Sprinter Campervan build Johannesburg

We took delivery of a 2015 525 CDI 23 Seater bus yesterday. Today we stripped out the seats and started getting the van ckeaned up inside.

Van has 191 000km on the clock and will require a bit of tlc to repair a couple of dents and minor niggles before the actual build commences.

We have watched many youtube videos and have a good idea of what we want but still deciding on where to place everything. Sourcing some of the parts that seem easy to get hold od in US and Europe will create some challenges but add to thefun as we overcome these obstacles.

Wife and I also have to upgrade our drivers licenses to heavy duty. Both of us have written the learners permit and will be doing the road test on 23 and 24 May respectively.

Tomorrow we will be removong the existing wooden floor to see what lurks there.......

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Maybe this thread should be placed in an Africa section?

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Looks like a clean example. Please share more photos including inside. Good luck with your driving tests.

Some photos

Starting with signing the paperwork to take delivery.

Followed by a slightly nrrvour drive home through traffic from Pretoria

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This morning we started the clean out by having to remove the seats

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Interesting that it doesn't have bonded windows, even in the rear doors. Are all your SA sprinters like that?

Looks like a great base vehicle for a campervan.

I don't mind if you leave this thread in this section.

As far as I know the 518/9cdi models had the bonded glass. I will be blocking the back 2 windows off on both sides for privacy with steel panels. The other 2 windows as well as the rear door windows will be covered with perforated wrap film to allow light in but give a level of privacy.

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So today we lifted the old floor rubber and found a mess underneath as expected. We cleaned the wood mucmsh out and proceeded to san a few rusty areas as well as siliconing all the bolt holes shut. We rhen applied a layer of Duram Durabak to the load area. We also measured the 16mm shutterboard and cut snd painted it with wateroroof paint. I hope to receive the vibration mats this week that will go down before I screw the shutterboard down. Quite happy with the progress. Should get the steel window replacement sheets back from oaint shop by Wed and have installed by friday.......

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At least your flooring wasn't sikaflexed down like mine was, took me forever to get the two floor sections up, the smaller rear I managed to remove in one piece, unlike the larger front floor, I had to remove in pieces, so now no template for my 12mm ply.

I too painted my floor after treating some minor rust.

Looks like your making good progress my friend.

Last week I removed the back two aluminum framed side windows on each side of the van. I took them down to an engineering shop where they traced the profile and cut me 4 panels out of 3 mm steel. Waterjet cutting gives a beautiful finish.

I took the cut panels to a panel shop where they laid down corrosion protection and a couple of coats of white paint which they perfectly matched using the VIN number. Today the glass fitter came back and reinstalled the panels. A really tough job. Not something I would try as a diy project!

I will post some pics of what the van looks like now after the changes.

Tomorrow I will be touring a breakers yard looking for a sliding door track, window switch and latch and a front grill. I will also be looking for a second captains chair as I want to remove the double front passenger seat. Also looking for 2 single rear seats as I want to be able to transport 4 people in safety.

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This week the van went into the shopbto have aircon installed in the cab. Cannot understand why this is not standard? Got it back and it works perfectly. Also had a satellite recovery system installed as the reduction in insurance premiums makes it worthwhile.

Attached photos show vehicle with windows replaced with steel panels and floor board installed over sound absorbing bitumen mat.

Next we begin constructing the bed, kitchen cabinets and bathroom frames using 25mm square tube. I am not good at welding but have found a steel jointing system the requires only the capacity tovcut the tube to the required lengths. Everything then bolts together with 6mm bolts and nylock nuts. An example of a joint shown in attached pics. I hope this will speed up the process of building a lot!




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Making fast progress for sure.

Replaced brake disks all round and put in new pads.
Tried replacing steering tie rods but got wrong parts ........ do over this week coming.
Not exciting enough for pics.


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What is that steel jointing system called?

owner said:

What is that steel jointing system called?

Click to expand...

Dunno if they are available in Aussie.

So we had a slow weekend with not much getting done. Got the Alulite stuck to the window replacement panels. Got to try to get the floor covering down next so that
I can start building the frames for bed, kitchen and shower........

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Looking good, you are putting my progress to shame.

Completed the panel that go over the inside of window openings. Covered the floor in vinyl flooring. Built first two steel frames for bed to be bolted onto. Got really carried away and did not take pics. They will follow shortly.

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Installed window panels. Built bed frame. Next will be putting aluminium checkerplate down as bed base , painting and bolting together. Next weekend.

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