| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| jamsam |
ive finally found a camperthrough freecycle..so im looking for any bits and bobs for the inside..anything free considered..what have you all got then?? |
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| Fee |
 Excellent, what camper is it?
I want a camper too 
OH promised that he'd get me a split screen VW camper for my 30th..I was going to say, which is net year, but I;ve had a mind-block, how old am I? 28 or 29? Weird...think I'm 28...sheesh, I'm sure that shouldn't be happening just yet. Anyway, where was I...yeha, but they's all so damn expensive, even old knackered ones
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| Behemoth |
There's a little yard across the road that does them up. I don't know if they're commercial or for fun but they're always working on them. | ||
| LynneA |
Howard would love a VW Camper, but would be happy with a long wheelbase Landy as long as it was diesel so it could run on veg oil.
My brother restores old Triumph cars as a hobby - he's currently working on a TR7. He says he'd fix any wreck we found, but he's a little unwilling to do up a camper. Says too many of the wrong sort of people buy them these days  - He means trendy types - media types pretending to be surfers.
How old is your camper? If it qualifies, you're way better off going with one of the classic car insurance companies. There may be mileage limits but the assumption that classics drivers care about their vehicles is in your favour. Savings could be three figures. My brother's Vitesse was something like £160 a year to insure within Greater London. |
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| hedgewitch |
Thought you'd copped off there for a minute, Jamsam   
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| sally_in_wales |
What sort have you got? | ||
| dpack |
great stuff .
if it is a vw air cooled petrol engine please get it checked for the cooling working properly and petrol pipe condition ,i didnt like being in a burning van on the motorway we all got out but it was a hairy time and since ive heared of 2 more such moments . that said if you are looking for kit my advice is get a truck battery and fat wires from somewhere for all those luxuries (sorry necessities im a backpacker )that run on 12v so as to only use the main battery for the motor .mini fridges are good as is a 12v fan heater on winter trips ,most campers are short on insulation .fly screens for the windows is nice ,awnings are a pain (a tent is easily stowed )heavey curtains for urban overnights avoids a lot of attention .my mates ca /dormabile had a catflap
be imaginative and have fun adapting stuff |
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| Simon |
Sorry, I thought from the title you were going to say:
"...in the back garden cooking his bacon and eggs" 
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| tigger |
our camper is very old and has done more than 300,000km but it's great! It has solar panels so we produce our own electricity. If you haven't already got one, get a good heavy curtain behind the driver's seat and the living bit. It keeps out a lot of the cold. | ||
| dpack |
thinking of electrics a charger for the truck battery just in case you stay put for a while and cant charge it from the alternator (and pv to start off full )and an inverter 12v dc to 240 ac so as to be able to run household appliances a microwave for example is handy
see if there are any caravans being scrapped  lots of useful bits in them .i would try to avoid gas on safety grounds but it can be practical for cooking as electric cooking eats charge .bread crates etc are handy for easy access storage
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| Blacksmith |
If its an old "splitty" make sure its not 6 volt ! Very envious ! love to buy a camper, take a year of and "cruise"Spose I should have done it when I was in my 20's....... Ah well, live and learn . Same goes for "lightweight "1/2 ton air portable land rovers FFR (fitted for radio) these are 24 volt ! |
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| lettucewoman |
Re: ive finally found a camper
On FREECYCLE????!!!! I wish I lived near you!! we've been looking for ages but can't aford anything.....
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| lettucewoman |
Ps for the others among you who are looking - gumtree has loads of camper vans which the assies and kiwis have to sell before they go back down under - lots of them are in London, but the good thing about them is that htey usually come with all the equipment you will ever need - cos they can't take it back with them!! Look here ; http://www.gumtree.com/london/camper-vans-for-sale_1028_1.html
Still can't afford one tho' 
Aussies I mean!! Too much red wine......
