Find me a van then...

[weeksy]

I can't remember what yours is but if it's a lwb then hammocks would work well without a major conversion or losing any space in the van.

Mine is swb. I don't fancy a hammock in the slightest

Shame, they're incredibly comfortable.

If it's a swb then getting a pop up roof with a double bed would solve the problem without any loss of space. Can be claustrophobic though.

Yeah a pop top and heating would resolve most issues in truth. I'd be happy enough in the floor with a mattress and he'd get the roof, it'd work fine as long as we get heating

[dern]

Mine is swb. I don't fancy a hammock in the slightest

Shame, they're incredibly comfortable.

If it's a swb then getting a pop up roof with a double bed would solve the problem without any loss of space. Can be claustrophobic though.

Yeah a pop top and heating would resolve most issues in truth. I'd be happy enough in the floor with a mattress and he'd get the roof, it'd work fine as long as we get heating

The good thing about the pop top is that you don't have to take anything out of the van. With the bulkhead removed you get out of the pop top on to the front seats and out the front doors. Anything else means shifting a load of stuff to put a bed down.

The diesel heaters are supposed to be pretty good. I'm about to install one in the garage for cold days. One of the lads a couple of years ago had one in their van at Pembrey if memory serves.

[cheb]

My ex-BT Mk5 Transit had an Eberspacher unit that was plumbed into the coolant system. There was a timer so the van could be set to be warm before you drove off or woke up. It also had a hand wash basin and tap.

[weeksy]

My ex-BT Mk5 Transit had an Eberspacher unit that was plumbed into the coolant system. There was a timer so the van could be set to be warm before you drove off or woke up. It also had a hand wash basin and tap.

Yeah but then I guess needs power as well from what I've read, so we're then starting and getting to campers and expense really. There's not a simple or cheap plan I can come up with, hence waiting a while and for now just slumming it in Premier Inn

[cheb]

It ran off the 12V van electrics and had a cut off if the battery voltage dropped enough. It'd be easy to combine it with a leisure battery and not worry.

I'll try and find a link for it.

[Felix]

I put a Chinese diesel heater in my camperbus and it was excellent. Little noise when firing up to heat but then it just trickles away as the thermostat kicks in and off for the rest of the night. I tapped mine into the fuel tank to save dicking about with smelly diesel and mounted the pump outside teh van as the ticking of the pump can be annoying if inside.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Is Chinese diesel that bright red stuff they put on ready made chicken kebabs?

[KungFooBob]

Is Chinese diesel that bright red stuff they put on ready made chicken kebabs?

Only after it's been heated.

[Mussels]

Insulating a van will be pricey, what can be done to insulate yourselves?
What are your beds now, insulting mats help a lot. How much are better sleeping bags?
Getting out of a warm bed into a cold van won't be nice but how much are you willing to spend on the few nights that happens?

[Taipan]

Cant imagine sleeping in a pop up in colder weather!

[KungFooBob]

Imho, in cold weather sleeping in an unmodified panel van is colder than a tent. Also the condensation that drips on you all night from the tin roof is fucking annoying.

[Noggin]

Imho, in cold weather sleeping in an unmodified panel van is colder than a tent. Also the condensation that drips on you all night from the tin roof is fucking annoying.

Everyone always said that to me, but I did it a lot! Kept a window open at the front (no bulkhead) and had a mattress topper type thingy (memory foam if I remember rightly) and then a 13 tog duvet. I don't ever remember being cold!

However - don't mention fucking tents!!! No, not IN tents!! I do so hate camping under canvas!! was half the reason I bought the Transit!!

[cheb]

If you are on the tall side look for Dutch army sleeping bags. Longer than usual and warm down to the sort of cold we can expect in this country.

[weeksy]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276711746122 ... R7izh-jpZA

This sort of thing is the dream, but less expensive than this one.

The bed that raises/lowers is awesome !!! Absolutely perfect that.

[Taipan]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276711746122 ... R7izh-jpZA

This sort of thing is the dream, but less expensive than this one.

The bed that raises/lowers is awesome !!! Absolutely perfect that.

So you have to take the bikes out to go to sleep. A bit of a security issue that?

[weeksy]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276711746122 ... R7izh-jpZA

This sort of thing is the dream, but less expensive than this one.

The bed that raises/lowers is awesome !!! Absolutely perfect that.

So you have to take the bikes out to go to sleep. A bit of a security issue that?

Nah, you may have to whip the front wheel out and lower the bed... bikes are not THAT tall.

Anything and everything is going to be a compromise in some way really. I don't massively need the bed side of things, the bike carrying thing is arguably more important. I've got 18 months before i have to decide though and how the racing/plans are going then will play quite a lot of a factor in the decisions when we get to there.

[Pirahna]

I had mine done with a fixed bed above the slide out boot tray.





It was only for wifey and I so the front was just a lounge/eating space but could have easliy accomodated a drop down bed. The optional higher top would have been ideal, I've been in one and there was enough headroom to stand up under the bed.

Something to consider, I had no gas in mine. The fridge was electric, I had two decent leisure batteries with room for a more if I needed them and two solar panels on the roof. The hob was a Webasto diesel running from the van fuel tank, heating and hot water was also diesel powered.

[weeksy]

The downside to the slideout tray is getting 3 bikes in and out regularly at places like Pontypool, we'll often self-uplift and refitting wheels would be a pain in the arse.

[Pirahna]

The downside to the slideout tray is getting 3 bikes in and out regularly at places like Pontypool, we'll often self-uplift and refitting wheels would be a pain in the arse.

It's surprising how tall bikes are when ready to ride. To be able to sit up in bed and have ready to go bikes underneath it I would have needed the high top van or a pop top. The van in the pics is the extended Crafter, so 7.4m instead of the usual 6.9m you see around. Something else to bear in mind with big vans is the weight. When I picked mine up I filled it fuel and drove to the nearest weighbridge, it was almost bang on 3.5t empty. I'd specced heavy duty suspension and had air assistance fitted so it was just a paper exercise to take it to 4.2 tonnes, fine if you've got a license for it, if your son will be driving he'll need to do the 7.5 tonne test.

[dern]

It would be a shit load easier, warmer and more comfortable to just get a towbar and a caravan.