Pre-build Van Tour and Layout Plans! Converting Our Ex-Ambulance Into A Tiny Home On Wheels!
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- The exciting day has come to pick up our new project van that we will be converting into a tiny home on wheels for our next chapter of adventures and travel!
We wanted to show you what our new ambulance looks like inside before we start the build! 🚐 It's not your everyday empty panel van, there are a few interesting additions to the van from its ambulancing days! Come have a look and we will also tell you our build layout plans!
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👋 If you are new here, hello! We're Ben and Emily! We live on our 56 foot narrow boat as full time continuous cruisers with our cat Alan 🌟
Follow us along to see our adventures, ups, downs, mishaps and lots of boating about!
#narrowboat #tinyhouse #travelvlog #travelcouple #travelvlogger #canalboat #vanlife #offgrid #offgridliving #slowliving #slowlife #vanlifers #travelblogger #vanlifeuk #vanconversion #vanbuild #selfbuild
🎼 All music by @bennyjonesmusic
Follow this link to discover his music, youtube, instagram, gigs and other happenings! linktr.ee/BennyJones
I think you should name her ‘Florence’ as in Florence Nightingale the original nurse. ❤ but whatever you decide enjoy the experience of converting her and most importantly creating some great memories on your travels 🚌
Or even Flo, as in Flo(w), which is what you will be doing, whether on road or water! Best of luck with the build.
Definately if you are going to visit Florence, Italy 😊
Oh I love that ❤
Instead of Florence and the machine it’s Florence THE machine
The first thing that popped into my head was Flo also. I’m quite envious but happy for you both.😊
Instead of damaging the ceiling you could just add decorative paper or vinyl. Reducers the weight too.
t and g wall paper cheaper and lighter
Hi guys, great buy. I used to run a campervan club on FB and as such have seen many self-conversions...The best advice i can give you is to weigh your van before you start and take it off your GVW to see what capacity you have to work with....taking account of yourselves, a full tank of fuel, full tank of water etc. I have seen so many times people suddenly realizing they are massively overweight....the weight soon mounts up.....good luck
So exciting! Don’t forget Alan’s bathroom ! …
😸 Oh we won't! ❤️
I’m so excited for the both of you. Can’t wait to see what you do with the inside. I think you should call her “BEA” for Ben Emily & Alan. Enjoy your new adventure!🤗❤️
Hey both I'm gonna enjoy watching this conversion cos we bought and converted an ambulance 4 years ago and have loved every minute of our adventures. Although we don't live in ours so its a simpler conversion we ended up stripping out all the walls/ceiling to insulate more efficiently and finding our way around the electrics was mind blowing!!! But we still love her 4 years on ❤️ good luck x
Turn the vertical cupboard front through 90 degrees and use it as part of your kitchen. It would then match the overheads.
Emily's silly grin, when picking up the van, is nearly as good as Benny's music. 🎶🎶🤣🤣
Didn't realise Emily had such a history with van conversions - this will be great - Exciting! X 6 - to see
Idea for the chair. Cut a hole in it and then this can be the toilet 👍😂🤣
Best of both worlds, I love watching Canal Boaters and Van lifers so this is two all rolled into one, just found your channel and am binge watching to catch up! Loving it.
Your giddiness is refreshing! It’s so nice to have some new excitement in our lives. 🤩
Wow, you two are full of life and great role models for getting out there and making things happen. Thank you for sharing your adventures and really looking forward to seeing what happens next
Great van 👍 You guys should resticker it with Alanbulance
Haven't seen Emily looking so happy! I'm so excited too!
Cool Van. Your energy levels just lit up my entire house. The small cupboard with the seatbelts are for oxygen bottles. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out. Be well be safe. Thanks for the vids.
Van name idea. Rover
Looks like that round access port to the roof exposes the back side of an antenna for a mobile radio.
Many van conversions have the bed in the back, however some have put the bath in the back so the doors can be opened for an outside shower.
I love the ambulance. I would advise not covering up all the white surfaces. With furniture and flooring the whole ambience will be toned down. And a white ceiling and/or walls will add to the light airy feeling. What a fabulous basis you have bought!
Good idea guys , with the cupboards and electrics installed already , thats going to save you loads of time for sure , and a real eberspacher is a brilliant plus too
Yeah, we're super happy to have some stuff already in place! 😊
l think Emily is excited!!
