Horizon Melaleuca Words & Pictures by Malcolm Street N26735
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RV Review Horizon Melaleuca Words & pictures by Malcolm Street N26735 n the world of motorhomes, one of the because the vehicle has a number of that the VW Crafter vans and cab chassis game changers in Australia and New motorhome friendly features. In the case are no longer available in Australia. IZealand was the arrival of vehicles like of the large vans, it’s mostly to do with Apparently the agreement with Mercedes the Mercedes Benz Sprinter and, slightly items like the swivelling cab seats. Just Benz has come to an end and the Sprinter later, the Fiat Ducato. Not only did they, a footnote to all this is that I understand lookalikes are no more. along with Volkswagen and Iveco, provide a European sourced base vehicle, but as far as this review is concerned, they provided van conversion prospects that were larger than the VW Kombi or Toyota HiAce and could be transformed into comfortable vehicles with a flat floor and a fixed bed. I was reminded of all this in a conversation with Horizon Motorhomes’ Clayton Kearney. We were actually looking over one of his latest conversions, a Fiat Ducato based Melaleuca and discussing base vehicles in general. Clayton made the comment that the arrival of the European vans more or less ended his conversion of Toyota Coasters. One of the advantages of the European vans was that they were a flat floor design, which meant that incorporating the driver’s cab into the motorhome layout became practical and, in many cases, quite easy. This was and is particularly the case with the Fiat Ducato 48 | The Wanderer November 2013 RV Review Specifications Manufacturer Horizon Motorhomes Model Melaleuca Base vehicle Fiat Ducato 150 Multijet Engine 2.3 litre turbo diesel Power 109kW@3600rpm Torque 350Nm@1500rpm Gearbox 6 speed AMT Brakes ABS Disc Tare weight 2,913kg GVM 4,005kg Towing capacity 3,500kg External length 6m (19ft 8in) External width (incl awning) 2.05m (6ft 9in) External height (w’out AC) 2.62 (8ft 7in) Internal height 1.92m (6ft 3in) Interior height (above bed) 1.8m (5ft 11in) Bed size 1.88m x 1.85m (6ft 2in x 6ft 1in) Cooktop Dometic 3 burner with s/s sink combo Fridge Waeco 133 litre 12V compressor Microwave oven Sharp Carousel Lighting 12V LED Batteries 1 x 200 amp hour Air conditioner Opt Toilet Dometic with SOG vent Shower Variable height, flexible hose Hot water heater Truma 14 litre gas/ elec Water tank 150 litre Grey tank 55 litre Base Vehicle – Conversion Dometic toilet cassette, which includes Gas cylinders 2 x 4.0kg As noted above, the Melaleuca is a the SOG vapour extraction feature. Two Price (on road, NSW) $105,000 converted Fiat Ducato van. Horizon used fridge vents and the power inlet socket the 150 Multijet Ducato, which comes complete the picture. Additional fittings with a 2.3 litre 109kW/350Nm. That is on the nearside include both 240V smaller and less powerful than the 3.0 litre and 12V sockets near the nearside tail 130kW/400Nm, which most motorhome light and external LED lights both front manufacturers use, but Horizon’s Clayton and rear. Kearney believes the 150 Multijet is ideal Being a van there are, of course, the for the vans. driver’s cab doors but also the sliding Good thinking There are a number of clues around doors and the rear doors. A problem with • External metallic colour the Ducato, pointing to the fact that it both of those is that when open, insect • Insect screens for side and rear doors is now a motorhome. For a start there entry is a problem. A good option offered • Flexible rear lounge/bed layout are no standard Fiat windows, instead by Horizon are the zippered and press • General internal storage Seitz hoppers have been used all round, stud fitted screens that fit over both doors • Central location for electrics including the rear doors – I like that – excellent in warmer weather when good • Easy driving particular feature. Fitted to the top of the air flow is desired. nearside is a Fiamma F65 awning. That’s slightly different to the normal caravan/ On the Road Could have been motorhome style and has been designed I always consider the Fiat Ducato vans to better with the van roof profile very much be the sports car of the motorhome world, • Smallish kitchen but that’s the price of in mind. especially with the 3.0 litre engine on compromise There are several cut-outs in the board, I was wondering how the smaller Ducato body as well, the mid nearside one 2.3 litre power plant might perform