Great video, nice to see a normal person try to erect it rather than a promo video. I've just purchased the same folding camper this week and had our first night in it yesterday. Found a few things that need doing, firstly the gas. Look forward to more videos as you enjoy the camper, they really are great pieces of kit
That’s a proper cool little folding camper thing, my old mate from school had one that he fixed up and shared with his older brother, until the elder passed his driving test their stepfather used to tow it to a small local camp ground for them to use over the weekends, they used to have a great old time with it. Brilliant 👍
A Hubnut masterclass in erecting a trailer tent, complete with clanging noises, much confusion and failure to consult any instructions. Exactly as it should be done. One learns best by trial and error.
I'm not sure which would be most frustrating, trying to erect this thing in pouring rain and half a gale, or wrestling with it on a hot, sticky day like today. There's a reason I gave up on camping after one attempt 45 years ago!
My bargain ex-army bivouac tent deployed on a similar timescale, miserably sans built in groundsheet, proved to be the simultaneous beginning and end of my own camping efforts when confronted with Scottish midges. Foxanne or Berlingo with rear doors treated to a Danbury Doubleback slideout knockoff project seem much more amenable places to be in the teeth of a British Standard howling campsite gale or swarms of insects. I still think a trusty Leyland Sherpa caravanette is the way to go.
That’s exactly why we sold ours and upgraded to a proper tourer caravan. Especially when you can get a fully serviced pitch even in Cornwall in August for 25/30 quid a night. Cheap as chips, whilst others pay thousands too stop in a static just for a week.
This is most enjoyable viewing and what an absolute beautiful purchase. Mr Hubnut’s enthusiasm is boundless. Throughly enjoyed viewing and hope you have a fantastic break. I look forward to future exploits with great eagerness.
Having been a user of these for almost 30 years, I have couple of points, firstly it’s a trailer tent and always will be. The marketing people started using the ‘folding camper’ BS to try and attract people who don’t like camping. The give away is the flappy tent like thing on the trailer. True folding campers are hard sided not material. Second, yours needs some serious work/testing prior to use. Don’t use the gas at all prior to getting certificated. Some sites will require to see certificates for leccy and gas. Get both tested and certificated for your safety and fellow campers safety. Third water tanks need cleaning and sterilising or your going to know it in about 6 hours.
Brilliant!! Especially from 6 minutes onwards, the comments, the manoeuvres, the grunts!!! "gateway drug to a proper caravan" !! There is a whole series here, 'Camping with the Hubnuts' ..... You could break the internet!!
"I can see why people buy f****** caravans now" "Gateway drug because after camping with this once you'll never want to put it up again" "I already hate this"
Speaking as a former Boat Safety Scheme examiner, I can see several reasons why I wouldn't be happy turning that gas system on to look at the flame pattern, let alone actually cook something. The use of garden hose instead of proper gas hose is the most immediate, with the ancient regulator a close second. Oddly, the excessive corrosion on the butane cylinder is a relatively small concern. Of course this is something that could go a few ways, either you end up with a caravan, or a boat. ;)
Boat safety examinators only want you to spend money on stuff you don’t need in the name of safety. Just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s unsafe. I know. My boat examinator was also a fruitcake.
@@johnobiro5202 You can get a little gas stove from outdoor shops that run on a gas cylinder that is like a pressure pack. They work well and are cheap as chips. Might be an alternative.
@Jon Tibbatts coupled with a tendency to pull to one side or the other when accelerating or braking. You can though, drive one on a motorcycle license, in the post war years they gave many families the freedom to travel which would otherwise have been unobtainable.
Forgive me for laughing, how you tried to unfold this camper had me in stitches! You need a few tries in order to get this right. I would go to the nearest dealer or service centre to have it properly looked over, since it sat. My parents here in the US went to every state within the continent. Then again, they had a huge fifth wheel, then went to a motorhome. Best of luck you too!
Ah, memories. We had a sixties Alpen Kreuzer and a seventies one. Made in the DDR. Cheap, great quality, and heavy. Our record time setting it up was 8 minutes with four people working. That excluded the extra tent in front which took another 20 minutes. So, you were done, completely done in 30 minutes. I can assure you these four people then needed a break. I still can't understand that my father decided to go over the Alps with a beetle and an Alpen Kreuzer with loads of extra luggage in it but without brakes on it, in a VW beetle 1300. No tunnels (too expensive) just the Alpine passes. Now that I think of it, no safety belts either. Good times... haha.
We have the 4 berth Conway Challenger. Can honestly say it’s a genuine 10 minute set up. And to everyone saying it’s trailer tent, you’re wrong. It’s a folding camper. A trailer tent has a separate kitchen that hangs off the back of the trailer. A folding camper has the kitchen inside
That's a great buy there especially as it's had a replacement canvas at some point (would have originally been red to match the decals). We had the Conway Cardinal Clubman which was slightly larger and had a solid wind-up roof but had many fantastic holidays away in it until I was "informed" we were getting a caravan 🤣
We did tenting for many years when the kids were small, it was great fun. In the end, packing it all away became too much of a chore. We looked at folding campers briefly before buying a full size 2003 caravan. Recently upgraded that to a lovely 8 foot wide Lunar which we lived in with 2 kids for 2 months while we were in the process of moving to Wales. Have fun, one of the best simple things in life is to sit round a fire, cooking food and drinking a pint :)
I think that your Conway Cruiser looks great. It definitely suit's your lifestyle very well and is certainly a Hubnut item that fits in with the fleet very well indeed. I look forward to seeing your 1st Adventure away with it.