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| jamsam |
god you lot have a one track mind..no, not a camper cooking his bacon and eggs..
ive been given an ex ambulance all stripped out and panneled ready to be filled with whatever i want ( some stuff like cooker and fridge are included but he hasnt built them in yet). its from freeceycle and so dosnt run, but its onlty about 5 miles from me so a tow wont be hard. way hey!!!!!here we go!!!!im off to pester the cornish surfers all summer...weeeeeee..... |
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| oddballdave |
Try your local caravan site. Ours has a lot of caravans for sale. Prices start at £25. Yes twenty five pounds!
The walls are usually like a sponge or the chassis is rust mites all holding hands. But as a source of wood, panels, stove etc then the price is very reasonable. |
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| cab |
I'm sure I've seen a specific VW camper forum somewhere online, that would I assume be packed with people who might be able to help out. | ||
| sally_in_wales |
www.justkampers.co.uk/ very helpful place
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| hedgewitch |
We've got a one track mind???? 
Sounds great, though, Jamsam. Have fun
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| jamsam |
ikm very excited..but i havent told mum yet..ooppss!!! | ||
| barefoot_boo |
Shall I make you camper fanciers jealous?
http://barefootboo.co.uk/mabel/mabel.htm |
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| sally_in_wales |
ooh, pretty,mine is more functional (and needs a new clutch already) http://www.sallypointer.com/ronnie.html | ||
| Penny |
I used to have a dark red one a bit like Ronnie, but it had the ice cream van top roof on it - I loved it, but it died
Mabel's beautiful Boo - very jealous
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| jamsam |
yes im jelous..
i like the tent thingy, now is that a 'made for a camper van' tent or one that you have fiddled with?? ( oh err) |
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| sally_in_wales |
came with it, made for a camper, just not this one, still easy enough to jerryrig and positively palatial inside | ||
| Fee |
Awwww, Mabel is devine, Boo!
*Stamps feet* I want one! Are there lots of little furry flowers on the dashboard? |
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| Nick |
I have the VW camper van and beetle restoration book, this one. That's not mine, btw, just one like it.
Any use to you, Sally? Or, indeed, anyone else? Yours in exchange for something fun. PM me! |
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| Fee |
You know what, I love Freecycle.
We're (that's the royal we, I'm away for the weekend) collecting an 8 x 6 aluminuim greenhouse on Saturday, for freeeeee from a lovely Freecycler just a few miles away. |
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| lassemista |
Motorhomefacts .com has loads of info. Obviouly some of it is about gin palaces on wheels, but it has self build bits which will help in how to fit it out. Also safety aspects - there are techies who can answer all sorts of obscure points about inverters and such.
I've had my van for nearly 2 years and love it. It makes me happy even when I just drive it to pick the children up from school, I think because it feels like I'm going on a trip. Most important decision - where are you going to store the booze. Mine came with a solar panel and I rarely have problems with power. But then I don't try to run a telly and a miocrowave! Andrea. |
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| jamsam |
sad news..
i cant afford to get a tow.... im hoping a friend will come up trumps..but theres no guarentee..
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| Fee |
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| jamsam |
very sad news now..the freecycler has only gone and given it to someone else..
my own fault fo rnot getting the tow quickly enough i suppose.. |
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| hedgewitch |
Jamsam, so sorry you didn't get this one
There'll be another, this time with your name on....
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| tahir |
Bummer | ||
| jamsam |
im so annoyed..i thought this week was looking better...oh well... | ||
| jamsam |
im going to try to convice my mum that a new camper would be better than a new car..what do you think my chances are???? | ||
| sally_in_wales |
What about a compromise, a small van that will cart all your stuff around at need but which will work as a camper too. You might have more luck finding a van to modify than a redy to roll camper | ||
| ros |
oh what a shame, just when you thought something good was going to happen.
...just convince yourself that it wwould probably have cost a fortune and been a right pain to get it going anyway! the next one will be better! |
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| Cathryn |
Ohhh Jamsan
There was a van on the Aberystwyth one about the same time as the camper..... |