with being the bin for two 4.0kg gas cylinders the six speed AMT gearbox. The answer and the larger offside one being for the is quite well. Sure it’s not going to be as 50 | The Wanderer November 2013 RV Review lively as the larger motor but if a bit of economy is desired, both at purchase time and when on the road, then the 109kW might well suit. Of course the 130kW diesel is certainly available as an option and one I must confess that I still prefer. Certainly the 6m/16ft 8in is an easy handler for any driver, not only on the open road but easy to park and manoeuvre around town as well. Department of the Interior It’s surprising what can be fitted into a Ducato van interior. A number of layouts are possible but this one features a sort of multi-use club style lounge in the rear, a nearside kitchen bench and a small bathroom behind the driver’s seat. The all-round windows give a good level of interior light and ventilation and the lightly hued timber finish of the cabinetry work keeps the space perceptions reasonable. Air conditioners are certainly an option but my review motorhome didn’t have one, instead a large Sirroco fan has been fitted in the rear area. Sleeping Hours It’s the rear lounge in the Melaleuca that sets the tone of the layout. It’s designed with sideways facing seats on either side 52 | The Wanderer November 2013 and a third seat filling the rear door area. It does block the rear door access, but does allow a large bed to be made up, using the seat backs as infills. The made up bed measures 1.88m x 1.85m (6ft 2in x 6ft 1in) which does mean it can be used either way. Alternatively of course, the beds can be used as singles and be left made up. All the windows in the rear have the integrated blinds (also insect screens), however, in the cab area, instead of curtains there are pull out and pull up blinds. Sitting Back Both the cab seats swivel around and although the bathroom blocks their full use as a dining/lounge area, the small table that fits between the seats makes a smallish but workable eating area, not to mention a table for the wine and cheese. In the rear, the sideways lounges also offer good seating or even laying back position. A slight disadvantage of a multiple use lounge is that none of the cushions are contoured, but that’s an acceptable compromise. Fitting neatly in between the seats is the swivelling table; mounted on a Lagun leg with a swivelling arm, it can be rotated around and locked in a variety of positions. November 2013 The Wanderer | 53 RV Review Occupying the air space above the Contact lounge are overhead lockers on three sides. Ballina Campervan and Additionally, the under seat area offers Motorhome Centre plenty of storage space, with the rear area 299 River Street being accessed when the back doors are came with a number of options – metallic Ballina NSW 2478 open. One additional little feature almost paint and colour matched awning ($1,650), Ph: 02 6681 1555 gets missed though; the seat/bed floor is flyscreens on both doors ($900) and the raised slightly, so there’s a useful little floor www.ballinacampers.com.au 12V Sirocco fan ($320) which together level drawer for smaller items. In a way it’s with a stamp duty of $140 added about good for small valuables because it’s not $3,000.00 to the price tag. particularly obvious. Electrics For the electrics there are, of course, both Verdict Catering a 240V and a 12V system, the latter being In many ways the Melaleuca is a good A smallish motorhome like the Melaleuca supplied by a 200 Amp Hour deep cycle example of a number of large van (not is going to have a kitchen to match – no battery. A three stage alternator supplied necessarily Fiat Ducato based) layouts surprises there. Fitted into the kitchen charger keeps the battery up to speed that are available from Horizon. It’s well bench top is a Dometic three burner and solar panels are certainly an option. put together and in my opinion shows the cooktop with stainless steel sink combo. Something to consider, if you are planning experience that Horizon has with large Underneath the cooktop is that other to travel to remote locations, is to stay with van conversions - mainly because that useful cooking device, a microwave oven, the 12V compressor fridge. Undoubtedly is all the company does. Not to mention whilst the rest of the area is filled with one of the most useful features is that all the development and refinement that has variously sized drawers. In a rig like this, the 12V switches, battery voltmeter and occurred over the years.