Van Tour: Off-Grid MWB Sprinter Van Self- Build
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- Welcome to our tiny home on wheels! We absolutely love vanlife, it is our favourite way to travel and experience the world. This beauty little van has taken us to lots of different places over the 2 years since we built it and it has lots of features and design ideas that make living in it a dream. We'd love to know what you think of our build and would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about it.
You can find our other self-build van tours here:
Van Tour: Off-Grid Off Road Toyota Hiace
• Van Tour: Off-Grid Off...
Van Tour: Ultimate Off-Grid MWB Sprinter Van
• Van Tour: Ultimate Off...
You can see our upcoming van build projects and find out why we are trying different vehicles here:
VANLIFE: Choosing The Right Vehicle For You
• VANLIFE: Choosing The ...
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00:00 Into
00:35 Exterior modifications
03:58 Garage
05:12 Steps and surf board rack
06:04 Roof and solar
06:36 Outdoor area
07:24 Lounge room
10:01 Kitchen
12:26 Bedroom
13:43 Bathroom
#vanbuild #vanconversion #vantour #tinyhome #vanlife #vantravel #roadtrip #europe #travel #adventure #overlanding #overlander #travelcouple #selfbuildcamper #sprinter #sprintervan #offgrid #adventure #roadtripeurope #homeiswhereyouparkit #camping #campingcar #vancamping #motorhome #vanlifetravel #homeonwheels #campervan #vanconversion #rvliving #rvlifestyle #thisisliving #vanlifestyle #rvlife #lifeontheroad #travelvlog #coupleswhotravel
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What a brilliant shower design! Loving the videos guys, safe journeys. 👍🍺
Thanks very much, much appreciated 😁👍
Thought exactly the same 😂
I've watched a lot of van conversions on RUclips and can honestly say that is one of the best I've ever seen, absolutely fantastic
Ah thanks very much 👍
That is one wicked van guy's Thank you both for sharing it. Really enjoyed.😎🤙
Thanks Stephen, that’s lovely of you to say 😁
What an amazing van, so clever how you have built it. We love your channel the facts are brilliant and you make us laugh especially Johns humour.
Thanks so much Adam, we loved this van! That’s so kind of you to say, so great to hear you enjoy the videos 💙
I love your van especially your make shift shower. So perfect and occupies so little space
Thanks very much 😊
Great design and layout.
P.s Very pretty dress😊
😁 thanks mark, I was nursing an accidental Slovenian schnapps hangover 😂😂 so thought I’d better jazz my self up a bit to compensate 😂🤦♀️
@@truebluetravellers schnapps can be lethal - I know!
@allegrosotto2126 😂 I wish I had known 😂
Saving this video into my "My future van build" folder for future reference. Lovely build, well-thought-out and so beautifully executed. Bravo! Well done!
Thanks very much, it’s much appreciated 👍
Lovely build and found the addition of the magnetic hooks & diesel vent in the bathroom box to be a smart idea for also using that area as a warming box for drying clothes ...have watched so many build videos and that was a first. Totally agree on adding the largest fridge your rig can hold ...for me too anyway, as I do loads of plant-based cooking.
Thanks so much, we loved this van, she did us proud!! We love food and I love cooking so a big fridge is a big one for me 💙
Great planning and design loved the simple climb up steps and the shower in particular great use of the bed sheet to hold the extra mattress in place at night often solutions are simple if you use methodical and practical thinking- thanks for sharing and inspiring me.
Thanks very much 👍👍
Amazing, and so inventive!
When you give up travelling, then definitely a business opportunity in custom converting vans!
Thanks Martin, that’s really kind, we loved this van!
I’ve watched a lot of builds and seen a lot of builds but I have to say this is probably one of the best if not the best thought out build. There was nothing I thought was a waste or I’d do differently. Very clever love it!!
