I hope this helps others creating their own "Poor Man's" camper conversion. I searched around TH-cam for something when I was planning this build and didn't find much so...here you go.
He's the very very RARE breeds of AMERICANA that's disappearing fast ! Just when you start to give up & accept the new breeds of good for nothing as the " norm " they pop up like this & announce they still exist & renew your hope! May God shadow him in every way & give him the strength to do his thing 🙏
Thanks for the share. You're right, there wasn't a lot out there for ideas untill recently. I converted my 2003 caravan 10 years ago calling it my poor man's RV. I opted for a solid plywood platform with enough clearance underneath for all our camping, fishing and cooking gear. Topped it off with a foam matress and a cover. Rather than sitting inside, it was easier to rig an awning that can attatch to either side of the sliding doors. Personal gear is stored in a couple of duffle bags that get transfered to the front passenger seats when we set up. Folding chairs and a small table transport nicely on top of the foam matress. Canoe goes on the roof. It's great for stealth camping en route and you can't beat a caravan for fuel efficiency compared to the big hogs.
That is the best dual perpouse setup i have seen, could,nt be better. simple strong and practical...it goes to show, simple is always best...it,s just a matter of waiting for some bright spark to think of it....I love the idea. i,m going to put that one in my ideas book for future ref...Thankyou...loved it
Agreed. I have watched a number of videos and this is what I had in mind. I am going to make a few mods. My wife and I are both tall so I am going to go with 8in vs 12in. The 4 inches of foam concerns me. How did it work out for you? Great video..thanks and enjoy your adventures!
Cool, Mini-vans rule!!! I got so much grief when I proposed to the wife about purchasing one but videos like this prove that it is an empty canvas to be utilized for just about anything. i've hauled an upright piano, a yard full of brush, and 10 foot lumber in my van and now I have inspiration to use it for camping. i'm sure it's safer than a flimsy tent and much more comfortable. I'll probably do what you did but keep the back seat ( or at least the 2/3 portion) upright. Then I'll build a frame for sleeping and storage. It has to accommodate two adults and a 2 year old.
This bed can be left in and there is still room to put in the three middle seats. That said we have never had the seats in AND the foam in the van at the same time but I think you could if you cut the foam in 4 pieces. The seats still have to come out to fold the bed down.
The van I have has the tuck away back seats. That being said I was thinking of tucking away the 2/3 of that seat and leaving the 1/3 for a car seat. When it's time to sleep I would put the car seat in the front seat (or roof carrier) for storage and to free up that 1/3 seat for contributing to the overall bed. I have a question. my wife was concerned about ventilation. Is there a ventilation issue with sleeping in a van? I wo0uldn't think so as I spend at least two hours a day driving in an ever growing crowd of traffic in Austin to work and back everyday.
Wow! I have the exact same idea in mind. I have sketches in my ipad and I plan to have that design in my suv. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your video for a more realistic visual representation than just my imagination.
DE TODAS LAS OPCIONES QUE VEO EN YOU TUBE PARA HACER ASIENTOS CAMAS EN LAS CAMIONETAS VANS LA TUYA ES LA MEJOR, SIN DUDAS, POR LA SIMPLE, Y PRACTICO TE FELICITO SALUDOS DESDE ARGENTINA
Great design; I hope you don't mind me borrowing a few ideals from it. I'm puting a 16" top on my caravan so I won't have the low roof issue to deal with. Good job.
Great job, very nice the way it looks and folds up foe a shorter person who could sleep sideways in a full size van this could be just made with the legs below and a back that folds down .
I Should Stop watching van life/transformation. More I watch more I want to have my own. Then I think if I will be able to handle the cold weather and the every night hassle of where to park. In my community I have seen two mini vans recently. I think it's a matter of time until neighbors call the police. Great Video by the way.
