PIAGGIO APE CAMPER PROJECT. World's smallest Campervan?
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- Here is a 5-minute presentation of my project where I restored a Piaggio MP600 flatbed truck and then made a removable, self-contained, camper pod that turns the ape into a self-contained camper van for two. It has a sink with hot and cold running water, a draining board and three-burner hob, which can be used in situ or rolled outside and used on legs. It has its own solar-powered electric system. The pod weighs less than 200kg fully ladened, which is a third of the payload capacity of the vehicle. I have made a video from the photos I've taken during the project. I hope you like it.
I designed a camper just like this one about 7 or 8 years ago. The design is on SketchUp under this name and has the title '3 Wheeled Camper'. Mine had a pop up roof with a bed just like a vw camper, lol.
Do you have any photos or a video? It would be good to see it.
What a nice fun project, I should have made a camper for my Haflinger but a 5ft tray would be too short to sleep on.
This is the best of the micro camper ideas Ive seen. Well done sir…
Thanks for your kind comments. I made a tiny teardrop camper a few years ago and what I learnt from
that I used to inspire this build.
I've been driving Piaggio 3 wheelers for 10 years and I always imagined to do this. You did very well saving on weight and the paint job is the cherry on the cake. The 2 stroke engines produce poison, with.a 4 stroke it would be the best and cheapest camper ever. Hats off!
4 stroke engines still give off CO which is very toxic. Fortunately the camper is well isolated from the exhaust so doesnt have any problems. Thanks for your lovely comments...
Brilliant !!! every inch of space is being used wisely ..👍👍👍
Thankyou for you kind words. I have also now fitted a charcoal burner for heating, boiling a small kettle and for my heating water in my hot water tank. ua-cam.com/video/vOr8EpGdAtQ/v-deo.html
Classic😎 Great DIY project! Thanks for being a creator and sharing. The Ape turned out really cool.
Thank you for your nice comments
What an awesome job, you did with that Piaggio
hello in my country there are many but at $3000 which is difficult to collect but your video encouraged me and motivated me a lot I love how you play with the space in the back where the sofa bed goes it is incredible greetings from "BOLIVIA" in the distance
They are getting more difficult to find at a good price.. I have been offered very large amounts of money for mine now that it is finished...
Congrats. An admirable achievement. Good to know there are talented and capable people with us.
Thanks so much for your lovely comments
Perfect little get away mobile!
THIS IS PURE GENIUS…! ❤️🌹🏆do an ELECTRIC VERSION !
I have looked into the feasability of it, but here in the UK sun is not something we get a lot of so it is not easy...I DO already have an all electric yacht...
Such a small vehicle, you can hardly believe it. A really successful solution. excellent
Thank you for your nice comments
Nicely thought out. Great mini home.
Nice video. Thanks for sharing.
Love it. Great job. Love the colours.
Thank you.
Beautiful ❤ Thank God you fix it
Thank you.
Beautiful Job! Very inspirational. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind comments
Great job! One terribly minor detail: Ape isn't pronounced as in "large primate", it's pronounced "Ah-pay" as in the Italian for "bee".
While I agree the correct Italian pronunciation is apay, unfortunately no one in the UK would understand if I pronounced it that way..amusingly my Italian friend tells me they actually call them monkeys!
Congratulations,good job.
Thank you for your nice comment.
Nice Ape good works 👍👍
Great Work, great camper!
Thank you for you nice comments.
Inspirational steve...very nice job
Thanks buddy
Good job,
Great!!!! Congratulations!!!
Thank you
Good job!!!
Thank you
Good job 💖
So beautiful and amazing job
Thank you for your lovely comment.
very good job Bro'
Thank you.
Very impressive! Weldone
Thank you.
This is a fantastic idea
Thank you for your kind comment.
Very Nice. 😀
Parabéns aqui tudo no Brasil e proibido parabéns
si
This is so cool
Sir I think that Ape is wild. Wondering what your top speed is. Don’t know if that would work here Texas,but it would be a nice weekend camper.
The version of ape I bought comes with a 187cc engine and a top speed of 40mph. You can, very cheaply and quickly, upgrade to a 224cc engine with a 150 dollar upgrade kit. It does not increase its speed, but reduces how often you change gear on hills. It will climb any gradient you throw at her, but very slowly!
Thanks for your kind comments.