Oh wow, thanks very much, that’s really kind of you to say. It works so well for us and the way we travel. Just wish she was a 4x4 😂
This is SUCH a well thought out build. I’m truly inspired 😍😍😍
Thanks Bec, 🥰
So many great features on your van, loving the mast steps on the side of the van, have never seen that on a van, but the shower is the tops for me.......kudos guys
Thanks very much Kevin 😁
Like the leather pull straps & the breathable burlap design. Nice practical shower design. Fun little foot design to pop on top. Happy Travels!
Thanks Judith 😁 good spot on the leather straps, we forgot to mention this 🤦♀️
Great layout, some clever ideas there 👍
Thanks very much 😁
Absolutely brilliant conversion.
Thanks very much 👍
Thanks for the great vids :) just found your channel and am enjoying binge watching your fantastic van fitouts.
Thanks very much for watching mate 👍
Amazing! Thanks for sharing
Thanks 😁
是我心目中所想设计,简单实用,空间没浪费👍👍👍麻雀虽小五脏俱全
Thanks 👍👍
Great work you’ve done- very impressive and thanks for sharing
Thanks very much Karen. We loved this van 💙
Brilliant camper 😊. Not sure if it's a good idea to poop where you prep food. However your the ones eating. Your craftsmanship is Brilliant ❤
Thanks very much 😁, I know we said the same thing but in a mwb van you poop where u sleep, eat, sit, shower, it’s all one small room really 😂
The external water fill hose is a good idea, which I have a similar design for but pleased to note your design.
Thanks very much, it’s is handy hey! Especially in rubbish weather!
Hi where did you get the cap from for the hose, compartment that's brilliant, we go motocross and storing the hose away like that would be brilliant
Very clever ideas lovely build
Thanks David 👍
Great ideas guys, we have converted a Sprinter as well, thanks for sharing.🙂
We loved this van, had some amazing adventures in her! Hope you guys do in yours too 💙
Super Movie/Tips THX! 👋👋👌👌
👍 thanks
Great build 👍
Thanks mate 👍
Hi Jess and John, what an inventive no nonsense couple you are! I subscribed immediatly. Being in the middle of a 2017 Sprinter van conversion I will definitly pinch some of your ideas. Best of luck on your travels! Greetings from Flanders!
Top man thanks Marc, hope your build goes well and u get out on the road soon 👍
Genius!
Cheers mate 👍
Great video.
Thanks 😁
Really good for thanks
Thanks Jason 👍
Nice build. Greetings from Jamaica.
Cheers mate 👍😁
Such an amazing use of space! I've got a 2012 MWB Sprinter (converted by previous owner) that has a lengthways single bed and bathroom running alongside it.
I'd love to change it to how you've made yours with the double bed and "occasional" bathroom set up 👍
Thanks Shane, yeah it would be good to try a few different vans first to see what layout you want and then build one after that hey when u know exactly what layout suits
Beautiful work 👏
Thanks very much 😁
Your welcome, am long distance truck driver from Ireland, love to build a vw crafter , swb based 4x4, , nearly had one in Germany!!!, 2o13 sold for 5ooo euros!!!, I was too late!!!,love what you have done with your van, thanks for replying, best wishes from Ireland ☘☘☘
@@roibeardomadain4272 blimey, that would of been a bargain, I’d love a 4x4 sprinter but there so rare in the uk and they are so much more money than a 2wd, we went to the overlanding show in Germany last month, epic, I didn’t realise that the Germans loved a 4x4 so much. There were loads of 4x4 Sprinters, was well jealous 😂
I know right!, keep up the great work, keep safe , I'll keep you posted!
The first video I've watched of you guys, omg your awesome 😎 so now I've watched the other videos on the Sainsbury's van, loving that, also watched the QandA and think that just shows how lovely you both are, brilliant channel guy's
New follower here from beautiful Cornwall
Thanks lee 😁 such a lovely comment and thanks very much for following along with us 💙
Just discovered you!
What a breath of fresh air, to see an upbeat, inspiring couple!
