Standard or Bespoke Luton Body cost

[BillH]

I know this question will raise a whole raft of other questions but I'm just trying to get a feel for the financial viability and options.
Has anyone had a bespoke body or a standard body made and fitted to a chassis cab if so what was the rough cost and what did you have to do to make it useable. Presumably if you ordered one made to your spec it would come with some structural elements to give rigidity and strength for adding the internal component and also insulation/vapour barrier. If its just a 2nd hand fibreglass shell it would need some insulation and presumably structural reinforcement added to it.

I would like to build from scratch and on a chassis that can take a bit more weight (I'm thinking Iveco Daily Chassis Cab), I need to carry a motorbike in the garage but need enough length to make the living space useable for long periods, sprinter race vans are OK for weekends but not for longer periods and dont have the spare weight to take what you need.

Just looking for ideas from anyone who has been down this route already.

 

[BillH]

Ive moved this to the correct thread.

 

[pmnewross]

I have built a camper on a low loader Vauxhall Movano chassis cab, with great success. Loads of space and actually too much head room ...lol.
I will try to post pictures later

 

[JIXAMAN]

Interested to see how this thread develops...

 

[BillH]

I have built a camper on a low loader Vauxhall Movano chassis cab, with great success. Loads of space and actually too much head room ...lol.
I will try to post pictures later

Pictures would be great. How did you get on with weight, most lutons are 3.5 tonne and dont leave a lot for cargo after you have added all the internals and a full fuel load and water. If you then need to add a coupe of 200kg motorbikes I think you are stretching things a bit. I have a friend who has a sprinter race van conversion and when loaded with two bikes a full load of fuel and water, with driver and passenger its over the limit.

 

[BillH]

Admins I realise this is in the wrong thread, can you do your magic and move it to the right place? I recreated it there but we now have two separate threads going.....

 

[pmnewross]

Im not sure about your motorbikes, but mine with 2 electric bikes, 70l water tank, fuel tank. Driver and her ladyship 3280kg.
Dont forget that these bodies are fiberglass and plastic, so very light compared to a panel van. I also have a 3.5m Fiamma F45 awning, swivel captains chairs airplane type flip up overhead lockers, 200w solar panels, electric step and rear air suspension

 

[Millie Master]

You need to be following the truly amazing TOTAL build by one of our long standing and exceptionally highly regarded members. The build is there listed under the name of "Well I have gone & bought our next van, although it's not a van yet".
His name is DARCAR

 

[BillH]

Im not sure about your motorbikes, but mine with 2 electric bikes, 70l water tank, fuel tank. Driver and her ladyship 3280kg.
Dont forget that these bodies are fiberglass and plastic, so very light compared to a panel van. I also have a 3.5m Fiamma F45 awning, swivel captains chairs airplane type flip up overhead lockers, 200w solar panels, electric step and rear air suspension

Thanks, that demonstrates the problem I'm having I need another 400kg for motorbikes, we would also take two ebikes and want to be off grid so would need more than 70l of water, if we take 300l of water thats another 300kg so I'm 700kg up on what you have already which takes me over the 3.5 tonne. I also want to be fully electric with battery storage and solar, with HW ff a diesel heater. I havent calculated the weight of the batteries I would need but the are not light.

 

[pmnewross]

Wow, thats some load, I have a diesel heater and 2 x 28kg gas bottles & a bike carrier too, that I forgot to mention earlier.
Some pictures attached now. I know its not to everyones taste, but it suits me perfectly.

 

[BillH]

Wow, thats some load, I have a diesel heater and 2 x 28kg gas bottles & a bike carrier too, that I forgot to mention earlier.
Some pictures attached now. I know its not to everyones taste, but it suits me perfectly.

That looks great, youve done a good job there, what did you do for insulation on the walls?

 

[pmnewross]

Thank you.
Walls, floor, and roof all insulated with 25mm foil backed insulation board and fitted between 2 x1" timbers, which are bolted to the metal struts and these timbers are used as fixings for all internal fittings. Van is very easily heated with a 5kw chinese diesel heater and stays cool even in strong sunshine.