Converting My Van - Questions And To Kitchen Or Not

[Snx72]

Hi

I am just about to start my van conversion, I have a Black VW T6 Kombi Hi line DSG LWB. I have spent hours reading through the various posts and conversations on here and they have been very helpful.

We will be using the van with 2 children ages 7 & 9. I also use the vehicle as my main transport.

I love the practicality of the vans loading space and didn't want to compromise this with a fixed bed e.g (RIB bed). I also thought that a full width bed will ultimately give me and the wife a better nights sleep.

I know that when we go touring there will be load of stuff to pack, awnings, , bbq, chairs, beach stuff etc. and this is better packed behind us than in the middle of the van.

I haven't committed any money yet so can reverse any choices that I have pencilled in.

So my current thinking is - Fitting a 3 seater Caravelle rock n roll bed on rails. I have been quoted a fitting with SWB rails and a Caravelle SWB floor trimmed in (this is by a different business to my converter). Not sure what this looks like but if anyone has this done this, please post pictures.... The floor is carpeted - Caravelle ?

Questions - Should I opt for LWB rails and get the converter to fit a new floor? So then I can have a hard covered floor?

Also thinking of a small kitchen pod (seen some nice ones on Evo Motion design) - so that tea coffee can be made in the morning without anyone getting cold.

Anyone experience these and how can I use the rails to attach the unit?

I'll also want a removable fridge, what are the options and should I be specifying a place for this to live to get the relevant electrics near it.


My converter fits Austop Roofs, any concerns with these? I'm having the scenic canvas on the roof. The will also do the insulation & carpeting, diesel heater and solar panel and electrics.

This is all happening in May / Early June.

What is keeping me up at night........

I'm struggling whether this is the right thing as we are skipping the side kitchen, Should I look at having slim kitchen unit fitted on the side and have a 3 seater Reimo seats. Did I read on here that the seat are very high?

Is sleeping on a 2 seater California bed ok and should I not worry about it and get the kitchen..... as it is a must.....

I also worry about the converter doing the simple 3 led lights down the middle of the roof and not doing those extra touches that make the van special.


Any help most welcome.

 

[sam wildcat]

hi, im doing a shuttle at the moment keeping the 3 seater in the back and built at frame and bed to make into 6 foot bed and having the kitchen at front. not the best joinery work but does me. bed folds into back so i can use the seats

 

[sam wildcat]

kitchen

 

[Carbon13]

I have a removable fridge/freezer, an Outwell DeepCool 35, its big enough for the important cool things, milk/oj/dairy/salad etc and it's 12 or 240v,v v quiet and v low energy use. It's a rebadged Dometic/Waeco from last gen afaik, 50l version is of course bigger but v heavy if you want to remove it often. It fits between the pod and the RIB, when the RIB is in bed format its underneath it.

I have a kitchen pod, purpose built, single burner hob and sink, clean/dirty water underneath plus enough storage for tea/coffee/4 pans, kettle, cutlery, plates, bowls, side plates, chopping boards, EHU cable etc everything you need to hand, 12v and 240v plugs built in, it's fixed behind the drivers seat.

The Outwell will actually fit in it if I remove the cooking box and the water containers, it plugs into either the 12 or 240v sockets on the pod depending on what power we have available.

I have an Austop with panorama option, it's excellent, very high quality, solid and a 5 year warranty, I've met the owner a couple of times and been to the factory, nothing but good things to say about them

I have a 150 RIB on a silder and it is AMAZINGLY good, lots of storage underneath and on the 'parcel shelf it creates we have 2 Duvalays and an inflatable awning, under that is a huge plastic box for the rest of the food, clothing.

All electrics and leisure battery are under the passenger seat.

Get the diesel heater fitted externally in the spot VW created for it under the drivers seat it'll be quieter.

