If you decide to make a motor home yourself, you will need some basic knowledge, tools, a lot of patience and even more free time. And, of course, reliable vehicle to create a camper.
In this article there are some photos of a home on wheels, built with your own hands on the basis of Volkswagen car... Most of the advice can be applied when building motorhomes based on other vehicles.
It is very important to read the next point before you start!
IMPORTANT! Before starting to create a camper with your own hands, it is necessary to legalize the implementation of such a procedure. In this case, you can prevent various legal difficulties. The rules differ depending on the country, so we cannot publish uniform recommendations on this matter.
The first steps
Do-it-yourself mobile home construction consists of the following steps:
- Outdoor work
- Internal work
- Water supply works
- Gas and electricity
- Furniture
- Other
If the van is operated by only two people, there will be really a lot of space. If you are planning a trip of 3 or more people, you need to think over the number of seats. Remember to equip seats with appropriate seat belts.
How many sleeping places do you need? One of the options is the arrangement of a bunk bed for children. If you have enough space under the roof, you can make a "drop-down" bed.
At this stage, you should have a clear plan for the way forward. Sure, you can improvise, but it's much easier to have a well thought out plan on paper.
Outdoor work
The first thing to do when preparing your base vehicle is to thoroughly clean the inside of the car.
At this stage, you also need to think about the shape of the body as a whole. It's time to deal with body damage, rust. Local or complete painting of a car will help.
Typically, vans do not have windows, so you might want to consider installing them. They are needed to provide fresh air and sunlight inside the RV. Windows come in different shapes and sizes, the choice depends on your preferences and body characteristics.
During the construction of a mobile home, you will have to make several holes in the body of the car. These are openings for ventilation, gas outlet (in case of a leak), exhaust gases heater, water fillers, etc. Some of them can be done later, but it is much easier to resolve the issue now if you know exactly where they will be.
Remember to apply a primer wherever bare metal appears to prevent corrosion.
Build your own motorhome the right way!
Internal work
The van will most likely have a bulkhead behind the front seats. Some partitions are fixed with screws, others are welded to the body. The "Bulgarian" will help to solve the problem.
Remember to use protective equipment. Sparks can leave nasty stains on glass that cannot be removed.
The fun begins. The insulating layer is very important as it will protect your camper from outside noise and temperature. There are many materials that can be used. The choice is entirely up to you.
In this case, we used Armaflex material... It should be cut into pieces and glued. The main point is moisture protection. If the insulating material does not protect against moisture ingress, do not use it.
It is necessary to prepare insulation material, lightweight and waterproof plywood, and soft and flexible carpet.
Thicker plywood should be used for the side covers, since furniture will be installed on them in the future.
Use a wide temperature range adhesive or sealant to attach the insulation and carpet to the sidewalls. Because the camper van will be exposed to both freezing temperatures and the hot summer sun. Heating operation will also affect. In the case of using low-quality glue, the work will have to be redone again after a while.
Where to begin? Start covering the RV from the roof to the flooring. First, we mount the insulation and cladding layers on the ceiling, then move on to the side panels.
Use wooden planks on the floor to provide enough insulation space. The battens are fixed to the floor with a suitable sealant. Then a layer of insulation is laid, after which it must be covered with plywood. Plywood is fixed with sealant or screws.
Remember the water supply and the need for electrical cables and gas pipes. Wires and hoses can be routed through insulation or under plywood covers if you already know where all the fixtures will be installed.
Water supply works
A mobile home must have a cold running water supply. For this, two canisters of water are installed under the sink. A submersible pump supplies water to the tap.
If you need warm water, an extra sink or shower, the system will be more complex. Large water tanks can be installed elsewhere, for example, under the van. Hoses will be needed to connect the entire system.
When you make a motorhome yourself, you are only limited by your imagination.
Don't forget about waste water. You can install a suitable tank under the car, or run a hose through the floor to drain water into a portable tank or bucket.
Remember, used water smells bad in summer and freezes in winter. Therefore, you need to get rid of it as soon as possible, so a bucket may be the perfect solution.
How about a toilet? You can install one of the handy portable toilets.
Gas and electricity
IMPORTANT! Gas hoses and electrical wiring must only be installed by qualified personnel! In case of not correct installation they can pose a serious hazard. Build a motorhome yourself, but don't put other people at risk.
Propane in the camper can be used for cooking, heating, as well as connecting the refrigerator. You can do without it by using an electric stove and refrigerator, as well as an autonomous Webasto heater.
The gas cylinder must be stored in a separate place with openings in the bottom. Why should there be holes at the bottom? Because propane is heavier than air, so it will always go down.
It is even possible to make a valve to connect the gas stove outside the vehicle for future cooking outside the van.
Again, build the camper correctly for your own safety!