Thanks! We have used it quite a bit for camping and really like the Tail Veil tent for the rear hatch... and no I don't represent the company! We can get all but our cooler and food box under the platform.. oh and two extra blankets we usually take. The draw backs so far are that the 4" foam we use didn't get cut to provide cushions for the seat/back but rather left in two larger pieces and 4" is too thick I think. This means that the back section stays down all the time and we just stack the two foam pieces there. Works for us and I think if we ever get "rained out" and have to spend lots of time in the van (but we would likely sit in the Tail Veil anyway) we could still shove the foam to the back and adjust the seat for sitting. That said we sit on the seat all the time with the foam stacked in the back, just have to sit "back" on the seat because of the overhang. Happy Camping!
Cheers for the quick reply buddy.. yeah ive had my eye on the teil veil aswell. . They look awesome. . Well.. try and find something of the sort... there's also canvas one made by outback camping... looks way more durable than the nylon veil.. anyways keep it up.. ciao..B
You're right Bob, but there's a/c solutions imo like two a/c's in both front windows, or two roof top a/c, I just got back from Ocala NF Florida deer hunting, could not stay in van (no a/c) the heat and humidity problem, so we slept in 8×10 tent, more ventilation, should have brought my 5000 btu a/c. Lol
like the converible design. ideally i would like enough clearance for siut cases or travel bags to fit under for storage, but as you have found the head room is a limiting factor, and another thing with little to no head clearance could lead to a sore head on a bumpy trail
Nice, I might take your design but only make it 30inches wide so I can keep the smaller seat in the back that comes with a sienna. Trying to think how I could fold forward to make a table of sorts when not in use. So if it could work as a chair (remember 30" wide or so), a bed, and a table....well shoooot, done deal. Side note, I'm split on keeping the bigger seat tucked in the cargo area with this setup.
This is GREAT. My husband and I really want to convert our Toyota Sienna by building a bedstead like this. Could you give actual measurements or a materials list so we could figure out whether this would work for us.
The measurements are directly tied to your vehicle... sorry but you will have to scratch your head and do some measuring to figure out what will work in your van. Look at the other comments to find a link to another build that I relied heavily on to figure out what I could do.
It is functional... just spent a night - before hiking into the canyon - at Mather on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, the bed and storage under works out very well. thanks!
I've been looking into different versions of this idea a box that goes into the back and folds over the front two seats. Or taking the rear seat out and using the removable captains chairs up front for transport then using them for camp chairs at camp and implementing this idea. Placing swivels under the front two chairs would be cool too. Do you have any more detailed info or pics on the bed structure? Or even a video.
thinking like you. i have already made my seats behind so can be slide ahead and lain down and the third row seats arranged to lay down also wher they would ajion the second. so far row and then a small platform to fill out the remaing space for a bed platform. had also considered using reclining lawn chair or something similar reversed in the back b but finding enough room for two side by side is anotherut havent found a lawn chair that woud fully recline. the zero gravity recline almost all the way
Do you think you could make a bed frame in the minivan with the backseats still in place? The backseats that came stock in the car, I want to be able to have people sit back there with the while we drive, which require seat belts. great video by the way.
If the back seats fold into the floor it would be possible but would require a completely different design. Hunt around on TH-cam maybe someone has done that. Good luck!
Great design on the couch bed. Are you still using this system? It would be great to see the support mechanism for the backrest from the rear of the van. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you.... no we moved on to a class b RV a few years back. The support for the back rest is quite simple being just a notch in the 2x4 frame for the plywood to slide into. To make the slot I just positioned the back rest where I wanted it then laid a straight edge on the back side and against the 2x4 frame this allowed a line to be drawn on the frame projecting the angle needed for the support notch/slot. Then just used a jigsaw to cut out a notch about 1.5 inches deep. Hope that helps! Cheers!
This is awesome! My boyfriend and I are getting our Honda Odyssey ready for some cross-country roadtrpping and we are DESPERATE for some blackout curtain/panel options (bright sunlight in the AM is one of our mutual pet peeves)...yours look basically exactly like what we want: something fitted rather than a roll of reflective bubble paper. Can you let me know where you got them or how you made them? Thanks!
Actually the windows are just tinted fairly darkly. They look darker than they are in the video. We used the relective windshield bubble stuff you refer to. We can buy it by the foot at the local hardware store then cut to fit snugly in the windows.
