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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Jacking it all in (NMC)

ok, so we are seriously thinking about buying a camper and leaving the country for a while...


Does anyone have advice on:

What kind of camper and where to buy

What casual work I might expect to pick up and where in the world we should head (I would be tempted by Aus, but it's a lot of cash to get there and back when the money runs out, and in Europe we can work anywhere)
Will Munns

it might be a lot easier to buy a LHD one, there are some big sales outlets in Belgium and northern France. Something around 2.5 to 2.8 litres turbodiesel will do just fine. I'm told that those built on chassis cabs are stronger and longer-lasting than the latest plastic clad van-based unitary bodies. Merc and Iveco probably have most dealerships and agents for the mechanical side of things. They hold their price well, you don't seem to get anything half-decent under 15k.
David (davidDOTsmithAT stonesDOTcom)

TBH I was thinking of something classic that I could fix when it went wrong and I wouldn't mind driving everywhere in (i.e. a car replacement)
Will Munns

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagetaker1/3083808037/

this is the one for you (if the link works)
Gary Lazarus

http://www.mikeabbasclassiccars.co.uk/SOLD_WILDGOOSE_-_AUSTIN_MINI_A.JPG
Gary Lazarus

****I wouldn't mind driving everywhere in (i.e. a car replacement)*****

discount type 2 & 25's then (ducks and runs for cover).

I've some rellies who paid £28k for a LHD Auto VW California with a fridge and an electric pop top. They have been offered £30K after 18Kmiles and 2 years from the dealer in Belgium who sold it to them. (such is the change in exchange). They love it and maintain that it is a great daily driver.



It's gotta be a pinto engined trannie hasn't it?
robnrrugby

I think, having a look round, that it has to be a bay windowed VW.

Any suggestions on good forums?
Will Munns

£28K is an lot of hotel rooms, take the Spridget, enjoy the motoring & have a proper bed every night.
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

I agree with Brad on the Spridget / comfort option, but once spent, your £28k will be gone, but buying a camper, you should be able to turn it back into cash when finished with.
Avoid anything with more than two axles, the European toll roads WILL charge per axle (however small the vehicle). VW campers, whilst they seem to have some charm are thirsty things...! and gutless too. Our last VW was new in 1979, a 2.0 litre version with twin carbs. It went well (ish) but would return 14 mpg at best.

The other one to avoid is the Transit with the V4 engine, it too has little to no power and would certainly not be on top of the job with a heavy camper.

There are a few 'classic' Winnebagos out there, they are well appointed and whilst not cheap, could be found at a reasonable price. Yes, they may be a little on the thirsty side, but they still have enough power to move the thing forward and you may well find one with a Gas conversion.

Good luck.

Mark.
M T Boldry

There is always the 914 option...

http://bb.bbboy.net/vwengineconversions-viewforum?forum=15
Toby Anscombe

Or even 911 Toby :) For even less purity, plumb a Scooby lump in. Either way, hang onto your hat!

This website any good to you Will?

http://uk.dubfinder.com/new/Frame2.htm
Jordan Gibson

If you two are determined to LIVE in a small box, (remember this is NOT like having a fortnight in France then coming home) and equally determined to live in a Volkswagen the only sensible option is to get your hands on a recent VW T4 TDi conversion

An ex-AA T4 converted as a mobile home would give you the best of all worlds in a smaller vehicle.

My old service vehicle would travel easily above the "Driving Ban Limit" relatively quietly and very economically

(Did Croydon to my home in 2 hours 5 minutes one night after a tow home for the geezer!)

In a week I would only fill up twice.

Smooth easy driving for comfort

An old slow inefficient VW is hell to drive long term

Just my opinion, but I advise thinking very extra seriously abut that
Bill sdgpm

I've got a Chevy Astro, which is excellent.
Good spares back up, easy to maintain, and between 18 and 25 mpg

Neil
www.astrosafari.co.uk for details
Neil Williams

Why don't you rent one & see how you like it first?
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

I think you need to look at this from a differant angle

How long a time frame are you talking....6 weeks, 3 months, 1 year, 3 years?

whats the least amount of comfort are you willing to accept? 5 star amminitys, sat tv,personal chef and butler, full kitchen, lots of room to lounge....or ..... 2 sets of clothes, pup tent, all the squrril you can catch to eat and gods wilderness as your bathroom.

Work along the way...what does that mean, giggalo service at elderly nursing homes, grunt boy construction, dish washer, some kind of journyman service for cable tv, or phone company? Independent soda and bottle recycler. Car wash technition?

IS MINUME WAGE going to make a liveable income on the road or will it be a set back, time killer with little benifit. if your daily expenses are $400 a day is $30 for 4 hours going to be worth it

whats your budget? whats the most your willing to spend on this adventure, and how much will that break down to a daily amount, Do you have expense back in the real world...morgage, health insurance, student loans, car loans, electric and gas, various taxes,someone to manage the home,,cut grass and shovel snow, ect. ect.


when you answer these question, then you will know alot more, about tranportation....

dont be afraid to look outside the box...there is an entire sub culture here in the USA that spend from late feb. to early nov. on the back of hogs (bikers) with just 1 set of clothes and pup tent, that just cruise America back and forth, up and down, and sell illegal dope and rent out there woman for cash to live on which is around $40 to $50 a day

Prop
Prop

Prop,
How do you know so much about renting a woman per the day? :-)
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

I got it....Totally cool idea, and no expense out of your pocket...(3 words)

Reality TV Show!!!!....Just make sure theres lots of Screaming and Fighting, lots of drama, and a bad hand gun shooting injury incedent....Now thats what I call "Must see tv"


heck you could even do it pay per view with web cams....if didnt mind getting really trashy.

Prop
Prop

renting a woman for the "DAY" ???

HUH, 3 minutes is all I need. Then Agian, I do have a sink full of dishes, the carpet needs vacumed, the lawn needs cut, the laundry needs washing....your right, I do need a biker chick for the entire day...lol


Prop
Prop

Bill, I developed and built the yellow T4's then went on to work for the company which supplied the air suspension. Was it a good vehicle in service?
Sadly all the old names from fleet I used to deal with a gone now.

Back on thread, a bay front is a lifestyle choice, along with unwashed hair and beads. Even an old Sherpa drives better.

How do you fancy a five year old Citroen relay lwb? Currently fitted out as a plush accessible minibus, so glazed, A/C, trimmed and carpeted. Easy to convert, economical big enough to live in by small enough to cope with on a daily basis. Conversion would be fairly easy diy and there are plenty of small converters around who could do it.
Clive Berry

What about getting a pull behind "Tear drop" an hooking it up to the midget...that would be severaly cool.

Prop

http://golittleguy.com/cms/

http://www.cozycruiser.com/classic-deluxe-teardrop-trailer.html


Prop

Hi Will,
Good idea, but make sure it's a left hooker, (the van, not the woman,) as you probably wont want to return to the UK after a good break away, it will have changed so much.
Much better option to bring the Midget and enjoy.
Graham

Perhaps this is more to your liking Will:

http://rac.com.au/About-Us/RAC-eNews/May-09/Worlds-biggest-motor-home.aspx
Mike Allen

Clive the T4s were great vans, even fitting inside most multistorey car parks if the driver remembered to whizz the lightbar back and down...

I often went down to Norfolk House to collect new and/or experimental "stuff", when I was still a patrol

happy (enough) days

I spoke with Will at LM, but I rather think that even in the face of good advice and tales of broken cranks on my mate's engine, he may be immobile on the topic

Still I did me best...
Bill sdgpm

This thread was discussed between 03/06/2009 and 16/06/2009

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