Kombi Day Van Ideas

For the stealth day van owners, fitted this C rail today after having it powder coated black, painted the stainless fasters black after too :thumbsup:

This is to go with a vango airbeam sun canopy, should make a nice setup.

Gotta start thinking about the electrics, solar, heater etc next :whistle:

20200505_152139.jpg20200505_155130.jpg
 
we sound like we might be on a similar path, I have a Kombi and I’m going for the stealth day van look for family use on day trips and the possibility of occasional over nighters Or weekends away. I’m thinking of the 40winks bed as when in the folded position it might be useful as a parcel shelf behind the rear seats (which I will always need in the van even when going away).

Are you going to have swivel seats in the front? I’ve thought about this and a detachable table from Kiravans as an option, but I’m not sure which swivel bases are best.

Where are you going to place your leisure battery? Under a front seat ...?



RedUn said:
Evening!

So after fiddling a lot with the van this year its time to start prepping properly for day van usage :thumbsup:

I'm still reading a lot at the moment to work out my plans of what to do and what to avoid but while I do that I thought I'd put something on here...

So my question is, what are the best day van mods you've done and what could you skip if you did it again?

Currently nailed on, is c rail and airbeam awning. 95% on a diesel heater too.

Thinking about removable beds? Slide pod type jobbies? door stores? solar? Leisure batteries? Anything I've not thought about? I've never done this before so it will be my first day van :cool:

Cheers all!
Click to expand...
 
Calps82 said:
we sound like we might be on a similar path, I have a Kombi and I’m going for the stealth day van look for family use on day trips and the possibility of occasional over nighters Or weekends away. I’m thinking of the 40winks bed as when in the folded position it might be useful as a parcel shelf behind the rear seats (which I will always need in the van even when going away).

Are you going to have swivel seats in the front? I’ve thought about this and a detachable table from Kiravans as an option, but I’m not sure which swivel bases are best.

Where are you going to place your leisure battery? Under a front seat ...?
Click to expand...
Sorry about the delay!

I've not decided on the bed yet, I still think I'll make something myself but I'm not sure what, probably need to have a measure up at some point! The 40winks one does look good though!

Thought about swivels but can't say they are on my list at the moment, they are an easy cheap job to do though if your planning on it:thumbsup:

Leisure battery under passenger seat is my plan at the mo as its dead space anyway.

Currently working on a idea to fit a solar panel without drilling the roof too...
 
fireheed said:
I fitted mine to the roof rack and ran the wire through the grommet at the back door. White wrapped the cables then a dab of sikaflex to hold the cable down on the roof.

If no roof rack then can always be glued to the roof.

View attachment 72435

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View attachment 72437

View attachment 72435

View attachment 72436

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Click to expand...

That looks a great solution. Can even get some lengths of 4x2 down each side.

If the cable ‘taps’ on the roof you can always use a stick on cable tie.

Ian
 
Don't ask me why the pictures doubled up.
The cable shouldn't bounce as it is glued/sikaflexed to the roof to stop that. The first picture is the finished article with it glued straight back.
 
Time to update this slightly... Managed to finally get away with the van in the last couple of months, 4 trips in and some decent changes...

First setup was the vango sun canopy with the sides and my original tent, this was the setup, it was more of a test to be honest as we've got a 1 year old these days and we kind of made sure we had enough space and stuff (lots of stuff!)
20200717_163932.jpg

The sun canopy is great, its genuinely about 15 minutes to setup once you've done it once it's got plenty of shelter, is fully waterproof, we did all our cooking and eating in there. The downside was the tent (ok it's a stupid one I know) but time from starting setup to sitting with a beer, 2 hrs for the entire setup, too much for a quick weekend trip.

I'll use the awning in summer, it's perfect for day trips out or camping in the van when you don't need the big awning... See stage 2 next...
 
So after essentially camping with a van, proving its possible with a baby more like, time to invest more in the van! Stage 2 setup...
20200918_192107.jpg

So we went all in on the awning with a Vango Rhone, what a piece of kit, more living space than the tent and about 40 mins setup (I'm sure I'll get quicker) we used the full interior as living room and kitchen (getting a bit cold at night for the little man), the awning was perfect.

