Unimog U1300L 435 1986 - Restore to former glory & add custom camper

[Jostt]

hello Simon, I use in my truck the diesel cooker of webasto, as the dualtop for heating the room and hot water, I can not say they are perfect, first point is they work 12v, but in my opinion is needed 12 v,this is not a drama, I use the converter from Victron, 20amps and it is enought, water pump and freezer works in 24v as the ACC, to be conected stright, second point the diesel stove works fine but do not expect to use for coffe in the morning, after two days you sell it.....it is a bit slow, it takes 10 min to be operative , this is not a problem to prepare the dinner or lunch....but takes times, It is a very good machine, by my point of view, but it is overpriced, here in Europe is 1200€....for the dualtop for me is a nice machine if you dont have enought room in the cabine....like the house in the unimogs its not huge, you have whit 3250 wheelbase boxes betwen 3 and 4 meters long, the space is limited, On the engine I have a termo90, to heat the engine and also privide hot water in the cabine, The only problem in three years wa whit the loom on the dualtop machine, replaced in waranty first year

 

[nathane]

Nice work Nathane, You are way ahead of me with the use of Fusion. The wheels are very realistic. Thought you had to have the access door on the left being in the UK or is that only Aus regs?

I hope not!

I guess that on the basis the box is symmetrical outside and fixes with container locks to yhe chassis we can always put it on backwards if we need the door on the left!

Bear in mind with fusion, many vendors have STEP files you can import with their designs ?

 

[Sitec]

only Aus regs?.......

There's Aus regs...? Where do I find these, as the SA website talks in loops and riddles!

 

[Simon dix]

G'day, Hope your build going well?

Australian Design Rules

The Australian Design Rules (ADRs) are national standards for vehicle safety, anti-theft and emissions. The ADRs are generally performance based and cover issues such as occupant protection, structures, lighting, noise, engine exhaust emissions, braking and a range of miscellaneous items.

www.infrastructure.gov.au

Just check the reg's where you want to register the vehicle as the different states may very slightly.

 

[Simon dix]

I hope not!

I guess that on the basis the box is symmetrical outside and fixes with container locks to yhe chassis we can always put it on backwards if we need the door on the left!

Bear in mind with fusion, many vendors have STEP files you can import with their designs ?

Normally from a safety perspective the access door has to be on the same side of the road that you drive. Or can be at the rear. UK might not be so strict with compliance??

 

[Simon dix]

hello Simon, I use in my truck the diesel cooker of webasto, as the dualtop for heating the room and hot water, I can not say they are perfect, first point is they work 12v, but in my opinion is needed 12 v,this is not a drama, I use the converter from Victron, 20amps and it is enought, water pump and freezer works in 24v as the ACC, to be conected stright, second point the diesel stove works fine but do not expect to use for coffe in the morning, after two days you sell it.....it is a bit slow, it takes 10 min to be operative , this is not a problem to prepare the dinner or lunch....but takes times, It is a very good machine, by my point of view, but it is overpriced, here in Europe is 1200€....for the dualtop for me is a nice machine if you dont have enought room in the cabine....like the house in the unimogs its not huge, you have whit 3250 wheelbase boxes betwen 3 and 4 meters long, the space is limited, On the engine I have a termo90, to heat the engine and also privide hot water in the cabine, The only problem in three years wa whit the loom on the dualtop machine, replaced in waranty first yearView attachment 586958

Hi Jostt, I managed to miss your post and I also have not been back here for a bit. Thanks for your post. Hope your Mog treating you well?
Cheers
Simon

 

[Jostt]

dont worry, thanks , I asume is normal whit this trucks, they have a big mantenance, but at all after three years Im in love whit it, I hope you can enjoy your one soon

 

[Sitec]

Hi Simon.

Just chatting with a mate in the UK, and a picture of something familiar came up... Recon this is one of your Mog's mates...

 

[Simon dix]

Hi Simon.

Just chatting with a mate in the UK, and a picture of something familiar came up... Recon this is one of your Mog's mates...

View attachment 592184

Hey Sitec, Cool beans. Army style wheel rims same as mine . Just needs a roof raise because I have to admit the extra head room and versatility makes all the difference. I will hopefully soon be active again here. Busy with the camper frame design and internal design. Finally came to my senses and going to design to sleep 3. Me, wife and daughter. I wanted to sleep 6 at first but that's crazy for this size rig and if mates want to come with best they sort their own rig . If we are going to go through Aus needs to be primo. I am going large on my electrical system (probably 400ah).

 

[Sitec]

Yeah, it was the wheels that caught my eye! Sleeping 6 would have been a challenge. Spudboy down here in SA built his rig using a crewcab MAN with the idea people would join them... He wishes he'd gone with a single cab and bigger hab box now as people do join them... in their own fourby or truck.

 

[Simon dix]

Yeah, it was the wheels that caught my eye! Sleeping 6 would have been a challenge. Spudboy down here in SA built his rig using a crewcab MAN with the idea people would join them... He wishes he'd gone with a single cab and bigger hab box now as people do join them... in their own fourby or truck.

For sure, like I said I’m Glad I finally came to my senses and not trying to build a stag do party truck ?‍♂️. Only my wife and daughter so the rest can make a plan in their own wheels ???. A number of thought processes and the like have changed since I started this thread. I am also Glad I have planned a lot more and been patient. I hope that I finish this project like it comes out of someone’s factory who specialise in overland builds?? ?.

