This can't be the ultimate adventure van, where is the Pratt & Whitney F135 low-bypass augmented turbofan with rated thrust of 43,000 lbf? And where is 50 cal machine gun? You won't be able to suppress threats from man or beast without one of those. This is a penultimate adventure van, but it is not THE ultimate adventure van.
I actually used the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 (also rated for a maximum thrust of 43,000 lbf) but since General Electric and Rolls-Royce plc lost out on the contract I've not been able to find the parts for it.
You are correct. I in fact own THE ULTIMATE adventure van. It is smaller than this yet has swivelling solar, a peat burning stove, gas and spirit burners, rain water collection, proximity flood lighting, an emergency breakdown bike, compact drum-kit (obviously), long bow, wide array of melee weaponry and a man with a BIG BEARD behind the wheel, which is compulsory for the ULTIMATE ADVENTURE VAN.
Hang on a minute!!!!! Is this The Bosnian Ape Society???? Where is the space in this van for the Brimstone Missile system?? Or is it an add on rooftop mount??
You wouldn't believe how many times I had to re-film parts due to the dog walking in front of the camera. 🐕 I've made a list of all the parts I used to make the van here (still a few things to add) calumgillies.com/2022/11/15/the-nv200-parts-list/ Join the Discord! discord.gg/BPahz6vHJd
Please never give up putting in gags in your videos, whatever subscriber count you get! The van looks amazing, love the wood use and all these little details that make it awesome. Also, I love that story about Gilmore girls and you taking the effort to make that sign. I'd like to think this also is the reason for your coffee house adventures Maybe one day I'll have a campervan myself
I wouldn't even know where to begin on such a build without a basic mind for architecture and engineering, which I freely admit I do not possess. What you've created is amazing. Glad I found your channel.
I've found my love for campervans three years ago in Scotland with a rented VW California. Bought a Caravelle in 2020, spent the rest of the year building a camper interior for it. We spent our 1st night in it in April (towards the end of one of the lockdowns), windows were frosted in the morning. Oh, so exciting! 2021 saw a few short camping trips, but then life happened. My son was born in early 2022, and as such, the van that I had built out to my exact sepcifications for two, was now too small for three. Alas, I feel your pain of having finished the perfect van for last year...
I was close to buying an NV200, but unfortunately missed out on it. Got a 2016 Citroen Berlingo instead, which I'm very happy with. Will be converting it soon, so I can start exploring the Highlands and Islands next summer
9:10 "It does add a little bit of extra weight to the back door. This whole thing is about 90 pounds." I was so confused. How the heck can that little table and metal arm weigh so mu... Oh pounds. Not pounds. Yeah. He's been using metric the whole video but my American brain thought pounds meant weight, not money. I don't know why I thought he'd use pounds and not kilos if he meant weight.
18:43 you could add a hitch and have a piece of wood that's kinda like a backer (if it fits) against the lower part of the opening when not in use, and when hooked into the hitch receiver, a little "porch" for the van. As is, you could also do the same if you close the doors where they're parallel with the sides of the van and then put a piece of wood between the bottom and a pole between the latch points. A single support leg in the center would suffice to not put too much weight into the van door hinges.
I've had the same Vauxhall Combo small van for 11 years, and another identical one for 7 years before that. I've fitted some camping features, but it still only has 30% of what your van has. Despite this I've managed to tour Scotland in it (and I live in the South-East), and I can still use it for work and all my band gear. I love the use of small spaces, and I'm 6'1" tall.
considering all the other vehicles your channel is dedicated to, I'm happy for you that you can live your dream and build your own complicated multipurpose exploration vehicle
I spy a Royal Mail plastic letter box/tray 🤣 as I was a Royal Mail Revenue Protection Officer, so many of these went awol that eventually they were made with a barcode to identify they were RM property, they were originally a large 'bath' on wheels, then a 'coffin' long thin shallow plastic tub on wheels to the current box/tray, and a new wheeled foldable container 'yorks' to carry the tray/box, the evolution of RM equipment 🤣
I would love this! If only it had a ramp on one side for wheelchair or shopping scooter access. My father has a Nissan Elgrand, a 6-seater van, which would be perfect for me to convert into a campervan, sadly he is destroying it bit by bit... He keeps hitting things, despite it having 360-degree cameras! 😂Its middle 2 seats turn a full 360, whilst the back 2 fold flat giving you a double bed, they are all removable. Both middle doors, have electric curtains, as do the rear windows and back also. It's even got a little drop-down tv. The only drawback about the van, it has the same 3.5l Turbo engine in it as the Nissan GTR, so you can imagine it's rather expensive to fill up 💸💸💸but boy does it go!!!🏎🏎🚓 I'll try and find some pics and will post them later.
Thumb's up for taking the time to give us a tour. You and your Dad did very well kitting it out "just so". After all that work I'd find it very hard to sell it on, but count me subscribed.
I made something similar for USA travel, with a king size (length) bed in it. Sienna minivan, AWD. Just fyi, that pic at 0:31 shows all the internal wall storage space you lost. All those grey panels cover huge voids that can hold clothes, food, shoes, sleeping bags, water, etc. Just letting you know, in case you want to get them back. Also COOL BUILD! Im very happy for you! Enjoy the cuddly mobile japanese space capsule hotel!