Electricity is necessary to start all devices designed for 12V. The system consists of a battery charger/ converter, control panel and many wires.
Don't forget the external connector for charging battery motorhomes from a regular power supply (110V or 220V). You can also use it at home by charging the battery during winter storage.
In order to determine how much battery capacity you need, you will have to perform simple calculations. Let's say you would use the following:
- Halogen lamps: 2 × 20W 2 hours a day = 80 Wh
- Refrigerator: 45W 12 hours a day = 540 Wh
The total power consumption is 620 Wh per day. Now divide 620 Wh by 12V and you get 52Ah. This is your daily power consumption. Typically, a 100Ah battery will last about two days of battery life.
Make calculations taking into account the energy consumers you are using. This will help you get the average daily electricity consumption figures.
Gas and electricity are very important issues to consider when building a camper. If you plan to operate a motorhome for traveling far from civilization, autonomy should be maximized. Take your time, think carefully and calculate everything.
Furniture
In this matter, you are also not limited. You can safely realize your dreams. There are many ways to make and install furniture.
Sometimes quite suitable furniture is found at various disassembly, we advise you to search. Quite good offers sometimes appear at online auctions, and furniture is sometimes sold at an affordable price.
You can also design everything from scratch. Some firms sell ready-to-install parts covered with veneer. All you have to do is apply varnish (if necessary) and install furniture. You can also contact a professional who will help you in this matter.
Many car owners dream of their own motorhome on wheels so that they can easily travel with their family to various places. But the family cannot always afford to buy a motorhome, so many people make it themselves. To do this, you need a little:
But, in addition to this, you should have a high-quality, and most importantly, reliable vehicle that can accommodate a motorhome on wheels.
So what needs to be done? Before you create a camper with your own hands, you should visit a legal consultation. Such modernization of the car requires legalization. There are different requirements for each country.
The first step is a do-it-yourself camper
The whole process of creating such a structure can be conditionally divided into several stages:
- outdoor work;
- execution of internal works;
- provision of water supply to the camper;
- supply and connection of gasification and electricity systems;
- placement of furniture;
- small work.
After that, you will be able to travel by camper at any free time.
Number of seats
Let's take an average van as an example of how to create a camper. If the van will be operated by only two people, there will be plenty of space. If the family has more people, then it is necessary to think over the additional number of places. Remember that all seats must be secured with seat belts.
Determine in advance how many beds your mobile home will have. There is a very good option for increasing them. Set up bunk beds inside. You can also make a bed that will "fall out" from under the roof. This will help save space on the camper.
At this stage of planning, you should have a clear plan of the internal structure. Of course, you can make your own adjustments during installation, but the basis must be thought out to the smallest detail.
Exterior work
First of all, take care of the cleanliness of the inside of the campsite. The area should not contain dirt, dust, significant defects. This will be the key to the successful formation of the motorhome.
You should also plan out the form in general terms. In addition to the outline, you can sketch on paper.
The bodywork rarely has windows, which is disastrous for camper travel. Plan where best to install windows for the best view. In addition, they will open access to the flow of fresh air and allow the sun's rays to penetrate, which will create additional lighting. Windows can be chosen from completely different shapes, types and structures. Everything will depend solely on your preferences, as well as on the characteristics of the bodywork.
Additional holes in the body
When creating a camper with your own hands, do not forget to make some holes:
- to remove gas in the event of a leak;
- for ventilation;
- for output from the heater;
- for water fillers.
Of course, you can do some of them after the camper is created, but this can already be much more problematic. It is best to do everything at once and in advance. But this should be done only when you are sure that these holes will be located in those places.
Places with exposed metal should be immediately primed to prevent corrosion.
Internal work
How to equip a camper inside? With your own hands, you should create partitions between the front seats and the main body of the body. But if you wish, you can not do them. The installation of the partition is also different. It can be fixed with screws or welded to the body itself. If necessary, use a grinder at this stage.
When operating a grinder, do not forget about safety measures. Work with it carefully, especially if you are using the tool for the first time. Remember to wear safety glasses over your eyes and make sure the circle is securely fastened. Also, in the process of working with the grinder, sparks will fly, which, if they hit the glass, will create defects. Therefore, take care in advance to securely close it.
Insulation
The insulation layer for a mini camper is very important. The temperature inside, as well as sound insulation, will depend on its quality and correct installation. A large number of materials from various companies are presented on the market. Their choice will be exclusively individual, based on the characteristics of the environment, financial situation, body type.
The insulation must be cut into small pieces and carefully glued on. The main feature and the main one is protection against moisture ingress. If the insulation layer does not cope with its immediate duty, remove it.
For hull plating, prepare in advance:
Use a thick layer of plywood on the side covers. This is done so that it can support the weight of the furniture that will be mounted directly on it.
