To fix your whistle noise and to improve your gas mileage you could put a wind jammer (deflector) on the roof leaning toward the solar panels this will help deflect the air up and over and basically eliminate the possibility of the wind blowing them off.

Having got used to travelling at 3mph in the narrow boat, 60+ in the van must be either a treat or terrifying 😄

Try putting a wind deflector from the roof to h upper edge of solar panels. No win noise and improved fuel economy👍

I think your biggest hindrance in this conversion is your penchant for perfection. Like one of my sons, it's part of your makeup and difficult or impossible to ignore BUT I think you have done a hell of a good job on it. I heard someplace (can't imagine where) you had never done anything like this before but, damn, man: you cut up metal doors and installed windows, stripped the inside nd made living quarters, Evaluated and researched cooking, cleaning, food storage, safe installs, the list goes on from here. Probably there is one person who will ever be aware, say noting of noticing those tiny (for most) imperfections so the next time you shave, tell him to chill out. A round of applause for you, sir!

You need that no slip stuff for shelfs. Also cut pieces to place between stacked dishes that rattle.

Always have two can opener ! 👍🏻😎

One man's 'wonky shelf' is another man's 'van with character'.

Camping essentials: Gin and Tonic. That's it I believe.

I think, that for someone who doesn't do this kind of thing for a living that you've done a bang up job! Way to go (again)!

Kitchen roll, and toilet rolls, unroll themselves as you drive along, so I have a hook next to mine and I put a rubber band across the roll to prevent this very annoying problem. I also have a fixed bottle opener on the side of the kitchen unit. The van is looking good!

Flashlight,batteries, windup radio, campstove for cooking out doors ? Tow rope, flares, reflector panel, whisk broom, dust pan... you may n3ed a trailer towed by van to hold all 5his stuff.

Best two things that I have in my van and would recommend are Rubber Bands and Tea Towels. It's all about reducing the bumps and rattles when driving. Use the Rubber bands to hold things together, especially kitchen utensils and pens, stuff like that. Get loads of Tea Towels, not the fluffy type but the plane cloth ones, you know the ones that you can get two for a pound from any pound shop that isn't going out of business. Use the towels to fill any spaces at the end of shelves in cupboards etc and less irritating driving conditions can be achieved. If you are feeling really radical, you can use them to dry the dishes as well.

Yes you've done a good job on the van , go anywhere and stay anywhere . Those shelves a bit iffy as up and down hills and over big bumps everything will go flying off . Speaking of CRUISING THE CUT when are you going back on the canals David :-)

Didn't know you had to inform DVLA about the conversion. You have done a grand job from what ive seen so far . . Inverter socket i would of turned around which means taking inverter apart . . easy to do never watched a van being converted before watched all the videos before this one looking forward to the last conversion video

Well done, task nicely completed! Next up, your first van trip? Necessities :fire extinguisher, small fan, lots of coffee/tea, a good attitude and open roads😏👍 safe travels, Van Dweller!

Great job, I personally would paint all the cabinetry and bed legs that lovely light blue colour. That shelf will be level about 50% of the time. Cheers AJ

Hi David. Looks really nice. Don't forget to add a can opener to your utensils.

You asked, so this is entirely on you. ;) In the Super Bus, we used plastic plates and the like because it makes less noise when driving, and less risk of smashing to bits. Microwave proof stuff is best. We kept our washing down too by only using the amount of cutlery needed for one person each. Still need decent cups for tea though! If you're looking to save gas, you can use a hot-plate when you're on campsite power, it's safer too, and they're cheap. If you're going to Europe, you need stuff like First Aid kits, warning triangles, bits of plastic to go over your headlights to refocus the glare, Hi-viz jackets and a bunch of other stuff. Scissors, tin opener, cooler box, frying pan, saucepan, SIEVE! (Story behind that...), oven gloves (Even if you don't have an oven, trust me.) Dettol surface wipes (Great for cleaning around toilet with too.) Face and handwipes, spatula, bag for laundry, toolkit for interior repairs, all the chemicals for the toilet, water tank cleaner, probably lots more, but you'll know when you're missing something when you need it the most. As for other stuff, it's always a good idea to keep powdered milk, teabags, instant coffee, etc in the van so you can always have a drink. Powdered milk doesn't need a fridge, lasts a fair while so I swear by it. I'm also told you can buy powdered eggs these days... Regardless, I hope this helps and if I think of anything else I'll be sure to bug you further =) Van looks great, although I might rethink the tile idea, gotta remember the van moves, tiles and grout, not so much. All the best! Thanks for sharing this awesome journey with us!

