Mercedes LP 813

[Proteus]

Hi all,

hereby some pics about my home made built LP 813.

This truck is from 1982, it is titled as "historic vehicle", and as I wanted to keep his truck look, there is no passage between the cab and the box.

being a member of a historical truck association, this truck has been bought and transformed to go on vacation as on historical trucks meetings here and there.

I bought it 4 years ago, it was a former horse transport, meaning the frame is/was heavily corroded.

It was cheap, it had the longest wheelbase available back then (4.80 metres), with a 6.50 metres (almost 22 feet) long box, its maximum weight is 7,5 tons, meaning I have no limitations to ride everywhere in Europe, with some exceptions like in France where most city centres are forbidden to trucks above 3.5 tons.

The first thing I did was to draw plans, plans, and maybe other plans (did I mention I drew plans?), to finally get this:

[Proteus]

One of my friends had bought a camper based on a newer Mercedes truck, and I've found that the settee in the back was the better option to see outside the truck while parked.

The fact I didn't put an opening between the cab and box allowed me to put the bedroom in front of the box.

[Proteus]

Table is folding like in a yacht, and removable to transform the "U"-shaped settee in a (almost) king size bed.

[Proteus]

This project is a low cost one, I didn't want to build an expensive RV, without any return for my money the day I sell it.

For now, truck included, I'm almost at 10k €, which is almost the same amount in US $.

All the stuff inside has been bought second hand (fridge, genset, "Webasto" 2000 fuel heater, gas heater).

I have 300 litres (65 US gallons) fresh water under the settee, a 130 litres (30 gallons) graywater tank.

Toilet is a composting one, nice stuff, no odour at all, no sewage tank to carry on/off the truck

Next step is to put a LPG tank and fitting some solar panels.

Our 2017 vacations were in France, some pics of it.

[Proteus]

And at last, this year if time allows, an other cab will be fitted to the frame, as the actuel one is FUBAR.

Main problem being Mercedes having for decades used low quality sheet metal, not only for their trucks but also on their cars.

They do rust just by looking at.

[VNLCOACH]

Pretty neat project!

[samcrimm]

Nice set up, more pictures we all love pictures



Sam

[Proteus]

Originally Posted by samcrimm

Nice set up, more pictures we all love pictures

Sam

Hey!

Let's start by the beginning, then...

The first step was to pull out all the crap mounted inside the box to carry five horses, then to put the two side rear windows, bought second hand at the guy where I park the truck. Those windows were "vintage" ones, from the seventies, a nice ad to my 1982 truck.

[Proteus]

next step was to put the rear windows, I pulled those out of a Mercedes Van wreck, at a scrapyard, as I wanted windows with a DOT number one, still unsure if I wanted to let the truck be titled as a commercia vehicle, or let it title as a RV.

Before that, I had to remove the rear door and put in a fixed wall, made out of a wooden structure and "bakelite" ply, the kind of ply used in concrete building.

Bakelite plywood. Integration Middle East - F.Z.C. Construction wood, Wood finishing materials

[Proteus]

The three rear windows in place, with the middle one being framed on hinges and gas lifting struts coming from a automotive scrapyard, to be used as a escape hatch.

Insulation inside the box, everywhere but the floor, has been done with PUR hard boards, two crossed layers of 3 centimetres thick ( almost 2 inches 1/2)

[Proteus]

The whole fresh water circuit has been done from three tanks, being 100 litres each, connected to a 12V pump, 7 litres/minute flow, going through a big 20 litres expansion tank, to a low priced (read : chinese) gas water heater, supplying two taps, one in the kitchen, the other one in the bathroom.

[bushpilot]

nice ! where have you taken it?

[Proteus]

Do you mean, where did I buy it or where am I for now into the transformation?

[bushpilot]

as in where have you traveled to?

[Proteus]

Mainly France, but also Germany, Luxemburg, Holland.

in 2017, I went here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3NIU7HSu2M

and here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZixhLtjcobY&t=202s

In May/june this year, we are going to Normandy, partly to visit the beaches where the US and British troops landed in june 1944.

In august/september, I'll go here, Enkirch in germany, it will be a first time for me, 120 miles from my home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh5l--ytPuM

Next year, we do plan Scotland...

[Proteus]

Some more pictures about the two storage closets on the rear part of the box

I wanted them to be accessible from outside only. Framing has been done in pinewood, the aluminum door's outer sheeting comes from where it has been cut, bought some hinges and closing systems

[Proteus]

I found out I had some storage place above the water tanks, in between the two closets former shown, so there the closet.

After having insulated the two outside closets, I then began to built the U-shaped settee, here the sitting part

[Proteus]

I also have checked to get storage places after the backrests, which are hinged.

Planking every vertical wall was the following job, I used pine grooved planking bought at the local DIY shop.

The square hole in the floor is where the table foot slides in, thight fitted.

[Proteus]

The settee cushions come from an IKEA store, I bought two latex foam matresses, I cut them out to get the wole set of cushions, I then bought some blue faux leather fabric to cover those matresses.

Almost 500 bucks spent into this settee, but it was worth it, really comfy...

The dark blue obscuring sliding curtains come from an ALDI store, they originally were intended to be put into roof windows, the height is adujstable, the width is not, so I had to build boxes to put then in...

[jbeech]

I am curious regarding the red pressure tank and 12V pump. Any specifications for the pump? And how satisfied are you with water pressure for showering?

I found your mention of composting toilet interesting because I also have in mind to use such and avoid blackwater tank altogether.

For my truck conversion I sourced 400L potable water, and 240L graywater.