As you’ve discovered, the fridge won’t run from 12v, apart from when connected to car - if car has additional grey socket AND both ends are wired correctly. BTW, we lasted 1 season with a trailer tent before selling it and buying a caravan instead!
@@HubNut A single plug has an auxiliary pin in it which should be of sufficient amperage to power a 12v fridge or charge the leisure battery if wired to an additional voltage regulator, check how its been wired to the car electrics and check what the fridge is wired to. You may need help from an auto electrician.
Wow the brown plastic on the fridge takes me back to another time. Can't help but think it would be faster to pitch a tent but the folding kitchen is interesting and innovative which I like. My Aunti had a trailer tent years ago but I'm not sure how much they differ from your folding camper. I suppose the advantage to this over a conventional caravan will be apparent when towing with its more compact dimensions.
That was the most hilarious minute ever.If you had waited until you were in a camping area with an audience of seasoned campers there would have been much laughter.Good luck with the tent on wheels I’m sure you will get many years of enjoyment with it,cheers.
These tings are great when it comes to weight and backwards visibility, but it's a hassle putting it up and down and especially in bad weather. A caravan is a bit easier and it could do double duty as the HubNut executive office outside the unit in the winter, imagine just popping in for a recharge of batteries and a cup of tea away from the wind and rain.
Ah fond memories of camping in our trailer tent when I was a kid in the late 80s. It wasnt a Conway, it was a Penine something but I seem to remember the flaps folded out rather than slid out. Hope you enjoy it, if not if will make a great storage shed for car parts!
Ian & Carly, ignore the not-so-constructive criticism. I camped for quite a few years and after a storm, me and my partner were put off tents and decided to work our way up to a caravan. We bought a 1991 Conway Royale DL trailer tent and had a couple of outings in it. I was able to tow it with my MK4 Astra and my Citroen Xsara Picasso as it was very light. We're now on our 2nd caravan 6 years later (at the time of writing) and we're still loving the caravanning. There's nothing wrong with your folding camper so don't be put off by the "that's too much hassle to put up" and "why not stay in a hotel instead?" type comments. I hope you enjoy your first outing in it. My partner loved our trailer tent but it was just a stepping stone for us.
My family had something very similar in the mid 70s. We took one trip to Scandinavia where the couple traveling with us were on the verge of a divorce, and one trip to France where it snowed on the first night and 100 miles from home we realized we had forgotten to load all of the food we had packed for the trip. that was it for us.
I had a caravan for a bit and while it wasn't this much hassle it took a little setting up. You do get better at it though. After living out of mine for a few weeks after a fall out with the mrs I got pretty slick at backing it up unaided, sliding it in a narrow spot, and setting it up in no time. Best of luck!
You can save yourself even more time by realising it;s a gateway to a campervan. The pathway is as follows, tent - trailer tent (optional) - caravan - campervan - hotels
No it took me longer, two man ridge tent, second hand trailer tent, brand new Sunncamp (Chinese Conwy copy) second hand Jamet before we discovered all inclusive holidays. 😀
For your information caravan fridges run on at 240 V electric and gas. 12v is purely for transit and will not get the fridge down to temperature but will maintain it at a lower temperature for a short period of time to an extent primarily for travelling to and from site. We use our freezer for choc ices which works great that. Also table is a common point where screws were out ordinal holes and that’s a common repair
It’s charming! I’ve never seen one with a soft tonneau before. In the USA ours all have a rigid flat roof in the middle. I like yours-the gable makes it like a little cabin.
I'm from the UK but in the 90s my Dad had a Coleman with a rigid roof that you'd wind up with handle. It was extremely heavy and obviously not designed for the VW Passat that my Dad pulled it with as he had to have the rear suspension stiffened as he was loosing the steering on the car!
Unfortunately the fridge won't work on 12v. The usual method is the 12v supply to the fridge actually comes from the 12S socket on the car and will only maintain temperature, not drive the temperature down from the ambient state. To get it cold you'll have to run it on 240v or gas. Excellent fun video, lots of banter and I suspect good times to come...
Practice makes perfect and after a few trips with he folding camper, I am sure it went very well. The camper itself is a very clever idea and engineering feat, so small and easy to pull behind the car yet when erected it's actually very roomy and comfortable. Good choice of an affordable and practical camper.
I've used CAK Tanks in Kenilworth many a time for obscure camper ands caravan parts- they've always been really helpful- give them a try for your fridge shelves.
We had an 1980's East German (I think) NR Nova trailer tent until the mid 90's which was replaced by a Pullman Fiesta folding camper. That was fairly similar to yours, but the beds fold out each side with the kitchen up front, much easier to fold up as I recall. That Conway looks a really good buy, it seems to be in great condition for its age!
This is probably the funniest video you have done. Great laugh. The contrasting levels of enthusiasm was hilarious. Fold? Is that the same as stuff? Brilliant
What a great find we are thinking about a folding camper due to living up a very steep single road and thought about a full size caravan but wouldn't get it up the road so our only option was a folding camper or trailer tent. So I will be watching in anticipation to see how you guys get on. 😃
Great entertainment Ian & Carly, bugger that for a game of soldiers though. I used to get frustrated putting up the hood on my 1966 MG Midget. It did have a tonneau cover as well 😁
My wife's cousin bought a secondhand caravan and awning. He never had a dry run prior to taking it out for the first time. Setting it up on site revealed missing bits - other caravanners took pity and donated parts.