 

[Jay17cali]

Sort of have the same dilemma....
we have owned campers for 20 years and only really realised recently that we never cook in the van,nothing useful or important really goes in the cupboards,that we couldn’t put in storage boxes,we totally use the fridge,we definitely make a brew in the van in the morning.
one thing I don’t like is having no arm room in bed.so our last California got sold and we now have a Kombi on order.usable for van stuff Kombi bed for sleeping,quality cool box for cold stuff .....just the morning brew to sort out but I think there’s always the camping stove to make that ...but still I keep asking myself if I’m doing the right thing?????

 

[DXX]

A 2 seater California bed is plenty wide enough for two adults. This will allow you a kitchen and storage.
I opted to go gas free with a Wallas XC Duo which is also a heater on a thermostat. Very safe with kids about, almost zero fire risk, no fumes inside the van and no condensation from burning LPG.
I'd go for the normal hard industrial vinyl floor as it's much easier to keep clean, especially with kids.

 

[Surfrdan]

Doing similar myself. Taking a Highline Kombi and adding caravelle rails and floor with a 3 seat sliding bench. Then adding diesel heater and leisure electrics + 240v hookup. Plan is to eventually put a 194 roof in, but for now the family will be split between the 3 seat bench and a Vango Galli awning.

 

[Snx72]

Sort of have the same dilemma....
we have owned campers for 20 years and only really realised recently that we never cook in the van,nothing useful or important really goes in the cupboards,that we couldn’t put in storage boxes,we totally use the fridge,we definitely make a brew in the van in the morning.
one thing I don’t like is having no arm room in bed.so our last California got sold and we now have a Kombi on order.usable for van stuff Kombi bed for sleeping,quality cool box for cold stuff .....just the morning brew to sort out but I think there’s always the camping stove to make that ...but still I keep asking myself if I’m doing the right thing?????

We have just taken the van to Devon for the weekend. A family of four have so much stuff that would never fit in a line of cupboards. What is important is a good night sleep for us. I’m 6’5 so need as much space as possible . I’m now sure that we’re doing the right thing. Can’t wait for the conversion now. Should be finished in the middle of June

 

[Snx72]

A 2 seater California bed is plenty wide enough for two adults. This will allow you a kitchen and storage.
I opted to go gas free with a Wallas XC Duo which is also a heater on a thermostat. Very safe with kids about, almost zero fire risk, no fumes inside the van and no condensation from burning LPG.
I'd go for the normal hard industrial vinyl floor as it's much easier to keep clean, especially with kids.

I definitely think a hard floor is what we want as well and have changed our floor plans. We are having a diesel heater but will just have a small camping stove for our morning brew. As I’m really tall I think the Cali bed will not work for us.

 

[Snx72]

Doing similar myself. Taking a Highline Kombi and adding caravelle rails and floor with a 3 seat sliding bench. Then adding diesel heater and leisure electrics + 240v hookup. Plan is to eventually put a 194 roof in, but for now the family will be split between the 3 seat bench and a Vango Galli awning.

Sounds good - we need to get sorted with our awning. I will look at the Vango Galli

 

[Snx72]

I have a removable fridge/freezer, an Outwell DeepCool 35, its big enough for the important cool things, milk/oj/dairy/salad etc and it's 12 or 240v,v v quiet and v low energy use. It's a rebadged Dometic/Waeco from last gen afaik, 50l version is of course bigger but v heavy if you want to remove it often. It fits between the pod and the RIB, when the RIB is in bed format its underneath it.

I have a kitchen pod, purpose built, single burner hob and sink, clean/dirty water underneath plus enough storage for tea/coffee/4 pans, kettle, cutlery, plates, bowls, side plates, chopping boards, EHU cable etc everything you need to hand, 12v and 240v plugs built in, it's fixed behind the drivers seat.

The Outwell will actually fit in it if I remove the cooking box and the water containers, it plugs into either the 12 or 240v sockets on the pod depending on what power we have available.

I have an Austop with panorama option, it's excellent, very high quality, solid and a 5 year warranty, I've met the owner a couple of times and been to the factory, nothing but good things to say about them

I have a 150 RIB on a silder and it is AMAZINGLY good, lots of storage underneath and on the 'parcel shelf it creates we have 2 Duvalays and an inflatable awning, under that is a huge plastic box for the rest of the food, clothing.

