My double bed conversion!

[fatcatlawyer]

Hi All,

Just got back from a tour of France. Great trip! It would be fair to say that neither self nor wifey are lightweights (38 stone between us). So we knew any formal conversion would seriously eat into our sleeptime comfort. So I removed the middle bench seat.
The lumps in the same had spoilt the potential comfort.

The rear split seats were put flat. To extend the same to the right length I bought a set of those plastic crates that fold flat. Into three of them I put bracing corners (Bits of spare timber 1" x 2" ) each held in place by two plastic cable ties wrapped around the corners and slotted through the "basketwork" . Putting the boxes side by side infront of the flat reat seats was going to extend the bed but they were not high enough so on top of the braced boxes I put a board. on top of the board was a towel and on top of the towel was an air bed, one that had a separate chamber for the pillow. That bit was not inflated. On top of that went a duvet. To finish the scene our sleeping bags were put down. Result comfortable sleepy time. There was enough "floor" to be able to stand and turn arround to dress/undress.

My skills at wood work are so limited, but this way I had confidence that the weight would be borne by us both even if we sat on the airbed together, which we did without mishap

Plenty of space to store food, pots and pans and the other essentials.

Costs of the same would be about £20.

Ian G

[Diplomat]

Very similar system here, except that I've got full length rails and decided to take the rear seat out and slide the more versatile middle seat to the back for sleeping and bring it forward only when carrying passengers.

Plastic crates can take a lot of spread weight using a plywood board over them. My board rests partly on the seats and partly on crates at the front.

Slightly lower crates can easily be slid under the board for ease of access to stored items. When weight is applied by sleepers the board sinks slightly allowing weight to be taken up by the lower crates as well as the front ones. Sometimes I replace one of the front crates with the fridge (immediately behind the passenger seat).

The finishing touch is, of course, the oft mentioned guest mattresses from Lidl, laid over the board and seat.

Another row of plastic crates sits behind the back seat and during bed mode can be accessed one side at a time thanks to the 2/3 split seat back.

My oblong bed board can either fit right across for a double bed or swing through 90 degrees to make an extra long single or day bed on the offside.

Any time I want, it can be returned to car format, even during a trip, as I can bring the seats forward and put the board across the space behind the seats with stuff in the crates below and with the previously front crates on top of it with more cargo in them.

The Bongo provides plenty of scope for ingenuity, even if you have one without full length rails. Both types have their own advantages, it's up to you to maximise them!


Frank

[Wendy'n'Alan]

Photo's please?

[Bongoplod]

Photo's please?

Oh Yes.It`s the law

Brian

[Diplomat]

Round tuits are in short supply but I will take some pics one day. It's got to be easier than having to keep describing my bodges.


Frank

[sdsk]

Round Tuits are still available here:
http://www.quantumenterprises.co.uk/roundtuit/

[Davebo]

Just curious why you put bracing in and why only 3 ?

Did it stop them folding ?

I'm thinking of using ply to cover some boxes and about 3ft x 2ft 6. Was thinking 18mm (nothing like mixing your measurements) for strength.

Thanks, DBo.

...
The rear split seats were put flat. To extend the same to the right length I bought a set of those plastic crates that fold flat. Into three of them I put bracing corners (Bits of spare timber 1" x 2" ) each held in place by two plastic cable ties wrapped around the corners and slotted through the "basketwork" .

[Rebiam]

I never thought of this - we normally keep all the clothes in plastic stackable boxes under the seats and push the middle seats forward to sleep on the middle & front all I would need to acquire is a couple of bits of ply which could lay on the stacked boxes to sleep on and live flat on the floor or in the AFT when not in use. Hmmmm - formulating.

[Rebiam]

I never thought of this - we normally keep all the clothes in plastic stackable boxes under the seats and push the middle seats forward to sleep on the middle & front all I would need to acquire is a couple of bits of ply which could lay on the stacked boxes to sleep on and live flat on the floor or in the AFT when not in use. Hmmmm - formulating.

[Rebiam]

got over excited and double clicked - sorry for the duplicate post

[Dr Fingers]

Done something a bit similar; junked middle row, kept 'splitty' rears, 2 bits of 1/2" MDF, one with supporting legs to extend bed length to about 5'8, one laid on flattened seats, leaves in/out room, plus 3 'memory foam mattress; result..full width beautifully comfortable double, as long as you're under 6'..All folds away flat and stores behind front seats in transit.

I must admit though, that I would have probably kept the middle row if I had had full length rails..

OTOH, the rear splitty's are incredibly versatile/useful. I'm surprised they did away with them.

Derek