Conversion Planning

I’ve decided to jump to the VW Caddy Maxi LWB conversion plan to my best ability and then stopped having an awesome realisation that if for some reason my Dad decides to leave me alone to get the van and to insure it meaning I will borrow a little more money the plan of converting will not hurt my pocket as bad as I previously thought.

Also I am planning with the most expensive way and moderate so before I put everything into plan, I can go out get the parts I need accordingly by looking for the best price so I know I will always have enough. so the basic plan overall is

• Borrow £7,000  (few hundred more than I need and not to touch it unless it’s an emergency) to purchase the van and insure it.
• I get paid every two weeks which is roughly between £400-£450 depending on hours and time of day (always can do over time)  I throw 125 or more aside with my savings I already have so I can pay off what I borrow every month.
• Conversion Step 1: Buying Insulation, flooring and wall + ceiling. which will roughly cost me £156 give or take. possibly £200.

Step 2: More money aside and increased to pay back whats needed.  I will hook up a leisure battery up that will also charge as  I drive with an on/off connection for lighting and charging my phone and laptop up. (Minimal to start with) i will also buy L.E.D battery lights as a backup or a dimmer light setting.

As step 3 arrives My first month of returning the borrowed money i not far and depending how my constant income goes depends how much I will throw in and this will tell me how fast or slow the third step will be  (There will be an agreed minimum of payment but if I can throw more in I will)

Step three will be the most expensive part on time and possibly money depending on materials and  if I mess up. I will make a bed/sofa/container so I can sleep and store my clothes and other bits as separate sections under the bed  The “kitchen” will be a basic counter with a sunk in sink with a hand pump tap (possibly)  with draws for food, a bin water waste and water.  I will have a camp style gas stove at first but decent enough to cook good real food. (reminder: Carbon Dioxide alarm needed)  So I can use this to eat on, work on and to cook on, the sunk in sink idea is so I can have a cover over if I need some extra room. (may stick with it may not)

A second Camper: I’ve decided if someone else wants to join me and my trips in the camper all  I will need to do is make a second bed, a “extension” which will be a basic piece of wood which then can be placed away out of sight, this might be the divider of the container under the bed.

(Flip up sofa/bed? to enter container?? mock model needed)

Step 4: Add the fun bits in! Bed covers, pillows, cutlery, plates, cups, mugs, whatever I need to live a keep myself occupied.. (maybe a small bookshelf)

The idea is to spend little time inside the camper and more time exploring taking high quality pictures and video clips but any time I need to spend an entire day inside I can without cabin fever.

security: The vehicle will have one anyway however for the backdoor I might buy an extra one so no one can shimmy the back doors open with me inside which I can lock and unlock from the inside. (a little expensive maybe but optional depending how I feel)

Below is the vehicle size of choice.

 

 

 

My Best Bet

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYQV9thBYhX/

Camping can be either cheap or expensive depending where you go and how long you go for and so on, involving a camper can be even more if you don’t plan it all properly, another reason why I am writing a blog which I can read back on later to see what I have previously thought and currently.

My best chance of having a camping van dwelling England exploration adventure is to think alternatives of campers which has started from a Car/SUV which I do not really feel 100% on but willing If I must or buying a VAN and converting it which will be expensive in the short term depending on size and what I plan to do.

Researching for months (before I even started to blog out my thoughts online) I have always came across Transits converted and I have always seen them around on the road during work and whiles riding my motorbike which has inspired me to do my own but I have a smaller budget, yes I can buy a transit for £400 with decent miles for the current state and insurance is a little cheaper than my car but  then running it and converting it will be twice as expensive if I go for the same big vans like I have seen!

Thinking to myself “This will replace your Ford Focus” I decided to downsize that idea a little and started a month worth of research on the smaller vans that are a car size van but a little longer like the VW Caddy Long Wheel Based. After seeing several youtube videos of other people doing theirs for 1-2 people sleeping space I have seen what went well, what some people could have done differently and how it has effected the vehicle whiles in transit.  (Main lesson, spread the weight or you will feel the vehicle favouring one side… specially when you break!)

