Interior idea sense check

[Paynewright]

Currently we need to maintain 6 seats as occasionally need to transport us 4 and 2 elderly parents. SWMBO doesnt like the double front seat so we have two captains chairs up front, 2+1 in row two and a single shuttle seat in row three.

Dilema is that we want a camper with bed for weekends / holidays away for two of us. We dont want a cooker or sink in the van, just a comfy bed and place to sit if the weather inclement. No pop top. A kombi bed arrangement is too high and leave little space to manoeuvre.

I’ve been pondering layouts and think the best compromise is a fully removable U shape layout. I’d go for full buffalo board floor with cut outs for the seat brackets. Then mark out the cabinets and use M6 T nuts pulled into the ply floor to hold down the cabinets to make them removeable.

What are your thoughts on this idea? As I type I do wonder if a sliding rail Cali / Caravelle set up would be best?

 

[TallPaul_S]

The std caravelle layout is the 3 seat bench at the rear, which folds into a double bed (with the multi flex board or similar at the back), 2x single seats in the mid row, and 2x front seats.

That would probably suit you perfectly. 7 seats, and easily (5 minute job) convert the bench seat into a double bed.

 

[Paynewright]

Just having a quick search on ebay it looks like a £6k spend to swap out our seats for caravelle rail seats with matching front seats. U shape probably <£1k.

Looks cheaper (more cost effective) to sell our van and buy a caravelle or go U shape!

 

[CJW]

Some U-shape installs have two passenger positions with seat belts. Extends out to a full width full length bed. Cascade Solace is an example. You could then have a folding table (like mine in the pic) and still fit (I think) two removable non-sliding seats in the mid area where the sliding door is. That’d be a 2+2+2 layout.

Mine’s a LWB, however.

 

[Paynewright]

I’m now thinking I’m going to make a modular ply box system in a U shape style.

I was thinking of using a fairly thin ply, perhaps 9mm with 25mm square planed timber glued / screwed into all internal corners to add strength. Then have the bed platform thicker but with holesaw cut holes to lighten.

My idea is to make 2 rectangle boxes that fit behind the kombi seats that can be left in but are removeable, screwed to the floor on 4 prong T nuts. They’d have a hinged piece that folds out to make the bed.

There would be two additional boxes that add onto the row once the the seats are removed to make up the full bed.