Not a Conversion....a Cosmetic Makeover

[Eurobiker330]

Our 1st Moho was a Bailey Approach Autograph 750, 2014 reg, 1yr old.
We bought our current 2nd Moho, March 2019, Bailey Approach Advance 640, 66 reg with 2200 miles. Currently has 8500 miles.
Both were bought and sold privately.
We love this wee van, the layout, a bit shorter and narrower for taking to less accessable places we like to go, nice-n-fresh inside and simple with nothing to technical or Hi-Tech.
I just always thought the exterior looked a bit....White and a bit bland.
So i decided to do this. ( i will try and put pics on in sequence).
We have a drive either side of house and decided for various reasons to move MoHo to other side.
1. Took car port down.
2. Painted concrete drive with Wickes Tarmacadam and Concrete Driveway Seal, Black. (I put that drive in myself a few years ago).
3. Bought new Thetford Doors in Black prior to lockdown. Swapped around original locker door lock barrels and housings so still useing same original key for all lockers. By this time lockdown had kicked and my door infill panels never arrived. So I bought a new white 30mm UPVC door panel and cut my own infill panels. Exactly same and cheaper.
4. Plasticoted external Dometic Fridge vents (expensive to buy in Black), Whale Vent (dont come in Black), Thetford Toilet flush filler Cover (dont come in Black) with a final Acrylic Clear Silk sealer.
5. Applied Bailey decals (Prima Leisure) for other models in the Approach Advance and Approach Autograph ranges.
Decals I applied were to, The front n/s + o/s wing corners (They were bare), above Driver/passenger cab (again bare) and to the rear of n/s top fridge vent curving upward.
6. Removed original and fitted the new Black Thetford Doors, EHU and still to change over Black Fresh water filler neck at rear.
7. I have decals ordered same as `APPROACH ADVANCE` ones already factory fitted to front n/s + o/s hab of van , to be placed either side at rear of van, same level as bottom of rear windows, slightly raised higher than front ones.
They are stuck in transit with the current crisis.
8. Kind off out of cync now, but also fitted new Fiamma F45s canopy, Vision Plus Roof mounted TV Arial, additional 240v sockets in lounge areas and kitchen and additional Arial and Sat points to where I fitted TV mount bracket between lounge/kitchen. ( Have to admit a lot of this was done with the expert help of a mate of mine who works as a fitter for 1 of Scotlands largest Leisure Vehicle companies. HANDY!)
9. Fitted Bonnet Protector and adapted Fiamma Bike rack to carry soft luggage cargo bag as we are a bit restricted for storage so dont carry bikes. I used the standard Fiamma fitting brackets that come with the F45s canopy as you almost always have to additionally buy van specific fitting kit brackets.
10. I have decals cut for the doors and cab `B` Pillar Post lower recesses (normally fitted with plastic moulded trim) but not sure about them as yet.
Possibly alloys and although Remis Windscreen blinds are fitted, thinking of getting cab door ones, again only for cosmetic feel in the cab as the mouldings give a good finish. Still prefer my Polar Screen, Minster Products wrap round screen for preventing condensation though.
And finally a small win on the lottery.
It`s getting there! More than we are, cant get any place lol.
Hope you like, feel free with comments, good or bad, advise or just any thoughts.
Cheers. G

 

[Steven]

Nice job! It looks great

Stephen.

 

[Nabsim]

I don’t really know what the factory decals look like but van looks okay to me, not modified.
The black looks like it should be there as well.
What I am meaning is it looks factory done

 

[Eurobiker330]

Cheers. They are all Bailey Decals, the exact same Decals for Bailey replacements are sourced via Prima Leisure as are any Bailey vehicle part. Bizzarrely some parts are extremely cheap but others extortianetly expensive. I think once i get the final decal for the back it will finish it off. Thanks G

 

[Nabsim]

Regarding carrying luggage on the bike rack, you are aware of the load limit (60kg if same as mine) of the rack and how that loads the rear axle? Only mentioning in case you don’t do ignore otherwise

I just get in with handcycle and Caz’s electric bike if we ever get both on together.

 

[Eurobiker330]

Hi yeah, its just the chairs and aluminium tables in the Fiamma bag. I ran over the local calibrated fixed plate (GVW only) weigh bridge last year. Full tank of fuel, water, everything we carry, a Kampa Motor Rally Air 260XL and acccesories, good lady and myself.
The van is plated at 3500kgs and it came in at 3060kgs! Doesnt give axle weights but an even load distribution and still well under. Cheers. G

 

[Eurobiker330]

If anyone knows someone who might be interested in the doors and covers I replaced I would appreciate the word getting passed about. Would prefer that to Ebaying. Price is obviously negotiable. Thanks. G

 

[Nabsim]

If you haven’t already done it post them on Facebook Marketplace as well. No fees at all. I have recently moved a fair bit of stuff on there, very impressed

 

[Eurobiker330]

Hi Nab, Im not on FB but I heard that from other folks. Need to get my sons to sign me up! Cheers. G

 

[Nabsim]

As I say I was impressed, had folks from all over after stuff even though I said collection only. Posted a couple of bits at their cost and a couple of folks arranged their own couriers. One lot went up near Edinburgh and another to Portsmouth but everything was easy.

