How to build a campervan

Converting a bare van into a luxury campervan is a far more intricate process than you’d first think. We visited Horizon Motorhomes in the northern NSW town of Ballina to see what's involved in turning a bare delivery van into a modern camper...

In business for 24 years, Horizon builds a variety of Fiat Ducato and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based campervans, from the $106,000 (drive away) Ducato-based Melaleuca Appeal to the $189,000 (drive-away) Sprinter 4x4-based models.

There are 25 workers involved in putting together each Horizon at its Piper Street premises, while four are employed at the showroom in town at 299 River Street.

Long wait

Horizon works about six months out from a customer’s initial order to hand over.

Buyers have about three months from the initial order and deposit to settle on what their final choice of options and colours will be. There are plenty of benchtop, cabinetry and seating finish choices and various options such as air-conditioners to mesh screens, so customers have plenty of time to decide what exactly they want.

With that final order locked in, there's a two month wait before the build commences. This gives Horizon a rolling stock inventory build-up of around two months of parts on hand, which ensures the build doesn't have to stop because parts run out and have to be ordered. A side benefit is that there's a consistent supply of spare parts for existing customers.

There are also different waiting periods for the various vehicles the campers are based on. Fiat Ducato stock is generally easily available and tends to come in a standard format -- the only change is the 125-litre long-range fuel tank Horizon fits in place of the smaller standard tank.

Ordering a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van as the base for the camper conversion can take a bit longer because of the sheer number of factory options available from the factory in Germany -- up to six months from order to arrival in Ballina if you choose a heavily optioned Sprinter.

Options take time

When the Horizon order has reached the five month stage, it’s ready to commence production in the Ballina factory. It takes about three weeks for the motorhome build, from a standard bare van rolling into the main assembly hall to rolling out of the detailing bay out to the back, ready for customer hand-over.

However, given the level of customisation available at Horizon, the actual time taken can vary a lot. For example, a campervan with all Horizon option boxes ticked might take nine days in its Stage One build process, as opposed to five days for a standard fit-out model.

Also read: Horizon Wattle 2019 review

The Horizon factory in Ballina’s industrial area is a fresh, new building with two large open areas: one for the build, the other for the service and detailing area. Two (slightly) smaller sections serve as the cabinetry build area and then there’s the stock storage/parts assembly area.

The offices are within a walled-in compound in the expansive front conversions hall.

The factory’s main hall features a line up of vehicles in various stages of completion. This main hall is where all the fit-out occurs, in Stage One, and the completion Stage (Stage Two).

Cutting and wiring

For Stage One, the van arrives as a blank vehicle, although the optional AL-KO suspension lift kit (fitted in Ballina for Horizon), is installed by the outside fitter prior to the van entering the assembly hall.

First up is the metalwork process, with cutting out of the various apertures required for the motorhome. Holes are cut for windows, 240V power inlet and the gas bottle box aperture, with every cut into the van done to a template and galvanised paint-coated, internally and externally, to avoid corrosion.

The fit-out wiring also goes in at this stage, using Harnex wiring looms made for Horizon to its specification (wiring was previously done in-house). The advantage of the Harnex is that it's a modular, 'plug and play' loom — all electrical components simply plug into the harness, as plugs are already matched.

The Harnex wiring harnesses also include the wiring for all options — so, for example, each campervan is pre-wired for air-conditioning and solar so if the owner wants to fit them down the track, they can be easily plugged into the existing harness post-build.

The next element of Stage One is the installation of the internal timber rib structures, or the 'backbone' of the internal fit-out. The ribs structure sections (cut to a template with a CNC machine to permit a 0.1mm accuracy) are fitted together outside of the van before installation into location points around the periphery of the van’s internal structure.

The rib structures (a design unique to Horizon) serve various purposes, including providing securing points for the fit-out wiring loom and lights, and securing the laminated roof. Any holes in the rib structure required for things like lights are pre-cut according to a set template.