The van build is fabulous. You’ve both obviously spent a lot of time thinking about the best layout and crafting it to your exact needs.
Yours is honestly the first van that I’ve loved every single thing you’ve done.
New subscriber!
Can I ask, what make/model is the bag on the back of the rear door ladder - and where did you source it from! Tip top idea!!
Thanks very much, it’s much appreciated, the bag we just got from an army surplus store, but if you search spare wheel bag on Google loads come up and they are slightly bigger too which I would say is better as we would be lost without it really 😁
Well thought out! Very clever. I love your base vehicle. Have you done a vid on build cost? I'll go and have a look 😊
Thanks Denise, no we didn’t do a build cost video and unfortunately as we built in 2021 I don’t think it would be relevant now due to all the price hikes, we are doing another van build shortly so will happily answer and share costs when we do that one 😁
Cracking
Thanks 😁
great video and van build. loads of great ideas, thanks guys. can i ask what the rear seats are that your using in this van? i've also got a sprinter van and am looking for some better rear seeaats and like the look of yours. cheers👍👍👍
Hi Stephen, thanks very much, really glad it was helpful 😃 the rear seats are from a ford transit mini bus, they are are for sale on eBay all the time. The good thing is the pattern is very similar the the sprinter seats so they match quite nicely and you can also buy the bits that go in the floor so you can have them on quick release if you wanted that too. Happy building.
So epic! Awesome work. Thanks for sharing taken lots of inspiration. Have you taken the van for a go on the beach? Interested to know if it would get stuck or be okay with the off-road wheels!
Thanks James, We haven’t to be honest, we had a go at a bit of beach driving with a van in Australia so I recon if it’s wet compacted sand she would be ok, any dry soft sand and I’d be bogged straight away I think, hopefully we will get to test it out one day 😁
Hi guys love your channel / content and builds ! Was just wondering what make double seats you have in the back of your sprinter camper it’s not very often you see them with double seat belts
Thanks Kev
Hi kev, thanks very much and thanks for watching, they are ford transit minibus seats, they do them in singles and doubles with the Belts and if you keep the original seat fixing then they are on a quick release system so you could take them in and out easily 😁
Love you guys! Love the ideas you have put together but please could you tell me where you got the enclosed shower curtain from? I think that shower cubicle is brilliant.....thanks for sharing 😃
Thanks very much 😁 it’s just 2 cheap shower curtains from Wilkinsons sewn together, £4 each 😂, it’s unbelievable how strong it is once sewn together
I saw you in Croatia 1 minute ago. In Rovinj !
😂😂 yep that’s us, what a crazy small world this is hey
Wow, Im impressed, you obviously have had vast vanlife experience to know what works (love the indoor shower/toilet & drying area + breathable wall storage cupboards) - Question;- Im looking at buying a MWB van for myself as a single traveller, but (in your opinion) is there enough room to create another single bed/couch area instead of the seat belt seats if they were removed?
Well it’s funny you ask that as we did exactly that in another build, after we built this van we did a 2.0 version which was slightly better in areas and a slightly different style with the seats removed like you said and a pull out single bed, if you’d like to look at it the video is our first video on our channel, here is the link
ruclips.net/video/qGfAvwb1CJA/видео.html
Hi, fantastic build. Did you make any build videos whilst converting it, as you have with the defender and sprinter, cheers
No sorry mate, we only starting filming this year and this van was a covid build 👍
Nice idea of the shower and the fold down/movable table at the sliding door, will give them both real consideration in my van. I Just bought an ex ambulance with one single glazed glass window each side. I use my van year round for work and was wondering did you have a condensation issue on them in the Uk winter? I am researching if I need to and if I do how best to double glaze them myself.
Thanks very much mate. We loved this van. She was a beauty. They did used to condensate even with the thermal covers on. Having said that we have just done another build with double glazed windows and they still condensate. We manage it with a karcher window vac and as much ventilation as we can.