The springy thing is there so that when (sorry if) the Conway Palace becomes detached from the tow vehicle, the breakaway cable pulls the brakes on and then the spring thing is a weak point so the cable then comes free from the Palace and should ideally remain on the rear of the tow vehicle so that not all is lost and you will at least still have a break away cable to fit to the next Palace.
I own a real caravan, but even than I like this folder a lot. Such a small trailer becomes a spacios home within a few minutes. And it could be towed even by small cars and could be parked in a garage. It looks so c cosy inside. For 30 years it seems to be in a very good condition. My German Dethleffs 460 T Edition 2000 caravan is also already 28 years old. I had to repair some small water damages under the floor last year, but for the price of the repairs I never get another second hand caravan. I own it now since 2001 and me and my family still enjoy it. So thank you for this nice video and I wish much fun with this trailer. 👍
A cracking video Hubnutters. It's always a good idea to do a dry run of the initial errection... err... assembly before use. The same applies when you get a new tent as sods law when you put it up for the first time it'll be raining and the instructions turn into paste when soaked. I learnt this in the days of motorbike touring back in the day. A good job by you both and some clever packaging ideas by Conway. Looking forward to the video of the first use out in the wild. And as Miss Hubnut mentions it really does match Bella. Have a great time peeps.
Tip, write under your beds which you open up first and which you take down first, we’re on our second one of these, over the last decade, had so many great holidays in them, once you master them it gets easier. Sounds obvious renew your tyres I had a blow out on ours on the M1 even though tyres looked visibly ok, I don’t think the prolonged standing helps. For your fridge some small adjustable oven shelves work a treat 😉
These are fantastic things..! I had one just like it, and had many a great holiday in it. So easy to tow, and, with a little practice you will get "complete errection" (ha ha 😂) down to 5 or 10 minutes. A little tip if it's just you and Mrs Hub Nut, take the mattress from one end and put on top of the mattress you're sleeping on, much comfier, and you can use the unoccupied end for storage (and/ or TV, as it was in my case) Enjoy and stick with it..!
Caravan breakers should be able to supply fridge shelves. My 1991 Cruiser had internal matching fabric frippery to disguise the poles, and an internal secondary roof cover which made it look really finished! I also put bikes and kayaks on top of it for the family holidays. An awning is a pain but worth the effort.
The best way to ensure the water system is clean is fill the water bottle with water and chuck in a couple of steradent tablets, then pump the water through the system using the foot pump. Hope this helps. I'm not sure the battery and the gas bottle are meant to live together. BTW Ian you did better than my late father when he was putting up the awning, lots of swearing and me ending up in the caravan out of the line of fire...
If you want a cheap temporary electrics option, places like Aldi, Lidl, Go outdoors etc sell an electrical hook up that is basically a fancy extension lead with the blue 16a hook up, then a box with breakers and 2-4 house hold plugs. Usually around £20-30 and gives you enough to charge devices/ power a kettle etc.
I have a 90’s Rapido orline folding caravan, they are a great idea, gas is quick and easy to check, we also use a halogen oven when we have hook up ,hope you enjoy it.
In case you haven't noticed Ian, the tow bar position on the old Berlingo is set very low, much lower than that tent on wheels for example.... I can already feel Ian is looking forward to his first camping trip..... It combines all the joys of caravans and tents. In other words an absolute nightmare. If you stripped out the canvas and cupboards you could always use it as a trailer to shift junk.
If you want to camp in winter you will need to swap to propane gas, also the fridge only works on 12v when towing once on site you need gas or electric. To use 12v when towing and to charge the battery when towing you will need to fit and additional S socket to the car and cable to the trailer if not already there, or you could go down the 13pin euro route.
Pop up campers or camper trailers are VERY popular in Australia. Put a good suspension on it with knobbly tyres and it's good for towing through the outback behind a 4wd. Not cheap though by a long way - 15,000 quid
That canvas looks marvellous, definitely not 30 years old, you struck gold with that one, probably double your money after you have had your fun with it.
The fridge will take a long time to cool down. Make sure the fridge is turned off in storage or it will drain the battery in storage. When you plan to go camping pre cool the fridge the day before with it plugged into AC power. Freeze a plastic jug of water and put it in the fridge to keep your things cold and to speed up the fridge cooling down. I think I saw the fridge shelve in the storage with the grill. I might be wrong though.
The back leg supports! Don't forget to retract the back leg supports! We had a Rapido folding caravan. Very French. A brilliant design, but could only be pitched on dead level ground, otherwise the two halves of the roof wouldn't line up to be clipped together. The first time we tried to pitch it, it nearly ended up in a divorce. But, with practice, we could set it up in about 15 minutes. Congratulations on your purchase. You will get into a system of setting it up, with practice. Don't be discouraged if it takes quite a while to set it up the first couple of times.
That's quite a bargain there, considering new Motorhomes are running at £60-90k. What made it for me are the Westie Coasters, previous owners must have been good folk. 👍😊
And this is exactly why we got rid of ours, it always started our holiday just right and put the whole family in that "holiday" mood.! I famously told my 8 year old daughter to f off when she asked me why I was so angry, not my finest hour. 😳
Oh Lordy, replay this video and shut your eyes this video sounds so out of context hahaha 50 SHADES OF CONWAY XD How HubNut as always, God I love this channel.
Time for Hubnut to buy a transit van and convert through the Welsh winter . Tinker , trailer. bodging, major . Think of the hours of content we can all enjoy.
A lot more to it than I expected. I thought it was just a tent on wheels to chuck a sleeping bag in. Love the freezer, with enough room for an entire sandwich worth of fish fingers.