The side walls must be coated with adhesive that can withstand a wide range of different temperatures. Use it to glue the insulation to the side walls. Glue for different temperatures is used because the van will be used in different conditions: in severe frosts and in the scorching summer sun. Heating is additionally arranged. If the glue does not have all the necessary properties, then the sealant and coating will simply disappear.
Camper trim
The cladding of the motorhome begins from the roof itself to the floor covering. First of all, we install the insulating and cladding layer and only after that we smoothly move on to If you are going to equip exclusively a winter camper, then the sealant layer should be increased and additionally compacted.
To provide sufficient space for insulation, use wooden planks that are mounted to the floor. Fasteners must be made with a special sealant suitable for the coating. After that, a layer of insulation is laid, and then they are covered with plywood. The plywood itself is attached with screws or sealant. Do not forget about the place of laying water supply, gas cables and electrical cables.
Water supply
A prerequisite for the water supply of a mobile home is that it must have a running water supply. To do this, place a couple of canisters of water under the sink. The installed pump will produce the required flow of water to the tap.
If desired, the camper can also be provided with hot water. This is useful if you want to place a shower. This requires placing large tanks of water under the body of the RV. To connect the heating system, you will need to purchase and install additional hoses.
Don't forget about waste water. They can be withdrawn using a hose placed in the floor, or the water can be drained into a portable tank. The container should be emptied as soon as possible, since in summer it will go from it and in winter it will simply freeze. You can also install a toilet.
Gasification and electricity
The installation of the gas and electrical hose must only be entrusted to qualified personnel. At the slightest mistake self installation this can be disastrous.
A propane tank can be used for cooking. You can do without it by replacing the container with an ordinary electric stove. It is necessary to store the container in a separate place.
The electric power system of the camper consists of a charger, a battery, a control panel and a wiring system.
Gas and electricity in a camper-trailer is very important. In the case of going to nature far outside the city, the autonomy of both systems should be at the maximum level.
Furniture
If you wish, you can use absolutely any furniture you like. You can buy new furniture items or design and make it yourself.
Almost everyone who has a camper leaves extremely positive reviews. You can create more than just a small family caravan. It is also quite possible to make huge off-road campers. The choice is yours!
A motorhome on wheels, and even equipped with your own hands, is the dream of many lovers of auto travel and outdoor activities. It provides its owner with amazing freedom when traveling, freeing him from the need to look for and book a hotel, purchase tickets, pack suitcases, etc. In addition, your own motorhome makes it easy to travel even big family, including pets - for this it is necessary to use the appropriate furniture, usually transformable.
When a caravan on wheels first appeared on the road, it is quite difficult to answer. The first such experience was implemented by the Jennings company back in the 38th year of the last century, although self-made models of motorhomes appeared much earlier. All motorhomes on wheels can be equipped with almost all the necessary attributes of a familiar and comfortable life - bathroom, shower, gas stove, full berth, which are present even in the smallest motorhomes, which are often based on the budget gazelle in Russia.
Depending on the type of motorhome on wheels belongs to, it can be:
- trailed;
- van;
- combined.
A fairly common practice at the present time is the hand-made re-equipment of a suitable vehicle, the same domestic gazelle, into comfortable motorhomes for travel. But before making a motorhome on wheels with your own hands, you need to determine the main purpose of the conversion - long or short-term residence in the motorhome, as well as select or make the appropriate furniture.
RV classes
According to the generally accepted classification, all motorhomes on wheels are divided into three main classes:
Attention! Any class "A" motorhome made on the basis of a bus or truck, according to the transport classification, requires the driver to have a category "C" license.
Speaking about the classification of motorhome trailers, the following concepts should be highlighted:
Trailer tent
A homemade motorhome on wheels does not have to be expensive and difficult to make, especially if it is used relatively rarely and for a small number of people. Some types of motorhomes do not even require furniture, and are used as a sleeping place. In order to independently make a caravan trailer, you will need to make some effort and a sufficient amount of time.
The main "power" element of such a motorhome is a frame, which can be purchased ready-made, or assemble it yourself, which will require skill and certain technical knowledge. In case of self-production, special attention should be paid to the anti-corrosion treatment of all steel elements of the future motorhome.
The frame, mounted on the chassis prepared for the motorhome, can be either steel or wood. When creating it, the main attention should be paid to the quality of the connection of parts, since when such a motorhome trailer moves, the entire structure will be subjected to serious dynamic and vibration loads. Inside such a motorhome, you can arrange a fairly comfortable sleeping place, and at the time of stops for rest, the design of the motorhome unfolds, and a tent is quickly set up on top. Such a motorhome on wheels, the photo of which is presented below, is optimal for short trips and simple outdoor recreation.