Different love it, need to know where you got the send row seats.....let me know
Thanks we got them off eBay, they are ford transit mini bus seats 😁👍
these points will be helpful for me in future 2:20 4:15 5:02 5:20 6:07 8:23 10:22 10:48 11:10 12:36 14:00 14:18 14:38 14:50 15:03
How did you make the surfboard holders? Keen to see more on them!
Sorry mate I’ve sold the van now but I just bent some flat bar to the shape of the boards and secured them to the roof rack 👍
Where did you get your folding boat steps from, I can only find stainless steel ones, i need these for my van!! but ideally would like black ones
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281396688273?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=_-OLaeA6SOa&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=h77jMQulRBK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY these are what we got roger
Looks so good I love the navy and wood together 😍 did you take inspo from Eamon & Bec designs look similar and so practical too!
Thanks very much, yeah we have watched them for years and loved their van design so I think we took a bit from a few different channels 😁😁
@@truebluetravellers I would have a complete mismatch of everyone’s vans so many lovely designs!
Hello! Love the design. I'm wondering where your batteries are? I swear it was mentioned "to be discussed later" during the initial garage discussion but then I most have missed it?
Thanks very much, They were in the garage above the wheel arch, behind where the big draw pulled out 😊👍
Great build guys, question for you, do you find the amount of glass makes the van cold? Cheers
Thanks, yes your right the glass isn’t the best really for heat transfer but we only really used it on summer trips, we used it in winter (English winter) and was fine with window covers but I wouldn’t want to go any place colder with it 😁👍
Best van design we've seen and we're looking to upsize from our T5. Is yours a L3H3 do you know? Looking forward to more videos and Europe vanlife info, before we take the plunge ourselves 😊
Thanks very much, no I think the l3 is the long wheel base model which is 7 metres long I think, this is the medium wheel base which is 6 metres, personally I’d recommend the mwb, things like ferries etc are apparently cheaper for vehicles up to 6m, parking is also quite easy in a mwb where as it’s a big struggle in a lwb as it just pokes out too much, we manage to park in all city car parks with our van, also I think it’s hard to fit out a LWB into a camper and come in under the 3.5t weight limit, if you have any questions on anything in the future and I can help in any way just give me a shout, we are on Facebook and instagram if you want to message on there,
Thanks again for watching and hope you get a van sorted soon 😁
Thanks for the info. Yes, I think we're looking at 6m. We were looking at the Boxer due to wanting a sideways bed in the back but we like your design, and we're only 5'0 and 5'7 anyway. We've subscribed and are learning from and enjoying your travels. Cheers, Paul and Kat
Your video has inspired me!!! 😃
Im now going to rip out my full size toilet/shower cubicle and go with your design, it’s brilliant. A question if you don’t mind, where did you get your stainless shower tray please, I’m done with plastic ones!
Thanks very much 😁, we got ours made for this van, but the second van we did which we did to sell we got from a company called romerworld, I’ll drop the link in below, if you check out our first video on our channel we do the exact same design shower just ever so slightly better 😁 thanks for watching
www.romerworld.co.uk/product-page/stainless-steel-shower-trays
@@truebluetravellers thanks for the last reply and the link. 😎
Just found you guys whilst looking for layout ideas as we're looking to upgrade to a larger van. You have pretty much the layout I was thinking about and I have seen a similar idea to your shower/loo/worktop design but just wondering what it's really like to live with? Unless you are super tidy I can just foresee having to move a ton of stuff off of the work each time you need the loo or shower. How do you go about drying the shower curtain out before you pack it away again especially in winter or when the weather is bad, as it is most times we go away 🙂
Hi Pamela, thanks for watching 😃 we loved this van and it worked really well for us. We very rarely stay in the same place for very long and so have to keep our worktops clear for driving, and we both like things to be in their place so not really an issue we had with it. A down fall of this design was that you couldn’t t go to the toilet with the bed pulled out. We fixed that in the van we built after this one (there’s a tour of that one on our channel too, it’s our first video sorry about the terrible filming 😂) that design would also give you the space to just slide whatever you had on the worktop to the side to use the loo which might work better for you. The shower curtain design on that one was a bit of a 2.0 version too so might be if interest. We just let the shower curtain drip dry for a bit and then wipe it down with a microfibre cloth before we put it away and had no trouble with it 😃 hope that helps
Guys loving the content!! Looking for boat steps and the only ones i can find are chrome.. wee link to yours?? thanks
Cheers mate, I’ll drop a link in below 👍,
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281396688273?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=_-OLaeA6SOa&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=h77jMQulRBK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
will get ordered up.. many thanks :-) @@truebluetravellers
Also! Did you modify the awning or buy it like that? I haven’t been able to find one that supports itself like that!