A couple of suggestions on the trailer wiring. Dielectric grease is your best friend for those bulb sockets and the connection plug. Some trailer manufactures use the coupling ball as the ground connection to the tow vehicle. While this might save them a few pennies, it can create a frustrating on/off lighting problem. I ran a separate ground wire from the trailer frame and ground wires to the tow vehicle...no more on/off lighting problems and I could properly lubricate my hitch ball without worrying about losing the ground connection.
@@royblackburn1163 Yes it is non-conductive but it is also a corrosion inhibiter and lubricant. There is always a conductive path unless you apply the dielectric grease with a trowel. Yes, 7 pin sockets have a common wire for ground/earth, but 4 pin connectors often do not.
@@royblackburn1163 In the US, 7 pin wiring connectors are usually only seen on large, typically 2 or more axle, recreation trailers and on commercial trailers. Little tent trailers like this one and small U-Haul rental trailers use the terrible 4 wire system. I understand your reasoning, but I still disagree with you on the conductive grease and so do millions of truckers around the world. Conductive grease is ideal for clip-on circuit breakers attaching to bus bars, knife switch contact points and grounding lugs, but for applications where the conductors are closely spaced, like on a trailer plug, the likelihood of cross circuiting from smeared or over-applied conductive grease is too great. Although dielectric grease is non-conductive as the name implies, there is always enough metal-to-metal contact between the male pin and the female socket cup to make a sound electrical connection, unless there is severe corrosion, or the dielectric grease was grossly over applied.
@@royblackburn1163 Perhaps someday the US will adopt the metric system and change from 120V with a Neutral to 240V dual-phase wiring like the rest of the world, but for the moment we're stuck with what we have. For trailer wiring plugs, the pins are brass (often just brass plated) and the pin sockets are brass (plated) or aluminum. You'll find a tub of Grote di-electric grease somewhere in the cab of every OTR truck in the US.
@@royblackburn1163 I just hope the French don't charge you a Pounds-to-Euros conversion fee! lol When I see a travel video from say...Mexico, it's a conversion math exercise. Pesos per kilogram to US dollars per pound with the Peso to USD value changing frequently. Have a great Vacation (Holiday)
Once you have mastered the sequence, it does become a lot easier. Good to see you have a functioning leisure battery, but a shame about the gas bottle. A good idea might be to get the Cruiser serviced for peace of mind - no doubt the owner forums will be able to help.
Ian's enthusiasm for the tent on wheels is truly infectious 🤣
🤣
Great video, nice to see a normal person try to erect it rather than a promo video. I've just purchased the same folding camper this week and had our first night in it yesterday. Found a few things that need doing, firstly the gas. Look forward to more videos as you enjoy the camper, they really are great pieces of kit
I knew beforehand this video would be comedy of the highest caliber. I wasnt disappointed in the least.
That’s a proper cool little folding camper thing, my old mate from school had one that he fixed up and shared with his older brother, until the elder passed his driving test their stepfather used to tow it to a small local camp ground for them to use over the weekends, they used to have a great old time with it.
Brilliant 👍
A Hubnut masterclass in erecting a trailer tent, complete with clanging noises, much confusion and failure to consult any instructions. Exactly as it should be done. One learns best by trial and error.
I love Miss Hubnut's enthusiasm! £500? A bargain I say, looks great! :)
She's a beaut. It's officially love
I'm not sure which would be most frustrating, trying to erect this thing in pouring rain and half a gale, or wrestling with it on a hot, sticky day like today. There's a reason I gave up on camping after one attempt 45 years ago!
My bargain ex-army bivouac tent deployed on a similar timescale, miserably sans built in groundsheet, proved to be the simultaneous beginning and end of my own camping efforts when confronted with Scottish midges. Foxanne or Berlingo with rear doors treated to a Danbury Doubleback slideout knockoff project seem much more amenable places to be in the teeth of a British Standard howling campsite gale or swarms of insects. I still think a trusty Leyland Sherpa caravanette is the way to go.
That’s exactly why we sold ours and upgraded to a proper tourer caravan. Especially when you can get a fully serviced pitch even in Cornwall in August for 25/30 quid a night. Cheap as chips, whilst others pay thousands too stop in a static just for a week.
This is most enjoyable viewing and what an absolute beautiful purchase. Mr Hubnut’s enthusiasm is boundless. Throughly enjoyed viewing and hope you have a fantastic break.
I look forward to future exploits with great eagerness.
Having been a user of these for almost 30 years, I have couple of points, firstly it’s a trailer tent and always will be. The marketing people started using the ‘folding camper’ BS to try and attract people who don’t like camping. The give away is the flappy tent like thing on the trailer. True folding campers are hard sided not material. Second, yours needs some serious work/testing prior to use. Don’t use the gas at all prior to getting certificated. Some sites will require to see certificates for leccy and gas. Get both tested and certificated for your safety and fellow campers safety. Third water tanks need cleaning and sterilising or your going to know it in about 6 hours.
Congratulations on the patience, I’d have been setting fire to it about 2 minutes in, and looking at a van conversion or shudder a caravan
Brilliant!! Especially from 6 minutes onwards, the comments, the manoeuvres, the grunts!!! "gateway drug to a proper caravan" !! There is a whole series here, 'Camping with the Hubnuts' ..... You could break the internet!!
"I can see why people buy f****** caravans now"
"Gateway drug because after camping with this once you'll never want to put it up again"
"I already hate this"
Mr Hubnut needs to buy in to Miss Hubnut's enthusiasm. You could become comedy gold - Only Fools And Folding Campers! Lovin' it.