Hi Don thank you so much for sharing this is exactly what I've been looking for. Any way you have some plans or maybe some websites where I can get it to build one myself? Any help will be much appreciated. I have a Nissan serena which I believe will work just fine and am on a budget myself :-). Hope you can help and thanks again. Blessings
Hey Derik glad this helps a little! Like you I looked all over the web for what I wanted but didn't find it exactly. This build by a guy in Canada is really what I based off of and then altered it from there to suit my van/needs: www.morehawes.co.uk/travelling/canada/minivan-camper-conversion-stage-one-complete Hope this helps! Don
Don Welch Thanks again Don, yes this will definitely help! Thanks for the link and I will have a look. Did you manage to build a sort of a "kitchen" unit you were talking about? Blessings. Derik :)
Hey man thanks for sharing and great job, this gave me the idea to do something very similar when I get my minivan in a few weeks (trading in my Hyundai)......so can I ask you how deep is the bench seat section that flips over on to the floor? looks maybe 15"
Hey Cody... I think it is 18" you will have to decide what fits your van and how long you need the bed for comfort - divide it up and start cutting! I had the guy at Home Depot cut the plywood on their saw making it easier to haul home and one step out of the way!
Yeah I'm about 6 ft tall so 74" should be long enough for mine to. I think what I'm going to do though is turn around the flip down bench and put it up against the front seats, then make like a back board....or divider about 16" from the back to put a cooler and stuff. I'll put up a video when it's done....thanks again!
Heat is a problem regardless of the vehicle. We now own a class b RV and it has A/C but if you are in really hot weather it isn't even that effective... better than a minivan without air but hot is hot.
Thanks but I have a chevy beauville 1992 1ton fullsize van I'm going to build a plaform bed with storage it will be a full time set-up. Thanks for the offer thow
hey don... just wanted to thank you for the video. i am an aspiring van camper owner and am doing a lot of research on types of vans and different ways to set up the sleeping platform. yours looks like a great piece of workmanship. i was wondering what type of van that is? also, what did you spend on all the materials ballpark? appreciate the help. be well!
It is a 2001 Chevy Venture... I spent around $100 for materials not including the foam. Foam will run about $100 itself - but i found an Ikea futon mattress at the local thrift shop - very clean one for $10.00.
I wish I could... I don't have the van anymore and have already re-purposed most of the wood. If you pause the video here and there I think you will see that it is pretty simple.
Sorry Matthew, no drawings at all... I would take a picture for you but I disassembled the platform the other day - we were able to get a reasonable Class B van so are no longer using the minivan as a camper. Try looking at this website - it is where I got a lot of my design ideas from: www.morehawes.co.uk/travelling/canada/minivan-camper-conversion-stage-one-complete
thanks, i like it but i think it could be simplified even more without the sliding forward bit which doesn't seem to serve any purpose. also the arms take up a lot of space, i'd go with a couple of hinged legs.
Hey Steve...it's all about customizing to fit you're own application...go for it! The sliding forward part is so the seat doesn't hang over so far it tips everything up when you sit on it AND it helps extend the platform forward for length. I kept the frame back further so I could put ice chests, etc in front of the seat when moving. I'm with you on the arms... I would re-design those a bit - if you look closely you will see the 2x2 mounted to the plywood sticks out a little, this was/is to form a support bridging both sections of the plywood - reduce "springiness," and it worked. Thanks for noticing the arm rests support the platform when folded out! Someone posted earlier they would just eliminate them...eh.... :-)
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That bed/seat is a wonderful idea! Great job, Sir!
It took me at least 4 minutes to realize he didn’t have his left arm. I love the functionality of the bed. It’s genius
I was so impressed with the build, I didn't even notice the missing appendage until he sat down at 4:30.
Now I'm even more impressed.
He's the very very RARE breeds of AMERICANA that's disappearing fast !
Just when you start to give up & accept the new breeds of good for nothing as the " norm " they pop up like this & announce they still exist & renew your hope!
May God shadow him in every way & give him the strength to do his thing 🙏
Great build. Thanks for the video! You gave me some great ideas for my build 👍😊
It's amazing that this hasn't been made into an option from the factory, haha. Looks very professional. Well done.