Nikonos and a Pentax 67.... I have major camera envy at the moment! Excellent van!... ahhh, the unlatched tool box.... you recovered that well. Last time it happened to me, I got a hammer drill and a soldering iron dropped on my foot.
A really fantastic conversion!! Looks like it works perfectly for you! Thank you for mentioning the lack of air bag on the passenger side! I was looking to get an NV200 and I had just assumed that there was one! Will have to look for a different type of van now!
@@CalumRaasay Could you get the airbag and, if necessary, dashboard out of one which has one? Just an idea. I guess the dashboard part might be kind-of dependent on whether any of these are old enough to go for scrap.
Cracking video, the best I've seen so far on the NV200. Answered a lot of questions I've had regarding swivel seats, diesel heaters, insultation and sound deadening. Really like the triangular end piece to the bed, great design solution. Looking forward to your next build.👋👍
This is something different from you, Calum. But that's exactly why I like you and your content so much. You always deliver. Whatever the topic might be. 😊 Edit: Your dog (Daisy?) is such a Cutie!
Great stuff Calum, but you call it small. I did a temporary conversion of the back of a 1973 Steyr Puch Haflinger to do a run round the North Coast 500 back in 2017. It was 6 foot long, 4 foot wide and 3 foot high! All went well up the West Coast until I was on a diversion to Orkney for a couple of days and the engine blew a hole in one of the pistons! You should have heard the confusion when I called the RAC and told them what my vehicle was and where I was! Still, top marks, they did get me home.
I love these builds.. had a 94 Boxer that I converted with 90% recycled materials and It cost me about 300 euros to do.. I still miss my little world on wheels, the sense of freedom I got was amazing. Wife and kids now but thanks Calum, you’ve got me thinking about a little project for the future ✌️ Something that sleeps 4 !
20:07 I feel like if you had some kind of half door width panels hinged from the top of both doors, measured to meet in exactly in the middle and join together, you could have an ad-hoc awning Or maybe one of those retractable roller blinds that would stretch from one door to the other. In any case, I really like the idea of turning the rear doors into a deployable 'front porch' area
If you want a good compromise that combines a van and moderately capable 4x4, (since you're considering downsizing your "fleet") have a look at Skoda Yetis, had one for ages and only sold it because I was moving abroad.
I wouldn't be able to resist the temptation of riding down the road turned around backwards and waving to people as we pass them. But I also get the sense that there aren't a lot of 2 lane roads there, much less large highways or something like an interstate.
Great ban build bud, really enjoyed it and it looks fantastic! Quick side note, I have a little experience with the diesel heaters you used and you can get (in effect) metal zip ties which you could use to support the metal flexing exhaust tube along it's ruin. This would prevent the thin metal from failing through stress fractures caused by driving vibration and make it last a lot longer. Keep up the excellent content and continue to enjoy 😀
Good stuff! I had a vague idea of getting a van and kitting it out as a mini maker space so that I could manufacture things out and about. It was a vague idea, mainly to scratch a nerdy itch, but if I can find some time I might research it some more. So, uh... thanks for the inspiration/motivation!
I was gonna say "bad choice on color for a live in van" but then i remembered you're from Scotland... so actually, excellent choice of color for a live in van. :))
I wonder what you’ve done for Raasay’s tourist footfall, Calum. I guarantee that it was a combination of yourself and ‘the TV show’ that brought me there. A visit to the distillery was only a bonus. 🎉
My NV 200 has a passenger airbag, although its LHD, it might be possible to retrofit one. I might also have the same radio, mine is the Kenwood DMX5020DABS
Would be amazing to run this on the electric version of this van which has been around for ten years. Hopefully some used ones will become available as commercial early adopters phase them out now that there's finally several e-Van options to choose from.
@@CalumRaasay I'm just doing exactly that! Just building the innards for Bevan, my electric version of this van. Good to see how you did the bed and couch as I'm doing a similar thing; would really prefer a rock n roll bed but then I wouldn't have enough room for all of the other gubbins I need to make it certified self-contained so I can camp in the free or cheap department of conservation sites here in New Zealand. I have to cram in a 20L container for fresh water, another for grey, a bloody toilet (which I'll never use), a sink, fridge, 100v-to-230v mega heavy inverter, a table/desk, and a double induction hob. As there's no-one down here who does pop-up roofs, which I've always had on my vans, it really would feel cramped if I hadn't gone for the people-carrier version, as it has lots of windows to make it feel more airy, plus I can open the tailgate if it's raining but not windy. And the piece de resistance on saving / making space was double swivelling seats at the front. These will also form the understructure of the top of my bed; I'll put cushions on them and lay the top bed board atop (which also hinges into half the size so I can store it under the couch cushion/mattress thing. Surprised you can get a good night's sleep on such a thin mattress; my hips would ache after 4 or 5 nights on that. I have an old, unused, and very exy, futon mattress which I'm going to cut to size and reupholster somehow; well I'm not, I'm going to find someone who knows what they're doing! It's amazing how ingenious we can get when we're given a pile of limitations to overcome, eh?! Very happy that I've kept things pretty green: EV obviously, heating and a/c is all from the fat battery, induction hob same thing, and fridge and lights, water pump from 12v (which is in turn fed from the 400v battery), 80% of wood and other materials is from the tip shop, so that all makes me feel warm and fuzzy. And another big limitation with my build options, because I have to turn this back into a 7-seater people carrier to eventually sell it on, is that I'm doing it all without any drilling, cutting, or otherwise permanently changing any of the van. I should be done in about a month, and can't wait for some luxury camping for a change. Keep up the good work and hope you find someone lovely to take your van on its next chapter.
