Frontine Spirit

By Malcolm Street

Frontline Campervans has operated for more than 25 years, and while much of its business is converting vans – Toyota Hiaces, VWs, Mercedes-Benz Sprinters and Fiat Ducatos – it also handles smaller coachbuilt units based on vehicles like the Toyota Hilux.

There’s no doubting the popularity of the Fiat Ducato as both a van conversion and a cab chassis for a coachbuilt unit, and Frontline is taking advantage of that by offering a Ducato conversion called the Spirit.

Outside

The Spirit’s Metallic Boston Blue colour stands out in a crowd but would look better with a few decals. Tinted windows give it a stretch limousine-look.

There’s an offside awning, gas compartment for one 4kg gas cylinder, small external light and the aluminium slide-out step. The only external door is for the Thetford cassette and there are all the other essentials – water tank filler, mains pressure connection, power socket and Truma water heater.

Inside

Given the size of the Ducato, there are limited design variations, although Frontline has developed a slightly different layout.

The Spirit has a rear dinette/bed, with a shower/toilet cubicle behind the driver’s seat and a kitchen area split on both sides. The cooktop and microwave oven are behind the passenger seat and the sink with fridge underneath sits between the dinette shower/toilet cubicle.

Interior cabinet work is ply timber, with outer surfaces of grey laminate. All bare internal surfaces are covered by a grey wall lining, except the floor which has a hardwearing marine style ‘carpet’.

The relatively big kitchen bench area includes four drawers and a single door cupboard, two-burner Smev stove and microwave underneath. A grill is optional in place of the microwave.

Two halogen downlights supply adequate light and there’s a reasonable sized hatch above the cooktop.

A small overhead locker houses the etnterainment; AM/FM radio and CD/DVD player, and a flat-screen TV is mounted at the end of the bench.

Opposite and in front of the dinette is a stainless steel sink with an 85 litre Engel fridge underneath. Hot and cold running water is supplied to the sink but there’s little bench space.

Upholstered flat foam cushions make up the U-shaped dinette seat. A swivelling table is a tad small but is the right size to make up the bed each night. It’s a matter of lifting the table and pulling the swivelling leg out and then putting the table back in the bed base. Two back cushions fill the hole to make a 6ft x 4ft 5in (1.82m x 1.3m) bed – not ideal for tall people. There are two overhead downlights plus two reading lights on the offside.

Underseat storage is generous with a large area under the back seat. Most of the offside seat area is taken by the deep cycle batteries. Two overhead lockers along the offside supplement the general storage.

A neat little hinged table is on the rear of the kitchen bench which can be used when the sliding door is open. Sundowners can be served in no time!

In keeping with most van bathrooms, this one is quite small. Built of moulded fibreglass, it has a fixed Thetford cassette toilet and a flexible hose shower, although it is only 5ft 10in (1.8m) high. There’s a fluorescent lamp and a small exhaust fan.

Between the sink and the shower/toilet cubicle is a small wardrobe with a shelved cupboard beneath. Store bedding and pillows in the area above the driver’s cab.

All lighting is 12V and all electrical controls are above the sink area, except the water tank gauge which is near the microwave. A Winegard antenna is mounted on the roof.

On the road

Ducato van features are quite well known but in case you’ve just returned from Mars and have never heard of one, they include the potent 2.8 litre turbodiesel motor with a very slick five-speed gearbox, efficient four-wheel disc brakes, well appointed driver’s cab, power windows, power external mirrors, and that very convenient motorhome feature – remote central locking.

Summing up

The Fiat Ducato is a neat vehicle for a motorcamper conversion.

Although not as big as some of its European contemporaries, the Frontline Spirit has good interior height and makes for a very comfortable, yet easily manoeuvrable van equally suited to driving in towns or on the highways.

Because the Ducato isn’t really long enough for a fixed bed, Frontline’s Spirit conversion does offer a reasonably flexible layout, with the rear dinette taking minimal time to set up as a bed. It will definitely be of interest to one or two people who like to experience the campervanning lifestyle but with a little more interior room.

For more information contact Ballina Campervan and Leisure Centre, 299 River Street, Ballina, NSW 2478, (02) 6681 1555, email: info@ballinacampers.com.au or visit www.ballinacampers.com.au

We liked

Kitchen drawer space

External table

Easily made-up bed

Rear storage space

We would have liked

Larger table

A light switch near the door

Hinged shelf next to sink

Grill with cooktop