I bought an SV - BIG Build thread
Discussion
Hope this is in the right place. I couldn't see another location that fitted this tbh.
Hello All,
Project here with, well, my project. I know a lot of you like a build thread so I'm bringing you one with a slight difference. It's much bigger than you will be used to. And not because I'm trying to push a Merlin engine into a Lamborghini SV.
It's because it weighs 12 tons, has four wheel drive and locking diffs and will eventually go around the world (hopefully). Sadly it will only 56mph, but 15mpg to the gallon it won't feel far off the usual pistonhead fill up experience
The idea is to take a mildly used ex Army M.A.N truck, pull the rear body off. Build on a composite box body. Fit the body out with a sitting room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Add a sun terrace. Finally make it so it will travel a thousand miles without refuelling and be able to park up anywhere, offgrid for a month without having to reconnect with humanity (assuming I'm stocked up on beer and food before disapearing).
This is the base vehicle. Bought from auction earlier in the year. Those of you that used to/ or wear cabbage will recognise it as the current issue SV (Support Vehicle 6ton).
And this is the desired outcome for the finished product (albeit thats a Mercedes in the photo).
Hope you found this of interest, and if you have questions (about this preferably rather than why your spouse left or your Renault Electrics are dodgy) I'd be happy to answer them.
Hello All,
Project here with, well, my project. I know a lot of you like a build thread so I'm bringing you one with a slight difference. It's much bigger than you will be used to. And not because I'm trying to push a Merlin engine into a Lamborghini SV.
It's because it weighs 12 tons, has four wheel drive and locking diffs and will eventually go around the world (hopefully). Sadly it will only 56mph, but 15mpg to the gallon it won't feel far off the usual pistonhead fill up experience
The idea is to take a mildly used ex Army M.A.N truck, pull the rear body off. Build on a composite box body. Fit the body out with a sitting room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Add a sun terrace. Finally make it so it will travel a thousand miles without refuelling and be able to park up anywhere, offgrid for a month without having to reconnect with humanity (assuming I'm stocked up on beer and food before disapearing).
This is the base vehicle. Bought from auction earlier in the year. Those of you that used to/ or wear cabbage will recognise it as the current issue SV (Support Vehicle 6ton).
And this is the desired outcome for the finished product (albeit thats a Mercedes in the photo).
Hope you found this of interest, and if you have questions (about this preferably rather than why your spouse left or your Renault Electrics are dodgy) I'd be happy to answer them.
Kawasicki said:
Cool. What does the suspension design look like?
In terms of what? The truck chassis is leaf springs (same as MAN TGA) or are you referring to the box subframe?
rxe said:
I've seen these for auction and for some bizarre reason, I really really want one. Preferably with a crane and a flat bed. Don't they cost something like £1000 to fill up as standard? Or is that the 6x6 version?!
Probably the 8x8 version which has a 10 litre engine. The tanks are designed so the vehicles can manage 500 mile range, so if it gets poorer mpg it needs a bigger tank. These are £350 ish. Jag_NE said:
Nice work sir, following with interest.
What is the build budget in terms of base vehicle + refit?
I've got a budget of £50k ish. Which is peanuts for these. I'm building it myself (well, not strictly true. I'm the Project Manager, people with more skill than I will do the difficult stuff). The truck was a bargain at £12.5k inc buyers prem and vat.What is the build budget in terms of base vehicle + refit?
hairy vx220 said:
Excellent! mind that hatch after a few beers though.
I will take face first back into the truck over face planting into a grands worth of PV panels! 
Scrump said:
Looking forward to reading about this.
Will you still need a HGV licence to drive it after it is converted and registered as camper van?
Yes. Would have done my test by now if not for Covid. Probably going to do C+E because if I ever want to tow a trailer I'd need that. Positive side is because PHGV (see below) I don't need CPC.Will you still need a HGV licence to drive it after it is converted and registered as camper van?
Cost of lessons + test is £1231 (plus £27 for the theory and hazard perception cos I'm old and never done them
)Plus, DVSA toughened up on campers and it's almost, if not actually impossible, to register as Campervan. Needs to register as PHGV.
89forever said:
fantastic, i'd love to do something like this but as i'd need somewhere to park my bike and car i can't see a garage conversion being able to be fitted on this... (but i am now wanting to ask if there's a trailer option???)
This will have a 5.4m body. You can fit a motorcycle rack to the back. I’ve seen bigger trucks with a garage at the rear that will take an ATV or one that had a Suzuki Jimny in the back!As for trailer, yep although the towing height is high, plus off road capability means a trailer would be tall so not an easy load for a normal car.
Excellent thread!
Up until recently I used to work on these for my day job. Biggest problem was the EGR valves which kept seizing through lack of use and were a pain in the ass! If the fault pops up and stays on the usually you can try and free it up or the actuator needs adjusting. If it happens as it crests a hill and disappesrs after a while then "it's f
ked mate. Plus various electrical faults that it used to throw up for fun usually caused by the big fuses under the engine cover.
Lack of use would also affect the batteries which the Mod paid £250 each for and there's four of them. Brake linings would disintegrate and the brake cams would seize but we'd drive ours into the sea off a landing craft.
There's two versions of suspension. One with leaf springs and one with better off roading suspension with coils and dampers. If it has a rotary dail for the gears then its an automated manual if it's buttons then it's a torque convertor. Clutch packs would go.
Air powered seat pipes are a bag of bds and leak like crazy.
Up until recently I used to work on these for my day job. Biggest problem was the EGR valves which kept seizing through lack of use and were a pain in the ass! If the fault pops up and stays on the usually you can try and free it up or the actuator needs adjusting. If it happens as it crests a hill and disappesrs after a while then "it's f
ked mate. Plus various electrical faults that it used to throw up for fun usually caused by the big fuses under the engine cover. Lack of use would also affect the batteries which the Mod paid £250 each for and there's four of them. Brake linings would disintegrate and the brake cams would seize but we'd drive ours into the sea off a landing craft.
There's two versions of suspension. One with leaf springs and one with better off roading suspension with coils and dampers. If it has a rotary dail for the gears then its an automated manual if it's buttons then it's a torque convertor. Clutch packs would go.
Air powered seat pipes are a bag of b
ds and leak like crazy. Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff