Aussie Drifter Conversion 2006 Review

By Bob and Chrissy Eustace

Denning Manufacturing’s 34ft Dual Slide-Out A Class Aussie Drifter is the replacement for Aussie Eagle, Alan and Robyn Tesch’s previous motorhome.

In 1999, Malcolm Street reviewed the Eagle and asked, “Is this the best motorhome in Australia?” We can uncategorically say this latest conversion from Denning is definitely up there with the best.

Aussie Drifter was made especially for Alan and Robyn Tesch and is a truly spectacular piece of machinery. The paint job is absolutely stunning and the interior is decorated in autumn tones based on low-gloss American Oak.

The attention to detail on display is certain to please the most fastidious motorhomer.

Matching pair

Built on a rear diesel pusher German MAN chassis with a GVM of 12 tonnes, the unit matches perfectly to the couple’s towed Honda CR-V, which even sports matching graphics.

We have followed the construction of this motorhome from the frame stage and can vouch for the build quality and strength. If you are looking for a vehicle with a ‘knock ‘em dead’ wow factor, this could well be at the top of your list.

The design setup means there is no aisle down the middle as everything is offset, and the interior is revealed a little at a time as you move towards the rear – very much like a traditional Japanese garden.

The complete shell was built in the Denning factory, fitout and some of the body detail was designed by Alan himself with master craftsman Phil Smith doing all the cabinet work. The electrical was undertaken by Sue Alderton, who served her apprenticeship with Denning. Alan did a lot of the detail fitting out over the project, which spanned almost three years.

Some CMCA friends affectionately christened the coach The Phantom, as many thought it didn’t actually exist! This review was done at a special launch for friends and people in the RV industry, many of whom were awe-inspired. It was a question of who admired it the most: the boys, who conferred over the bins, electrics and other systems or the girls, who loved the layout and colour scheme.

Hot body

Denning really shines in the area of body construction, and it’s hard to find fault. It looks as modern as tomorrow and is virtually ripple-free.

Aussie Drifter solves the annoying problem of the door hitting open windows by offsetting the ever reliable and practical Hehr windows near the door.

The bull bar is beautifully designed, as it follows the slant of the headlights. The standard Hehr flyscreen was replaced with a specially made triple locker from Trail Safe. All windows are the Hehr louvre type – just about the most practical window money can buy as you get excellent ventilation in the rain.

The Carefree electric awning intrigued us with its simplicity of construction and smoothness of operation. All windows have Omnistor awnings as well, with the slide-outs using Carefree Autosets. A Crimsafe security door, with an inconspicuous black finish, ensures additional ventilation when the dual system air-conditioning is not in use.

All bin interiors are finished in tasteful speckle decor, which looks very smart and is very practical, as scuffing and scratches tend not to be so obvious. Extensive use was made of special mountings for holding extras like ladders and tables securely in place. This all worked very well and overall looked super neat. Two bins pass right through and the gas assisted struts made opening them a breeze.

MAN power

Aussie Drifter’s MAN diesel rear pusher develops 220hp. All airbag suspension (beam axle on front) makes for a superb ride on the low profile hi-tech tyres. Cruise control comes as standard.

We were particularly impressed with the hydraulic levelling jacks – an extremely neat installation.

The ABS brakes come with auto brake adjusters – a handy feature and one less chore – and all drum brakes. Alan opted for a 300L fuel tank in lieu of the standard 200L. The main electrical control panel sits in front of the driver’s side front wheel and is massive yet very neat. Very easy access with no bending! The motorhome is air-conditioned via a twin Daikin inverter unit. Heating is via a fully ducted Webasto diesel heater.

Attention to detail in the plumbing area is exact, with airlocks fitted to tank vents. The hot water service, a Bosch Model 16E Instantaneous, worked really well. Again, provision has been made for disasters. You can even take an electrical feed to the washing machine from the rear of the motorhome.

There is excellent control of fresh and waste water with several system combinations available, all neatly labelled and engraved white on black traffolyte. All tanks were made by Atlas Plastics and are held in place with steel straps all protected with rubber insertion.

