My restoration and conversion to overland camper

[hoss]

Please excuse me for writing in English. My Swedish is very limited, but improving after reading much of these forums.

First i want to say thank you to Frederik, Gripen and Daniel for inspiration and help on my conversion

 

I bought myself a Volvo C303 back in 2011, firstly because i always wanted a 101FC and then fell in love with the Volvo which i'm reluctant to say is better. Its definitely proven, this is mine in Finland before i bought it.

 

I wanted to make it into an expedition vehicle, and my plans have steadily expanded.

I did initially plan something like this example:

 

It already had a diesel conversion, power steering and a few other enhancements when i bought it, but needed a lot of tidying up. The Diesel was D24TIC from a Volvo 940, so not the quietest smoothest motor.

I had recently acquired a semi-decent alu/zinc replacement front cab, and am half way through painting that.

 

In the meantime i decided to change the motor for something more modern, quieter, smoother with more power & more economical - a OM606.962 which has been extracted from a E300 Merc.

 

And shoe-horned into approximate position:

 

So i'm currently in the process of making up new engine mounts and the gearbox to transfer box coupling.

I will stick with the Merc 722.6 electronic autobox, it supposed to be a superb and reliable unit. And rightly or wrongly i will keep the Om606 under ECU control. Have the whole loom out of the E300, just wading through it to see which bits i need to keep.

 

It will also get converted to discs, probably with CTIS. And i did have some musings on installing the ABS system from the donor Merc.

 

In the meantime the plans for my expedition vehicle have expanded. I'm going to get rid of the old rear body altogether and build a custom camper body. This will get me something larger & more fit for purpose. I plan to do it in steel box frame & alu panels.

Here is my latest model:

 

- Cab is in the process of being painted

- I've put in the hinges and pads to allow it to tilt up for access to the engine, just have to source a hydraulic cylinder and pump.

- have the foot handbrake installed from the merc donor

- started to make the ECU wiring

 

- Painted and fitted the upper cab

- Started on the rewiring

- Made new dash & switch panels

- Constructed a battery & compressor box

- Cab latch and support frame made

 

Pics below:

Cab top fitted

A nice set of new wooden bump strips

Comfy Audi seats, and the new dash panels

Auto shifter, hi/low, and difflock controls. Gauges are Vac & OBA pressure.

It's alive!!

Dual battery and compressor box

An Iveco cab latch and support frame

 

[Fredrik L]

Very nice

[Wingflyer]

Wow!!!

[Tjingen]

Nice work!

[Andreas.E]

Wow great work... looking forward to follow your project!

[Johannes]

Great build, really looking forward to follow your project!

 

Are you located in Finland?

 

[H.Hansen]

Impressive 

[Gripen]

Yes, very impressive!

I'm not too familiar with electronics, but it is a J1939 network you have in your car?

Toggle switch with red protective cover in difflock panel, ejection seat? :-)

/Gripen

[TURBO]

Nice work! Keep up!

[hoss]

The modified inlet manifold under construction

[SBAT111]

Very advanced and thorough renovation/upgrad. It is obviously not the first time you renovate a car.
How about the rear body? Will it be permanently mounted or will it be a replaceable body so that it can be replaced with other constructions?

[hoss]

Some updates

 

-New inlet manifold welded

 

Adaptor shaft from MB box to Volvo transfer box (I still need to cut down and add front oil seal race)

 

Eberspacher installed, Nice new yacht hatch fitted

[hoss]

>I'm not too familiar with electronics, but it is a J1939 network you have in your car?

No you are probably seeing the data cables for the 706 gearbox controller.

>Toggle switch with red protective cover in difflock panel, ejection seat? :-)

Its the backup electric vacuum pump

 

 

Very advanced and thorough renovation/upgrad. It is obviously not the first time you renovate a car.

How about the rear body? Will it be permanently mounted or will it be a replaceable body so that it can be replaced with other constructions?

I plan to make it removable, so that i can leave the body on a campsite and still drive away. Also perhaps i will have a pickup bed also.

Redigerad 16 Januari , 2015 av Vinkon
No need for double posting, pls use "MultiQuote"

[hoss]

The coupling shaft. 

End machined, 

 

Splined sleeve machined to 2 diameters, one for oil seal, the other for the rear end support.

 

Sleeve brazed on

 

The full assembly

 

And fitted in place

[tiagra]

This build has some very similar ideas to mine, wow! Seems like a proper disc brake is the only thing missing for you! )) Anxious to see your rear camper box evolve, I am still stuck with the base vehicle, but tend to cheer myself up with drawings of the future cabin - seemingly like you?

 

[hoss]

Nice. A part of me wishes that i had bought a 6 wheel version for the extra load space. Maybe if i find a rolling chassis i would transfer.

I will post some more pictures soon. I just installed the on board air compressor and tank and a new battery and isolator box in the chassis.

[Gripen]

[hoss]

Is that yours Gripen!!? or did you find the picture?

I want mine to me more light, and not too high for travelling. I will make it 'pop-top' with a raising roof if i can design a good method.

[tiagra]

It was for sale in Estonia.. The picture is from the advert. I have more pictures of the rig if you care....

[hoss]

It was for sale in Estonia.. The picture is from the advert. I have more pictures of the rig if you care....

Yes please, post them. I'm always interested in ideas

[tiagra]

 

 

[Andreas.E]

Wow... looks great! Like a small version of a MAN or Tartra Dakar truck  

[Gripen]

Is that yours Gripen!!? or did you find the picture?

I want mine to me more light, and not too high for travelling. I will make it 'pop-top' with a raising roof if i can design a good method.

No, unfortunately not my car...

Intake manifold you built, it is of aluminum or stainless?

/Gripen

[hoss]

No, unfortunately not my car...

Intake manifold you built, it is of aluminum or stainless?

/Gripen

Alu. I cut the ports from the original manifold then got 55/60 and 30/35 tube and had it welded.

[hoss]

A bit of a long overdue update. Recent progress:

- Installed marine cables for the transfer box high/low and the autobox selector.

- Moved the battery box and OBA compressor between the chassis.

-Transfer box tested in place, and crossmember constructed.

 

Some pics:

Crossmember

 

Battery and compressor boxes

 

Compressor box contents

 

The lifting cab in action

 

isolators & main fuses

 

The custom manifold

 

OBA tank

 

New version dash panel