{"id":28234,"date":"2024-04-12T08:24:01","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T06:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/?p=28234"},"modified":"2024-04-12T13:30:16","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T11:30:16","slug":"master-craftsmens-two-year-mercedes-conversion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/12\/master-craftsmens-two-year-mercedes-conversion\/","title":{"rendered":"Master craftsmen’s two-year Mercedes conversion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you feeling uninspired by factory-produced recreational vehicles?<\/p>\n

Take a look at this. Two years of craftsmanship has resulted in a truly unique RV.<\/p>\n

The vehicle – a thirty-year old Mercedes 508D – had just 20,000 kilometres on the clock when the owner bought it for six-thousand euros (that’s a bit over six-thousand US dollars). In its previous life the Mercedes truck was used as a military ambulance in Germany.<\/p>\n

The long transformation to a luxuriously accommodated exploration vehicle was undertaken by specialist van designer\/builders Van Helping<\/em><\/a>, based in Bordeaux, France who – as you might have guessed – are no ordinary van converters. Company founder Florentin Millet<\/em> together with his colleague Guillaume<\/em>\u00a0have a passion for both creative design and cabinet making – the noble end of the woodworking industry.

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It’s not just the quality of their work which sets\u00a0Van Helping <\/em>apart; because of the nature of their work they can’t give their customers a price. Nor a completion date. For that reason their customers are unusual, too.<\/p>\n

To begin with the structural work, the Mercedes chassis was restored with some welding; the body work needed tidying and the shell paint was replaced by Raptor<\/a> coating – which is extremely hard wearing and won’t scratch …or, not very easily.<\/p>\n

The vehicle has six wheels – four on the rear axle – which were replaced with larger 18.5 inch wheels giving it a bit more ground clearance. The tyres were replaced with all terrain grips so that the 80 HP vehicle can take some pretty challenging surfaces in its stride as it rolls along on its planned world tour. And speaking of rugged environments – the accommodation is protected by cork\/hemp insulation in the walls, roof and underfoot to ensure maximum comfort when outside temperatures plummet.<\/p>\n

It’s a luxury designer apartment with no near neighbours.<\/p>\n

Mobile Power System<\/h4>\n

The immaculate power installation is housed behind a glass panel elevating it to become part of the designer schematic. Everything has been provided – energy harvest, storage and supply at 12VDC and at both 230 and 110VAC. The system can be monitored and controlled from anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n

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The power installation comprises:<\/p>\n