Double Thinking: If I go Used, mileage is medium to high with few dents in the body work at a reasonable price for some and able to haggle the sellers down a little as they will expect not to be selling it at the asked price if they’re smart!

If I go NEW I will have to borrow some money but not as much as if I went to buy a second-hand car, yes I can then order whatever custom work I need like window(s) for an extra price but reduced time of converting knowing it should last me absolutely longer than second hand.

My business partner : I will need some help regardless at I have been lucky enough to reseve help from my Dad on insurance all I will have to do is persuade him why I want to do this, maybe I can use this conversion into a Father and Son project so he can teach me some life skills, bonding some more and also show him I am capable of some bits he might be unsure of maybe even showing him some neat litte tricks I’ve learnt.

The building side:

Apart from adding window(s) and a top hatch for smoke to escape out of I will be wanting to do it all, cutting wood down to make a main frame for a cooking top/desk in one, a small sink hidden but easiy accessable.  Bed/sofa/container in one and the insolation, lights and carpits.

The best thing about this will be I can build it for England trip and when I am ready knowing what I will need for longer trips I can upgrade knowing where everyhing is and how it is built  with confidence.

2-3 months It might take me but that is enough to earn more money as I go.

The Plan to Unlocking my Adventurer achievement

During my childhood, throughout my teenage life and early years of being an adult I have travelled around the world visiting new lands in luxury hotels and a handful of camping spots however I never have seen  an amazing view of the hills  overlooking the green of England,  hiking up the mountain in Europe camping and going further up to see what it is like living in the clouds.  Its a need a desire and a challenge I crave for.

I’m Edward Born  1990 in England and I want to learn more about England but I have a condition if I sit in a history class I fall asleep!!! How Insane! (Yes I am kidding.) I love history but I hate sitting in a classroom and looking at pictures when it is out there for me to see with my own eyes, also  you will never know what else you will discover.

 

The Planning so far

• Funding: Quitting my job whiles I go exploring is not an option, I would love to work a full year and then go out exploring however I do want to work between trips so the idea is I will book off my days off  according when I want to go and work will see my days off as the usual time off  and the further out I go the more time I will need off but I can plan it as my holiday time (holiday pay) and if I have run out of holiday time If wanted to, I could take it as extra time off  that I am able to do.
• Locations: Where will I go, how will I find places I don’t know ?  Thankfully we live in the age of the internet times so it is easier to hear about cool things, magazines, friends and family that has travelled already and getting advice from travel agents and any new people I meet during my travels.
• Transportation and sleeping I have a full car driving licence so I will be driving to places most of the time, I enjoy driving long miles seeing new sights along the way, but first I need to replace my car I currently drive a Ford Focus, It is slowly falling apart and starting it is like flipping the coin, if heads it starts if tales the car won’t, I can’t have this if I decide to go far as…. Scotland so I am looking at new vehicles for the long-term, currently writing this I am looking at Jeeps (I love off road driving.)           Sleeping, I will always travel with a tent and camping gear, looking up camp sites and hotels to stay in, if the worst comes then a night in the vehicle might happen.
• emergency In a case of an emergency I will always have someone knowing where I am and anyone I know If I am traveling near I will contact that person so if my vehicle breaks down for a simple reason and need help I could call, if its a medical thing, I have someone familliar around.
• Travel buddy or solo: Well Both! If someone wants to come then fine they can if able but sometimes i know I will want to travel solo which puts me out there having to talk to the public if I get lost or even wanting to know any good areas than the chance of going to my friend “Look this up” which I feel cheats the idea of traveling

 

There is probably many more points to mention but you’ll get the idea and maybe I will think of more.

 

I want to document my travels to the world, not to show off a “amazing life style” but to share my experience to my friends, family and other people with the same idea, to prove to the world that having a Job that only provides a low income and or just a job that seems to take up most of your life, if you plan and keep to it you will do somthing and this blog and soon vlogs will be a form of motivation to keep going as I love to create things to show other to inspire people in ways others has inspired me.

 

What do I expect?  I have no idea, everything and anything from car break downs and having to fix myself, getting lost, enjoying a moment I lose track of time,  a new life style, making friends, getting mad at times…. the works!