Thanks for the share. You're right, there wasn't a lot out there for ideas untill recently. I converted my 2003 caravan 10 years ago calling it my poor man's RV. I opted for a solid plywood platform with enough clearance underneath for all our camping, fishing and cooking gear. Topped it off with a foam matress and a cover. Rather than sitting inside, it was easier to rig an awning that can attatch to either side of the sliding doors. Personal gear is stored in a couple of duffle bags that get transfered to the front passenger seats when we set up. Folding chairs and a small table transport nicely on top of the foam matress. Canoe goes on the roof. It's great for stealth camping en route and you can't beat a caravan for fuel efficiency compared to the big hogs.
Excellent! Nice build and implementation
Beautifully done! You are making me rethink how I want to outfit my Outback. Kudos!
This is so awesome. I guess yours are the best so far. Love it 😍😍😍
That is the best dual perpouse setup i have seen, could,nt be better. simple strong and practical...it goes to show, simple is always best...it,s just a matter of waiting for some bright spark to think of it....I love the idea. i,m going to put that one in my ideas book for future ref...Thankyou...loved it
Thank you for the kind comments. We have since graduated to a Class B van but this rig served us well for a season or two!
brianfindsal
Agreed. I have watched a number of videos and this is what I had in mind. I am going to make a few mods. My wife and I are both tall so I am going to go with 8in vs 12in. The 4 inches of foam concerns me. How did it work out for you? Great video..thanks and enjoy your adventures!
This is exactly want I planned for my conversion !! Very good’
I am impressed !!!! With skills and motivation like that you are far from being "poor". You are not the money you have in your wallet or Bank.
Great idea on the seat bed, thanks for posting this video. I may use this or part for my build, I will post videos of it once I get going.
Cool, Mini-vans rule!!! I got so much grief when I proposed to the wife about purchasing one but videos like this prove that it is an empty canvas to be utilized for just about anything. i've hauled an upright piano, a yard full of brush, and 10 foot lumber in my van and now I have inspiration to use it for camping. i'm sure it's safer than a flimsy tent and much more comfortable. I'll probably do what you did but keep the back seat ( or at least the 2/3 portion) upright. Then I'll build a frame for sleeping and storage. It has to accommodate two adults and a 2 year old.
This bed can be left in and there is still room to put in the three middle seats. That said we have never had the seats in AND the foam in the van at the same time but I think you could if you cut the foam in 4 pieces. The seats still have to come out to fold the bed down.
The van I have has the tuck away back seats. That being said I was thinking of tucking away the 2/3 of that seat and leaving the 1/3 for a car seat. When it's time to sleep I would put the car seat in the front seat (or roof carrier) for storage and to free up that 1/3 seat for contributing to the overall bed.
I have a question. my wife was concerned about ventilation. Is there a ventilation issue with sleeping in a van? I wo0uldn't think so as I spend at least two hours a day driving in an ever growing crowd of traffic in Austin to work and back everyday.
We have left the two back windows open for ventilation... worked well.
I like your idea!!! keep it on!!
nice set up, and appreciate the detail you presented. thank you. well done!
Nice setup, I'll use some of those ideas for a hunting rig I'm working on this summer.
Nice, I think this is just what I have been looking for. Great job. I’m going to give it a try.
Wow! I have the exact same idea in mind. I have sketches in my ipad and I plan to have that design in my suv. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your video for a more realistic visual representation than just my imagination.
Great! I hope this has helped you... that's why I put in on TH-cam!
Very nice. Simple and well designed.
You did an awesome job. The bench looks so small and then expands so long.
Thanks Mate. That's a jolly great bed. I m going to do it in my Landy 300 tdi. It s a perfect solution.
Thanks for sharing
DE TODAS LAS OPCIONES QUE VEO EN YOU TUBE PARA HACER ASIENTOS CAMAS EN LAS CAMIONETAS VANS LA TUYA ES LA MEJOR, SIN DUDAS, POR LA SIMPLE, Y PRACTICO TE FELICITO SALUDOS DESDE ARGENTINA
Very nicely built. Thank you for sharing.
Great design; I hope you don't mind me borrowing a few ideals from it. I'm puting a 16" top on my caravan so I won't have the low roof issue to deal with. Good job.