Fresh water is both filtered (dual) and demineralised via a built-in Carefree filter system. This stops sedimentation blocking pipes and is a very wise investment, particularly when visiting areas with only bore water over an extended period. Some very good design work is evident in the coach with all tanks easy to get at without days of dismantling.

All wired up

Overall, the electrics on this rig are extremely impressive. Take the hot water service for instance – if the 240V fails you can’t light it, so Alan has a separate small, dedicated inverter just in case.

We liked the clear and concise labelling of all functions, as even the builder can forget what does what a few months down the track. It was great to see battery slide-outs that actually come all the way out for easy and safe servicing. This costs a lot, as dual tracks are needed, but it is worth every extra cent.

We liked the extensive use of rubber insertion on battery straps to stop chafing. Megapulse battery conditioners were used on all batteries. Interestingly, Alan told us that if using HF radio the Megapulse can cause a lot of interference with weak signals, so there is provision on the dash to easily turn them off during transmission.

A wise move in the planning stage was the decision to go 100 per cent diesel. A Kuboto Lowboy GL 6.5KVA was chosen and installed just forward of the entry door. Battery capacity is 224ah at 24V, which is kept topped up by three 165W Sharp solar panels well hidden on the roof. All main electrical controls are located just above the entry door so ‘power pervs’ can easily check voltages from the lounge.

On the line

Aussie Drifter’s plethora of aerials indicates its communication prowess. The rig is very well set up for communication on the road, including mobiles. Tyre pressures can be monitored audibly or visually via a Doran onscreen display system. Even the temperature of each individual wheel can be accurately measured. The A-frame of the Honda CRV’s trailer is also monitored.

A Garmin Street Pilot takes care of navigation via an external antenna, and the rack on the driver’s right, holding four hand-held UHF radios, is very practical. Of course, a Codan HF radio takes pride of place up there on the dash with the aerial mounted on the external rear.

Inside, the couple’s mobile office is very practical. An extremely strong lift-up table can be positioned in front of the co-pilot, handy to the built-in scanner and printer under the dash.

This creates the perfect setup for working/navigating as you drive along, as Robyn likes to write poetry on the road and is a prolific contributor to the Poet’s Breakfast segment at motorhome rallies.

When parked the table folds down against the wall and the chair swivels for dining or entertaining. Although it’s just about a perfect setup, Alan has ideas for improving it further.

Mobile entertainment

Are three TVs enough for you? Two of those found inside Aussie Drifter are the newer style that drops down from the ceiling – ideal for motorhome use.

There is satellite TV via a self-seeking Oyster dish. Terrestrial digital TV is via a Media Star set-top box. A DVD and stereo finishes off the package and is duplicated in the dash and in the bedroom with a very well thought-out distribution system.

One 17in screen can be moved into the barbecue area when needed. This is cleverly stored away in a foam-lined box when not in use. All outputs are also routed outside into the barbecue area for endless sound/video possibilities.

The barbecue and slide-out galley is an important item for extended living and entertaining. This is an area where coach-style motorhomes can really excel, simply because the room is available to do something special.

In this galley, everything slides out. As things can get a bit rough travelling-wise down in a bin, all drawers have tiny felt-lined compartments to store breakables.

This is also great for easily checking if you have left something behind. Just about everything is this area is stainless steel which means a long life and very easy cleaning. Having the room to store a full sized table makes entertaining a breeze.

In the boudoir

The bedroom area has been very tastefully done and everything is handy to the bathroom area, and is always extremely private without the need for closing any doors – even when there is company.

Storage is massive with a wardrobe running the full width of the motorhome. Classy yet practical bedside tables finish it off. The ultra modern vanity basin is not intrusive.

Having an above-bench basin works very well as one could be shaving while the other had a shower and a grandchild used the loo!

Ladies probably don’t want to know this, but there is a Robin Hood ironing board in a narrow cupboard right beside the curved toilet door. This works well even without the slide-out.

This area is all carpeted. The bed runs crossways yet even with the slide-out in the closed position you can easily get around to make it up. We liked the complete absence of ‘scrolly’ adornments found on so many American A class units.