Another option for the device of such a trailer can be seen in the video:
How to make a motorhome on wheels with your own hands
In order to make a motorhome on wheels with your own hands, you can use any minibus, truck or even a bus. In order to create it, you will need to make a lot of effort, time, and be ready for a fairly serious material investment, which later will more than pay off comfortably when traveling in your own motorhome.
The process of turning a standard gazelle into a motorhome on wheels will definitely be accompanied by a number of works that are mandatory:
In the event that a mobile home trailer is created with the aim of long trips, it is advisable to provide for a good audio-video system and satellite TV... If financial possibilities permit, it will be good option installation of solar panels, which will extend the life of the generator.
Attention! In most cases, re-equipment of a vehicle into a caravan trailer requires that all “alterations” be legalized in advance in order to avoid legal problems in the future.
Internal work
Many lovers of travel with comfort are interested in the question of how much a motorhome on wheels in Russia costs, but having learned the cost of the finished version, they prefer to create a motorhome with their own hands. And this makes sense, since making a motorhome on wheels from a gazelle with their own hands is within the power of any person who is ready to put in a certain amount of effort and spend his time on it.
The first thing that needs to be done inside the cabin of the future motorhome on wheels is to dismantle the partition located behind passenger seats... If it is bolted, there will be no problems; if a welded joint is used, a grinder is required. After dismantling, the interior should be completely freed from the interior trim. In parallel with this, it is worth checking the metal parts for the presence of foci of corrosion. Take measures to eliminate them, keeping in mind that it will be much more difficult to disassemble a finished motorhome.
Before proceeding with the insulation and interior decoration of the motorhome, you should carefully consider the water and power supply system, since all pipes and electrical cables are best hidden under the casing to avoid accidental damage. After that, a motorhome on wheels based on a gazelle requires serious insulation. In addition to special materials with vibration and thermal insulation characteristics, you can use basalt mineral wool or extruded polystyrene foam for a motorhome.
An important point in the interior and exterior of a motorhome on wheels is the protective treatment of the material used. Thus, additional metal elements outside the motorhome must have a high-quality anti-corrosion treatment. Internal cladding elements are usually made of wood. For their treatment, it is recommended to use a special fire-retardant impregnation, which will prevent the spread of flame, will not allow the formation of fungus, which may simply be impossible to get rid of.
Certain ideas for creating your own project can be "borrowed" from the manufacturers of such houses by watching the following video:
Gas and electrical equipment
Any motorhome on wheels - a Mercedes or a gazelle, requires a special attitude in terms of electricity and gas supply. Do not naively believe that without proper education, you can perform high-quality electrical wiring and install the appropriate equipment in a motorhome. The same applies to gas equipment.
For example, few people know that for a gas cylinder in any motorhome, it is necessary to "allocate" a separate closed area, in the lower part of which there should be openings that communicate with the outside atmosphere. This will allow propane, which is heavier than air, to escape from the RV, if it leaks, and will not cause poisoning or a fire in the passenger compartment.
An important point for a motorhome is the correct calculation of the battery capacity. To ensure maximum autonomy, the daily energy consumption of all devices in the motorhome should be summed up. The resulting value in watts will need to be divided by 12 (V), resulting in a value in ampere-hours (Ah) - it is this value that is indicated on the battery and allows you to judge its power. So, when the energy consumption in a motorhome is 50-60 Ah / day, it is optimal to purchase a battery of 120-150 Ah... Such a motorhome on wheels will be able to function autonomously for two days. It is advisable to provide an external outlet for recharging the battery of the motorhome in parking lots.
Furniture
Despite the fact that at present it will not be a problem to buy ready-made furniture for a motorhome, according to reviews, it is not able to satisfy all the needs of car owners, especially those who create a motorhome on wheels according to their own drawings. That's why the best option becomes either its self-production, or an individual order for furniture production.
In most cases, making your own furniture is more optimal for a motorhome. Since for a small motorhome, for example, based on a standard gazelle or UAZ, not so much furniture is required, and it does not differ in particular complexity, you can save money at this stage of work. For the proper level of comfort in a motorhome, as a rule, the following furniture structures are made:
- dining table, to save space in a small motorhome, it is better to use a folding option;
- kitchen table with sink and work surface;
- open shelves or drawers located under the ceiling of the motorhome;
- if you have a toilet in a motorhome on wheels, you will need to make a partition with a door.
When a KAMAZ or a bus is taken as a base for a motorhome, the amount of furniture listed above increases. When making a motorhome on wheels with your own hands, to facilitate the task of determining the type and quantity of furniture, you can use special computer programs, or draw a detailed plan for the future layout of the motorhome on paper, where you can clearly indicate not only the type of furniture, but also its location.
How the most expensive mobile home can be made out can be seen in the photo - clearly visible how sophisticated and comfortable interior furnishings can be.