Great job, very nice the way it looks and folds up foe a shorter person who could sleep sideways in a full size van this could be just made with the legs below and a back that folds down .
Innovative design. Good job! Have fun on the road.
Very smart design,ever seen!
Still helping others in 2019 me dear!!!!! THANK YOUUUU!!!!!!!
I Should Stop watching van life/transformation. More I watch more I want to have my own.
Then I think if I will be able to handle the cold weather and the every night hassle of where to park.
In my community I have seen two mini vans recently. I think it's a matter of time until neighbors call the police.
Great Video by the way.
Hey buddy. . Awesome build.. love your use of space. .
Thanks! We have used it quite a bit for camping and really like the Tail Veil tent for the rear hatch... and no I don't represent the company! We can get all but our cooler and food box under the platform.. oh and two extra blankets we usually take. The draw backs so far are that the 4" foam we use didn't get cut to provide cushions for the seat/back but rather left in two larger pieces and 4" is too thick I think. This means that the back section stays down all the time and we just stack the two foam pieces there. Works for us and I think if we ever get "rained out" and have to spend lots of time in the van (but we would likely sit in the Tail Veil anyway) we could still shove the foam to the back and adjust the seat for sitting. That said we sit on the seat all the time with the foam stacked in the back, just have to sit "back" on the seat because of the overhang. Happy Camping!
Cheers for the quick reply buddy.. yeah ive had my eye on the teil veil aswell. . They look awesome. . Well.. try and find something of the sort... there's also canvas one made by outback camping... looks way more durable than the nylon veil.. anyways keep it up.. ciao..B
Very well designed. Very functional
I agree great concept from an original idea. Don I would have liked to see how you sent up the rear support structure. Maybe next time.
Good idea , ad drop it 2 or 3 inches , but looks cool, your arm rests would also look btr with the 3 inch of them , thanks good luck .
You're right Bob, but there's a/c solutions imo like two a/c's in both front windows, or two roof top a/c, I just got back from Ocala NF Florida deer hunting, could not stay in van (no a/c) the heat and humidity problem, so we slept in 8×10 tent, more ventilation, should have brought my 5000 btu a/c. Lol
Very nicely done!
Clool I like the idea it's a case of make the most of the room you have
Nice idea, having the front part of the bed flip up on hinges instead of simply copying the old VW camper concept.
Great idea, execution and presentation.... THANKS!
this is awesome! great design
like the converible design. ideally i would like enough clearance for siut cases or travel bags to fit under for storage, but as you have found the head room is a limiting factor, and another thing with little to no head clearance could lead to a sore head on a bumpy trail
Excellent I like it very much. 👍👍.
oh my gosh this is exactly what i was looking for thanks!
really nice work and idea
great design and well built. But you've moved on up to official camper van status now..!
Nice, I might take your design but only make it 30inches wide so I can keep the smaller seat in the back that comes with a sienna. Trying to think how I could fold forward to make a table of sorts when not in use. So if it could work as a chair (remember 30" wide or so), a bed, and a table....well shoooot, done deal. Side note, I'm split on keeping the bigger seat tucked in the cargo area with this setup.
Hi Don great idea,thanks
Very nice. If you are still checking this post, would you have plans for this?
Good job ... thanks for the insights!
This is GREAT. My husband and I really want to convert our Toyota Sienna by building a bedstead like this. Could you give actual measurements or a materials list so we could figure out whether this would work for us.
The measurements are directly tied to your vehicle... sorry but you will have to scratch your head and do some measuring to figure out what will work in your van. Look at the other comments to find a link to another build that I relied heavily on to figure out what I could do.
Thanks, Don. I get it. You have done a great service simply by sharing your work.
No worries. But great job sir you are a craftsman
It is functional... just spent a night - before hiking into the canyon - at Mather on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, the bed and storage under works out very well. thanks!
That is a really cool idea! Thanks for sharing.
LOVE the bed!
Love how you say "2by 2".
Well done.
2 buh 2.
Oh,god! You amassing!
The bed design makes you extra sleepy. Lol
Well done!
Nice van dude
Sheer brilliance.
Wish i could do the same with my van great idea!!!