I am excited!!!! 😄
Instead of painting you might consider getting a vinyl graphic panel made up that is big enough to cover the "ambulance" lettering that is still visible.
Wow , what excitement and energy flowing out of you two, going to watch this again to feel it all coming through. Two beautiful people love your smiles of joy being in the moment. 😊🌟🚑🧡
How about either a hydralic drop-down bed ( from the ceiling ) or a built-in sofa that folds out to be a bed ? How much fun is this going to be to design and build ❤
Congratulations
If you drive to Chamonix in France you can take the Mont Blanc tunnel to Italy. From there you're in the Aosta valley which is full of castles, from there the coast is 4 hours away, Venice is 5 hours or the Dolomites are an option.I Highly recommend Chamonix in France then the tunnel to Italy, beautiful places and drives. I'm living in Chamonix (winter) it's a jaw dropping valley and a beautiful town ! Love the van. Matt
A lot to like about the van, the extra insulation and double glazing will be great for winter, if you google the registration number there is pics of it when it was in service 👍🏻😊
Good call! ae07fxs
We done that with our ambulance and also found it's "retirement' date was lovely to have that information
Maybe the straps in the 'wardrobe' were actually for holding oxygen tanks securely? Anyway, good luck you lovely people and safe travels!
Heheh, yes i think probably something like that! 😊
As a retired paramedic that space was for the folding carry chair. 😉
@@graybrett7281 ah ha! Thanks!
And a lovely little sliding hatch/window, just behind the front seats for
Allan to come and go. You'll need to build a safe perch on one side or the other, or both. As mentioned before. You've got fantastic blank canvas on the sides (and front) for murals or some such artwork.
Emily is so beautiful when she is happy❣️❣️❣️Benny is so handsome when he’s happy❣️❣️❣️
Enjoy the build... I'm 2 yrs past & done thousands of miles now showing 302000..ex nhs great van...i wish mine was in the same condition before i converted
Wishing you Both all the Best in your Build, Should call the van after your Dad, as he will be helping you with the build.
Very much looking forward to the van build 👍
Good luck Emily and Benny and not forgetting Alan take care and be safe, my daughter and son inlaw have a campervan and they have such great journeys keep sending your vlogs 😊❤
Looking forward to the Italy adventure. My favourite country to visit.
It should look cool when it is done and a lot of money saved with the way it comes
Super guy's you have a good base for your build can't wait to see what you do. I run a diesel heater myself in my off grid garage there great 👍
I can’t wait to watch this build it will cost me the van I’ve been promising myself the ambulance looks just the thing for me!
Great choice guys. 'You could keep lentils in there' 😂😂 Love your excitement. Hope Alan approves...
If you are going on a ferry again get some of the wrist bands that fight sea sickness by using acupressure points in the wrist they work a treat
WooHoo BEMILY !!!
Good luck Emily and Ben on your journey,,will be keeping watch on your progress as I'm in proceeds of refitting a 5th wheel trailer and may pickup some tips from you both love it ,,,you've got all the luck in the world.🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤
Thanks so much! 😀 Good luck with your refit too!
Good luck with the new venture guys ❤
See you soon guys. Got my van conversion head on already. Love Papa xxx
Good luck youse guys .... can't wait to see your travels ....
I would fit a power box then fit solar to that and that’s it as your lithium battery won’t be enough to run the show. We have built loads and also these are level 3 insulated so you will be fine
Perfect size for adventure travelling all the smaller roads.
Three weeks, no problem. You guys will smash it. It only took me a month to do my bus and that had 25 seats in it. Nice purchase, enjoy it. :)
Wow. Very enterprising. Great energy.
Florence is shortened to Flo seems appropriate 😊😊😊
I suggest "Explorer" as a name for the van. After all, you will be exploring in it. --Dan
Dave is always a happy edition to the channel!
Hi the hole in the roof is the base of the antenna. You can use the cable to pull the cable for the solar panel before you strip the lining out to save time ! Enjoy and good luck Gary & Ann
My husband & I have been watching your adventures since the beginning. We are on our 26’ sailboat for 6 months of the year, so we really enjoy your excitement! We came up with several names for your new road-ready home. Our personal favorite is Ferdinand. The meaning is “Bold Voyager”.