I almost wish I was in the market to buy this! :D The carrying space, the incredibly versatile table and the seat had me hooked, the little garage area is great, and... yeah, just-about everything is either the way I'd do it or something I wish I'd thought of. Except for the fabric colors. XD I did find myself thinking I'd want to cook without opening it up, but then I realised that I'm fine with just a kettle and sandwiches so long as I'm warm on the outside. Then again, you don't have a fridge in there, do you? Or, dare I say, a toilet? That last one's all right when you're young and healthy LOL! My sleeping bag squashes down smaller than that void blanket, but it's very hard to do it. That's part of the reason I've only used it 2 or 3 times since buying it in 1991! :p The other part is it's so old, I'm kind-of afraid to get it out again. I use king-size blankets folded in half all the time. :) Resistive touchscreens are good with gloves and with stylii, but that doesn't explain why they're fitted in cars. (They're also good with my dry skin, but capacitative screens are usually not too bad.) Perhaps they think a capacitative screen would be too sensitive to false inputs under vibration. I've found some devices and apps can't even handle the imperceptible tremors caused by my nervous system issues. This however can be fixed in software when they care to do so. They just have to ignore motion less than a certain amount. Desktop systems have been doing it since the 90s, lol! A classic gadget! :D I miss my Samsung S3 sometimes. It was my first smartphone which was actually fun, (I had a terrible Siemens in '03,) and a gorgeous shiny red. I still have it, but the battery is threatening to explode. Besides, it needs reflashing to be remotely secure these days. There's a PostMarketOS port, but that's not Android so it wouldn't be the same. It's regular Linux, (for which there are mobile apps,) but I'm really tired of regular Linux. I'm starting my own operating system project as a hobby, so maybe I'll be able to get it running on the S3 it some day. It'd still be "not the same," but I'd have more fun with it than with Linux. Sounds like you did a real proper job on the panelling and insulation! Another reason I wish I was in the market for it. :D Oh I get that about the passenger-side airbag. I'd be the same.
Hmmm never though of putting swivel seats on the small city cargo vans, this changes everything lol, I would have a nice 43” that tilts from the ceiling against the back doors 🔥
Like what you have done, swivel seat is a great idea, will remember that one, after a micro camper myself need to move out of a tent, been looking at the Nv200 to do this but looking at a 5 or 7 seater as still need to carry passengers, so Jump Boot is something I am looking at maybe, you have some good ideas, thanks.
Hope you get a satisfactory price for your van. You commented that driving vehicle that's higher off the road gives you better driving perspective on your narrow roads. When I've seen films driving on single lane roads in Great Britain I can't help thinking that sure accident rate must be fairly high.
I remember reading in the 80s that the accident rate in the Scottish Highlands was high. It was something to do with single-tracked roads and tourists. Long-stretches of road through the Highlands were single-tracked, even A-roads which are major interconnects. What I remember was European tourists would drive on these single-tracked roads and not see any other cars for so long, that then they came to a 2-way road they forgot to drive on the left! I've driven a lot of single-tracked roads West Sussex on the south coast; there's a vertiable rabbit warren between Arundel and Chichester, but they only connect the tiniest of tiny villages so there's hardly any other cars. 99.9% of the traffic has much bigger roads to drive on.
What a great rig with so much personal touches. Really gutted you will sell. With all the effort your Mom and Dad put into it, you will be weeping bitter tears when you are ~50 something for letting go of it for very little money by 2042 standards. Retro fit an airbag if you want, but personally I think people put to much faith into these active safety features. Drive safely and keep *a lot* of margins for other peoples error!
Excellent video, Calum, Thank you! It's always a pleasure not only to get a lot of useful information but also to see how much fun you seem to have yourself diving into your topics. Thanks again :) Question: Could you provide a technical drawing for the Leisure-Batterie bracket? I find your solution quite genial and like to install it in my girlfriends NV. Thanks!
Really important comment regarding it being adequately sized, and it's safety and security driving your possible change. As we know, Scotland really doesn't need yet another private large vehicle on its roads - the proliferation of "vanlife" vans, and their negative impact on infrastructure and economy has been profound. The NC500, for example, despite being really popular really does but a strain on resources.
That's the level of insulation I'm planning on for my 110 rebuild ... bloody expensive mind! Thanks for the tour... shame to have to sell but the reasons are good..
I figured go all out! Spend the money on the insulation and then not sleep in it every night wondering if I should have done that *litte* bit more haha
Hi Calum, thanks for the video, its going to be really useful converting mine. If you still have the van, could you please go into a bit more detail or provide a few more photos of how you secured the leisure battery on top of the starter battery? I can kind of see how you've done it but can't quite see exactly what I need to do: no one else seems to have guides for this bit online and its such a good idea.
Wonderful video young man. My border collie mix named Freya says Hi to yours. Great build you've done there.. blessings to you and yours coming at you from the snowy hills of Southern Oregon
Maybe i have an American mindset but since this van is for exploring the country and not for trying to drive in small streets in the city. I would think that something the size of a Sprinter which has much more room would be better than this. Anyways I love your videos and I appreciate how you are always teaching me new things.
