WTB - Cheap Caravan

[Canam370]

Pick-up Broadford! You've bought GMC's house you heartless person - and its Winter.

[GMC]

Pick-up Broadford! You've bought GMC's house you heartless person - and its Winter.

Nah, just checked out the front window to see if anyone was hooking it up, the noises must have been the rats.





That Van place is the old car yard site, they used to sell damaged cars but they have been quiet the last few years.
I did hear they were selling Vans but I haven't been around for a look for a while.

[Canam370]

Pick-up Broadford! You've bought GMC's house you heartless person - and its Winter.

Nah, just checked out the front window to see if anyone was hooking it up, the noises must have been the rats.





That Van place is the old car yard site, they used to sell damaged cars but they have been quiet the last few years.
I did hear they were selling Vans but I haven't been around for a look for a while.

Well theres a candidate for a cheap caravan! Or have you already taken bookings for Summer holiday accomodation?

[Simo63]

So does anyone have any ideas on how I could get this towed to Qld economically?  And by economically I mean for under $1K?

[EML]

start by pumpin'then tyres up.....
Wont be too many flat tops coming up with that much space I don't imagine.

[Nobby25]

WANTED: Cheap caravan to convert into a motorcycle race transporter

Simo, Serious question, how would you convert a van into a bike transporter? I like the idea, I have been looking at buying an enclosed trailer for 3 or 4 bikes and that I could sleep in if needed, your van idea might be an option.
Nob

[Simo63]

WANTED: Cheap caravan to convert into a motorcycle race transporter

Simo, Serious question, how would you convert a van into a bike transporter? I like the idea, I have been looking at buying an enclosed trailer for 3 or 4 bikes and that I could sleep in if needed, your van idea might be an option.
Nob

Okay Nob my plan is this:

1. Buy a full size caravan with the sleeping quarters at the rear (note must be 2200mm or wider as some earlier aluminium framed Millards are only 1900mm wide so watch for that)
2. Buy an aluminium framed van as that makes it stronger and easier to work with. I don’t fancy the idea of working with timber .. I can’t weld the shit)
3. remove the front mounted "club lounge"
4. cut an opening next to the door approx 500mm wide but it could be wider (on the van I purchased I will make the cut 55% of the width of the window next to the door so as to allow me to use the left over exterior sheeting to fill the void the 45% window will leave)
5. Fabricate a frame between the outer panel and inner timber (like a 3 sided door frame)
6. Fabricate a ramp that fits into the void created that can take the weight of a motorcycle without bending/distorting
7. Sheet the ramp with alloy checker plate and then mount it.  I am planning to hinge the ramp at the bottom and make locking system so it locks in at the front and top (all locking will be done from inside the van)
8. Attach the original “female” door latch that was fitted to the section of wall I removed, to the side of my new ramp
9. Create tie down points inside for 2 or 3 bikes across the front (the interior layout will dictate what you can fit in across the van but there is the option of also having one down the centre).  I am planning to use the floor mounted types if possible because they will be the least intrusive however if necessary I will make a frame to lock the bikes into.  If I can get away with the floor mounted points then I will be able to also fabricate another fold down bed at the front for my son but if not he can sleep on the floor in his swag.

And that’s about the extent of my plan.  I will try it and see how it works out I guess.  I was originally planning on a rear opening arrangement particularly after seeing a friends Jayco Work n Play van but after the problems he had with that rear door leaking I’m far keener on the side mounting approach for 2 reasons.  Firstly I think it’s easier to get a van with rear mounted sleeping quarters but secondly and after seeing my mates Jayco leak like a sieve, I think it’s easier to make the side door arrangement seal up compared to a rear door that will have all the air pressures at work when travelling (eg the air and any rain water swirling over the top and around the rear trying to find a way in). 

I take no responsibility for the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of my plans .. I’m an accountant not an engineer 

[Nobby25]

Thanks for that Simo, I had the same thoughts on a rear door being a problem. I'll have a look out for a van of that type to help me get my head around your plan and look forward to updates of your progress.
Cheers Nob

[EML]

Just a couple of observations Simo,
The ramp/door may not need to be full height and could be a bottom 1/2 ramp and top 1/2 flap door- this would help with weather sealing.
The 'side-mount' will work much better as you will be closer to your storage/work area and less likley to be open to theft/nosey parkers sticking their beaks into you gear if the opening is around where you are sitting and not around the back-so to speak. It also gives a better place to have a side awning/shade.
If you make the door wide enough you can sell it to me-but only if it's big enough for a Wasp-with 3 wheels

[Kenneth S (222)]

Hi Craig,
I am in the middle of converting a horse trailer to a bike carrier so all of this stuff is front of mind for me at the moment. A couple of things occurred to me when reading your plan. By the sounds of it, you are going to widen the side door to the left towards the front of the van and carry your bikes at the front of the van left of the van axle. That makes a lot of sense and looks to be a good plan. Just a question, 3 bikes will mean 300kg at the front plus the existing weight at the tow ball. Will you have enough weight at the rear of the van to balance that out? If not, it might make the van too heavy at the tow ball and it won't tow well. Ideally for the best towing set up you want the overall loaded van weight a little forward of center over the axle of the van. Is a side entrance really what you want? If you really want the ramp at the rear, trust yourself to come up with a cunning plan to seal it. Even if you do decide to have the ramp at the rear, depending on what else you have in the van, you might still need to roll the bikes forward enough to be a little forward of center over the van axle or the van might be too heavy at the back.

It's obvious and I am sure you have them covered, but just in case, a few steps I have used which has helped me. The top sheet always overlapping the next one down, use Sikaflex 252 (Bunnings) to seal the joins, the ramp width wider than the frame it closes to, adhesive backed sealing rubber (Clark Rubber)  applied to the frame at each side of the ramp, a top flap, as Suggested by EML, overlapping the top of the ramp when closed and to the seal the top flap, I came across a great set up for my trailer. At Universal Engineering Supplies, you can buy a waterproof Centraflex continuous hinge to run the whole length of the top flap. The top flap can be lighter weight and if you add gas struts can be a mini awning.

Here is the link to the Centraflex hinge. http://uesint.com/upload/pdf/Centaflex%20Continuous%20Hinge.pdf

[GMC]

Proposed door jam profile
If you can get someone to fold you up something along these lines, be it steel, alloy or stainless you can then fit it into the hole.
The lip helps catch any water which can then run down.
The rubber makes the final seal.
Make sure there is no lip, or there are holes in the lip at the bottom so that water can escape