Ford Transit LWB Luton Van
It’s a Ford Transit LWB twin rear axle van. It used to be owned by a bread company in Brighton who always kept it indoors. Being a mechanic I know about the reputation Transits have for rotting and when I went to see this one I couldn’t believe how it looked underneath. It is the most rust free example I’ve ever seen
I put it in for an MOT the other day and it failed on a wheel bearing, a corroded brake disc, front pads worn down to nothing, two corroded brake pipes and it’s marker lights not working. There were advisories for the opposite sides wheel bearing too and a few other things. I’ve had the whole lot repaired and now it stands with a new MOT with no advisories at all. It is in absolutely unbelievable shape for a 20 year old Ford and any mechanic would say the same.
I’ve had the van for 5 months now and it starts first time, every time. I drove it from Brighton to Exeter with my foot to the floor on the motorway at 80mph and it didn’t miss a beat the whole way. It is a solid van with a problem free engine and gearbox. The engine is chain driven too so no cambelts to worry about. Also the roof will remain leak free as we cleaned it and covered the whole thing in waterproof bitumen flashing. I’ve stood on the roof with a pressure washer and attacked every bit of it and there’s not so much as a drip coming inside. It also has 4 fairly new tyres which were replaced just before I bought it. The red paint on the cab itself isn’t in amazing condition but bear in mind it is 21 years old now.
All of the furniture is hand built from reclaimed wood. We had a mountain of pallets that we collected from the local industrial estate over the space of a couple weeks and spent days and days pulling them apart, taking the nails out and sanding them all. The kitchen side used to be an old solid wood antique dining table that we chopped up, sanded and varnished. It looks amazing. All the steps building it along the way have been documented and photographed and will come in a folder with the van so you can see how it was put together and that no corners have been cut. The entire box including the floor have been insulated with 30mm celotex, plus the bedroom has been double insulated with celotex and recycled plastic loft insulation on top. It holds heat very well. The original floor was pulled out and replaced with two layers of 15mm plywood, then celotex, then more plywood which has been sealed with waterproof paint to avoid any swelling in the future.
I will list what is in there…..
400 watt solar on the roof via 2 x 200w panels
2 X 130ah deep cycle leisure batteries
Smart solar controller with Bluetooth (there’s an app for the phone to control it)
12v fuse panel
240v hookup which is linked to sockets in the living area and also a 12v smart charger in the electric cupboard which charges the batteries during hookup.
10.1 inch Android TV in the living area built into a cupboard which has Netflix, YouTube etc. You can use a WiFi hotspot on your phone or get a usb dongle and sim card for internet. It has a good quality Sony hifi speaker either end of the room.
It has a fully 12v shower system with hot water. There’s a diesel heater that heats the water and will get 20 litres to 40 degrees within 15 minutes. The shower has a separate tank which is filled from the main tank via a pump. The shower tank also has a digital temperature gauge.
The shower room itself is more of a wet room, with a waterproof lino floor and a sunken shower tray. There’s a potable toilet in there strapped into the corner. There’s a roof vent and the cladded walls have been lined with plastic sheeting and then polyurethane varnish painted on the wood to make it totally waterproof.
It has a 100L main water tank but only 80L is usable due to the placement of the filler cap. Still more than enough. There’s a 25L waste tank underneath the rear floor to catch shower water.
It has a new Thetford oven and grill and 3 burner hob, all run from a removable gas tank in a small cupboard next to the kitchen.
The three windows (kitchen, living area and bedroom) are all full sized wide opening caravan windows which were an absolute nightmare to fit properly but let in loads of natural light and can be open in the rain (which is useful if you’re cooking and it’s raining).
It has remote control dimming on the lights in the main living area, plus a porch light and bedroom light with separate switches.
2 X USB charging sockets, one in the living area, one in the bedroom.
The bedroom area itself has space for a king size mattress if you so wish. There’s also a windowsill up there for putting cups and what not on.
It has loads of storage including a wardrobe and a huge space under the sofa.
The front door has a Yale lock, the main rear shutter has a water proof padlock.
The porch has been painted with 10 year outdoor fence paint and 10 year waterproof woodstain. The decking boards have all been sealed in yacht varnish and have been installed angled slightly downward to allow water to run off.
The box has been repainted in white hammerite metal paint. It was white when I got it but in a bit of a state so it’s had a fresh coat.
The ceiling in the main area has solid wood beams going across which gives it the effect of a rustic cottage and is a feature I’ve not seen before in a van.
Heating comes from an 7kw diesel heater underneath the wardrobe which runs off the main fuel tank. The controller has had its wiring extended across the room and is mounted in a little box near the bed
There’s also a large metal storage box on the side of the van.
Everything in there has been designed by me and built by mine and my friends hands, an unbelievable amount of time, energy and stress has gone into making this thing what it is.
Photos do not do this van justice and it will make a very special home for someone.
Full size double bed with mattress above can, space for a king size. Sofa downstairs can accommodate an adult (I’m 6′ 2″ and fit on it fine)
The contact details for this vehicle are no longer available because it has either sold or the listing has expired.
Insurance options are available through our partner, Ripe Insurance.
Get tips, tricks, ideas and advice for your campervan conversion, with the ultimate Quirky Campers Conversion Guide.