@@CalumRaasay i did notice how the roads are very overgrown where you were filming. Isnt the government supposed to keep the roads cleared or is it so remote that no one really cares
I'm thinking about converting my pickup into a camper, it being a v6 is a good thing, i probably won't even need to put batteries in the bed because it was designed to be compatible with a v6 or v8, i have like 1'6" in front of the engine. Sourcing a small enough ac unit isn't going to be easy especially with my dad in a better place (he worked in hvac), I am REALLY hoping I don't have to design it myself. Power for it won't be much of a problem because I will have a shit load of space for batteries in front of the engine and unlike my old camper I'll be working with modern batteries not 80s amm... I mean lead acid batteries. I also am planning on putting fresh water and maybe even a separate tank for kerosene under the bed (or floor?). I'll probably keep the cab and camper separated. I might set up a long range 2 way radio and control station for my drones... mainly so I can get around laws requiring you to be in the same state as your drones (I live close to the Ohio River and by extension KY) I am talking about ones so big you need to be in contact with atc and uav is a more accurate term than drone, yes they will be vtol but also capable of horizontal flight like a v22 but with 2 sets of engines instead of one set that rotates, mostly for simplifying the electronics. Yes that pickup gets about 20 miles a gallon and is about $100 a tank (I usually set the pump to run until it maxes out at 35 gallons or $100), that's still much better than the old behemoth I had, that thing had a 95-100 gallon tank (its large enough for things like thermal expansion and slightly different gas to be significant). I'm definitely putting a sink like what was in your old van in it, maybe even an outdoor shower, I do plan on keeping it on one half of it because it has an 8' bed for a reason.
Hi Calum, this video has been invaluable in our own NV200 conversion experience, thanks so much for doing it! Do you happen to know where you found the ribbed tubing for the desk that sits at the captains seat? Have been searching to no avail.
Great video thank you! I have a converted Nissan NV200 and wish I’d seen this before! Checked out the shop and comments but didn’t see the parts for the table and seat rails, if you’re able to share at all please 😊
That's a ridiculously short load length, my Mitsubishi minicab Miev EV van which is a Kei Car has about the same length. My minicab also has a full pass through.
This can't be the ultimate adventure van, where is the Pratt & Whitney F135 low-bypass augmented turbofan with rated thrust of 43,000 lbf? And where is 50 cal machine gun? You won't be able to suppress threats from man or beast without one of those. This is a penultimate adventure van, but it is not THE ultimate adventure van.
I actually used the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 (also rated for a maximum thrust of 43,000 lbf) but since General Electric and Rolls-Royce plc lost out on the contract I've not been able to find the parts for it.
@@CalumRaasay fair enough
My uncle worked for RR at Derby and left me a few boxes of bits and bobs if you need anything just ask lol
You are correct. I in fact own THE ULTIMATE adventure van. It is smaller than this yet has swivelling solar, a peat burning stove, gas and spirit burners, rain water collection, proximity flood lighting, an emergency breakdown bike, compact drum-kit (obviously), long bow, wide array of melee weaponry and a man with a BIG BEARD behind the wheel, which is compulsory for the ULTIMATE ADVENTURE VAN.
Hang on a minute!!!!! Is this The Bosnian Ape Society???? Where is the space in this van for the Brimstone Missile system?? Or is it an add on rooftop mount??
You wouldn't believe how many times I had to re-film parts due to the dog walking in front of the camera. 🐕
I've made a list of all the parts I used to make the van here (still a few things to add) calumgillies.com/2022/11/15/the-nv200-parts-list/
Join the Discord! discord.gg/BPahz6vHJd
Gorgeous dog 🐕
@@happyhermit2022 she is, and she knows it!
@@CalumRaasay is she an Australian Shepherd?
@John Thomas Hes selling it, did you watch the video, lol.
do you have a link for the blanket pillow thingy?
Please never give up putting in gags in your videos, whatever subscriber count you get!
The van looks amazing, love the wood use and all these little details that make it awesome.
Also, I love that story about Gilmore girls and you taking the effort to make that sign. I'd like to think this also is the reason for your coffee house adventures
Maybe one day I'll have a campervan myself
Quality in-depth look of a wonderful and smart conversion, but the Dog stole the show.
👍👍
Haha I agree!
Wearing your boots in the bed, UNDER the duvet got to me more than it should lol
Same.. Are we or he weird?😂😂
It's cool that your parents are so involved with this
I wouldn't even know where to begin on such a build without a basic mind for architecture and engineering, which I freely admit I do not possess. What you've created is amazing. Glad I found your channel.
I've found my love for campervans three years ago in Scotland with a rented VW California.
Bought a Caravelle in 2020, spent the rest of the year building a camper interior for it. We spent our 1st night in it in April (towards the end of one of the lockdowns), windows were frosted in the morning. Oh, so exciting! 2021 saw a few short camping trips, but then life happened. My son was born in early 2022, and as such, the van that I had built out to my exact sepcifications for two, was now too small for three.
Alas, I feel your pain of having finished the perfect van for last year...
To think, your son might have been conceived in that van. 😁
I was close to buying an NV200, but unfortunately missed out on it. Got a 2016 Citroen Berlingo instead, which I'm very happy with. Will be converting it soon, so I can start exploring the Highlands and Islands next summer
9:10 "It does add a little bit of extra weight to the back door. This whole thing is about 90 pounds."
