Overlanders

Latest Overlanding Vehicle

During our latest over landing trip from Muan to Mohembo along the eastern side of the Okavango delta, we decided to go for the option of more comfort and safety. We made that decision because of a previous experience.

We were travelling from Khwai Village to Seronga and stopped at an animal waterhole to overnight. On arrival the camping spot was occupied by lions. After we waited for a long time the lions realized that their wait will not bring them any food. They left and we could in split seconds pitch our roof top tents.

We are in the process of building a new over landing vehicle. This vehicle will be more comfortable and a safe option to camp. It will take a while to covert the sprinter to a 4x4 camper. The durable conversion will be able to deal with any over landing situation and give us the comfort and safety we want.

The Sprinter

We bought the Sprinter in Cape Town and flew down to collect it. After we came back we parked our vehicle under our veranda. As you can see, the back of the panelvan is completely empty, but we have many plans for it. Bettie and I spent many hours of decussion to design our campervan. We want it as practical as possible without giving up our comfort. We could'nt wait to get our hands on this project.

Insulation

We first installed all the electric cabling, waterpipes and communication cables before we started with the insulation of the vehicle. The insulation of the vehicle is a very important prosess. If the vehicle is not properly insulated, the cold and the heat will get hold of you. It will also create dampness between the wood panelling and the steel of the car.

Geyser

We plan to have a kitchen unit with hot water, as well as a basin and shower in the bathroom. We installed a geyser that operates from 220v and gass. The water will be supplied from a water tank that will be fitted underneath the vehicle. The geyser is located underneath the bed in the packing area that is accessable from the back doors.

Windows

We carefully planned the position and the size of the windows. We preferred a window at the kitchen area and a small window in the bathroom. We also positioned a window on the same level of our bed for a nice view.

Water

Interior panelling

We prefer a light wood for the interior and therefor choose pink beach. The installation of the panelling must be done to prevent any sqeaks and cracking afterwards. We do not give all the detail on how we've done it, but will do it on request.

Bathroom

To have a bathroom is ultimate luxury for overlanders. We therefore gave this enough though and planned it properly. The panelling was covered with a kind of plastic to prevent the wood from getting wet. An electrical flash toilet was installed, as well as a shower and a basin with a nice vanity. Last but not least, we also installed a mirror for those who nead it.

Suspention Convertion

Suspension

The existing suspension was removed and a 4X4 suspension was installed. The suspension created a body raise of about 15 cm. The extra height on the body creates a very good ground clearance underneath the vehicle.

Status quo

After the suspension has been changed we fit a replacement bumper in front of the vehicle. We also put on bigger tyres for extra ground clearance. Although the Sprinter is not completed yet, we must say that we already used the vehicle for a couple of overlanding trips in South Africa and we are enjoying every moment of our campervan.

TO BE CONTINUED