Vans-What do you use and where to get one?

[groovy-nights]

Transit connect here can get loads in if you pack it right

[Vectis]

Peugeot partner with a heavy-duty roofrack.

Smallest rig fits in the van nicely.

Largest fits with a bit of twiddling, and all the metalwork (bagged) on the roof.

Massive storage space under the seats (most people don't know that!) for spare cables, bulbs, glowsticks, you name it... even a mixer and CD player.

[Ricesnaps]

Peugeot partner with a heavy-duty roofrack.

Smallest rig fits in the van nicely.

Largest fits with a bit of twiddling, and all the metalwork (bagged) on the roof.

Massive storage space under the seats (most people don't know that!) for spare cables, bulbs, glowsticks, you name it... even a mixer and CD player.

Don't think I'm being rude her, but how the hell cvan you fit a whole disco into a Partner? We've got one and I couldn't even get one length of truss in the back!

I think it's also important (here speaks many years of hard learnt experiance) to apreciate just how limitting and how much of a hassle it is to have a van which "just fits".

[Vectis]

OK... kit list for a typical disco looks like...

Pre-wired Amps, EQ, Laptop stand, Mixer, Radio Mic, Chasers, d2 director, show director all in a 19" 16U+10U wheeled mixer cabinet along with bulgin leads, speakon leads.

2x bass cabs and 2x full-range cabs.

2x data moons (flightcased), 2x stormbirds (cased), 4x dynamos (cased), 2x spinmasters (cased), 2x sound-to-light lasers (boxed), 1x 12" laserball (boxed), crate of leads, crate of accessories (mics, controllers, assorted nick-nacks), laptop bag with 3 lappies, webcam, HDDs, 2x 20" TFTs or 1x video screen and projector (boxed), 4x 4-way spot banks, 12" mirror ball, motor & 2x PAR36s (boxed), hazer and fluid, loopytubes (in a length of soilpipe), starcloth (bagged), UV tube (in a length of soilpipe), small stepladder.

Stands, poles, shelves, gantry (depending on mix) either in-van or on the roofrack.

Usually still enough vision to reverse by the internal mirror!

Probably missed a few nick-nacks off this list.

Sound like the right amount of gear for a decent disco?

[theoloyla]

What same one......

Er....no! Although I have never worn out an engine on one (petrol or diesel) it is always the bodies that go first. I presented Ford with a silver disc in 1980 for my then van (The Boogie Bus) which completed a quarter of a million miles. That had a Perkins diesel engine as Ford didnt make them in those days!

[Thames Valley Discos]

I sometimes use a twin wheel box trailer or her in doors Ford Galaxy.

[rob1963]

Toilet - Ford....same thing isn't it......

[PropellerHeadCase]

Yeah, I'm driving a Ford Toilet, I can fit all sorts of in it!

[Corabar Steve]

Don't think I'm being rude her, but how the hell cvan you fit a whole disco into a Partner? We've got one and I couldn't even get one length of truss in the back!

I think it's also important (here speaks many years of hard learnt experiance) to apreciate just how limitting and how much of a hassle it is to have a van which "just fits".

All I can say is you've either got too much kit, your flight cases are too big or you can't pack properly. I can get 2 speakers, a 6U deep flightcase 2x 4U racks, a 2U rack, 4 or 5 lighting effects, 2iColor 3s, a wheeled toolbox, laptop case & an Ultimax deck / light stand, & still have room for my CDs & be able to see out the back window (can also fit 2m sections of ladder truss their tripods in diagonally on top of the rig) at a push, I can get 2 of our rigs in there

[theoloyla]

I packed my van and in it I put: a 5kw sound system, a 10 kw lighting rig, the Luton Girls pipe Band, 20,000 CD's, Atilla The Hun and the hordes from the Steppes, Moby ****, a JCB, 20 boxes of Kleenex tissues, The entire houses of parliament, a porcupine and a cuddly toy! "Transit the backbone of Britain"