When building a house on wheels with your own hands, you should pay attention to the quality of materials. So, for furniture it is advisable to use moisture-resistant materials that are resistant to household chemicals, since cleaning in any type of motorhome - from a bus, a trailer or a gazelle - will have to be done quite often.
Well, perhaps it's time to start talking about the construction of a camper, which we successfully tested a month ago in Kazakhstan. I shot almost all the photos on my phone, so don't scold them for the quality.
As you know, any path begins with the first step. My first priority was to get the car to move normally along the house-garage route, as well as add a little driving comfort / ergonomics and prepare the salon for further furniture construction. This will be the first part of the long story.
2. Since we have changed the size of the crew - now we are traveling with a dachshund named Marcus - such wonderful reflective signs were found in the nearest trash heap in a trucker's shop. We can say that this was the first thing that I purchased for construction. 
3. Next, it was necessary to understand a little in the garage. It's hard to imagine, but most of the things were always placed in the Defender's salon, and our Seat could drop into an empty space. 
4. Well, then the long and tedious washing of the car began. Dust, debris and aluminum trimmings mixed with shavings were almost everywhere - there is nothing to be done, these are the consequences of building a residential module on a "disassembled" car. I don’t even remember how many liters of water I had to drag from the house to wash it all off. 
5. Def itself is a very "cold" car, so I decided to start by insulating the doors and floor. As a material, I used a splen 8mm thick on a self-adhesive base. Fortunately, the doors and the floor are absolutely flat, it didn't take long. If you pay attention, you can see a rubber seal from the bottom of the door. It is not installed from the factory, it seems that some Poles make it, but at the same time the thing turned out to be so popular that Land Rover appropriated its catalog number! :)))
At the same time, I had plans to connect to the central lock and duplicate its control in the rear of the cabin, especially since I love to tinker with an electrician (I always installed alarms and other equipment on my own in all previous cars). So, in the case of Def, the control of the central lock, to put it mildly, seemed very strange to me. In any case, I have never encountered such a thing.
If the yellow wire is shorted to ground, then the car opens all the doors, and if you open it, it closes. Those. a single limit switch is used on the door lock stopper, and the control goes through one wire - perhaps, I could not have come up with a simpler design. Trub and hardcore, modern CAN-buses nervously smoke on the sidelines! :)
6. Door trim is also glued with splen. 
7. Glass rear doors... Well, you get the idea. I almost glued the front windows too, but stopped in time. 
8. Then it was time to work on stability - at speeds above 80 km / h, the muzzle seemed to begin to scour back and forth. In the fall, I installed new Terrafirma Heavy front springs, as a result of which the muzzle of the car visually lifted up, and handling deteriorated due to the slight displacement of the bridge back. To return it to its "normal" position, an Ironman castor kit was purchased. 
9. Accordingly, native silent blocks are removed from the front levers ... 
10. ... After that, new ones made of polyurethane are pressed into them with an off-center hole. After this simple tuning, Def's steering became much better, the unpleasant yaw of the muzzle on the sides was gone. 
11. Then the funniest stage began ... As I remember, I shudder. The fact is that when sheathing the frame with aluminum sheets, some rivets were drilled several times, and some of them, mixed with shavings, remained inside the aluminum profile. It was not possible to get them out of there, and at every turn of the car, they made themselves felt with a cheerful roar throughout the cabin. Feeling as if you are driving inside a rattle.
"Triffids" with such shortcomings, judging by the conversation with the master, have never encountered before - if the pickup truck or the living module is separated from the passenger compartment, then you will not hear any rumbling of rivets while driving, but in my case the car had a single volume .. In general, we had to act radically, and this had to be done before the start of sheathing with insulation. 
12. Foam, foam, foam ... From every hole and every crevice, the foam poured into it was squeezed out. After each drying, there was another test drive - and all the same I noticed that something rumbled ... It seemed to be nonsense, but it took a lot of time. 
13. After foaming all the profiles in the front of the frame, I trim the box for things above the front seats with insulation. Then I rivet the vertical wall of the box and the hatch back - I finally tested the rivet gun from the Delo Tekhniki company. Well, the most attentive readers, of course, noticed the output power wire. 
14. Chandelier! A chandelier has finally found its place on the front of the module. For some reason, I was very happy when I secured it. 
But, as they say, nothing just happens, and the road from the garage home to me once again proved this. The fact is that the chandelier has started ... You will never guess - whistle songs! :) The changed air flow passed by her radiator, which caused a hum and whistle, which at the same time did not depend on the speed, but on ... I myself do not know from what. In general, even when moving at a constant speed, the notes produced were different. The situation was corrected by applying sealant to the radiator at the ends, as well as in the center of the chandelier, where the power wire entered it. Here is such an experience.