No I bought it like this, it’s just a fiamma f45 awning and it comes with the legs that are fixing in the awning case which just clip out, and also comes with the brackets that you put on your van for the legs to clip in, the awnings are expensive but well worth the money in my opinion
You two are without doubt my favourite people on RUclips! You build some unbelievable campers and you're fucking hilarious as well. I'm now working my way through every video for inspiration on my camper build. Quick question, where did you get the bench seat from/what vehicle is it from? I'm having trouble finding one that isn't extortionately priced.
Thanks so much, that’s such a lovely thing to say, makes us so happy to hear it makes you laugh. The seat was second hand on Facebook or eBay can’t remember now which I’m sorry they are just out of a transit mini van 👍
Nice. What are your suspension mods?
Hi, thanks mate, all it has heavy duty rear springs and a 50mm lift. I’m running bigger tyres than standard too which is why it doesn’t look that jacked up.
love the shower idea and can i ask what are the dimensions of it. do you lift out the toilet when having a shower? cheers, great build👍👍👍
Thanks Stephen, yep the tray is 600 x900, it can be removed if needed but we just used it with it in and there’s still loads of room 😁
@@truebluetravellers awesome thank you👍👍
Everything is so neat and looks never used. Do you live in the van or sleep in hotels? Or you 2 clean a lot....
😂😂😂 thanks Carl, no we never stay in hotels but yes we are both neat freaks I’d say 😁👍
Pure Genius !! - We've got a MWB Boxer and I'm on MkVI conversion from the original - Some great ideas 🤓
🚐💨❤
Cheers mate 👍 I’m the same always think there’s something to change
Just subscribed, excellent build and your shower design makes me want to rip out our full height shower and do a low level one. If we go that route where did you get the shower curtain please, it looks quite a sturdy material? Also the lightweight worktop, is it bamboo of something else?
I’ve watched your Belgian and German RUclips’s, you both are naturals in front of the camera and are really refreshing to watch, thanks for sharing your journeys.
Thanks very much Allan, that’s lovely of you to say, to be honest it’s just a normal shower curtain from Wilkinson, but it is decent quality, I just bought 2 and sewed them together, the worktop is just normal worktop from b&q so not that lightweight really, our first video on our Channel is another sprinter van build which we did and that was like a mark 2 version of this van, the shower curtain is a slightly better design as it is on runners and the worktops we used were lightweight in that build too, 😁
@@truebluetravellers Thanks for the info. It was your first video that I saw which referred to the lightweight wood. I have a long wheelbase so have to be really careful with weight.
Happy travels to you both 😎
@@allandevaux4123 I see, my bad, yep the worktop we got was
thebritishwoodpanellingcompany.co.uk/products/oakley-100-solid-wood-a-grade-furniture-boards
I couldn’t believe how light it is to be honest, one thing I did do to stop it warping was router out 2 strips in the worktop and fit some aluminium bar, this worked brilliant and any build I do from now on I’ll do something similar
@@truebluetravellers that’s great, thanks for the link. A good idea to strengthen it as I’ve had worktops warp. Cheers. 👍
@@truebluetravellersafter a few holdups I’m now ready to order the lightweight board you used. I’ve got the link to the company but not sure which board you use in your vans. Was it “OAKLEY 100% SOLID WOOD A GRADE FURNITURE” …. or ”POPLAR TULIPWOOD 100% SOLID WOOD”. Sorry to be a pain but I’m not wanting to order the wrong one. Thanks 🙏
Amazing project.
