THETRUCK SETSTHE PACE When Natascha and Flo bought the LF16, it only had 25,000 kilometers on the clock. It had spent more time being serviced than being driven, as the vehicle was originally designed for short routes. “That was no issue at all,” Flo fondly recalls the 6,000-kilometer trip. “The truck was as reliable and robust as a tractor.” The caravaning newbies made sure to plan the interior of their camper shell with simplicity in mind: everything is easily accessible for maintenance purposes. Flo installed sensors in sensitive areas. He is a true tinkerer in the best sense of the word. When a short damaged the solar-powered induction cooker before their trip and the manufacturers dragged their heels providing feedback, he impatiently opened the stovetop himself. “The issue was completely obvious,” the trained goldsmith says with a disarming nonchalance. There’s no problem this thirtyyear-old cannot solve. The standard gasket on the boiler looked a bit dubious to him, so he had bespoke cutting ring fittings made – they are normally used for hydraulic pipes. During the fire truck’s maiden voyage, perfectionist Flo repeatedly took issue with the flexible rubber tubes of the water supply, as his water detectors noisily roused the couple out of their sleep. “They seemed like the best solution at the time,” he says in retrospect, but the temperature differences kept expanding and shrinking the tubes. This allowed a few drops of water to leak out, which triggered the alarm in turn. Since returning from Scandinavia, he has converted the whole system: “stainless-steel pipes, press fittings, it’s a done thing,” Flo rattles off. The couple are ready for their next adventure and, perhaps, the next caravan conversion of an old fire engine. After all, there are many who would like a bespoke LF16 like theirs. They attracted many admiring glances on their trip, and their first order is pretty much in the bag. 39 HEROESWORLD More pictures from LF16:
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTA1ODY=