15. Perfectionist hell. The aluminum plate is riveted through, the rivet is already painted, it is a pity to drill it out, and there is no other way to pull it out. Not only that, this plate also LIES CURVE !!! Although at present she is resting somewhere far away, under several layers of insulation, and the interior equipment is already placed on top of it, thoughts about her still haunt me from time to time ... :) 
16. Well, and the last moment, which spoiled a lot of blood - somewhere in the upper right corner of the glove box a few days later a creak appeared, and it was so loud and disgusting that I had to rip off most of the already glued insulation. Most importantly, it was not clear where exactly this vile sound was coming from. Men from garages, whom I asked to listen to, rode in the "luggage compartment", and I rode myself, but I could not find the reason. Everything looks fine, the cladding does not move in any way relative to the frame, everything is riveted and everything is in its place, and the sound is such that even the good old "Prodigies" could not drown it out with their creativity. 
In the end, I never managed to overcome him. Spat on everything, sheathed the walls again. In Kazakhstan, after several hundred kilometers of broken roads, the creak suddenly disappeared by itself ... And that's all.
17. I planned to make the main furniture for the next stage, but I had to make the shelf above the windshield almost immediately - I got used to it in the "old" Def. When all the necessary devices are not scattered in different parts of the cabin, but are neatly mounted next to each other at arm's length, it is very convenient. 
18. I took the photo last night and with a flash, so excuse the quality. The box with a green screen is the Multitronics on-board computer, which, after flashing and calibrating in Kazakhstan, began to very accurately calculate the fuel consumption and the remaining liters in the tank. A loudspeaker microphone can be seen a little to the left of it, and a Supra radar detector is fixed in the corner below it.
- And why is he needed at Def?- you might ask. Well, let's say, in the same Kazakhstan, the police constantly patrol the roads with the radar on, measuring the speed of cars "on the go." So, there I knew about the approach of a police car two kilometers before meeting her, which saved me from fines several times. Yes, and we sometimes like to put up a sign "40 km / h" on regional highways and put a camera right after it, so that a thing on the tracks will definitely not be superfluous.
To the right of on-board computer a walkie-talkie is fixed, power is supplied to it when the key is turned for the first time without turning on the ignition. Next to it is the inclinometer, and even to the right is a large nine-inch monitor with a rear-view camera, which has two modes of operation - either it is on all the time (they have a common power supply with the radio), or it turns on together with the reverse gear. 
There is a small side between the inclinometer and the monitor. If you look at the previous photo, you can see an area behind for storing small things that should be at the driver's hand - usually there are documents, insurance, sunglasses in a case and the like. And to the right of the monitor is a similar, but much larger area for small things for my beloved wife. An aluminum corner collar prevents items from falling down from shaking. I used to have the same thing, but in a smaller size, now this overhead shelf has become much more convenient to use.
19. Due to the increased length of the car, I absolutely do not feel its rear end, although the side view in the mirrors is good. Therefore, the camera had to be installed almost immediately - without it, it was difficult to park, it was necessary to constantly run out of the car. And also in daytime and when driving in settlements at night, the monitor is constantly on and in fact performs the function of a rear-view mirror, which I have thrown out of the car for several years, this is also quite convenient - to see what is happening behind you.
In this photo, I'm taking a photo of the rear-view camera monitor on my phone, which shows how the driver of the car from behind is taking pictures of Defender with his phone. I apologize for the tautology. 
20. I remember the sensations from the first time I climbed onto the roof. She's just huge. And, as it turned out, flowed at the seams in the rain. 
21. It's time to tackle the rear overhang. During the installation of the module, we applied sealant to the sides of the car, door pillars and windshield... But in the area where the rear of the module was docked with the body, there were such rather large gaps, in the photo it is clearly visible from the vertical aluminum profile - in some places it receded from the body by half a centimeter. 
22. Actually, we spill everything that is possible with a sealant. Both outside and inside. 
23. Vacuum cleaner, sealant, polyurethane foam and masking tape - for several evenings they became my main tools. The whole DEF consists of separate parts, all bolted and riveted. Therefore, the cracks in the body were full, therefore, it took a lot of sealant - every seam had to be coated. 
24. I spill the back profile with foam, which "rattles" with rivets ... 
25. And the profile on top, along which the roof flows. Everything is quite simple - two holes are made in its opposite parts, after which foam is poured into one of them until it starts to crawl out of the opposite and from all available slots. Then it all dries up for a long time ... 
26. Since there was not much space in the garage, and I needed the old fasteners in order not to buy a new one, I use a screwdriver to disassemble the previous version of furniture in literally an hour. I remember it took so long to do all this, and so quickly to disassemble everything ... 
27. In the meantime, the rear of the car is slowly taking on a finished look. Mounts for heart tracks have been made. There are plans to fix universal fastening rails on the same bolts and hang on them whatever your heart desires. 
