Today I bought this
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Today I bought this
Its been 2 months since I sold the old one , being stuck at home on a weekend sucks...so today I bought this ...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BESSACARR-...vip=true&rt=nc
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BESSACARR-...vip=true&rt=nc
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From: The hell where youth and laughter go
Long time ago we had a Eldis Autostratus on a Fiat Ducato 2.0 petrol and Alko chassis conversion. The Alko chassis makes a big difference over the leaf springs fitted on the normal chassis.
Engine was a bit gutless, and it blew the head gasket, so while it was apart we had the cylinder head flowed, ported and skimmed to raise the compression slightly, tweeked the ignition timing with a bit more adavance over standard. Then it pulled quite well...enough to go up to 100mph, which is about as fast you'd want to take it as the skylights would pop open past 90mph
Roof was reinforced (unlike some caravans) so you go up there and sunbath or watch the races etc (if parked close enough - we used to go and watch a few moto GPs and truck races
).
Reason why we got rid of it....anti-pikey height restrictions on the majority of UK car parks. It comes to something when a tourist can't park their van to vist a town or even get some shopping!
I use a tent these days. Not as convienient or comfy, but at least I can take the car wherever I like. And I refuse to drag a shed, plus I can't fiot a tow hitch to a R32 anyway.
Engine was a bit gutless, and it blew the head gasket, so while it was apart we had the cylinder head flowed, ported and skimmed to raise the compression slightly, tweeked the ignition timing with a bit more adavance over standard. Then it pulled quite well...enough to go up to 100mph, which is about as fast you'd want to take it as the skylights would pop open past 90mph
Roof was reinforced (unlike some caravans) so you go up there and sunbath or watch the races etc (if parked close enough - we used to go and watch a few moto GPs and truck races
).Reason why we got rid of it....anti-pikey height restrictions on the majority of UK car parks. It comes to something when a tourist can't park their van to vist a town or even get some shopping!
I use a tent these days. Not as convienient or comfy, but at least I can take the car wherever I like. And I refuse to drag a shed, plus I can't fiot a tow hitch to a R32 anyway.
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From: In my garage
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2012
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From: In my garage
Thread Starter
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From: In my garage
Long time ago we had a Eldis Autostratus on a Fiat Ducato 2.0 petrol and Alko chassis conversion. The Alko chassis makes a big difference over the leaf springs fitted on the normal chassis.
Engine was a bit gutless, and it blew the head gasket, so while it was apart we had the cylinder head flowed, ported and skimmed to raise the compression slightly, tweeked the ignition timing with a bit more adavance over standard. Then it pulled quite well...enough to go up to 100mph, which is about as fast you'd want to take it as the skylights would pop open past 90mph
Roof was reinforced (unlike some caravans) so you go up there and sunbath or watch the races etc (if parked close enough - we used to go and watch a few moto GPs and truck races ).
Reason why we got rid of it....anti-pikey height restrictions on the majority of UK car parks. It comes to something when a tourist can't park their van to vist a town or even get some shopping!
I use a tent these days. Not as convienient or comfy, but at least I can take the car wherever I like. And I refuse to drag a shed, plus I can't fiot a tow hitch to a R32 anyway.
Engine was a bit gutless, and it blew the head gasket, so while it was apart we had the cylinder head flowed, ported and skimmed to raise the compression slightly, tweeked the ignition timing with a bit more adavance over standard. Then it pulled quite well...enough to go up to 100mph, which is about as fast you'd want to take it as the skylights would pop open past 90mph
Roof was reinforced (unlike some caravans) so you go up there and sunbath or watch the races etc (if parked close enough - we used to go and watch a few moto GPs and truck races
).Reason why we got rid of it....anti-pikey height restrictions on the majority of UK car parks. It comes to something when a tourist can't park their van to vist a town or even get some shopping!
I use a tent these days. Not as convienient or comfy, but at least I can take the car wherever I like. And I refuse to drag a shed, plus I can't fiot a tow hitch to a R32 anyway.