 

[Simon dix]

Hi Guys,

I am hoping that manufacturing and fabrication is not too far away. Before xmas providing COVID19 plays it part and trots off into the distance.

I am in the process of deciding what insulation I am going to use. NOTE: I am not an expert and I am lacking thorough research at this stage so thought I would throw it out there. If anyone is a guru or has some good info please share.
I just received info on LEWCO MAT INSULATION and I think this stuff will have excellent thermal, vibration and noise properties based on recent discussions and info. I suppose the other things to consider in the long run are to:
Mitigate Corrosion under Insulation (CUI)
Mitigate Thermal bridging (Cold Bridging) due in adequate thermal resistance

I believe Lewco mat will certainly reduce the above mentioned issues as long as installation is adequately installed and will provide adequate insulation for ever. Also this stuff has a massively high melting temp and non-combustible. Also this stuff wont invite mold, mildew and the like (also non-toxic). It looks like it will go the distance wrt ADR’s and its thermal properties and the like.

Massive downside It is not cheap 3.8m.sq for 1/2 inch (12.7mm) thickness is around ($945 = width 1524mm x length 2540mm). If my math serves me right $244/m.sq. Bloody expensive when you add up the sq.metres required and furthermore I have not even priced the 50mm which will suit my 50x50mm box section frame. If wife finds out she might ask for wedding ring upgrade…..EISH!!! Is this too much. I think maybe yes but then interested in what others are prepared to spend or have spent on their insulation or what materials they used and how effective it is.

Has anyone ever had issues with thermal bridging through the metal framework (hollow box section)? As I understand heat will conduct inside your camper through the exposed framework much easier than through the insulated parts. Here you might have your cold bridge issue, but I don’t have enough experience in this field.

In summary, I am happy to spend more $ if it means the living area is insulated like a traditional Yurt (Mongolian nomadic round hut covered in skins) but I don't want to throw money down the sink when I could use an alternative material that is cost effective to adequately insulate for say -5 to +50 Degs C. But on the flip side the cost of not doing it properly (ripping off panels at a later stage to redo) will be massively regrettable for not spending in the first place? Wonder what the optimum $ : R value ratio is for the temps aforementioned?

 

[DzlToy]

1) You will absolutely experience cold bridging if you have a metal exterior skin connected to box section or square tubing. If there is a physical attachment point between the metals, heat/cold will travel on that path, regardless of how much insulation is in the wall cavity. For this reason, and others, commercial builders such as Action Mobil and Unicat use a SIP or composite panel construction, sans 'studs' or metal tubing/framing in the wall, as one would have in a house.

2) With some basic calculations you can see how much heat/cold will be lost through a wall section, as a function of a given temperature delta. Example: a 2m high x 4m long wall section, having a (US) R-value of 10 for a 2" (~50mm) XPS sheet, without skins, glue, studs, etc. Convert this to W/m2K and you have an easier to use unit of 0.6 Watts lost/gained, per meter squared, per degree Kelvin.

If the outside temperature is freezing (0*C) and you want your camper to be 20*C, you will need about 100W per wall, just to maintain temperature. This does not account for leaks around windows, cold bridging, doors being opened, etc. These is strictly a mathematical calculation.
There is no way you can heat/cool that camper box in the real world with ~500W or 1700 BTU.

So you have two paths, IMO. You can really seal the box up well and focus on tight gaps everywhere, top notch insulation and weather stripping, highly insulated windows and doors, etc., or you can have a robust, expensive and power hungry HVAC unit, which is what most people opt for.

Top of the range insulation is a better solution, as proven by the European PassivHaus standards, which typically require less than 120 kWhrs of heating per square meter of finished, conditioned space. In your camper, <1000W of heating would do the trick, (~3400 BTU).

 

[Simon dix]

Thanks very much DzlToy. Would you consider the insulation which I am looking at over the top with price or would you say its worth it? would you in fill the 50mm box section prior to welding? Or am I going over the top with such an idea?

 

[DzlToy]

XPS sheeting, or eXtruded Polystyrene, not to be confused with EPS, or Expanded Polystyrene, is relatively inexpensive in the States. It cuts easily with a sharp razor knife and can be found in most home stores. A 50mm XPS sheet, 1200 x 2400 is about USD$65 XPS has a US R-value of R-5 per inch.

I am not familiar with the insulation that you mention, but it seems to be a specialised product, hence the high price. The US website mentions "super insulation", spark arresting blankets and insulating curtains.

You may want to check out what we call RockWool or mineral wool, which is a heavy batt made from coal furnace slag, IIRC. It is not structural, which does not matter if you are going to use RHS/box tubing. A 90mm thick batt to fit in a standard residential home stud bay has a US R-value of 15 per piece and damps noise quite well. A 60 square foot package (5.6 sq m) costs about USD$50. So, in that respect, your product seems to be quite expensive.

Filling in the tubing with some spray foam may help some, but the thermal transfer path is 'around' the hollow center of the tubing, so what is inside, is less relevant for conduction. It would help with convection, however, I am not sure it is worth the hassle.

If you can spray foam the whole wall with skin on one side, you will have a very well sealed wall. Make sure that you use closed cell foam that cannot hold moisture and that you 'stand off" both skins from the box tubing using a foam tape, to minimise thermal bridging.

It isn't too late to build SIP camper; so much easier and cheaper than welding, IMO.