Superb job, sir. Very, very empowering for those wondering whether or not to brave it.

The bane of our early trips to California's Wine Country was owning only one cork crew and leaving it at home.

Don't put carpet anywhere near the cooker even close to the roof because it will go all sticky and manky and horrible. This is looking amazing, really well done 👍in a years time, you will have changed things, no doubt about that 😊

👍 thanks again ! Great job !

It looks amazing. Well done!

The ladies love a scatter cushion. You'll be fighting them off!

Love your videos

Love the videos great job!

Well done!👍

When we traveled by pop-up camper my go to for shelving was rubber shelf lining. It can be cut with scissors. Cuts down on sliding cups and dishes and can be helpful to keep items from bumping together and cuts down on noise. Happy New Year and happy, safe camping!

Merry Christmas David

I love the cruising the cut t-shirt, David, so I found an online retailer and have one heading my way (along with a matching coffee/tea mug. Cheerio.

It’s fabulous. Well done 😊😊

Really good job - Your Campervan looks Great!

Looking good David

Congratulations! Van is looking splendid...thanks for taking us along on the build.

I like your vlog very much. Gives a good picture of the challanges of making a campervan.

Well done looking forward to seeing your travels 🌺

You did a real nice job on the van. Keep up the great videos.

Great job and some good looking work there as well sir.

LOVE the throw pillows! Chartreuse, black and gray are lovely colors combinations...Good job!

Well done David 👍

OMG really there amaizing

I was aware you had 'Cruising The Cut' but I had never watched any of it. I am on VLog 4 so far. I estimate there is nearly 20 hours of video to watch. Just the thing for a wet weekend, and as luck would have it (or not), that's what I am expecting this weekend. Happy days!

It looks like a proper camper van. well done. also i like the collor of the pillows :D greetings,, Kitty.

Great to see you have almost got the van finished, looks great, go enjoy!

Well done! Your skill and patience has paid off.

It’s not wonky it’s character

Looking very nice David. You must be pleased with all your efforts. I hope we will get to see you out on your maiden trip.

Very impressed that you've pretty much finished the van, good job! It looks brilliant. Very much looking forward to your seeing your travels off the cut 😁

You have done very well the work on your Campervan.

Well done, indeed! You did a beautiful job David and I’m looking forward to our first camper van journey.

Whistling kettle David !! It's the Law lol.

Congratulations on meeting the DVLA requirements! The van is looking lovely and very comfy and cosy. You must be really chuffed

Just a suggestion, get some rubber shelf matting to put under dishes. Matting will keep things from sliding around. Also flip cups over. They will be less "wobbly". Behind the kitchen unit put the same backing behind it that you would in a regular kitchen that can be wiped clean. That way food and grease splatters won't leave stains. What about putting a small fairing in the front of the solar panels ? Less drag, no worries about the panels popping off, whistling noises should be gone. Van is looking good !!!

Looking a real treat now even though you still have a few bit to do bro. All the best and hope you are keeping cool in the northern hemisphere heat wave.

Nice window trim David, the whole job has come out really well for a first time conversion.`Well done indeed.

You and cushions seem to get on well now!

I do admire your conversion, David. I love the idea of making and fitting stuff myself, but when it comes to actually doing it, I get all in a muddle and I don't know how to deal with things going wrong. It's all a bit of a headache. Perhaps it'll improve with my health; I'm on a new diet which should alleviate some of my long-standing health problems.