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From: The hell where youth and laughter go
Yeah, it went quite well considering it was at 6000rpm. It was more happy at 70-80mph, wind didn't seem to affect it too much either (bar the skylights). 0-60 was never great, but it coped. I think the original tuning was taking into account for low grade fuel (92Ron or something ) as when standard it only had 8.3:1 compression (impreza turbos run 8:1 with 14.7psi of boost! ) so obviously on 95Ron it could run more compression and ignition advance.
The problem with it is we couldn't get drunk when we ran out of beer and couldn't get near enough to anywhere within walking distance. Could have rode the bikes, but its not easy riding a bike with a 24pack
The problem with it is we couldn't get drunk when we ran out of beer and couldn't get near enough to anywhere within walking distance. Could have rode the bikes, but its not easy riding a bike with a 24pack
Last edited by ALi-B; Mar 9, 2014 at 11:50 AM.
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Its been 2 months since I sold the old one , being stuck at home on a weekend sucks...so today I bought this ...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BESSACARR-...vip=true&rt=nc
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BESSACARR-...vip=true&rt=nc
Looks pretty good.
Nice and tidy.
Thought something like that would be good when I go and watch my son play cricket, as we are there all day and its good to have the home comforts with you....
Maybe ........
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From: Mars
Long time ago we had a Eldis Autostratus on a Fiat Ducato 2.0 petrol and Alko chassis conversion. The Alko chassis makes a big difference over the leaf springs fitted on the normal chassis.
Engine was a bit gutless, and it blew the head gasket, so while it was apart we had the cylinder head flowed, ported and skimmed to raise the compression slightly, tweeked the ignition timing with a bit more adavance over standard. Then it pulled quite well...enough to go up to 100mph, which is about as fast you'd want to take it as the skylights would pop open past 90mph
Roof was reinforced (unlike some caravans) so you go up there and sunbath or watch the races etc (if parked close enough - we used to go and watch a few moto GPs and truck races ).
Reason why we got rid of it....anti-pikey height restrictions on the majority of UK car parks. It comes to something when a tourist can't park their van to vist a town or even get some shopping!
I use a tent these days. Not as convienient or comfy, but at least I can take the car wherever I like. And I refuse to drag a shed, plus I can't fiot a tow hitch to a R32 anyway.
Engine was a bit gutless, and it blew the head gasket, so while it was apart we had the cylinder head flowed, ported and skimmed to raise the compression slightly, tweeked the ignition timing with a bit more adavance over standard. Then it pulled quite well...enough to go up to 100mph, which is about as fast you'd want to take it as the skylights would pop open past 90mph
Roof was reinforced (unlike some caravans) so you go up there and sunbath or watch the races etc (if parked close enough - we used to go and watch a few moto GPs and truck races
).Reason why we got rid of it....anti-pikey height restrictions on the majority of UK car parks. It comes to something when a tourist can't park their van to vist a town or even get some shopping!
I use a tent these days. Not as convienient or comfy, but at least I can take the car wherever I like. And I refuse to drag a shed, plus I can't fiot a tow hitch to a R32 anyway.
Another month off in Europe in it over the Summer; cannot wait!!
You do realise you can book hotel rooms from Premier and similar for £70 and under and if you book in advance you cand get £10-20 quid rooms. It would take a long time to get to your buying figure and these hotels can be right in the city centre 
where as you damper van would be chased 
where as you damper van would be chased
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Kind of why we chose a California; it's 1.9 metres with the roof down, it has the footprint of a large estate car, it's built on a Caravelle (not Transporter) base so comfortable and well insulated, the 180bhp engine (biturbo) pulls up hills pretty well (I've also done 110 in it with a bit left), it's the only 4wd factory built camper/motorhome and it looks just like any can (slightly smartened up).
Another month off in Europe in it over the Summer; cannot wait!!
Another month off in Europe in it over the Summer; cannot wait!!
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From: Mars
You do realise you can book hotel rooms from Premier and similar for £70 and under and if you book in advance you cand get £10-20 quid rooms. It would take a long time to get to your buying figure and these hotels can be right in the city centre where as you damper van would be chased
where as you damper van would be chased If in a City, we stay in hotels but otherwise, the van has given us the best holidays of our lives.