Personal luxuries

The design allows ducted heating from the diesel Webasto diesel heater to be directed into the shower: a superb touch. You truly need this in Tassie in winter to dry the daily washing.

A great idea is a fold-out drying rack in one corner of the shower. Dispensers fitted to the shower wall reduce clutter and the need to pack away loose items.

Unless shown you would never find the Sealand toilet as it ‘hides’ behind a beautifully-made curved swinging wall finished in velour. This wall doubles as a noteworthy linen press. In typical Alan/Robyn fashion, the towels are prevented from falling out by handmade stainless steel rail racks, similar to those found on expensive yachts! This idea really is brilliant as it uses every inch of wall space that would otherwise be wasted.

We particularly liked the handmade stainless steel shower plinth kept nice and low for easy access in later years. It is very swish and it matches beautifully with the stainless steel window pelmets. It is so easy to spot work done by experienced motorhomers. In this case both toilet and shower have high windows and everything is totally functional. It is absolutely amazing the number of commercial units that simply rely on overhead Jensen vents.

The choice of timeless white Lamipanel with a simple brown/beige/black frieze is not likely to date quickly and gives a clean airy feel to both ‘little’ rooms.

The hot water service occupies a very cleverly covered position behind the waist-high bench in the shower. It’s a smart idea as it limits the waste of water as the ‘hot’ only has to travel less than a metre to get to the shower rose. We give the bathroom toilet 11/10 – it’s that good!

Wining and dining

We appreciated the way the Dometic RM4601 two-door three-way fridge moved out on the lounge slide. This is a tropically-rated fridge which makes it ideal for Australian summers – it has been tested to 43° Celsius!

A full sized Dometic Caprice stove complete with four burners and grill with separate oven is a great choice for the gourmet cook with oodles of bench space. We liked Alan’s innovative dual extractor – no chance of getting cooking smells in this rig.

The spice rack is another handmade innovation – no wonder he has won CMCA awards in the past. The under-sink drawers look stunning with their arched fronts, and a Sharp R290HS/W microwave finishes off the cooking area.

The main lounge is absolutely luxurious with a beautiful ultrasoft leather finish. The fold-out dining table is positioned comfortably between two of the three swivel chairs and can seat five for dining in good comfort with a couple of extra chairs.

Close at hand is a brilliant ‘grog’ cupboard. This has special provision to avoid losing a drop as bottles are nested. Careful thought has gone into the design of the unit, so that every nook and cranny gives extra storage. Glasses are all stored in very neat glass-fronted cabinets on the kitchen side. Robyn’s lovely feminine touches are apparent everywhere you look in this motorhome.

Riding on airbags means you can have knick-knacks, but Robyn hasn’t gone overboard in this area and everything blends perfectly.

The bottom line

Aussie Drifter is an outstanding example of fine craftsmanship and an excellent demonstration of the quality of design that can be produced in Australia.

The extensive planning that has gone into this unit is not always apparent to the naked eye. The front was designed to utilise an off-the-shelf windscreen, for instance. Practicality underpins all the multitude of stylish features.

The colour scheme throughout is best described as simply elegant. It’s neither macho nor too floral, and uses classic tones of cream and beige to complement the timbers with aubergine and a highlight of jade, even down to the towels and bedspread.

The gourmet-style kitchen gives you total flexibility for entertaining and with the lounge area nearby, you won’t be left out of the conversation.

While it might have taken three years to complete this venture, the planning and execution have definitely paid off.

Shell and chassis were completed by Denning Manufacturing Pty Ltd, Acacia Ridge, Qld 4110, (07) 3274 5583. Paint work by Geoff Goebel Signs, Capalaba, Qld, (07) 3390 2312.

We liked:

Smooth operation of slide-outs.

Spunky bull bar and very modern tail lights.

Handmade marine-style linen retainers.

Fastidious attention to detail.

Extensive backup systems.

Clever curved concealed toilet door/cabinet.

We would have liked:

Saturn aerial to be inside invisible roof line.

Neater barbecue bin hold-open method.

Less finicky windshield on external cooker.

Hot water to outside sink