I was so confused. How the heck can that little table and metal arm weigh so mu... Oh pounds. Not pounds. Yeah. He's been using metric the whole video but my American brain thought pounds meant weight, not money. I don't know why I thought he'd use pounds and not kilos if he meant weight.
Hahahah that’s a good point, if you think it’s bad for you try being in the strange U.K. no man’s land where we randomly use metric and imperial!
18:43 you could add a hitch and have a piece of wood that's kinda like a backer (if it fits) against the lower part of the opening when not in use, and when hooked into the hitch receiver, a little "porch" for the van.
As is, you could also do the same if you close the doors where they're parallel with the sides of the van and then put a piece of wood between the bottom and a pole between the latch points. A single support leg in the center would suffice to not put too much weight into the van door hinges.
I've had the same Vauxhall Combo small van for 11 years, and another identical one for 7 years before that. I've fitted some camping features, but it still only has 30% of what your van has. Despite this I've managed to tour Scotland in it (and I live in the South-East), and I can still use it for work and all my band gear. I love the use of small spaces, and I'm 6'1" tall.
considering all the other vehicles your channel is dedicated to, I'm happy for you that you can live your dream and build your own complicated multipurpose exploration vehicle
I spy a Royal Mail plastic letter box/tray 🤣 as I was a Royal Mail Revenue Protection Officer, so many of these went awol that eventually they were made with a barcode to identify they were RM property, they were originally a large 'bath' on wheels, then a 'coffin' long thin shallow plastic tub on wheels to the current box/tray, and a new wheeled foldable container 'yorks' to carry the tray/box, the evolution of RM equipment 🤣
Soak the rusty bits from the small ratchet set in Coca-Cola. If I remember correctly, it's the phosphoric acid in it that removes rust.
I would love this! If only it had a ramp on one side for wheelchair or shopping scooter access. My father has a Nissan Elgrand, a 6-seater van, which would be perfect for me to convert into a campervan, sadly he is destroying it bit by bit... He keeps hitting things, despite it having 360-degree cameras! 😂Its middle 2 seats turn a full 360, whilst the back 2 fold flat giving you a double bed, they are all removable. Both middle doors, have electric curtains, as do the rear windows and back also. It's even got a little drop-down tv. The only drawback about the van, it has the same 3.5l Turbo engine in it as the Nissan GTR, so you can imagine it's rather expensive to fill up 💸💸💸but boy does it go!!!🏎🏎🚓 I'll try and find some pics and will post them later.
Thumb's up for taking the time to give us a tour. You and your Dad did very well kitting it out "just so". After all that work I'd find it very hard to sell it on, but count me subscribed.
"Exploring My Backdoor"... What a great title for a chapter! 😂
I love your reason for selling. I'd never even thought about airbags as I don't think I've ever had a car new enough to have them!
Such a simple setup, but still has everything you actually need, love it, motivating
I made something similar for USA travel, with a king size (length) bed in it. Sienna minivan, AWD.
Just fyi, that pic at 0:31 shows all the internal wall storage space you lost. All those grey panels cover huge voids that can hold clothes, food, shoes, sleeping bags, water, etc.
Just letting you know, in case you want to get them back.
Also COOL BUILD! Im very happy for you! Enjoy the cuddly mobile japanese space capsule hotel!
Nikonos and a Pentax 67.... I have major camera envy at the moment! Excellent van!...
ahhh, the unlatched tool box.... you recovered that well. Last time it happened to me, I got a hammer drill and a soldering iron dropped on my foot.
nice.... utube isnt pushing van videos as much anymore but I am glad i found your video by going to ur channel. thanks for uploading
We just got upgraded from our NV200 camper- great vehicles. We had ours all over the inner and outer Hebrides
The dog - and girl - are so cute! OK... you, too!
Thanks for the tour. I can't wait to see some of Scotland through your lens.
I love how the pupper is staring so hard when you pull the kitchen drawer out. It's food time.
Your dog has a heavy head it seems. Every chance it gets, it plops it's head 😂
Great video.
Haha she's always trying to get attention!
A really fantastic conversion!! Looks like it works perfectly for you! Thank you for mentioning the lack of air bag on the passenger side! I was looking to get an NV200 and I had just assumed that there was one! Will have to look for a different type of van now!
Some do! Just depends on the trim level.
@@CalumRaasay Could you get the airbag and, if necessary, dashboard out of one which has one? Just an idea. I guess the dashboard part might be kind-of dependent on whether any of these are old enough to go for scrap.
The Evalia set-up (the mini bus choice have all airbags ... But you must put the rear sets away ....
The opening itself was beautiful
Thank you Shoraz!
Very happy to see you two are Gilmore girls fans 😊
Great conversion! Could you please provide a link for the seat table brackets? I couldn't find it in your list...
Cracking video, the best I've seen so far on the NV200. Answered a lot of questions I've had regarding swivel seats, diesel heaters, insultation and sound deadening. Really like the triangular end piece to the bed, great design solution. Looking forward to your next build.👋👍
You are quite the "Gilmore girls" fan . A man of culture.
I’m a early-season Dean stan. Ruined Lanes character tho.
Mums who sew cushions are a wonderful thing.
The true life savers
This is something different from you, Calum. But that's exactly why I like you and your content so much. You always deliver. Whatever the topic might be. 😊 Edit: Your dog (Daisy?) is such a Cutie!