Ian and Carley this is the best video I’ve watched all year!!! I hope you have many happy travels in the Conway.
Speaking as a former Boat Safety Scheme examiner, I can see several reasons why I wouldn't be happy turning that gas system on to look at the flame pattern, let alone actually cook something. The use of garden hose instead of proper gas hose is the most immediate, with the ancient regulator a close second. Oddly, the excessive corrosion on the butane cylinder is a relatively small concern.
Of course this is something that could go a few ways, either you end up with a caravan, or a boat. ;)
Never fear - clocked that and will not be touching it!
Yup, the state of the metal pipework is also not ideal. Much work to be done!
Boat safety examinators only want you to spend money on stuff you don’t need in the name of safety. Just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s unsafe. I know. My boat examinator was also a fruitcake.
@@johnobiro5202 You can get a little gas stove from outdoor shops that run on a gas cylinder that is like a pressure pack. They work well and are cheap as chips. Might be an alternative.
An interesting idea.
Combines the waterproofing of a tent, with the weight, rolling resistance, speed limits and storage needs of a caravan.
Quite right
@Jon Tibbatts coupled with a tendency to pull to one side or the other when accelerating or braking. You can though, drive one on a motorcycle license, in the post war years they gave many families the freedom to travel which would otherwise have been unobtainable.
Ouch. Spot on, though.
Totally agree, having watched this I can't help thinking these were an extremely silly invention 😂
Forgive me for laughing, how you tried to unfold this camper had me in stitches!
You need a few tries in order to get this right.
I would go to the nearest dealer or service centre to have it properly looked over, since it sat.
My parents here in the US went to every state within the continent. Then again, they had a huge fifth wheel, then went to a motorhome.
Best of luck you too!
Before I forget, try not to overload. You don't break Bella as well as the camper.
Travel is......phun. That's in the PH aisle of the Dealer's MegaStore.
Ah, memories. We had a sixties Alpen Kreuzer and a seventies one. Made in the DDR. Cheap, great quality, and heavy. Our record time setting it up was 8 minutes with four people working. That excluded the extra tent in front which took another 20 minutes. So, you were done, completely done in 30 minutes. I can assure you these four people then needed a break. I still can't understand that my father decided to go over the Alps with a beetle and an Alpen Kreuzer with loads of extra luggage in it but without brakes on it, in a VW beetle 1300. No tunnels (too expensive) just the Alpine passes. Now that I think of it, no safety belts either. Good times... haha.
Fond memories of my parents Alpen kreuzer senior and super gt. I owned a select myself. A bit of a pain te put up but fantastic to tow.
@@polvandennieuwenhof9137 Yes, as long as you have more than 44 hp and 4 drum brakes to brake.....
But you survived to see another day😂
We have the 4 berth Conway Challenger. Can honestly say it’s a genuine 10 minute set up.
And to everyone saying it’s trailer tent, you’re wrong. It’s a folding camper. A trailer tent has a separate kitchen that hangs off the back of the trailer. A folding camper has the kitchen inside
That's a great buy there especially as it's had a replacement canvas at some point (would have originally been red to match the decals). We had the Conway Cardinal Clubman which was slightly larger and had a solid wind-up roof but had many fantastic holidays away in it until I was "informed" we were getting a caravan 🤣
The Conway is super cool. Being a caravan enthusiast myself I totally get the home from home thing.
This is so wonderfully Hub Nut, that's why we love your channel Ian.
Ignore all the hate. Live life, love each other and embrace the adventure. Ms. Hubnut has enough enthusiasm for all of us
What hate? Where are you reading all this 'hate'? Not on this YT Comment section, that's for sure.
We did tenting for many years when the kids were small, it was great fun. In the end, packing it all away became too much of a chore. We looked at folding campers briefly before buying a full size 2003 caravan. Recently upgraded that to a lovely 8 foot wide Lunar which we lived in with 2 kids for 2 months while we were in the process of moving to Wales. Have fun, one of the best simple things in life is to sit round a fire, cooking food and drinking a pint :)
Tenting 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I think that your Conway Cruiser looks great. It definitely suit's your lifestyle very well and is certainly a Hubnut item that fits in with the fleet very well indeed. I look forward to seeing your 1st Adventure away with it.
That looks like an excellent way to put your back out whilst standing in a field being laughed at by people with proper caravans. 😂
As you’ve discovered, the fridge won’t run from 12v, apart from when connected to car - if car has additional grey socket AND both ends are wired correctly.
BTW, we lasted 1 season with a trailer tent before selling it and buying a caravan instead!
Cheers. Bella has only single plug electrics, so we'll try again once we've had the 240v tested.
@@HubNut A single plug has an auxiliary pin in it which should be of sufficient amperage to power a 12v fridge or charge the leisure battery if wired to an additional voltage regulator, check how its been wired to the car electrics and check what the fridge is wired to. You may need help from an auto electrician.
My parents in the 1980s bought a Rapido, solid folding caravan. It was as good as a touring caravan.
The fridge shelves were in the box with the grill pan
@@blackpool321 gotta love how you have spotted the shelves whilst watching a video filmed by someone shooting it.
Wow the brown plastic on the fridge takes me back to another time.
Can't help but think it would be faster to pitch a tent but the folding kitchen is interesting and innovative which I like.
My Aunti had a trailer tent years ago but I'm not sure how much they differ from your folding camper.
I suppose the advantage to this over a conventional caravan will be apparent when towing with its more compact dimensions.
