The Dispatch | Expert | Scudo Hub

Something useful.  I don't think anyone had posted anything that useful in a while.  I never put two and two together.   And I didn't even link you to it, not that i even realised your were on there at that time.

I actually went back and looked you up and realised I had posted on a handful of threads that you also posted on and then it clicked.  I think at that time I was still running my Transit and hadn't discovered this place yet.  Did you ever post the swivel seats blog over there?

I was planning to hit Belgium for a beer run, but I think i will pass for now.  Until this whole Ukraine thing is sorted, Europe has become somewhat unstable.  I also hope he doesn't blow up Europe (and us).  But its still a possibility given how deranged he is.

In this country the windows are mostly moot.  Abroad it's a different situation when its 26C at 2am and you need that air flow. 

What i ideally want is some really small windows.  Big enough to get airflow, small enough you cant get robbed easily.  My van isn't very stealth in the grand scheme of things.  It has a fixed frame solar panel for one.  But it works for me, for now.

I'd rather have the knob version.  The more analogue, the better.  Less electronics to break down.

I think the same as most fuel cans.  Just be aware they have a tendency to leak if you use the valve at the bottom.  I've seen a handful of youtube vids where the tanks have leaked and been replaced with fuel cans or jerry cans using sender pipes to allow fuel to be drawn from the top of the can, instead of the bottom.  Or I guess you could install a sender pipe to the top of the fuel tank instead of putting the one supplied through the bottom.

My own system will use a 5L fuel can as opposed to the 10L or 15L tank that comes with the heater.

I looked at the Vevor heaters, but the one that comes with the knob control by default is the 5kw (and its also considerably cheaper than the 2kw). 

Vevor 12V 2/3/4/8KW Diesel Heater @ eBay

I have to say I am tempted to go with the overkill 5kw and if needed just leave the roof spinny vent open to keep some air flow in place.  5kw for £90 vs 2kw for £105.  I would rather save the £15 and use it for something else.

The wondering about exhaust gases was similar to what you said Casper regarding fumes in an awning.  One of my big upgrades this year will be an awning, so I can extend my living space outwards when I setup a base for a couple of days.  On the off chance it's cold, it would be nice to heat it via the diesel heater (or at least get the temp to something more ambient).  For that larger space, a 5kw would be a better option.

I meant from the diesel heater?  But i'll take it you routed the exhaust/muffler away from the drop out vent.

I did at one time consider those rectangular portholes on my last van.  They might work on this van just as well.  Enough space to get some airflow, but not enough that someone can get their hand through.

If not, that sliding window you linked would be good.

Need to think on it a bit.

Well it went for MOT and it failed.  As if it was going to pass.

Failed on nearside Front Suspension and track rod end.  So I guess that explains the diving when cornering.  I told the garage to fix it.  I have no interest in doing that particular job.  Price wasn't bad and it saves me time.  It's going back in next week for the back brakes.

Next jobs for me to do include the exhaust hanger doughnut and the LP hose for the power steering.  Future jobs include the fked gearbox and I still havent done the gear stick linkage cables yet.  Oh and that bloody airbag light which for whatever reason didn't come on when the MOT got done.  Still I hope to get my solar upgrade done soon (join two 100w panels together to make 200w) and also looking into rock n roll beds as I worry about all the weight being on one side of the van.

On some occasions I wish it did, if she was reliable, honest and caring.  Haven't found one that possesses all those traits yet.

Casper, I believe under EU rules, most restaurants have to cater for GF customers and it has to be well documented/visible on their menus, so I don't think you will have any issues.  Just let them know you are GF when you go or book.  The rules around food allergies are much better in the EU than over here.  As ever, YMMV. 

I don't even attempt to eat out anymore with my nut allergy as I spend far too much time sat in Hospital Resus areas when I've done so in the past.  Better to eat bland food and not die, than the alternative.

You think its bad having a gun pulled on you in Belgium, try having the same over here at 2am on a dark street, after getting pulled over because your back reg plate has a small amount of moss between the pieces of plastic.  I wasn't scared, but I was a bit like WTF and I even said to the cop I was talking to, that his mate was being a bit ambitious getting his MP5 ready and crouching in the door, for a traffic stop.  Apparently they'd just been patrolling in an area where someone took a pot shot at them the week before, which wasn't the area they stopped me in. 

Then coming back from Bruges on the aforementioned boat, back in Dec 2019, as a foot passenger.  When we got to Hull Customs, it was like they were expecting ISIS or something.  Never seen so many people armed with assault rifles in such a small space since the customs area at the airport we flew into in Cuba.  There were 18 cops, armed to the teeth in full tactical gear, with assault rifles and a shit ton of extra clips.  Don't know what they were expecting, but what they got was a bunch of bemused holidaymakers who'd been on a booze cruise to Belgium as a Christmas treat.  It was seriously like they were expecting an invasion.  I could understand 3 or 4 maybe, but 18 was fucking overkill.  I mean would you get in the face of 1 guy with an assault rifle, let alone that many.  Then I got the third degree about why I'd gone to Belgium.  She wasn't impressed at my answer, to go to the half moon brewery, enjoy a brewery tour and then get thoroughly twatted for the rest of the day.  I mean isn't that why you go on a booze cruise to Belgium as a foot passenger?  I felt like saying, what the fuck does it matter why I went to Belgium.  Maybe the 18 armed cops were there so she could give everyone grief for having fun while she sat running customs.

@tee_cee, 14L is 20 bottles and 20 bottles is a lot when you don't drink wine.  I only buy sweet whites like Monbaz, Sauternes or Moscatel.  I prefer beer mostly, especially decent abbey beers and anything with a good percentage and taste.

I didn't think the DFDS Newcastle to Denmark ship ran anymore?  They only run to Amsterdam AFAIK.  Nor does the Harwich to Esjberg route, that used to be an alternative.

LoL.  I have one of those in the front garden.  Rusting away doing nothing.  Will probably scrap mine, when i can get around to it.  Like you, i have no use for it.

That's France for you.  If it's not broken, lets try harder to fuck it up.  Not that I tend to go near the big cities if I can help it, especially Paris.  If I wanted to visit a large shit hole, London is a lot nearer.  Supermarkets are often out of the cities and fuel is easily available all over.  Even the speed limits don't make a lot of difference to me.  49 vs 55 is a largely irrelevant number.  Technically if you don't have camper van tags on your V5 its the same speed over here on single carriage roads.

If you want to visit a city, get a bike and cycle in or walk or get a bus.  Even in terms of Aires, I prefer the quieter ones in the villages over the big city ones.  Clean air and all that.

For me France is somewhere I sometimes pass through on the way to somewhere better.

Anyway thanks for posting tee_cee.  it's good info.