Great stuff Calum, but you call it small. I did a temporary conversion of the back of a 1973 Steyr Puch Haflinger to do a run round the North Coast 500 back in 2017. It was 6 foot long, 4 foot wide and 3 foot high! All went well up the West Coast until I was on a diversion to Orkney for a couple of days and the engine blew a hole in one of the pistons!
You should have heard the confusion when I called the RAC and told them what my vehicle was and where I was! Still, top marks, they did get me home.
Haha well this replaced my old camper van van that was a Suzuki super carry!
@@CalumRaasay Well, if I ever do it again, I will chose a slightly bigger (and much more reliable!) vehicle like your Nissan. Happy camping.
"exploring my back door" is an interesting way to title that segment😂
ive been excited for this!!!!
Calum watches Doug DeMuro! Occasionally algorithms have a positive, meta quality.
I love these builds.. had a 94 Boxer that I converted with 90% recycled materials and It cost me about 300 euros to do.. I still miss my little world on wheels, the sense of freedom I got was amazing. Wife and kids now but thanks Calum, you’ve got me thinking about a little project for the future ✌️
Something that sleeps 4 !
Go for it! I had a blast planning and building this… though you might be shocked at how pricey it all is to do these days 😅
Where there’s a will there’s a way my friend !
20:07 I feel like if you had some kind of half door width panels hinged from the top of both doors, measured to meet in exactly in the middle and join together, you could have an ad-hoc awning
Or maybe one of those retractable roller blinds that would stretch from one door to the other.
In any case, I really like the idea of turning the rear doors into a deployable 'front porch' area
If you want a good compromise that combines a van and moderately capable 4x4, (since you're considering downsizing your "fleet") have a look at Skoda Yetis, had one for ages and only sold it because I was moving abroad.
Good shout on the Yeti, my parents had one for years and it was rock solid.
@@CalumRaasay You'll know what I'm on about then!
I wouldn't be able to resist the temptation of riding down the road turned around backwards and waving to people as we pass them. But I also get the sense that there aren't a lot of 2 lane roads there, much less large highways or something like an interstate.
Hahaha you know I’ve never tried that but you’re right, a two lane road is a treat round these parts!
Funny, first thing I thought was.. can I get a ticket for driving from that position, what fun to see the faces react hahaaaaa!
Great video of a cute dog being sleepy.
Weird choice for the background audio, tho
What background audio? At the start?
Smaller than my Iload, but I think you got the better end of the stick. Van Life and Life is to short both have NV200s. Nice job m8.
Great ban build bud, really enjoyed it and it looks fantastic! Quick side note, I have a little experience with the diesel heaters you used and you can get (in effect) metal zip ties which you could use to support the metal flexing exhaust tube along it's ruin. This would prevent the thin metal from failing through stress fractures caused by driving vibration and make it last a lot longer. Keep up the excellent content and continue to enjoy 😀
Good stuff! I had a vague idea of getting a van and kitting it out as a mini maker space so that I could manufacture things out and about. It was a vague idea, mainly to scratch a nerdy itch, but if I can find some time I might research it some more.
So, uh... thanks for the inspiration/motivation!
VW Caddy Maxi has 2160mm length cargo bay WITH a cage fitted, a bit more without.
I've had that same swiss army knife since I was a kid
I was gonna say "bad choice on color for a live in van" but then i remembered you're from Scotland... so actually, excellent choice of color for a live in van. :))
Wonderful video, love the detail and long form. Might not be as viral as your other videos but they are just as important to me
Really nice van. The dog stole the show, though ❤️😁
That dog is an absolute angel!
She’s a star!
Have ya got a link for that table Calum?? Love yer documentaries! See ya at the distillery some time!
I wonder what you’ve done for Raasay’s tourist footfall, Calum. I guarantee that it was a combination of yourself and ‘the TV show’ that brought me there. A visit to the distillery was only a bonus. 🎉
Haha well there’s already a famous calum from Raasay so I’m trying to outdo him!
Ah yes. The famous road. Now that one is severely lumpy. No blame on Calum, though.
My NV 200 has a passenger airbag, although its LHD, it might be possible to retrofit one.
I might also have the same radio, mine is the Kenwood DMX5020DABS
Would be amazing to run this on the electric version of this van which has been around for ten years. Hopefully some used ones will become available as commercial early adopters phase them out now that there's finally several e-Van options to choose from.
The eNv200 is a great wee van, I’ve seen some cool conversions!