Inside the van rather than my original make plan, I picked up a fortywinks bed after lots of reading it came out tops for me. Bolts to the existing mounting points folds up into a big parcel shelf, it'll also comes out with just 4 bolts if needed. It's genuinely really comfy and massive in there to sleep now and proved the sleeping in the van concept for us. I can even fit my bike under there with the wheel off for one night trips away biking. Makes me happy it's like a garage of a crafter... Just a bit smaller! :whistle:

20200919_113805.jpg

As a side I also picked up an outwell compressor fridge, a 95ah leisure battery from Halfords and a 120w folding solar panel, suffice to say, the fridge is super effecient and then panel really works well. Happily runs the fridge plus charging phones, torches etc with the bmvs connected I could see I was loosing around 0.05vs over night with the fridge set at 4degs. No complaints here :thumbsup:
 
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So for the next stage, I'm a little (a lot) OCD about these things hence taking so bloody long... These bits are definate though...

So the leisure battery is going under the passenger seat, some fancy ctec charger that'll also takes a solar input. My plan is to run folding panels, I was originally going to mount one on the roof but genuinely, there's no point when I think about it. Day to day the leisure battery will keep topped up from driving, the only thing it'll run is led lights, some usbs and a diesel heater every now and then. When camping I'll just take the panels?

Under the drives seat, is going to be the diesel heater, I've still not decided which one yet, it definitely has to be remote but I see now planar, webasto and eber all do remote type app setups, more research required... It will be using the oem calafornia vents though that's mandatory! :thumbsup:

For the windows it'll be a rainbow thermal screen wrap for the front and van shades on all other windows (colours to be decided)

That brings me to the lining and storage, the metal work is fairly simple but that's where it ends for me, too many options for me decide yet... Update coming when I do!

Other things that I'm still pondering...

Door store, like the idea, I hate the look of it, may have to go custom and put one on the other side to match, it's got to match right...open to suggestions on this!

Swivel seats, put off by the height increase at the minute, may just do the passenger, trying to work out if we'll ever use it though with the two awning setups... If I do swivel, I'll get a swing out table for the B pillar on the passenger side and possibly a rail on the drivers side, need a clever way to store the tables, under the double seat I think?

Lastly I'm going to make a few tweaks to the fortywinks bed for some extra storage, I'm not 100% sure on that yet either but it's a work in progress as they say...

Welcome more ideas and suggestions...
 
RedUn said:
So for the next stage, I'm a little (a lot) OCD about these things hence taking so bloody long... These bits are definate though...

So the leisure battery is going under the passenger seat, some fancy ctec charger that'll also takes a solar input. My plan is to run folding panels, I was originally going to mount one on the roof but genuinely, there's no point when I think about it. Day to day the leisure battery will keep topped up from driving, the only thing it'll run is led lights, some usbs and a diesel heater every now and then. When camping I'll just take the panels?

Under the drives seat, is going to be the diesel heater, I've still not decided which one yet, it definitely has to be remote but I see now planar, webasto and eber all do remote type app setups, more research required... It will be using the oem calafornia vents though that's mandatory! :thumbsup:

For the windows it'll be a rainbow thermal screen wrap for the front and van shades on all other windows (colours to be decided)

That brings me to the lining and storage, the metal work is fairly simple but that's where it ends for me, too many options for me decide yet... Update coming when I do!

Other things that I'm still pondering...

Door store, like the idea, I hate the look of it, may have to go custom and put one on the other side to match, it's got to match right...open to suggestions on this!

Swivel seats, put off by the height increase at the minute, may just do the passenger, trying to work out if we'll ever use it though with the two awning setups... If I do swivel, I'll get a swing out table for the B pillar on the passenger side and possibly a rail on the drivers side, need a clever way to store the tables, under the double seat I think?