That was the most hilarious minute ever.If you had waited until you were in a camping area with an audience of seasoned campers there would have been much laughter.Good luck with the tent on wheels I’m sure you will get many years of enjoyment with it,cheers.
These tings are great when it comes to weight and backwards visibility, but it's a hassle putting it up and down and especially in bad weather.
A caravan is a bit easier and it could do double duty as the HubNut executive office outside the unit in the winter, imagine just popping in for a recharge of batteries and a cup of tea away from the wind and rain.
And drying the bugger if you pack down in the wet.
Ah fond memories of camping in our trailer tent when I was a kid in the late 80s. It wasnt a Conway, it was a Penine something but I seem to remember the flaps folded out rather than slid out. Hope you enjoy it, if not if will make a great storage shed for car parts!
Ian & Carly, ignore the not-so-constructive criticism. I camped for quite a few years and after a storm, me and my partner were put off tents and decided to work our way up to a caravan. We bought a 1991 Conway Royale DL trailer tent and had a couple of outings in it. I was able to tow it with my MK4 Astra and my Citroen Xsara Picasso as it was very light. We're now on our 2nd caravan 6 years later (at the time of writing) and we're still loving the caravanning. There's nothing wrong with your folding camper so don't be put off by the "that's too much hassle to put up" and "why not stay in a hotel instead?" type comments. I hope you enjoy your first outing in it. My partner loved our trailer tent but it was just a stepping stone for us.
Thank you so much for this
I've just started the video, which is about erecting the camper in 60secs, but the video is over half an hour long. I'm hoping for the best.
My family had something very similar in the mid 70s. We took one trip to Scandinavia where the couple traveling with us were on the verge of a divorce, and one trip to France where it snowed on the first night and 100 miles from home we realized we had forgotten to load all of the food we had packed for the trip. that was it for us.
What an amazing thing, fantastic design!
Thanks you Ian! You have convinced me I was correct in not buying one of these a few years ago! Good Luck!
I had a caravan for a bit and while it wasn't this much hassle it took a little setting up. You do get better at it though. After living out of mine for a few weeks after a fall out with the mrs I got pretty slick at backing it up unaided, sliding it in a narrow spot, and setting it up in no time. Best of luck!
You can save yourself even more time by realising it;s a gateway to a campervan. The pathway is as follows, tent - trailer tent (optional) - caravan - campervan - hotels
No it took me longer, two man ridge tent, second hand trailer tent, brand new Sunncamp (Chinese Conwy copy) second hand Jamet before we discovered all inclusive holidays. 😀
@@carlsturges6048 But we all arrive at the same destination, cheap flights and nice hotels 😂
For your information caravan fridges run on at 240 V electric and gas. 12v is purely for transit and will not get the fridge down to temperature but will maintain it at a lower temperature for a short period of time to an extent primarily for travelling to and from site.
We use our freezer for choc ices which works great that.
Also table is a common point where screws were out ordinal holes and that’s a common repair
It’s charming! I’ve never seen one with a soft tonneau before. In the USA ours all have a rigid flat roof in the middle. I like yours-the gable makes it like a little cabin.
I'm from the UK but in the 90s my Dad had a Coleman with a rigid roof that you'd wind up with handle. It was extremely heavy and obviously not designed for the VW Passat that my Dad pulled it with as he had to have the rear suspension stiffened as he was loosing the steering on the car!
Ms Hubnut. I think the shelves for the fridge might be the metal ones in the storage locker that had the grill pan in it. Visible at 13.55.
Unfortunately the fridge won't work on 12v. The usual method is the 12v supply to the fridge actually comes from the 12S socket on the car and will only maintain temperature, not drive the temperature down from the ambient state. To get it cold you'll have to run it on 240v or gas. Excellent fun video, lots of banter and I suspect good times to come...
Practice makes perfect and after a few trips with he folding camper, I am sure it went very well. The camper itself is a very clever idea and engineering feat, so small and easy to pull behind the car yet when erected it's actually very roomy and comfortable. Good choice of an affordable and practical camper.
I've used CAK Tanks in Kenilworth many a time for obscure camper ands caravan parts- they've always been really helpful- give them a try for your fridge shelves.
We had an 1980's East German (I think) NR Nova trailer tent until the mid 90's which was replaced by a Pullman Fiesta folding camper. That was fairly similar to yours, but the beds fold out each side with the kitchen up front, much easier to fold up as I recall. That Conway looks a really good buy, it seems to be in great condition for its age!
This is probably the funniest video you have done. Great laugh. The contrasting levels of enthusiasm was hilarious. Fold? Is that the same as stuff? Brilliant
What a great find we are thinking about a folding camper due to living up a very steep single road and thought about a full size caravan but wouldn't get it up the road so our only option was a folding camper or trailer tent. So I will be watching in anticipation to see how you guys get on. 😃
This one is still over 500kgs, but better than a full caravan.
Great entertainment Ian & Carly, bugger that for a game of soldiers though. I used to get frustrated putting up the hood on my 1966 MG Midget. It did have a tonneau cover as well 😁
I think that was great value for £500! I have a normal caravan but now want one of these - such fun!😀
I absolutely love it, now I want one as well!
I think I would have lost my patience with that in less than 60 seconds!
My wife's cousin bought a secondhand caravan and awning. He never had a dry run prior to taking it out for the first time. Setting it up on site revealed missing bits - other caravanners took pity and donated parts.
Exactly why we did a practice run! Though we'd seen it all up before purchase.