Hi Ben and Emily, Good luck! Name suggestion, "Rambo". Goes well with Rambler I think!
Love you guys, as they say “she’s smart and he’s lucky” 😂
Enjoy enjoy enjoy…you guys are so much fun…be safe and much success!
Thanks so much! 🥰
We converted a Sherpa Ambulance as our first camper, it was a great help that a lot was there before we started. Yours looks great, have fun!
Oh my goodness I love your excitement you really cheer me up🎉🎉🎉 so happy for you three. Xxx
🥰
Can’t wait to see it finished ❤️
The invisible tour was brilliant. I understood everything. I love the plan for the shower really good.
Very EXCITED for the next chapter guys!! name suggestion - 'Nina' meaning goddess of the oceans as you travel to new places (and of course as in Nee Naw 🚑) can wait to see the creativeness explode as cosy vibes are a must!
Great to see you have got your dream van. I used to drive ambulance many many years ago but I will show my age, they were Bedford CF. Funny enough we are joining the campervan arena. After almost 15years of owning Eriba caravan we have come to that stage in life we need extra comforts like blown air heating, hot and cold running water etc. so on the 5 March we are picking up a new van conversion a Wlidax Europa. Happy days!
Lovely I really look forward to the trip 😊
Hi There Ben and Emily and Alan , Hope you Are All well and enjoying your weekend , WOW what a super looking van you have Bought , i cant believe how perfect it is ,cupboards electrics lights and window blinds ,Totally Amazed , so looking forward to seeing your palace on wheels being converted into your new home , Thank you so much for sharing , Take care All , XX🚑👍👍👍
I'm glad you are keeping the overhead storage, I see another ambulance makeover and they said it was a godsend. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
I absolutely think you so should do a narrowboat theme, be an amazing build and can't wait to see the finally of this exciting adventure. good luck to you both
So excited to see the van conversion. It looks such a great van. Surely she's got to be called Ambre!! 😊
Your first destination being Italy, both of your life styles will be perfect, you’ll be just like two Italians travelling on a road trip.
Nice van looking forward to your input and refit ✌️✌️🌞
You're excited ?! We're excited too. Dave ! Italy ! Great 🎉. Think that odd little cupboard could be Benny's 🎶mobile studio
It's so lovely to see you both so excited, and we can't wait to see the build in progress! Take it steady as you go! I have a feeling you may need to take at least the bottom cupboard at the back out to fit your bed, but you guys are so resourceful. With the help of Emily's Dad Dave, you will have a fantastic touring van!
If you've not already seen it Camper Vibe has a lot of good information on van building. Louise is very knowledgeable on all the systems, regulations, legislation etc. Girls are in Portugal at present.
Good evening from NZ. You two are fantastic. We can't get enough of you. Your van looks amazing. Cheers to you both, also a hug for Allen.🙏🙏👍👍🥂
Looks great! Just like new!
The sockets you were referring to as small 12v cig lighter type are “Hella” 12v supply so you just needs some Hella plugs , widely available …..Good Luck with Amber …
Florence is a great idea for the new van as you'll be close to Florence when you go to Italy. (If not actually in Florence itself).
Also you could paint Florence from the Magic Roundabout in the sides.
Uhh ohh, "Time for bed" said Zebedee.
Have you seen Vandemonium? He did a great van conversion.
If you can think about having a fixed bed I personally think that is a better solution.
Hi! Make your mattress from foam to fit around that rear (oxygen) cabinet. With your feet pointing rearward in the bed there looks to be adequate room to keep that cabinet. Slatted extending bed is a good idea. That boat access panel in the roof with the electrical outlet has to be access for your solar panel wires, Your supplier might have already thought about that!! Paint the lining by all means, ordinary emulsion might be ok and it is relatively inexpensive, do a trial BEFORE buying any expensive stuff (that might not be as good). Forget the exterior for now other than T-Cutting it. It all looks good to go!! Good luck and work hard!! John
Lovely and exciting times ahead sorting out the Vans interior.
Personally I think I’d go along the route of a Body wrap ( a sponsorship should be easily available 😉 ) you have plenty of subscribers so good advertising for the Company who Wraps the Van 🤷♂️.