Find a hotel this close to the beach:
Or with this view
Or this view:
Buster - shout if you need any pointers. We've found a few cracking places in Spain and France. Planning to do a bit of Portugal this Summer too.
Last edited by Matteeboy; Mar 9, 2014 at 08:18 PM.
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You do realise you can book hotel rooms from Premier and similar for £70 and under and if you book in advance you cand get £10-20 quid rooms. It would take a long time to get to your buying figure and these hotels can be right in the city centre where as you damper van would be chased
where as you damper van would be chased 
Theres no comparison....two can stay on a serviced pitch for a weekend for the price of a pizza each ( our faves are £26 for Fri till Monday). Motorhomes barely depreciate...on my previous one I sold it for what it cost after 2 years. We go away most weekends all year round...plus festivals dont tend to have Premier inns with rooms to spare .....some get it some dont I guess...but having one parked in the back garden ready to go at a minutes notice is brill, and having every convenience that you have at home ices the cake for us.
Bit posher than your last one too Congrats on your purchase, very jealous
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Oh really, we hadn't thought of that….
If in a City, we stay in hotels but otherwise, the van has given us the best holidays of our lives.
Find a hotel this close to the beach:
Or with this view
Or this view:
Buster - shout if you need any pointers. We've found a few cracking places in Spain and France. Planning to do a bit of Portugal this Summer too.
If in a City, we stay in hotels but otherwise, the van has given us the best holidays of our lives.
Find a hotel this close to the beach:
Or with this view
Or this view:
Buster - shout if you need any pointers. We've found a few cracking places in Spain and France. Planning to do a bit of Portugal this Summer too.
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Lol thanks it is a bit posher , I think one needs to own one to get an idea of what you need from one. The old one was a fabulous thing and served us well...I only sold it due to needing the cash and seeing it go hurt much more than watching the Cossie go. This time I got it the right way round...cheap barge better camper....in 18 months my Cossie did 7500 miles my camper did 8500
Be good to hear how you get on with it
I fancy one of these Mallards as I need seat belt seats in the rear
http://www.murvi.co.uk/linkservid/80...09/showMeta/0/
The Mallard in the review is actually my Uncles van
I fancy one of these Mallards as I need seat belt seats in the rear
http://www.murvi.co.uk/linkservid/80...09/showMeta/0/
The Mallard in the review is actually my Uncles van
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We wanted to avoid seatbelts in the rear to avoid people inviting themselves along lol
Picking mine up hopefully Wednesday will then camp overnight somewhere Hereford way then drop car back home and head south for a few days to suss it out
Picking mine up hopefully Wednesday will then camp overnight somewhere Hereford way then drop car back home and head south for a few days to suss it out
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From: The hell where youth and laughter go
Theres no comparison....two can stay on a serviced pitch for a weekend for the price of a pizza each ( our faves are £26 for Fri till Monday). Motorhomes barely depreciate...on my previous one I sold it for what it cost after 2 years. We go away most weekends all year round...plus festivals dont tend to have Premier inns with rooms to spare .....some get it some dont I guess...but having one parked in the back garden ready to go at a minutes notice is brill, and having every convenience that you have at home ices the cake for us.
In that time all it had spent on it was (excluding service work/fuel/tax etc) the engine mods, exhaust and rebuilt front seats, oh a pair of batteries and a set of tyres.
The beauty of being able to jump in and go is great- no need to prepare, just fill it with fuel, dump in some clothes, grab some beer from the offy, and away we go. The once we went to Wales; got bored and decided to go to Ireland instead. Didn't pre plan, didn't pre book, just went.
These days I have to play Tetris with the boot, and pre-book campsites. Or book in hotels, in which case I don't skimp as cheap UK hotels tend to have dire soundproofing; I'd rather sleep outside in a tent than put up with hearing someone's over-exaggerated orgasms at 3:00am in a £30 a night Premier Inn.