Shuttle conversion plans, thoughts…. Advice?

[Sim667]

We’re expecting a baby so my T5 is going to have to go into retirement and as it’s a daily driver we’ve decided we don’t want a full conversion, so looking at something really versatile. I’m seriously considering a LWB Shuttle with plans to:

Single drivers seat upfront and bench seat, for wife and Baby.

Remove the middle seats when we’re ready to go camping and put them back in for day to day use (baby seat will move to this row day to day).

Van-king bed at the back and leave the back row of seats in, then get the rear drawer from van king too.

The front seats can have rotating plates and I’ll get a diesel heater and leisure battery fitted.

Whilst the baby is small it can go on a cab bunk bed. But this is what I’m struggling to decide on, we’ve had a pop top for yonks on the T5 and inevitably we’ll want one for kiddo, but they seem to cope a bit long in a cab bunk than I thought. So do I pop now? Or wait and see how we get on? I’m a bit worried about the van-king bed, and we’d been thinking about a sliding rib, but with that and a pop top and a new van I’m looking to absolutely blow my budget, where as holding off on either a posh bed or a pop top (or both) helps me out a lot.

I’ve got a company who can remove the interior trim and add some insulation, and do all the other work, and they’ve done stuff on my T5 (only small bits) but I’ve been happy with them.

For a bit of extra storage I’m thinking window bags for the rear 3/4 windows.

I’d also like an awning rail.

Any suggestions or thoughts? Has anyone got experience of the van-king system for third row seats? Also does anyone know if the front bench seats have isofix?

 

[Sim667]

Scarp all of that, I think I’ve changed my plans again.

 

[Linoleum Bonypart]

That’s how mine is with a slide pod at the rear … easy to put in or remove middle seats when you have half a dozen kids to transport … I’ve not bothered with pop top either this time

 

[John A]

This is the way I'd go but with single seats up front and a 1/2 split rear sea for the middle row.
I'd scrap the back row all together and go for a Van King bed - in an LWB, you can have the bed assembled and still have the middle row of seats up and in use.
When you want the space in the back, just take the side beams for the bed frame out and you can have your load space back

 

[Linoleum Bonypart]

Day vans are much better use than a full camper … you get full width bed and a people carrier

 

[CAB]

Scarp all of that, I think I’ve changed my plans again.

You can't send the baby back, you know!

 

[Sim667]

So I’m now considering a ply guys dual bench set up in the back, in a Kombi, and cab bed for kiddo. Its much more affordable.

Dare I say it though, I’m very taken with the newer Ford transit, and you can do a three day test drive so I might do that to see how I get on with them, and then decide if I’d prefer a T6.1 LWB Kombi. I can get a 1 year old transit with 1-2000 miles for the same price as a 4/5 year old Kombi with 40-7000k miles

 

[Chippie1]

I can get a 1 year old transit with 1-2000 miles for the same price as a 4/5 year old Kombi with 40-7000k miles

There’s a reason for that

 

[Sim667]

There’s a reason for that

VW tax

 

[Sim667]

Looking around actually I’m seeing so many niggles and people rejecting their newer Ford’s, that may explain why there’s so many with 1000 miles on the market from 2025.

I think I’m going to play it safe and just try and find an Auto LWB Kombi with 2+1 in the back for about £30-32k….. it seems achievable, but just might mean some driving around. I’d prefer a tailgate but barn doors seem to be much more common.

I’m currently favouring an
- insulate and board (but not spend a fortune on headliner incase we want to add a pop top in the future). We’ll use USB rechargeable lights on the headliner rather than downlighters.
- ply guys benches with the table in the middle (Assynt)
- ply guys wall storage hooks and wall bungee storage (nooks and cowabunga)
- diesel heater
- lithium battery with split charge, and a connection point for solar
- cab bunk for kiddo whilst they’re small, as they get a bit older we could have a curtain put in if they want that, also this might be good for a stealth camp on my own without having to put a windscreen cover on.
- Awning rail
- portapotti in box (if the ply guys thunderbox fits our current portapotti that would be ideal)

Im hoping that’s doable all in for about £40k. It would be nice to have a bit of cash for camping stuff, like a decent 12v fridge, and some more compact camping chairs and a driveway awning.

I’m also starting to think about carrying stuff for camping trips rather than day to day. Are removable roof racks a thing so I can add a roof box when needed? If so how the hell do you get up to it?

Am I right in thinking that all kombi seats the backs can fold forward, so we could use it as a bench seat or a table to put stuff on? And that these chairs can be taken out?