That three Bumpstep are very nice. Where i can buy them please?
Safe Journeys...
Thanks very much 😁, we got them off eBay. I’ll drop the link in below
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281396688273?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=_-OLaeA6SOa&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=h77jMQulRBK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
@@truebluetravellers Thank you.
Just watched this one mint van that do you still own and want to sell 😂😂 my next van I buy I'm sending down to you for a build 😂
Cheers mate, no unfortunately we sold this a few months ago, we do miss it tho, it was a little gem
@@truebluetravellers If i Buy It will you Build it ha ha
Love your van build - thanks for the tour. Just one question - why did you decide to have the two extra passenger seats. Sorry if I missed you talking about this 🙂
Hi thanks very much, We wanted to have it so we could go away with my niece and nephew but that’s never happened 😂 so if we were doing it again we wouldn’t fit the seats to be honest and have that space as extra storage or kitchen space, we did another build which is the first video on our channel which is like the 2.0 version of this build 😁
@@truebluetravellers It looks like that double passenger seat had to be originally taken out of a Ford Transit passenger van.
You know your seats 😂👍
@@truebluetravellers Thanks!
Nice build, What is the brand of the tyres ?
Thanks, they are general grabbers at3 😁
Great build can I ask I’ve not seen this van in your recent videos have you sold this? ❤
Yes we used this van for our Europe adventures and then we sold it before the sainsburys van 👍
@@truebluetravellers aww 🥰 it was a lovely van 💙
Nice van...you are not lazy people then. I built mine 9 years ago..that been it, a couple of mods each year.
I have a Vivaro and it lacks the space for a shower/toilet and have an idea for building something on my tow ball mounted bike rack, to open out. We live in central Portugal with a basic workshop only, all the Transporter/Trafic/Vivaro vans have the same problem, any thoughts?
That’s the only problem with slightly smaller vans you have to compromise a little bit hey, makes things a bit more fun tho as u have to design things a bit more so the layout is multifunctional 👍
@@truebluetravellers There is no space for a shower and not really a toilet, we use a couple of wide-necked sangria bottles. But there is space on a tow ball mounted rack. Have an internal water tank with recirc pump/filter and cassette toilet clipped on top. Everything else could fold dow.
The rest of the van is perfect, 40mpg at 70mph, great drive, easy park and great through tight villages, we did a 10,000km trip to Greece/Turkey last year, easy even for an old man.
Great conversion but I would worry about the total weight.
Cheers 👍, it was a bit heavy but still just under the 3.5t all up 👍
What have you now done with Sprinter?
Sold this one mate 👍
Are you selling your van?
Sorry mate if you mean this panel van sprinter sorry we sold it a few months ago
Yeah nice to have pot of money to buy a nice van and kit it out makes me laugh middle classes calling it van life😂😂😂 where's the uncertainty you've got everything!!! Strip the fancy away and you wouldn't last a week, better off sticking to safe bricks and mortar😂😂😂
@matrix_wizard6932 your right we do have this fancy van but we certainly don’t have everything and it’s not always been this way, 12 years ago I left the uk to go to Australia, I had no job or house to go to and no endless pot of money, I sold everything I had and all I had was enough money to get the plane fare and buy a car and then i was skint, I stripped the fancy away and managed to last just fine on the other side of the world on my own with no certainty, working in 40+ degrees on a mine site as a dirty diesel mechanic, and as for jess when I met her she was working 2 jobs, at uni and driving round in old banger. There’s no middle class here, just had a dream and have gone for it
Nicely done! Could you share how your hot water heater vent system works? Venting kit etc? Thnx
Thanks very much, I just made my own pipework system to go out the side of the van, near the water filler point 👍