie has bad flu symptoms at the minute but coping ok
Click to expand...
I hope Mary & Ronnie get over it Tam
 
Just to make you all feel less envious ....its peeing it down here today and its cold ....only 9°
20210116_092749.jpg


We have a couple of days of this forecast then its meant to be back up to 18°

On days like this thats when i wish i had a logburner 😁 my next van will and a diesel heater
 
Good,I hope you freeze!!! ;) :ROFLMAO::rofl:

The BBC weather forecast for where I am,near Cambridge says 100% snow at 9am. That’s now...........and it ain’t snowing. The grandchildren will be v disappointed if it doesn’t.........I won’t.:rolleyes::LOL:
 
Northernraider said:
Just to make you all feel less envious ....its peeing it down here today and its cold ....only 9°
View attachment 456780

We have a couple of days of this forecast then its meant to be back up to 18°

On days like this thats when i wish i had a logburner 😁 my next van will and a diesel heater
Click to expand...
I've been looking at a lot of "van life" on the laptop. There are some lovely self builds featured on there some with beautiful dinky little woodburners. Definitely the way to go!
Several of them are fully lined out with wood planking, in some cases recycled pallet wood. I guess they don't have the same weight restrictions as us.
You would be ok, but would definitely need a C1 license. I curse the day I notified dvla of my MS til that point I was happily driving a 7.5 ton (horse) truck. Grrr!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
CazPaul said:
Definite self build for you then.
Click to expand...
Yes im pretty much set on a self build on a Merc vario ....if i can get the 6 -7.5 tonne range then i can build a nice robust interior and do it how i want it. ...and can also carry a motorbike or scooter on the back.

Been following a few vario builds on Instagram and youtube so got plenty ideas from there. I reckon 25 -30k all in should buy and build a cracking van.
 
Val 3 dogs said:
I've been looking at a lot of "van life" on the laptop. There are some lovely self builds featured on there some with beautiful dinky little woodburners. Definitely the way to go!
Several of them are fully lined out with wood planking, in some cases recycled pallet wood. I guess they don't have the same weight restrictions as us.
You would be ok, but would definitely need a C1 license. I curse the day I notified dvla of my MS til that point I was happily driving a 7.5 ton (horse) truck. Grrr!
Click to expand...
Yeah i have c1 entitlement so im good for 7.5 tonne
And yes mine would be real wood interior also ....home builds certainly look more homely i think
 
Northernraider said:
Just to make you all feel less envious ....its peeing it down here today and its cold ....only 9°
View attachment 456780

We have a couple of days of this forecast then its meant to be back up to 18°

On days like this thats when i wish i had a logburner 😁 my next van will and a diesel heater
Click to expand...
Are there any threads on log burners for motorhomes on here

I would love to do it.....but I can see issues

Short chimney= poor draw
Heavy
Prone to burning houses down
Fuel is expensive unless you can scavenge dry wood
Hard to restrain on the move
Danger of death from co or fumes
Heat shield at roof, that does not leak

Apart from that no problems
 
gpat said:
Are there any threads on log burners for motorhomes on here

I would love to do it.....but I can see issues

Short chimney= poor draw
Heavy
Prone to burning houses down
Fuel is expensive unless you can scavenge dry wood
Hard to restrain on the move
Danger of death from co or fumes
Heat shield at roof, that does not leak

Apart from that no problems
Click to expand...
I wouldn't fit one in a motorhome.

But a self build van done properly yes there are loads of them out there.
It also depends on the size of the burner ...people are inclined to think house sized burner ...but you get ones made specifically for use in small vans (not that a vario is small as its actually the same size as my hymer) and you get proper flues etc to go with them

This is what ill be fitting....it also wont be used all the time as ill be fitting a webasto diesel heater too ....but its free heat .....the places i like to go theres always free wood lying around ...ive an outside locker full of olive wood right now 😁

Glastonbury Burners

Glastonbury Burners have been operating for many years now. Dave Provides a reliable and affordable service in the stove manufacturing industry. Custom made wood burners, log burners, multifuel stoves and other associated products are a speciality
www.glastonburyburners.co.uk www.glastonburyburners.co.uk



Heres a wee youtube video of one being fitted
 
Last edited:
Nice vans the Varios Tam, I've looked at quite a few, I was going to buy the MWB at one point. The LWB look enormous when you see them in the flesh.

Some of them have a diesel heater in from new even.

I was going to import one from PK trucks in the Netherlands at one point, but they said they couldnt sell one to UK because of emission regulations. Brand new Vario(The last of the new ones as they stopped making them)I think this was about 7 or 8 years ago.

It was a lovely blue colour they had 3 of them brand new. 4.2 litre engine.
 
CazPaul said:
Nice vans the Varios Tam, I've looked at quite a few, I was going to buy the MWB at one point. The LWB look enormous when you see them in the flesh.