@@CalumRaasay I'm just doing exactly that! Just building the innards for Bevan, my electric version of this van. Good to see how you did the bed and couch as I'm doing a similar thing; would really prefer a rock n roll bed but then I wouldn't have enough room for all of the other gubbins I need to make it certified self-contained so I can camp in the free or cheap department of conservation sites here in New Zealand. I have to cram in a 20L container for fresh water, another for grey, a bloody toilet (which I'll never use), a sink, fridge, 100v-to-230v mega heavy inverter, a table/desk, and a double induction hob. As there's no-one down here who does pop-up roofs, which I've always had on my vans, it really would feel cramped if I hadn't gone for the people-carrier version, as it has lots of windows to make it feel more airy, plus I can open the tailgate if it's raining but not windy. And the piece de resistance on saving / making space was double swivelling seats at the front. These will also form the understructure of the top of my bed; I'll put cushions on them and lay the top bed board atop (which also hinges into half the size so I can store it under the couch cushion/mattress thing. Surprised you can get a good night's sleep on such a thin mattress; my hips would ache after 4 or 5 nights on that. I have an old, unused, and very exy, futon mattress which I'm going to cut to size and reupholster somehow; well I'm not, I'm going to find someone who knows what they're doing! It's amazing how ingenious we can get when we're given a pile of limitations to overcome, eh?! Very happy that I've kept things pretty green: EV obviously, heating and a/c is all from the fat battery, induction hob same thing, and fridge and lights, water pump from 12v (which is in turn fed from the 400v battery), 80% of wood and other materials is from the tip shop, so that all makes me feel warm and fuzzy. And another big limitation with my build options, because I have to turn this back into a 7-seater people carrier to eventually sell it on, is that I'm doing it all without any drilling, cutting, or otherwise permanently changing any of the van. I should be done in about a month, and can't wait for some luxury camping for a change. Keep up the good work and hope you find someone lovely to take your van on its next chapter.
I almost wish I was in the market to buy this! :D The carrying space, the incredibly versatile table and the seat had me hooked, the little garage area is great, and... yeah, just-about everything is either the way I'd do it or something I wish I'd thought of. Except for the fabric colors. XD I did find myself thinking I'd want to cook without opening it up, but then I realised that I'm fine with just a kettle and sandwiches so long as I'm warm on the outside. Then again, you don't have a fridge in there, do you? Or, dare I say, a toilet? That last one's all right when you're young and healthy LOL!
My sleeping bag squashes down smaller than that void blanket, but it's very hard to do it. That's part of the reason I've only used it 2 or 3 times since buying it in 1991! :p The other part is it's so old, I'm kind-of afraid to get it out again.
I use king-size blankets folded in half all the time. :)
Resistive touchscreens are good with gloves and with stylii, but that doesn't explain why they're fitted in cars. (They're also good with my dry skin, but capacitative screens are usually not too bad.) Perhaps they think a capacitative screen would be too sensitive to false inputs under vibration. I've found some devices and apps can't even handle the imperceptible tremors caused by my nervous system issues. This however can be fixed in software when they care to do so. They just have to ignore motion less than a certain amount. Desktop systems have been doing it since the 90s, lol!
A classic gadget! :D I miss my Samsung S3 sometimes. It was my first smartphone which was actually fun, (I had a terrible Siemens in '03,) and a gorgeous shiny red. I still have it, but the battery is threatening to explode. Besides, it needs reflashing to be remotely secure these days. There's a PostMarketOS port, but that's not Android so it wouldn't be the same. It's regular Linux, (for which there are mobile apps,) but I'm really tired of regular Linux. I'm starting my own operating system project as a hobby, so maybe I'll be able to get it running on the S3 it some day. It'd still be "not the same," but I'd have more fun with it than with Linux.
Sounds like you did a real proper job on the panelling and insulation! Another reason I wish I was in the market for it. :D
Oh I get that about the passenger-side airbag. I'd be the same.
Hmmm never though of putting swivel seats on the small city cargo vans, this changes everything lol, I would have a nice 43” that tilts from the ceiling against the back doors 🔥
17:45 zoom in on doggy facial expression 😂🤣🤣🤣
Nice camera work 👍
Just gonna say your dog is adorable
Great build! All the best with the next van project!
Like what you have done, swivel seat is a great idea, will remember that one, after a micro camper myself need to move out of a tent, been looking at the Nv200 to do this but looking at a 5 or 7 seater as still need to carry passengers, so Jump Boot is something I am looking at maybe, you have some good ideas, thanks.
Brilliant, your sunken villages was the first video of yours I watched, I've caught up with most of them now though
Hope you get a satisfactory price for your van. You commented that driving vehicle that's higher off the road gives you better driving perspective on your narrow roads. When I've seen films driving on single lane roads in Great Britain I can't help thinking that sure accident rate must be fairly high.
I remember reading in the 80s that the accident rate in the Scottish Highlands was high. It was something to do with single-tracked roads and tourists. Long-stretches of road through the Highlands were single-tracked, even A-roads which are major interconnects. What I remember was European tourists would drive on these single-tracked roads and not see any other cars for so long, that then they came to a 2-way road they forgot to drive on the left!
I've driven a lot of single-tracked roads West Sussex on the south coast; there's a vertiable rabbit warren between Arundel and Chichester, but they only connect the tiniest of tiny villages so there's hardly any other cars. 99.9% of the traffic has much bigger roads to drive on.
Wife completely distracted by the dog upstaging you in this vid.
It was a nightmare to film
Very interesting - thanks. But please can we see more of your island!
I have the same van, 2014. I travel through USA. Happy trails ✌
Hey, if you're ever near Zuerich and need a place to park the van and a to sleep, let me know.
What a great rig with so much personal touches. Really gutted you will sell. With all the effort your Mom and Dad put into it, you will be weeping bitter tears when you are ~50 something for letting go of it for very little money by 2042 standards. Retro fit an airbag if you want, but personally I think people put to much faith into these active safety features. Drive safely and keep *a lot* of margins for other peoples error!
Ach I know what you mean but I'd rather see it get used by someone - I don't want it to simply sit around and get neglected!
It's a class van, you've really took time to get it right for you's.
Super cool!