Lastly I'm going to make a few tweaks to the fortywinks bed for some extra storage, I'm not 100% sure on that yet either but it's a work in progress as they say...

Welcome more ideas and suggestions...
Click to expand...

LED flagpole lights..:laugh::laugh:... Glade your enjoying camping life:thumbsup:

ps... Team Rhone
 
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Love it mate!

good to see you’re taking your time and really looking at the build from start to finish so everything falls in place and you don’t miss something out which then costs to go back and do...

personally, kiravan storage door compartments, are just asking for you to scratch your van when you open the door and somethings moved outta place when driving... can’t imagine you can fit a great deal of useful things in them, andddd they’re ugly like you say. And things will just rattle!!

If your swivel is a double seat for passenger, I’ve seen friends swivels and thought they look bloody hard work! Unlike my captain swivel for ellie (again didnt notice the height increase, but I’d not buy a kiravans one again, I’d go sportskraft... after seeing someone’s, seems a lot sturdier
 
CALLAKN said:
Love it mate!

good to see you’re taking your time and really looking at the build from start to finish so everything falls in place and you don’t miss something out which then costs to go back and do...

personally, kiravan storage door compartments, are just asking for you to scratch your van when you open the door and somethings moved outta place when driving... can’t imagine you can fit a great deal of useful things in them, andddd they’re ugly like you say. And things will just rattle!!

If your swivel is a double seat for passenger, I’ve seen friends swivels and thought they look bloody hard work! Unlike my captain swivel for ellie (again didnt notice the height increase, but I’d not buy a kiravans one again, I’d go sportskraft... after seeing someone’s, seems a lot sturdier
Click to expand...

I have a double Kiravans swivel and it used to be a right pain. Stripped it down and bevelled the edge by about a millimetre on the mating surface. It flies around now and can be done one handedly. It’s amazing the difference it makes. The sharp edge used to cut into the nylon pad every time and made it difficult.:thumbsup:
 
CALLAKN said:
Love it mate!

good to see you’re taking your time and really looking at the build from start to finish so everything falls in place and you don’t miss something out which then costs to go back and do...

personally, kiravan storage door compartments, are just asking for you to scratch your van when you open the door and somethings moved outta place when driving... can’t imagine you can fit a great deal of useful things in them, andddd they’re ugly like you say. And things will just rattle!!

If your swivel is a double seat for passenger, I’ve seen friends swivels and thought they look bloody hard work! Unlike my captain swivel for ellie (again didnt notice the height increase, but I’d not buy a kiravans one again, I’d go sportskraft... after seeing someone’s, seems a lot sturdier
Click to expand...
Slow reply, works been mad!

Your absolutely right on the door stores, it's off the list! I'll build my own instead, just got to work out what and how next...

Were two single seats here, read good reviews on the sportskraft ones, I think it'll be passenger or nothing at the minute... Still to be decided!

Does anyone know if you can swivel a single passenger if you fit the lower comfort dash parts? I'm tempted to add that for the extra storage.

Serious investigation going on at the minute ref diesel heaters...
 
RedUn said:
Slow reply, works been mad!

Your absolutely right on the door stores, it's off the list! I'll build my own instead, just got to work out what and how next...

Were two single seats here, read good reviews on the sportskraft ones, I think it'll be passenger or nothing at the minute... Still to be decided!

Does anyone know if you can swivel a single passenger if you fit the lower comfort dash parts? I'm tempted to add that for the extra storage.

Serious investigation going on at the minute ref diesel heaters...
Click to expand...

Diesel heater also needed my end. We shall see. Might install this time next year.

comfort dash looks ace. Nearly bought one but had to keep the necessities on the list !
 
CALLAKN said:
Diesel heater also needed my end. We shall see. Might install this time next year.

comfort dash looks ace. Nearly bought one but had to keep the necessities on the list !
Click to expand...
I'll you posted on the diesel heater saga...

Yes agreed there, I've got to sort electrics and heater first, the dash is a nice to have a later date as nice as it is!

Hopefully get the electrics ordered this week :thumbsup:
 
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