Some of them have a diesel heater in from new even.

I was going to import one from PK trucks in the Netherlands at one point, but they said they couldnt sell one to UK because of emission regulations. Brand new Vario(The last of the new ones as they stopped making them)I think this was about 7 or 8 years ago.

It was a lovely blue colour they had 3 of them brand new. 4.2 litre engine.
Click to expand...
Yeah the long wheel base maxi is 7050mm long 2200 wide and 2950height so pretty much the same size as toby ... and then a roofrack on top

This is my ideal model ....it has 7 seats originally , barn style side door , 2 factory windows behind cab but no other ones.

The barn door is smaller and quieter than a slider. 4 heki rooflights fitted hidden by roofrack and it wont stand out as a camper straight off.

Front section of roofrack for solar rear as a sun deck 😉

4.3 diesel turbo , rear wheel drive , 7.5 tonne max ....
20201221_171410.jpg
20201221_171422.jpg

Ive missed 3 in germany while ive been here .....there are still lots available there but most have sliding door which if hard pushed id still go for but the barn door is my first choice.
The 7 seater usually has rear diesel heater fitted in them too which is a bonus.

Various mileages too ...but they hold value and are sought after so just the base van will cost me around 10 -12 k but if i get a good one it will do me for years.


I can also once the main build is done add a bit of customisation to the exterior like i did previously with vw vans which i kind of miss. Ive been watching loads of build blogs on them the last couple of months so ive a good idea of my layout ...and plan to invest in good batteries , charger , solar etc which in itself will swallow another chunk of budget but in the end i reckon id have a much stronger more reliable van than a 25- 30k motorhome
And with the extra weight capacity it can be built more hardwearing
 
Last edited:
Rains off now thankfully....have moved today to a spot on the beach here
Screenshot_20210116-135903_park4night.jpg
Screenshot_20210116-135949_park4night.jpg


Had a walk along the beach as theres a little church on the cliff edge but I couldn't get to it....not sure if the tide is in or if its only accessible by boat ...
20210116_115308.jpg
20210116_115314.jpg
20210116_115634.jpg
20210116_115825.jpg
20210116_115830.jpg


On the walk back i spotted this car thats obviously came off the cliff and rolled down and is now perched half way up ....
20210116_120647.jpg
20210116_120652.jpg
20210116_120655.jpg



Might have to fly the drone later or tomorrow depending on weather to get a closer look at both 😁
 
Northernraider said:
Might have to fly the drone later or tomorrow depending on weather to get a closer look at both 😁
Click to expand...

You know there's going to be a skeleton at the wheel !! :eek:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Northernraider said:
Yeah the long wheel base maxi is 7050mm long 2200 wide and 2950height so pretty much the same size as toby ... and then a roofrack on top

This is my ideal model ....it has 7 seats originally , barn style side door , 2 factory windows behind cab but no other ones.

The barn door is smaller and quieter than a slider. 4 heki rooflights fitted hidden by roofrack and it wont stand out as a camper straight off.

Front section of roofrack for solar rear as a sun deck 😉

4.3 diesel turbo , rear wheel drive , 7.5 tonne max ....
View attachment 456843View attachment 456844
Ive missed 3 in germany while ive been here .....there are still lots available there but most have sliding door which if hard pushed id still go for but the barn door is my first choice.
The 7 seater usually has rear diesel heater fitted in them too which is a bonus.

Various mileages too ...but they hold value and are sought after so just the base van will cost me around 10 -12 k but if i get a good one it will do me for years.


I can also once the main build is done add a bit of customisation to the exterior like i did previously with vw vans which i kind of miss. Ive been watching loads of build blogs on them the last couple of months so ive a good idea of my layout ...and plan to invest in good batteries , charger , solar etc which in itself will swallow another chunk of budget but in the end i reckon id have a much stronger more reliable van than a 25- 30k motorhome
And with the extra weight capacity it can be built more hardwearing
Click to expand...
Cool. Not sure about your plans for the roof rack though. I'd have that to the scrap yard

Looks like its heavy and very un aerodynamic

The van is ace
 
gpat said:
Cool. Not sure about your plans for the roof rack though. I'd have that to the scrap yard

Looks like its heavy and very un aerodynamic

The van is ace
Click to expand...
That van is sold so wont be that exact roofrack ....
Mine would be closer to the roof and with a spoiler/deflector at the front

I plan to have mine wooden slatted ...500 watt of solar at front built on tilt frames. The rear section will be multi use as sun deck and space for a couple of aluminium storage boxes side ladder in front of rear wheel leaving the back of the van clear for a custom built motorbike carrier.

Weight isnt too much of an issue on a 7.5 tonne van 😉

Like this 😁
Screenshot_20210116-152814_Chrome.jpg
 
Last edited:

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top