Rattling pots. I have half an answer for it, I saw someone on a vlog ( lost track of which one) where they had little rubber (looked like) doillies, they go between each bowl or plate, and one under on the shelf, it stopped them moving and rattling. I suspect those are in the likes of GoCamping somewhere.

Great job David, It must be nice to now have it pretty much done and very usable. BTW, I'd say the shelf has "character"!

Well done for a first time mate. Great job. The minor "errors" add character & the personal touch. Ready for the ladies David! lol. Very well done once again. Love from Galicia.

The shelves show character and individuality 👍😁 A nice extra for the van. A lovely traveling companion!! 😂

Wow! The camper has turned out so well, what a great deal on the cushions/pillows. Hearing that you have made some trips in the camper and nothing has fallen apart, lol well that means that you did an excellent job building it. David, I can't thank you enough for all the wonderful videos you have put up. Looking forward to more Cruising The Cut. Take Care

WONDERFUL JOB!!! David!! Really like it,,Now split your time Cruzin the cut and Vaning!!!

Congratulations on finishing your Van. I am one of those carry overs from Cruising The Cut and am very please to see your DIY videos on the Van. In the states here it seems people are the same as Great Britain. The same people that travel around by boat one also travel around with a Camper of some sort. They want to view the World on their own and at their own pace. Well Done David.

Well done on the completion in the 6 month deadline, the camper is looking great. One thing which may help with the wind noise from the solar panels would be some sort of wind deflector both at the front and back, oh and the collapsible colander sounds a good idea.

Good Job there, I already see some suggestions for items and other kit to put in. I, as well as most of the followers would like to see a vlog of you driving down the road.

can opener? torch? first aid kit?

You must have the patience of a saint for this project of yours. Its been a wet old day on the cut . Two hours of cruising in stair-rod rain, met just two boats. Now, it is a beautiful but chilly evening with the sun gone down. The cats is curled up asleep. You'll glad you've insulated your camper-van so well when the time comes.

David could you put lino behind the cooker area? Also for the drag on the solar/roof bars how about a fin that would allow the air flow to lift over the panels . I am sure you could make one out of metal. Keep up the good work loving the videos

The van is looking very nice. I would not have thought about using a newspaper template for around the windows - I might have just made a complete mess over the windows by putting it all over then cutting out the middle - your way is much better! I love the solution for the bed legs too. Looking forward to your travel vlogs in your van now =D

Looks great! I really like the stain color you chose for the wood. As for things you need, I recommend a dishtowel along with a place to hang it, and a wine knife even if you don't drink wine. You will be amazed at the number of jobs a corkscrew is good for that have nothing to do with removing a cork from a bottle of wine. Other than those items I have learned through years of camping and RVing that the road will tell you what you need even if you don't ask it. Best of luck to you on your van adventures!

Heh... warming the soup and making a mess are not mutually exclusive. Another good video, thanks!

I think my suggestion would be to go camping and see which other bits you need. I’m very impressed with the work done. Good on you!

David, Thank you for the update. The van is looking good. Have you researched any type of airfoil that might be fitted in front of the solar panels and attached to the top of the van? This might eliminate the sound from the solar panels and reduce the drag on the top rack and panels. Could help with your miles/gallon. Large trucks pulling trailers use them for this purpose. Keep up the good work and looking forward to videos of your travels.

A lovely job David, BUT. Would you do it again? Looking forward to more Cruising the Cut videos.

Looks good, i guess with all the canal closures going on you may be getting more use of the van than you thought.