All electrics and leisure battery are under the passenger seat.

Get the diesel heater fitted externally in the spot VW created for it under the drivers seat it'll be quieter.

Thanks - some great details. I’ll definitely ensure the diesel heater is positioned as you mentioned. I’m going to research the RIB 150 before committing to the Caravelle bed.

 

[t0mb0]

We’d never do without a side kitchen but then our van is primarily a camper rather than a van we can also use for camping. Essential kit all lives full time in the van so we can just chuck in a bag of clothes and go.

 

[Insert Coin]

I had the choice of a kitchen or a full width bed in my LWB Kombi. I chose the bed as I'm 6ft 7" and need a decent nights sleep.

I've got a Galli II awning and a Coleman event shelter, we cook and make tea/coffee etc under the shelter, no need to cook in the van.

Unless your're a midget or have a poptop I'm assuming you have to kneel whilst cooking in a camper kitchen?

Plus the smell of cooking in a van makes me want to heave, but each to their own.

 

[t0mb0]

Yep, we do have a pop top. I agree side kitchen without a pop top could be problematic (especially given kids wouldn’t have anywhere to sleep!).

We cook outside and use awnings etc when on sites for a while. Couple of days ago we stopped over wild camping the night in the Brecons though on the way back from visiting family. Being able to whip up some quick pasta then is pretty useful.

The joy of vans is that everyone can kit them out to fit exactly what they want it for.

 

[Ads_Essex]

..As I’m really tall I think the Cali bed will not work for us.

Funnily enough I’ve just been measuring up the Multiflex / bed extension that I’m making up to suit my Cali 2-seater bed, and even though it’s only a LWB van, you can go well past 6’6” and still have floor space available between the bed (when set up to sleep in) and the front seats.

Be mindful that some of the other bed manufacturers govern the actual length of the bed by way of incorporating it as part of the seat itself.

 

[sam wildcat]

hi. LWB Shuttle ,this is my final test built to see if this is the layout i want Just to test it out for a few days away.
i can cook from sitting on the 3 seater and the bed comes in at 6ft 4ins and a loo on the right side. I can still cook when the bed is made up. If this set up is right for me i will get a joiner [converter] to make bed and units

 

[Strettyp]

I'm getting an lwb kombi (should be getting it in the next week or so) and have specced a factory heater and swivel front seats, so that I can use it as a light camper (literally just for weekends away hiking in the UK) as well as driving to work). It's going to be insulated and carpet lined and have tables fitted, but otherwise that's it in terms of fit out, and I'm planning a drive away awning to do any cooking as I don't want sink/cooker fitting nor do I want a toilet.

My question is that other than it having a bed (temporarily) fitted it just looks like an empty van and will be classified as a commercial vehicle, does anyone with a similar set up have any problems with campsites where you're a commercial vehicle technically but are never used commercially, but can't be classified as a motorhome either.

Trying to anticipate any issues with over zealous campsites preventing me pitching up etc - any advice/experience welcome!

 

[Insert Coin]

I don't think you'll have any issues with a Kombi, I doubt many campsites would know the difference between a Kombi and a California to be honest.

I can understand sites being a bit snooty about white Transit panel vans due to our jolly old travelling friends, but VW vans are generally driven by a better class of owner (or chauffeur obvs)

 

[Strettyp]

That's good to know, thank you!

While I'm not ready for a full motorhome I still want to be able to access a hot shower and a proper khazi after a long days walking - not quite ready to go fully rogue

 

[Shaun Witts]

I have taken inspiration from the Beach for my SWB panel van conversion: I have low level storage down the side, which also contains a fridge and inverter, and a California 2 seat bed alongside, that will give a full width bed by using the top of the storage. As I’m still waiting for the seat to be trimmed, I haven’t actually taken delivery yet (so a single mattress on the floor suffices for now), but I’m sure hoping its big enough for my 6 foot 1” frame.