28. "Dachshund" also found its place, and the number moved to the spare wheel. Under it you can see a wide-angle rear-view camera, a little lower - a strip of daytime running lights which acts as a lantern reverse... Its main purpose is to make it clear to other participants in the movement that Def is backing down and, perhaps, does not see anything, since the camera sometimes gets dirty. :)
An additional purpose, activated from the toggle switch on the control panel, is the constant illumination of the space behind the car while camping. Due to the fact that it is located at waist level, the eyes are not particularly blind, but at the same time, its light is quite enough to see what is happening around in the semi-darkness. Well, if you need a powerful and bright light when driving backwards, then I simply turn on the two work lights located above the spare wheel. Four red reflectors also appeared on the module (one of them is visible on the left side of the photo) so that the car standing on the side of the road without dimensions could be seen from afar. 
29. And the last thing - about the rear optics. Took diode lights from a trailer, made in Poland. Their transparent part is slightly tinted from the factory, which harmonizes well with the gray color of Def. The turn signals are very bright, for their correct operation we had to install a special relay, otherwise they would flash twice as often. Well, the red section of the lights, respectively, works in two modes - size and brake light. There are no reversing lights on them, which is why I had to make a separate diode strip. Well, in general, I really liked this optics, the product is of high quality, sealed, nothing backlash and at the same time looks nice. Of the many options that I reviewed in the car markets, this one seemed the most interesting. 
30. Further, after pasting with an 8-mm spleen, the rear compartment is sheathed with sheets of extruded polystyrene foam 20 mm thick, which in total is very close to the thickness of the profile itself - 30 mm. I cut pieces of polystyrene a little bigger size, literally a couple of millimeters. Because of this, he sits inside with an effort, a surprise, and then it is quite difficult to get him back. And he also additionally presses the splen layer to the aluminum skin over the entire area. Well, then I make a platform for the stationary mounting of the compressor. 
31. Compressor ARB with a miniature receiver and - most importantly - a built-in pressure sensor. Due to the presence of a receiver and a sensor, the compressor is able to operate in automatic mode- it's just unrealistically convenient! In my case, it is enough to open the rear compartment door and connect a hose with a pressure gauge using a quick connector. Then, when inflating the tires, you simply press the handle of the ARB pistol - the pressure in the receiver drops and the compressor starts working. As soon as you inflate the wheel, release the handle, after a second the pressure in the receiver jumps up and the sensor turns off the compressor automatically. And with no running around on-off and no dragging the compressor around the machine with tangled wires. Good things are worth their money. 
And, of course, there are plans to block rear axle ARB, which will also be controlled by a compressor.
32. I am laying the wiring for all consumers. Near the opposite door are two 12 volt power outlets. On the cross-section of wires, I remember, I decided not to save. According to my calculations, even if two batteries are completely discharged, with the help of a car operating nearby in half an hour or an hour, it will be possible to recharge the battery until the alarm "revives" and central locking since the front door lock cylinder never worked. And it will also be possible to get into the salon through the rear hatch, the lock of which is opened with a key from the street. But this is already so, reflections on an emergency. 
34. From the driver's side, the rear compartment is divided into two parts. In a small part there are gas cylinders, strategic supplies of toilet paper and other small things that do not need to be taken out every day. The main part houses a long time-lapse slider and three large tripods. 
35. Well, from the opposite door you can access "dirty" things that you didn't want to store in the salon - a couple of chairs, a folding table in a case, rubber boots in a waterproof bag, and so on, since there is now plenty of room for all this! 
36. Well, almost the final photos of the first stage. I sheathe the upper part of the rear overhang with expanded polystyrene. 
37. Next, a 4mm thick splen layer is glued on top of it, which will play the role of both a heater and a seal that isolates the rear storage compartment from the main volume of the passenger compartment. And, finally, 2mm thick aluminum sheets are screwed on top with self-tapping screws.
Well, both storage compartments are ready, the necessary equipment is secured, the wiring has been routed to it. Of the two headlights for diffused dipped beam, which will subsequently be mounted at the rear, I organize a temporary light in the cabin. It will come in handy for me already on next step- insulation of the module itself and the manufacture of furniture. 
It took a lot of time to "bring to mind" these two glove boxes, I somehow thought that everything would be much easier. Perhaps the matter is also in their irregular shape (both in the front and in the back there were many pieces of irregular or triangular shape, for which it was much more difficult to cut the insulation and not confuse anything with the dimensions). Plus, in fact, I had to sheathe the front compartment twice because of the search for the source of the squeak. But after that, things went much faster.
To be continued...
This type of rest and travel option is used by lovers of freedom and independence from tickets and flights. It is a good solution to have both a car and a home on a vacation trip. Thanks to the presence of a mobile home, a family can travel in comfortable conditions and stop wherever and whenever they want, without reference to time. Camping sites gained their popularity at the beginning of the 20th century.