I always mess up on eBay, not that I have ever tried to sell til recently and everyone says that’s easy but not for me lol

 

[Eurobiker330]

Yeah same here. I dont know where they get their carriage costs from, some seem really cheap! G

 

[Squiffy]

Regarding carrying luggage on the bike rack, you are aware of the load limit (60kg if same as mine) of the rack and how that loads the rear axle? Only mentioning in case you don’t do ignore otherwise

I just get in with handcycle and Caz’s electric bike if we ever get both on together.

Its unnerving how many folk are not aware of axle wieght limits, most people see 3.5tons and assume that if weighed on a weigh bridge or VOSA hidden road weighing bridge that so long as they are within the max weight limit all is fine, it is not actually fine, if you exceed axle weight limits the fine is just as high as being over weight. Weight distribution is quite a critical calculation when self building, the weight of vehicles is being monitored more and more by various continental authorities and Vosa here in the UK. VOSA have clandestine weigh bridges on various A roads throughout the country, I'm not sure if they are clever enough to weigh front and rear axle weights but they definitely are capable of total vehicle weight.
Some folk carry motorcycles on the rear of their motorhome and I can almost guarantee that 95% are over weight on their rear axle even the 4.85ton and some 7ton because of it, beware though VOSA and their equivalent on the continent are or were before the virus problem beginning to clamp down on it. Phil

 

[Eurobiker330]

Yip, correct.
A dynamic weigh bridge will weigh individual axle and GVW weights for accurate figures so you know what weight you are at. You can use a fixed weigh bridge to weigh individual axles just by driving front then rear axles only on the bridge itself, but not wholly accurate but gives you an idea. I am sure having done a lot of vehicle weighing in the past it roughtly records 10% under the actual weight (dont quote me on the 10% figure), that method wouldnt be used for enforcement but gives you an idea.
Very rarely a front axle will be over unless the vehicle GVW is grossly over (normally a brickies type pick-up loaded with couple tonne of concrete).
NB. The amount of people who go on a weighbridge then get out with their passenger to weigh their vehicle is unreal.
Just not aware I suppose!

 

[Nabsim]

It all depends on if the weigh ridge is calibrated regularly. At the quarry I worked weights and measures used to be in fairly regularly double checking even though we had them properly calibrated monthly.
We were certainly a lot more accurate than 10% but can’t remember what tolerance we had. I know we decided not to sell road fuel to drivers as it would have meant much more rigorous testing fir Customs and Excise

 

[Eurobiker330]

Yeah your right. I am an ex Traffic plod, was on the bikes most of the time and worked with VOSA regularly.
Like I say the weighing seperate axles on a fixed weigh bridge was an experimental exercise only and should only be used as a guide.
As the only `get out clause` for an overloaded vehicle was if there wasnt a weigh bridge, or they hadnt passed 1 on there journey a driver had to use their own discrection. If it was obviously overloaded you could then go down the road of Prohibition Powers, PG59 (might have changed now), however if there was only a fixed weigh bridge a driver could use that system as a guide only. There is no onus on private weigh bridges (but most are) but a public weigh bridge must be calibrated if i remember annually at least possibly bi-annually (long time ago and i`m reaching 56yrs now old grey matters not what it was), monthly is certainly commendable.
In reality for the average joe blogs, look at your van, if the suspension is heavily compressed, or extremely light on steering (could also be tyre pressures obviously) its an indication your reaching or gone over your limits.
Anyway, just cant wait to get away.
G

 

[Millie Master]

And I was out and about only yesterday not far from Grantham and there at a large lay by was a VOSA check with quite a goodly number of Mo-Ho's of different shapes and sizes being very thoroughly checked.................... So watch out!

 

[Eurobiker330]

Are sites and other camping spots opening up south of the border now? Didnt think lockdown had eased that much. G

 

[Eurobiker330]

And I was out and about only yesterday not far from Grantham and there at a large lay by was a VOSA check with quite a goodly number of Mo-Ho's of different shapes and sizes being very thoroughly checked.................... So watch out!

SHAME: us law abiding motorhomers dont need to watch out!

 

[Millie Master]

Are sites and other camping spots opening up south of the border now? Didnt think lockdown had eased that much. G

From what I have seen on facebook and other such groups I am on, it isn't easing up and over in Wales it looks like it will be the end of September at the very earliest!

 

[Squiffy]

We've booked into a campsite In Cornwall on 9 Aug, as we live in Wales we wondered what will happen if we get stopped coming back into Wales after two weeks on the Darkside if our First minister is still procrastinating over whether we can move further than 5 miles from home, let alone having been on holiday. Will they turn us round and refuse permission for us to return home, will we have to self isolate for two weeks, will we get a £1000 fine will the Welsh first minister survive politically by then who knows. Phil