Like the pillow color . You may want to get some lightweight foam or some other way to secure the cups from hitting each other over bumps and breaking. The carpet around the windows looks good , very well done. A good 1st aid kit is better than nothing but I'd put together some sort of trauma kit , stuff for bigger wounds / major bleeding type stuff, which i hope you would never need but always good to have if not for you but for someone else . Stay safe on the road man and you all say cheers :)

I don’t know why but you always make me laugh 😆 You always need a way to stop things rattling ! Or just have the radio on ! The main thing I can see what’s missing is beer and a whippet! Thanks for the update good to see you back in again Best Regards Dave, Jo and Louie 👍😀🐾

Good to see the van mostly completed. Well done. I do not have experience with a camper van, but I have experience with boats which can also cause things to go flying all over when on a trip. I would have a collection of bungee cords and velcro straps to help contain things which want to show how well gravity works. Dave.

Another UK summer like y'all are havin this year and you will have to fit a roof a/c unit!!

Great work! I'd have glued bits of carpet to myself if given the task...your patience is super-human ;) Perhaps you can find a wind deflector to mount on the roof in front of your solar panels...though I suspect there are few that are either flexible or quite the right curve to sit snuggly on the roof panels...still, worth considering to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency

The whole project really came together. As for the solar panels, it may be worth looking into a air deflector if the noise gets to you. I had one for the Thule rack on my car and it made a great improvement. But that's a little tweak to do along the way. Lastly is congratulations on the legal status.

The cushions are a nice contrast against the black carpet David. Items for kitchen, bottle opener, corkscrew, scissors.

Ridge(Liz) Monkey, corkscrew, (but watch the 'drink drive' regs )safety matches and a good torch ....

Would suggest you consider a paper towel rack, may need to secure same. I find paper towels a necessity, drying hands, general van clean up, etc, etc. Your Van looks great! Richard, in Arizona.

Smart cushion pillows add some color😁 and I love thrift shop finds.0

Wonderful job David! Do you have plans for this channel going forward? Perhaps trip video's similar to Cruising the Cut? Whatever you do I shall as always look forward to your videos. Thank you so much for sharing! Cheers from Fate Texas!

Good solution to the bed extension support. My wife and I have an RV (caravan?) and I can’t imagine not having doors on the shelves to keep the cups, plates and whatnot from crashing to the floor! In a narrow boat I could see doors being unnecessary but at 60mph things will really slide.

A bottle opener! You need a bottle opener David. Van looks good

I had a whistling noise from my roof rack. I attached a very large piece of foam pipe insulation to the front bar of the rack. No more whistling. Enjoying this series, thanks.

I would suggest getting some silicone shelf liner and cutting it to fit your shelves. It will help keep the dishes from clattering around.

We are wondering if a roof rack wind deflector might help with the solar panel noise.. many designs out there..just a thought... watching from Weed Ca U.S.A.

Tongs and an egg flip or lift !! A GOOD can opener, maybe a mixing bowl or two and a mixing spoon !! Frying pan and sauce pans. Seeya Rob

Love the van series, I am s watcher of cruising the cut, sadly I had not liked some videos as I watch them after work and you have a shooting voice so I fall asleep lol. I work in a well-named camping shop so always interested in what you do and am thinking of a ford transit conversion. Keep the good work up!

Is one thing I liked about you he wasn’t that professional me was extremely honest and that’s a good thing

Look up “roof rack fairing” to find a device to suppress the howling noise from your solar panels. It is just a sheet metal air scoop at the leading edge of the roof rack that pushes the air up to pass over the solar panels. This keeps the panels from vibrating, which is the source of that noise. I made mine myself and it worked very well.

Don't forget a can of hammerite

There's a air fairing available for those Thule roof racks,they cost from $50.00-$100.00 U.S. on Amazon & Ebay. Thule makes many different accessories for those racks that maybe you can find a use for.

Hi very nice

I like the lime green charity shop cushions. They go well with the rest of the grey/black/white/stained wood, a nice splash of color. Save yourself, just paint that unfinished bit with some nice acrylic melt-proof paint. Perhaps continue the charity shop lime green theme, you've unconciously got an eye for color there imho :p As for esentials, I find it's good to have a good 7in kitchen knife, a chef style one that comes to a point. Big enough for the odd melon or gourd or honk of meat, fine enough for slicing veg and peeling a potato. 5in paring knives are just a scootch fiddly for me.