The springy thing is there so that when (sorry if) the Conway Palace becomes detached from the tow vehicle, the breakaway cable pulls the brakes on and then the spring thing is a weak point so the cable then comes free from the Palace and should ideally remain on the rear of the tow vehicle so that not all is lost and you will at least still have a break away cable to fit to the next Palace.
This is pure comedy value. Should have been called man struggles setting up trailer tent on his own whilst everyone else watches.
I own a real caravan, but even than I like this folder a lot. Such a small trailer becomes a spacios home within a few minutes. And it could be towed even by small cars and could be parked in a garage. It looks so c cosy inside. For 30 years it seems to be in a very good condition. My German Dethleffs 460 T Edition 2000 caravan is also already 28 years old. I had to repair some small water damages under the floor last year, but for the price of the repairs I never get another second hand caravan. I own it now since 2001 and me and my family still enjoy it. So thank you for this nice video and I wish much fun with this trailer. 👍
Ever seen Carry On Camping , not quite Sid James and Bernard Bresslaw but you get the general idea, hilarious 😉, keep up the good work 👍
A cracking video Hubnutters. It's always a good idea to do a dry run of the initial errection... err... assembly before use. The same applies when you get a new tent as sods law when you put it up for the first time it'll be raining and the instructions turn into paste when soaked. I learnt this in the days of motorbike touring back in the day. A good job by you both and some clever packaging ideas by Conway. Looking forward to the video of the first use out in the wild. And as Miss Hubnut mentions it really does match Bella. Have a great time peeps.
Tip, write under your beds which you open up first and which you take down first, we’re on our second one of these, over the last decade, had so many great holidays in them, once you master them it gets easier. Sounds obvious renew your tyres I had a blow out on ours on the M1 even though tyres looked visibly ok, I don’t think the prolonged standing helps. For your fridge some small adjustable oven shelves work a treat 😉
I was impressed by how much usable space is in that thing.
We used had a Conway Countryman, it was nightmare to put it up than put it down! You all have a fun adventure time with that tent.
These are fantastic things..! I had one just like it, and had many a great holiday in it. So easy to tow, and, with a little practice you will get "complete errection" (ha ha 😂) down to 5 or 10 minutes.
A little tip if it's just you and Mrs Hub Nut, take the mattress from one end and put on top of the mattress you're sleeping on, much comfier, and you can use the unoccupied end for storage (and/ or TV, as it was in my case)
Enjoy and stick with it..!
Ive got a 30 year old motorhome & we love it. Bite the bullet & get one! Youve got your classic car & miss Hubnut has got her caravan. Win Win !
Brilliant buy and what a smart combination to travel and see the sights. Great fun HubNut video and applause for extending the various comfort zones 👍
Well done, a great find. Surprised by the lack of swearing (or possibly good editing). Enjoy!!
Miss hubnut seems so excited and enthuisatic about the Conway cruiser. Although Mr hubnut might try, I don't think it's going anywhere haha.
I love it even more now we've spent a few days in it. Bob forever!
Caravan breakers should be able to supply fridge shelves. My 1991 Cruiser had internal matching fabric frippery to disguise the poles, and an internal secondary roof cover which made it look really finished! I also put bikes and kayaks on top of it for the family holidays. An awning is a pain but worth the effort.
The best way to ensure the water system is clean is fill the water bottle with water and chuck in a couple of steradent tablets, then pump the water through the system using the foot pump. Hope this helps. I'm not sure the battery and the gas bottle are meant to live together. BTW Ian you did better than my late father when he was putting up the awning, lots of swearing and me ending up in the caravan out of the line of fire...
If you want a cheap temporary electrics option, places like Aldi, Lidl, Go outdoors etc sell an electrical hook up that is basically a fancy extension lead with the blue 16a hook up, then a box with breakers and 2-4 house hold plugs. Usually around £20-30 and gives you enough to charge devices/ power a kettle etc.
You need to call it Elton. Fold me closer tiny camper, count the wood lice on the fly sheet. To the tune of tiny dancer by sir Elton Wellsby!
I have a 90’s Rapido orline folding caravan, they are a great idea, gas is quick and easy to check, we also use a halogen oven when we have hook up ,hope you enjoy it.
I think this is probably the most properly British vlog I've ever come across! 👍🇬🇧👍🍻 Just love it 🤣🫣🤣
That's a excellent addition to the fleet , you just need a Citroen C15 Romahome to go with it, most splendid indeed .
In case you haven't noticed Ian, the tow bar position on the old Berlingo is set very low, much lower than that tent on wheels for example.... I can already feel Ian is looking forward to his first camping trip..... It combines all the joys of caravans and tents. In other words an absolute nightmare. If you stripped out the canvas and cupboards you could always use it as a trailer to shift junk.
Caravan looks incredible condition
Looking forward to caravan journeys 👍
If you want to camp in winter you will need to swap to propane gas, also the fridge only works on 12v when towing once on site you need gas or electric. To use 12v when towing and to charge the battery when towing you will need to fit and additional S socket to the car and cable to the trailer if not already there, or you could go down the 13pin euro route.
Pop up campers or camper trailers are VERY popular in Australia. Put a good suspension on it with knobbly tyres and it's good for towing through the outback behind a 4wd. Not cheap though by a long way - 15,000 quid
Shuffling mistakenly into shot behind the camper, Mr Hubnut, you have never looked more Eric Morecambe.
That canvas looks marvellous, definitely not 30 years old, you struck gold with that one, probably double your money after you have had your fun with it.
The fridge will take a long time to cool down. Make sure the fridge is turned off in storage or it will drain the battery in storage. When you plan to go camping pre cool the fridge the day before with it plugged into AC power. Freeze a plastic jug of water and put it in the fridge to keep your things cold and to speed up the fridge cooling down.