@Stephan Schlösser I saw the program. It really was not a modified Ape. It was a massive engine and diff, with an Ape Cab bolted to the front of it!
Very nice! I wish it was for sale!
Thank you for your comment. I’ve had lots of crazy offers but she’s not for sale .
Very very nice
Thank you
Great! Did You use Regular Ply or Marine? What about the Paint? I'm Assuming it's Waterproof - if Not did You use a Yacht Varnish? Thanks
Exterior grade ply... Sealed with 2 part epoxy paint, then painted with 2 coats of repsoleum
@@apecamper Thanks!
Felicitaciones una belleza, buenas rutas!
Gracias por sus amables comentarios.
Gorgeous Rebuild! I have to ask if he ever saw cornelius comanns: bufalino award winning design & incorporated anything from that. I'd absolutely love to see this done to the larger Tri-Wheeled Trucks of China♥..
Good afternoon and thankyou for your kind comments. I hadn't seen cornelius comanns: bufalino award winning design but have just googled it. My ideas came from a Teardrop camper I designed and built 6 years ago. It helped me work out what was essential for this build. I am very happy that the concept has now become a reality. I have added a small charcoal burning stove/water heater to my camper and a few other bits and pieces so my project is no complete. I'm looking forwards to taking her on a long road trip soon.
my ape camper very good
great job !
Thank you
This sir is very cool! I'm thinking about getting one eventually, but i was wondering what licence do you need exactly for this engine size and variant? hope all the camping went well :)
Thankyou for your kind comments. Here in the UK you need a full motorcycle licence to drive this make and model. If it was a 50cc ape then you can drive that with a full car licence or a provisonal motorcycle licence.
ME ENCANTO MUY BELLA TRIMOVIL.
Love it
If you need parts in India all parts available
Congratulations my friend, very good design, You solar panel uses deep charge batteries, how many amps, thanks in advance for your answer
Thanks for your kind comments. My 170w solar panel feeds a 110A deep charge battery. This is sufficient for all my electricity. Every electrical item has been selected for maximum efficiency. In the event or a surplus of solar energy a volt sensitive relay dumps the extra power into a 150w heater element in the hot water tank.
@@apecamper Thank you for your answers, I have a small pizzatruck with a cold keeper for the dough, I built it, for the energy, I put a 400 W solar panel, I just need to buy the batteries,
@@revorg23 Make sure you buy a 12v COMPRESSOR type fridge as they are far more energy efficient
Good point, for now I will start with a 120 v one installed, meanwhile I will go looking for the 12 v one, I live in Venezuela, now this is not very good.
@@apecamper Based on your experience, do you prefer Gel or AGM batteries?
First of all great Job and could ju give me the files for the cnc it would be very nice
I didn't have a cnc drawing as such as we made it and tweaked the finished panels to suit. Thanks for your kind comments.
Great restoration, I am planning one myself. is this a standard 50cc?
No it is a MP600. The 50cc flat bed is really tiny, so would be hard to make into a camper, though it has been done using a fold out back...
O motor tem força para tanto peso ???😮😮😮
Great Conversion - How long did it take ? and how much did you spend aproximately ?
The pod cost me just under £1000 to make and kit out. It is made out of ply and the covered with 2 part epoxy paint, sanded back and the painted with rustoleum. The pod can be taken off the back in about 5 minutes. It is completely independent of the ape for everything. It took me three months to make the camper pod from scratch. Sofa bed, kitchen unit and solar panel were all from market place.
@@apecamper Thanks for the Info Mate
Have fun
So amazing! Have you been far
Ive done about 50 miles since I did the project. I only finished it a few weeks ago. I am still geting used to chaning gear and getting the engine so it is running efficiently. I really am a novice at working on engines so get a bit frustrated at my lack of knowledge. Hopefully I will get more knowledgeable with time and tinkering.
ha thats pretty cool!
Thank you.
Genio!
Wow
Yes
Excellent!!
You could put some cheap cameras on the back for your rear view! 😃
Thank you for your nice comments. I already have fitted a rear view camera which enables me to see the blind spot.
I like it the only thing I fear or that concerns me personally is the three wheels it's to dangerous...
4 wheels have have better I don't know the word,yet ...
Three wheels is unstable...
It is fairly stable as it is only a very slow vehicle. I have had no frightening moments driving it.
Very good how is my ape camper (advert)
hermoso!!!
What size engine was in the Ape?