Excellent video, Calum, Thank you! It's always a pleasure not only to get a lot of useful information but also to see how much fun you seem to have yourself diving into your topics. Thanks again :)
Question: Could you provide a technical drawing for the Leisure-Batterie bracket? I find your solution quite genial and like to install it in my girlfriends NV. Thanks!
As i understood from the intro [especially from 'and the roads are terrible'] this is a great car for Russia 😅
Very good ideas! I like it very much. We have a NV 200 as a camper van with pop-up roof and also want to add a few custom solutions.
..did you add the pop up yourself?
Really important comment regarding it being adequately sized, and it's safety and security driving your possible change. As we know, Scotland really doesn't need yet another private large vehicle on its roads - the proliferation of "vanlife" vans, and their negative impact on infrastructure and economy has been profound. The NC500, for example, despite being really popular really does but a strain on resources.
Exactly, as an islander I feel VERY self conscious traveling and staying in anything perceived as a motorhome!
Nice car! Great job!
When you got the bar out with the shackles, my mind went to other places!!!!!
Really interesting and very engaging thank you. Excellent 👌
Glad you enjoyed it!
That's the level of insulation I'm planning on for my 110 rebuild ... bloody expensive mind! Thanks for the tour... shame to have to sell but the reasons are good..
I figured go all out! Spend the money on the insulation and then not sleep in it every night wondering if I should have done that *litte* bit more haha
Absolutely agree... It'll be interesting to see what you do with the next van 👍
Planning to visit Raasay next March/April on the way around the NC500! Looks GORGEOUS
Go for it! Amazing island and so much to see.
Also the van! There's so much in such a small space! Good work! :)
Love the build and love your vibe GREAT VIDEO AND KEEP ON KEEPING ON WITH THE JOY OF LIFE!!!!!!
Great video as always Calum
Thank you! Been a video I've wanted to make for a while
Just leave the passenger seat turned around, no need for an airbag then :p
Hahaha never thought of that. Genius
Love this build, pretty inline with what I need
Hi Calum, thanks for the video, its going to be really useful converting mine. If you still have the van, could you please go into a bit more detail or provide a few more photos of how you secured the leisure battery on top of the starter battery? I can kind of see how you've done it but can't quite see exactly what I need to do: no one else seems to have guides for this bit online and its such a good idea.
Fantastic project
Thanks Nigel!
I also converted a Nissan NV200 (2009 model, I think), but me being both 1,93m tall and a bit fat, it's a bit too cramped for anything but sleeping
Wonderful video young man. My border collie mix named Freya says Hi to yours. Great build you've done there.. blessings to you and yours coming at you from the snowy hills of Southern Oregon
Maybe i have an American mindset but since this van is for exploring the country and not for trying to drive in small streets in the city. I would think that something the size of a Sprinter which has much more room would be better than this. Anyways I love your videos and I appreciate how you are always teaching me new things.
Small islands, small ferries, small roads. Sprinter is just far too big for my needs!
@@CalumRaasay i did notice how the roads are very overgrown where you were filming. Isnt the government supposed to keep the roads cleared or is it so remote that no one really cares
I'm thinking about converting my pickup into a camper, it being a v6 is a good thing, i probably won't even need to put batteries in the bed because it was designed to be compatible with a v6 or v8, i have like 1'6" in front of the engine. Sourcing a small enough ac unit isn't going to be easy especially with my dad in a better place (he worked in hvac), I am REALLY hoping I don't have to design it myself. Power for it won't be much of a problem because I will have a shit load of space for batteries in front of the engine and unlike my old camper I'll be working with modern batteries not 80s amm... I mean lead acid batteries. I also am planning on putting fresh water and maybe even a separate tank for kerosene under the bed (or floor?). I'll probably keep the cab and camper separated. I might set up a long range 2 way radio and control station for my drones... mainly so I can get around laws requiring you to be in the same state as your drones (I live close to the Ohio River and by extension KY) I am talking about ones so big you need to be in contact with atc and uav is a more accurate term than drone, yes they will be vtol but also capable of horizontal flight like a v22 but with 2 sets of engines instead of one set that rotates, mostly for simplifying the electronics. Yes that pickup gets about 20 miles a gallon and is about $100 a tank (I usually set the pump to run until it maxes out at 35 gallons or $100), that's still much better than the old behemoth I had, that thing had a 95-100 gallon tank (its large enough for things like thermal expansion and slightly different gas to be significant). I'm definitely putting a sink like what was in your old van in it, maybe even an outdoor shower, I do plan on keeping it on one half of it because it has an 8' bed for a reason.
thats a cracking stealth camper bro
love the Luke’s sign
Sorry didn't listen, I was busy looking at the cute doggo
Hi Calum, this video has been invaluable in our own NV200 conversion experience, thanks so much for doing it! Do you happen to know where you found the ribbed tubing for the desk that sits at the captains seat? Have been searching to no avail.
Great video thank you! I have a converted Nissan NV200 and wish I’d seen this before! Checked out the shop and comments but didn’t see the parts for the table and seat rails, if you’re able to share at all please 😊
That's a ridiculously short load length, my Mitsubishi minicab Miev EV van which is a Kei Car has about the same length. My minicab also has a full pass through.
Wow! You did some pretty cool things!!! Could you sleep 2 people in this bed?
Excellent Job Calum! Making me want to spend all my time and money doing a van conversion!! aha
Time 28:26: I know that look: "I'll stay, but there'd better be a treat in it for me."
😂