The rib structure also holds the 75mm earth wool insulation, which runs in both the roof and down the cant rails of the vehicle.

Room with a view

Windows are then installed, as is blocking around the windows and the vinyl finish around the windows internally. What Horizon calls hull liner (really a light-weight malleable marine carpet) is installed on the fit-out walls as well.

Laminate 18mm floor ply is also applied at Stage One, with an industrial grade vinyl covering. The hot water service, in a gas box completely sealed and vented to the underside, goes in around the same time, as does the in-house-built shower recess.

The 201A/h battery run in all vehicles (or optional 200A/h lithium) is also fitted during this stage. A 45 Plus DC-to-DC charger with a maximum input of 50amps per hour is used with the lithium battery, which is standard on 4x4 models.

Stage One typically takes about five to seven days (or longer if there are a lot of options). The semi-completed unit then ‘rests’ until the workers at Stage Two are ready for it.

Furniture fit-out

Stage Two is where the cabinets are installed. — that is, the bed frames and all of the furniture, including bench tops and circuit boards.

The cabinets are made in advance (up to two weeks ahead of the install) in the cabinet workshop, next to the Stage Two fitting area. Once the components are made they still need to be fine-tuned to fit the vehicle.

However, everything is tailored to fit the vehicle, with all items made to order and from a template. Five to eight days is the usual time spent in Stage Two.

Two workers cut and assemble the cabinets, rib structure and floors according to engineering plans on a CNC machine. All the sheeting intended for machining is stacked next to the CNC machine so that there’s minimal movement of materials around the factory.

A new edge-banding machine glues and finishes the cabinets.

Quality time

As part of Horizon's Quality Assurance check-list process, each installer ticks off the work done at each stage of the build process. The floor manager also checks the work as a back-up to ensure there are no mistakes at the completion of Stage One and Two.

The campervan is then parked in a dedicated bay where a QA worker spends a day going over everything involved in the conversion with a fine-tooth comb.

Another way to ensure quality is that every work stage has a documented process. That is, the engineering section puts together handbooks for workers to follow. Everything is photographed and measured to the millimetre, so it’s also easy for new employees to follow the process while they’re being coached.

After the quality control check-over is complete (and assuming no remedial work is required) each Horizon camper is checked for water ingress at the high-pressure wash bay out front of the premises.

Then finished campervans are driven off-site to be weighed, with a photo taken while on the weigh bridge showing the vehicle’s registration and weight. Each Horizon is weighed with full water tanks and gas bottles, and generally have between 800kg to 1100kg payload depending on the model and its options.

Wait, there's more...

Adjacent to the cabinet-making area at the rear of the factory is the parts storage area and pre-assembly area. An example of pre-assembly is the water pumps, which are assembled here with all water hoses clamped on, ready to be installed in the motorhome.

Brought-in components like these (as opposed to those made on site), are put on a trolley ready to be wheeled over to the specific vehicle for fitment. Freight is also received in this area, to ensure up to two months spare parts supply in stock.

On the western side of the building adjacent to the freight-receiving area are the detailing and service areas. There’s also 'spill-over' stock storage here including mattresses (made on the Gold Coast to Horizon’s requirements), neatly stacked on the wall, enough to sustain six weeks of production.

Servicing is offered on Horizon motorhomes as well as caravans and camper trailers, and there's a parking area at the rear of the factory for the completed vehicles, ready for delivery.

The purchasing and design offices are located above the small showroom and greeting area, on the Piper Drive side of the factory. The purchasing department ensures a regular flow of parts for inventory, while the engineering section calculates the requirements of current and future designs.

Horizon doesn’t operate a dealer network as such, so when the customer’s motorhome is ready, they’re invited to come to the showroom in Ballina to pick it up. However, part of the hand-over is a free try-out at the local caravan park, and a printed instruction manual and DVD manual is also supplied with every campervan.