Like the bench/bed...
cool design...but the foam takes a lot of room and would have liked to see it ready to go. ever go on to a fridge/solar extension options?
that's pretty kool. well done
Tuba 4 got me Rollin, but nice design
Maybe it's the weed...but I only noticed he was missing an arm at 6:10 😂great vid and sweet setup!!!
I never noticed until I read your post and went back to look...you're right it must be the weed...he did a nice job...pretty cool.
Very nice!!
I've been looking into different versions of this idea a box that goes into the back and folds over the front two seats. Or taking the rear seat out and using the removable captains chairs up front for transport then using them for camp chairs at camp and implementing this idea. Placing swivels under the front two chairs would be cool too. Do you have any more detailed info or pics on the bed structure? Or even a video.
+Daniel Lazo Sorry... I do not and have since dismantled it as we bought a Class B van (a Pleasure-Way Excel-TD)
thinking like you. i have already made my seats behind so can be slide ahead and lain down and the third row seats arranged to lay down also wher they would ajion the second. so far row and then a small platform to fill out the remaing space for a bed platform. had also considered using reclining lawn chair or something similar reversed in the back b but finding enough room for two side by side is anotherut havent found a lawn chair that woud fully recline. the zero gravity recline almost all the way
GREAT IDEAS/VIDEO !!!
Do you think you could make a bed frame in the minivan with the backseats still in place? The backseats that came stock in the car, I want to be able to have people sit back there with the while we drive, which require seat belts. great video by the way.
If the back seats fold into the floor it would be possible but would require a completely different design. Hunt around on TH-cam maybe someone has done that. Good luck!
Great idea but I wish you had shown the back side of the bed so I could get a better idea on how to do the framework
Great design on the couch bed. Are you still using this system? It would be great to see the support mechanism for the backrest from the rear of the van. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you.... no we moved on to a class b RV a few years back. The support for the back rest is quite simple being just a notch in the 2x4 frame for the plywood to slide into. To make the slot I just positioned the back rest where I wanted it then laid a straight edge on the back side and against the 2x4 frame this allowed a line to be drawn on the frame projecting the angle needed for the support notch/slot. Then just used a jigsaw to cut out a notch about 1.5 inches deep. Hope that helps! Cheers!
great design
it's beautiful what've you done will you share the plans please
Sorry... no plans as it has to be built to fit the van it is going in. It is quite simple really... just look closely.
Cool great job
Love this!
This is awesome! My boyfriend and I are getting our Honda Odyssey ready for some cross-country roadtrpping and we are DESPERATE for some blackout curtain/panel options (bright sunlight in the AM is one of our mutual pet peeves)...yours look basically exactly like what we want: something fitted rather than a roll of reflective bubble paper. Can you let me know where you got them or how you made them? Thanks!
Actually the windows are just tinted fairly darkly. They look darker than they are in the video. We used the relective windshield bubble stuff you refer to. We can buy it by the foot at the local hardware store then cut to fit snugly in the windows.
Would a futon work the same?
If a futon will fit in your van... sure.
I'm 6' and head was against rear hatch while feet where presses into back of driver seat when I slept in cot
that's pretty cool thanks for the vid
Hi Don thank you so much for sharing this is exactly what I've been looking for. Any way you have some plans or maybe some websites where I can get it to build one myself? Any help will be much appreciated. I have a Nissan serena which I believe will work just fine and am on a budget myself :-). Hope you can help and thanks again. Blessings
Hey Derik glad this helps a little! Like you I looked all over the web for what I wanted but didn't find it exactly. This build by a guy in Canada is really what I based off of and then altered it from there to suit my van/needs: www.morehawes.co.uk/travelling/canada/minivan-camper-conversion-stage-one-complete Hope this helps! Don
Don Welch Thanks again Don, yes this will definitely help! Thanks for the link and I will have a look. Did you manage to build a sort of a "kitchen" unit you were talking about? Blessings. Derik :)
Hey man thanks for sharing and great job, this gave me the idea to do something very similar when I get my minivan in a few weeks (trading in my Hyundai)......so can I ask you how deep is the bench seat section that flips over on to the floor? looks maybe 15"
Hey Cody... I think it is 18" you will have to decide what fits your van and how long you need the bed for comfort - divide it up and start cutting! I had the guy at Home Depot cut the plywood on their saw making it easier to haul home and one step out of the way!