DIY home on wheels
Through such an independent vacation, you can see those places on the way to your destination that not accessible from plane or train... In addition, camping during renovation of an apartment or construction of a house on the site can serve as temporary housing. You can also rent a camper van when there are no travel plans.
The cost of such a pleasure is rather big, some options reach the price of an ordinary apartment, but to save money, you can create a camping or motorhome yourself.
The options for large campsites are being converted from buses and oversized vans, but this is too expensive for those who do not mind spending a lot of money on such mega-comfort.
Camping options
There are three budget options for self-taught people:
To build a motorhome with your own hands, you need:
- Have wheels.
- Visually draw a plan of a camping house, drawings - this is one of the main points in creating a mini motorhome.
When drawing up a plan, you need to think through all those comfort details that are in an ordinary apartment.
Internal communications of the motorhome
As in any regular campsite house too need communications- This is electricity, water, gas, toilet and possibly a shower. Without these amenities, mobile housing will not be comfortable. In order to have light in the camp, it is advisable to purchase a battery with a battery and a device for recharging. It is worthwhile to think over the internal wiring well in advance. It is necessary to take into account the external connectors when charging and the fact that they have different capacities.
It is easier to use a conventional bucket to drain waste through a hose hidden in the floor, by placing it under the body of your RV. Kitchen water can be stored in large containers by immersing pumps in them to supply it to the tap. To drain the used water, a reservoir is also used inside or outside the room. A small shower can be set up as a mixer tap, for example, above the sink.
Unfortunately, the usual toilet in mobile home it will not be possible to build, since there is no place and it is difficult to drain the waste constantly. A dry closet is perfect here.
The camping lighting system will require :
- battery;
- charger;
- wiring.
What is needed to heat your motorhome?.
At the ready of an autonomous heater, you can purchase a battery and a gas cylinder, because it will also come in handy in the kitchen and the operation of the refrigerator. You should not use a lot of electrical appliances and equipment for two reasons - this is an additional power consumption and a load on the wiring, since this is a small room compared to a house. The services of an electrician should be used when working with gas, since it is extremely risky to do it yourself if you are not an electrician.
Interior arrangement of the camping
Ventilation system.
It is also important to deal with ventilation so as not to clog the room with odors.
The location of the holes is important as it is best not to expose them in plain sight for reasons of beauty. It is best to place them at the bottom of the walls above the floor, you can also put a gas cylinder there.
Furniture.
Practicality and compactness when arranging furniture is a guarantee of comfort in a camping, given the small space, as well as the layout. Folding or pull-out berths, tables with attached stools and everything in this spirit will create the necessary comfort and the desire to relax in a self-made motorhome. There are special compact headsets on sale, but if there is a desire and time, it is quite possible to make furniture on your own using old boards, tabletops, and for a sofa and chairs, you can take seats from the same car or old wheels can also be converted into chairs or stools.
Carpenter at the campsite.
In such a dwelling, if it is one-story, it is recommended to make two windows so that you do not have to consume electrics during the day. It is better to make the door double-winged so that it does not sag and the wind does not blow into the room.
Minibus or caravan, let's look at the principle of transforming each one.
To start transforming a Gazelle minibus into a camping, you need to clear the body, remove the seats and upholstery, make holes for windows and a valve for gas supply:
Body preparation
To process the body you need:
- against corrosion, a primer is applied inside, and then you need to insulate the walls, floor and ceiling with thermal insulation;
- cover with plywood or carpet;
- what glue and plywood need to be of good quality so that the insulation will serve you for a long time;
- after the stage of warming, you can proceed to electricity and gas, then go to the kitchen, think over a place for the sink and oven, install water tanks, a bathroom and at the end arrange the rest of the furniture for rest, beds, chairs or stools, cabinets and shelves, depending on what is available space.
A house from a trailer is different in that there are only wheels and you need to do everything from scratch, like on a plot, first build a box - the future room.
Lodging from a trailer is done as follows:
To make a roof for a motorhome, you need :
- assemble a frame from supporting structures - beams, if you want a triangular roof;
- further, we sheathe it with plywood;
- you need to cover it with a water-repellent material.
After that, a rain gutter can be made and attached to the back wall from the outside and from the inside to drain waste. You also need to veneer the outer walls. Internal wiring and thermal insulation must be covered with fiberboard and then the stage of manufacturing one or two doors.
To protect the tree from drying out, and pests, you need to cover the outside and inside of the wall with a primer, apply a layer of paint on top. For an aesthetic look, you need to close the threaded holes and also paint. All these procedures will reliably protect the house from the influence of external harmful factors... At the end of the work, since this is a trailer, you need to install the headlights and fenders.
This kind of mobile homes fall into three categories:
Travel in your homemade RV, of course nice and comfortable... However, you need to decide for yourself whether you can independently master all the work on the construction of a motorhome.