@@johnanz or was the 187cc engine and I upgraded it with the polini racing kit to a 225cc.
❤❤❤
Did you sell the Ape?
@@johnanz I have sold the ape, but kept the camper pod.
Quero um
How do you go to the bathroom and shower?
I do have a portapoti under the sofa/bed, which i have never used. I can shower in the awning which attaches to the back of the camper.
@@apecamper I ask because I have been trying to figure out what is the most affordable version of one of these that realistically can carry all of the necessities. Then start a organization that will donate them to the homeless veterans, here in America
@@anthonyholden6898 most people who use campervans use public toilets and facilities so they then don't have to find places to empty their toilets
@@apecamper I understand that but the homeless in my country are not usually welcome in most places
@@anthonyholden6898 they will still need places to empty toilets if they have them...
It's pronounced apay
It wasn't in this video hahahahahaha
@@glossyseventy-five1769 worker bee
👏👏👏👏👏👏🇧🇷
Would you sell the camper
Everything has a price... I have had offers but have not sold it yet. I haven't put it up for sale, but people when people see it they want it.... People are happy to pay shipping costs half way around the world too...
Englischer Kommentar?
how do you access the engine under the cabin?
The camper pod is not permanently fixed and I can slide it off the back to work on the engine.
@@apecamper ah nice. I have Piaggio ape also. But its the passenger version. I have modified it also by a little.
You did a dream job! Enjoyed your beautiful work and the love voor the design. What a beautiful adventurs you wil have! Much respect! Saskia Moonen, Maastricht The Netherlands
Thanks for your kind comments
Ik moet toch altijd aan die reclame van Centraal Beheer denken, even Apeldoorn bellen.
It is a great day to🖤 be able to get a chance to win a free agent of the yiear and
Very impressed. Came out amazing. I love when something can be restored. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your kind comment
Really nice ... we had a discussion on Facebook today.
Maybe it was already told (too many comments to read back!) but APE in Italian stands for bee (while VESPA for wasp), with the English pronunciation it looks like the big monkey, which in Italian is SCIMMIONE. Just for your information, however very nice job, compliments.
Respect from Nepal
I just miss the toilett?
Great work. Watching from Nepal.
Well done 👍.
Hi, sir what a nice job, i was thinking of buying a new ape 50, could i enquire your service for a custom van ?
@@Rumskee_ak47 this is a one off I made for myself
Hi from Meerbusch Germany.I liked your video. I did a road trip with my ape tm .From Meerbusch too Benidrom in spain. After seeing your video I thing it's time to refit the ape. Thanks
I want to do a long road trip, but have had a few enine issues. I think they hare sorted now, but have to do a few short trips to be sure. If I can be of any help with youy project, feel free to contact me.
Wie lange warst Du unterwegs?
Welche Route hast Du gewählt?
Hi. Sehr cool gebaut! Schöne Grüße und danke fürs Zeigen!
Excellent job!! That's a task of love there. 🙂👍
VERY NICE !!!! I'm an italian man and my hart is smiling when see a so old but still working masterpiece made by Piaggio......one of the most famous industries in Italy which gave millions of that kind of minicars and scooters all over the world,for fun or for work.
Thank you for your lovely comments. I'm so glad you liked it..
I love that her name is Olive, but her color scheme also reminds me of Avocado Toast.
Well done, I enjoyed watching.
Thank you.
I thought it’s AI voice until he stutters lol. Such a beautiful renovation and inside looks pretty spacious than looking from outside
Thanks for the kind comments
Great job on restoring the campervans you own Steven! 🚙👍
Thank you
This was a real good job! Congratulations!
I would rallye like to have such a nice Ape- Camper!
My name is Peter
Thanks for reminding us that happiness is found on simple things.
Thank you for your lovely comment.
Amazing
Amazing 🙂
Congratulations, well done!
Que Chulada
Molto bello
Sweet🤘🏼🔥
Excellent 🛵🪳👍
I'm thinking of getting an ape to do up for my 16th birthday
enjoy it! you can drive a 50cc Ape at 16 but not easy getting insurance...
Wow! Kool! Great video. I have never seen any thing like that before.
Thanks for your kind comments.
Super super super 👍👍👍👍 viele Grüße aus Deutschland
Danke Schon!
I love it! So cool and my favourite colour Green!😊
I LIKED HONDA TRUCK.. T360 IN THE 1970 ....