Yeah I'm about 6 ft tall so 74" should be long enough for mine to. I think what I'm going to do though is turn around the flip down bench and put it up against the front seats, then make like a back board....or divider about 16" from the back to put a cooler and stuff. I'll put up a video when it's done....thanks again!
Great video, but my mini van gets hot unless you camp in the winter, you need an a/c set up.
Heat is a problem regardless of the vehicle. We now own a class b RV and it has A/C but if you are in really hot weather it isn't even that effective... better than a minivan without air but hot is hot.
Thanks but I have a chevy beauville 1992 1ton fullsize van
I'm going to build a plaform bed with storage it will be a full time set-up. Thanks for the offer thow
Awesome!!!👠🚌👠
Cool van do you still have it
Genious! But also, Tubatoo.
hey don... just wanted to thank you for the video. i am an aspiring van camper owner and am doing a lot of research on types of vans and different ways to set up the sleeping platform. yours looks like a great piece of workmanship. i was wondering what type of van that is? also, what did you spend on all the materials ballpark? appreciate the help. be well!
It is a 2001 Chevy Venture... I spent around $100 for materials not including the foam. Foam will run about $100 itself - but i found an Ikea futon mattress at the local thrift shop - very clean one for $10.00.
Don, I''m wondering if you could provide a materials list of wood and hardware to buy. Thanks so much.
I wish I could... I don't have the van anymore and have already re-purposed most of the wood. If you pause the video here and there I think you will see that it is pretty simple.
only thing i'd try to improve it instead of 2x4s id use all plywood you could probably gain an inch or two of headroom and lose a tiny bit of weight
Very cool
Brilliant.
My van is a T&C and it had a bench seat in it instead of the captains chairs I believe it opens out wouldn't that be an easier solution?
I suppose... depends on what vehicle you own as to what or if you need to build something. Have fun!
Do you have any drawings of that? It was hard to tell how you fitted the back area. Even a light sketch would help.
Sorry Matthew, no drawings at all... I would take a picture for you but I disassembled the platform the other day - we were able to get a reasonable Class B van so are no longer using the minivan as a camper. Try looking at this website - it is where I got a lot of my design ideas from: www.morehawes.co.uk/travelling/canada/minivan-camper-conversion-stage-one-complete
Do you think this would be safe to transport kids in. if it had seatbelts? and some kind of locking system
Daniel Lazo i need to be able to transport me my wife a 5 year old in a booster and my 3 year old. then be able to sleep in it at night.
Daniel Lazo Hi Daniel... Perhaps you could make it safe but I would be inclined to say no... Don
👍👍👍
Is there a woodworking plan for this van camper unit?
Sorry... no.
thanks, i like it but i think it could be simplified even more without the sliding forward bit which doesn't seem to serve any purpose. also the arms take up a lot of space, i'd go with a couple of hinged legs.
Hey Steve...it's all about customizing to fit you're own application...go for it! The sliding forward part is so the seat doesn't hang over so far it tips everything up when you sit on it AND it helps extend the platform forward for length. I kept the frame back further so I could put ice chests, etc in front of the seat when moving. I'm with you on the arms... I would re-design those a bit - if you look closely you will see the 2x2 mounted to the plywood sticks out a little, this was/is to form a support bridging both sections of the plywood - reduce "springiness," and it worked. Thanks for noticing the arm rests support the platform when folded out! Someone posted earlier they would just eliminate them...eh.... :-)
can you provide detailed instructions? no nothing about carpentry...no help around me...
Do you recommend buying a minivan with some roof and all wheel drive or you think that's an Overkill
Whatever works for you. We eventually bought a used Class B campervan. The raised roof and amenities are nice. We use the van often.
lmao in the beginning i thought i heard all i need by radiohead but it was just a plane. it's the same note hahahahaha
Me gustó este diseño quiero información pero en mi idioma. También me interesa ver el trabajo terminado. Por favor