It being a Renault I would definitely recommend getting the Cam Belt checked and possibly replaced ( especially if you are thinking about long distance travel ),it may have not done many miles but with all the Gubbings ( electrical and A/C it puts a hellava strain on the Engine and therefore the Cam Belt ).
Unfortunately on Renault Masters the changing of the Cam Belt is not a Simple quick Job and it is definitely not Cheap.
What I would recommend is that you start a Savings Account just for your Van,the Parts for Renault can be expensive and working on them can be expensive but what you really need to consider is that your Van is not a Standard Renault Master,everything on it has been Beefed up and so the Parts are more Specialised and you need a Mechanic who is qualified to work on your Type of Vehicle.
Like i suggest,put some Money aside just for the Van and that will save you a lot of Stress and headaches along the way.
I am assuming that the Van is Diesel and if you look into the ' Fuel Network ' you will find locations that sell HVO Diesel ( Reclaimed Diesel ) but make sure that you have enough Fuel cans for Emergencies ( it is sometimes difficult to get hold of and is expensive ).
Servicing requirements tend to be higher when you are using a HVO Diesel but there are a lot of benefits to using it rather than conventional Diesel !!.
You probably know about the Fuel Network but I thought I would mention it just in case.
All you need now is Alan’s stamp of approval on the Van ❤
Keep all the cupboards guys, they are so well made. Can’t wait to see the fit out. It’s a cracking base vehicle and the electrical system looks bang on👍. Loving the music Benny. Nice commentary Emily👍
Pleased you got what you wanted. Best to do a UK trip first before taking it to Italy, just to give it a shake down & iron out any problems.🤔
What a great adventure!
Have fun .I love the channel .
They are already insulated, it's going to be a really easy build, you should not tongue and grove the roof it's only just high enough for Ben , they are a perfect van actually because the hard parts are done
What a happy, excited couple. So lovely to see, you both deserve this magical adventure 🤗
Those “mini cigar sockets” are actually mono or heller sockets and are 100 times better than cigarette lighter sockets and capable of more power safely . Available from any agricultural suppliers or amazon
I love inking eaton
I absolutely love your new van. So much room. I can't wait to see what you do to make her all cozy. I am so excited 😂😂
If you're in the mountains in Italy you should arrange to meet up with Martijn Doolaard. A very inspiring man with a great CZcams channel.
Came across your channel about two weeks ago and have now watched every episode from start to finish , love you guys but now need at least a two hour daily episode for my Ben and Emily fix if you don’t mind 😂 on a serious note looking forward to all the new adventures xx
Awesome! Thank you so much for watching! 😊
You have a super good start with this van. So much is ready to go beyond the build stuff that you will need to do. You'll be able to make it pretty, homey and not so clinical. All that storage is ace and I hope the one in the back can be kept if it doesn't mess up the bed arrangement. It is a perfect wardrobe.
Hi Ben and Emily we think you should call your Van Amber ❤
Hi Ben and Emily. Wow the van already has so many features that’ll be handy. Great that they’ve already done some of the electrical work. Take care. Nick
So excited for you all!!
Alan’s ambience. Good luck you two
Hi Guys. You make us feel excited too. One would think we were going on holiday with you!!! Really looking forward to any alterations you make in the van. How wonderful with all those cupboards to start with. Hope Ellen will be just as excited. Lots of love from New Zealand.
Such a fantastic buy, all the windows and skylight already in and most of the electrics. You’ll get that looking incredible in no time xxx
Love your enthusiasm. I was smiling all the way through. 😂 Look forward to seeing the transformation and your travels. ❤
I would go with a pull out sofa bed route allows you to keep the "wardrobe" and save you having to make good any damage caused when removing the "wardrobe".
Between the "wardrobe" and the back door, make a seat or box to house the water tank - leaving the sofa side free for boards), it will also act as a bedside top when the bed is extended.
That ceiling access panel was either for the radio aerial, GPS aerial or for the flashing light array but either way will make a great route for the solar panel cables (also save you from having to drill another hole in the body.
I would also get a 2nd battery fitter to help with that off grid living and fit a 12v - 240v inverter into that electric cupboard.
Looking forward to this build :-)
Litter tray space for the cat.
Dolly for the van.
Don't forget an awning.
Excited for you guys! The little chair in the corner can be used when Benny is bad!! Lol!!