I think I saw the fridge shelve in the storage with the grill. I might be wrong though.
The back leg supports! Don't forget to retract the back leg supports!
We had a Rapido folding caravan. Very French. A brilliant design, but could only be pitched on dead level ground, otherwise the two halves of the roof wouldn't line up to be clipped together.
The first time we tried to pitch it, it nearly ended up in a divorce. But, with practice, we could set it up in about 15 minutes.
Congratulations on your purchase. You will get into a system of setting it up, with practice. Don't be discouraged if it takes quite a while to set it up the first couple of times.
That's quite a bargain there, considering new Motorhomes are running at £60-90k. What made it for me are the Westie Coasters, previous owners must have been good folk. 👍😊
those 2 together are the best bargain combo a fun-loving family can have,
I am quite sure it will get better to assrmble. Good value. Enjoy your holidays.
You couldn't pay me to go camping or caravaning and this contraption is a mix of both but it's each to their own I guess , happy holidays hubnuts .
And this is exactly why we got rid of ours, it always started our holiday just right and put the whole family in that "holiday" mood.!
I famously told my 8 year old daughter to f off when she asked me why I was so angry, not my finest hour. 😳
Oops... We wisely didn't bring the Hublets to the first camp!
@@HubNut good move.
Hi great video as always you will get faster with practice look forward to seeing you use it.
Oh Lordy, replay this video and shut your eyes this video sounds so out of context hahaha 50 SHADES OF CONWAY XD How HubNut as always, God I love this channel.
Time for Hubnut to buy a transit van and convert through the Welsh winter . Tinker , trailer. bodging, major . Think of the hours of content we can all enjoy.
Marvelous idea and guaranteed good for hours " Hubnutting " vlogs😍
Something I keep considering is getting a transit and having the van life
Thanks loved that, looking at a Conway Cruiser 1999 at the moment.
I have one and honestly the best buy we have ever made. Made some great memories in it.
Just a little pointer, the shelving unit is normally placed above the kitchen, it’s handy there for coffee, tea etc.
We preferred it the other side as we needed maximum ventilation! Also wouldn't like it above the cooker.
A lot more to it than I expected. I thought it was just a tent on wheels to chuck a sleeping bag in. Love the freezer, with enough room for an entire sandwich worth of fish fingers.
Winner! Plus the reg. plate matches the car! Keeper l say.
What an amazing coincidence.
A couple of suggestions on the trailer wiring. Dielectric grease is your best friend for those bulb sockets and the connection plug. Some trailer manufactures use the coupling ball as the ground connection to the tow vehicle. While this might save them a few pennies, it can create a frustrating on/off lighting problem. I ran a separate ground wire from the trailer frame and ground wires to the tow vehicle...no more on/off lighting problems and I could properly lubricate my hitch ball without worrying about losing the ground connection.
@@royblackburn1163 Yes it is non-conductive but it is also a corrosion inhibiter and lubricant. There is always a conductive path unless you apply the dielectric grease with a trowel. Yes, 7 pin sockets have a common wire for ground/earth, but 4 pin connectors often do not.
@@royblackburn1163 In the US, 7 pin wiring connectors are usually only seen on large, typically 2 or more axle, recreation trailers and on commercial trailers. Little tent trailers like this one and small U-Haul rental trailers use the terrible 4 wire system. I understand your reasoning, but I still disagree with you on the conductive grease and so do millions of truckers around the world. Conductive grease is ideal for clip-on circuit breakers attaching to bus bars, knife switch contact points and grounding lugs, but for applications where the conductors are closely spaced, like on a trailer plug, the likelihood of cross circuiting from smeared or over-applied conductive grease is too great. Although dielectric grease is non-conductive as the name implies, there is always enough metal-to-metal contact between the male pin and the female socket cup to make a sound electrical connection, unless there is severe corrosion, or the dielectric grease was grossly over applied.
@@royblackburn1163 Perhaps someday the US will adopt the metric system and change from 120V with a Neutral to 240V dual-phase wiring like the rest of the world, but for the moment we're stuck with what we have. For trailer wiring plugs, the pins are brass (often just brass plated) and the pin sockets are brass (plated) or aluminum. You'll find a tub of Grote di-electric grease somewhere in the cab of every OTR truck in the US.
@@royblackburn1163 I just hope the French don't charge you a Pounds-to-Euros conversion fee! lol When I see a travel video from say...Mexico, it's a conversion math exercise. Pesos per kilogram to US dollars per pound with the Peso to USD value changing frequently. Have a great Vacation (Holiday)
21:05
The hob and drawer is definitely smiling at Miss HubNut - well she's so knowledgeable about them!
I could be wrong, but I think the shelves for the fridge are with the grill pan 13:56 in
now I remember why I always stay in hotels!!!
Once you have mastered the sequence, it does become a lot easier. Good to see you have a functioning leisure battery, but a shame about the gas bottle. A good idea might be to get the Cruiser serviced for peace of mind - no doubt the owner forums will be able to help.
Cheers. Getting much quicker now.
We had some great holidays in our Conway trailer tent when the kids were at home - that's a long while ago - towed it with a Metro.
So you went camping and left the kids at home? Sounds perfect.
…….. definitely one of the most unusual 🤔 videos on the channel……, let’s see where all this will go ……. This is Hubnut after all !!!
OOOOHHHHHHHHH, I think its awesum aswell. And the berlingo makes it an awesum duo. Seriously...i love them both, lol. love from New Zealand.