Van Interior & Propex Heater - Ideas Needed

[LuAn]

My Bay is a LHD '71 Panel van with walkthrough and a full width rock-n-roll bed. Apart from the bed, the interior is empty.

I don't intend to go "camping" in it however there is a possibility that I might want to "crash out" in it. In fact a big part of the reason I bought it is that my wife and I both have health issues that can lead to us "needing a rest". The idea with the van is that we will be able to 'risk' making longer journeys than we have in the past because we'll be able to pull over and put our heads down for a couple of hours if we find we need too. Chances are that if we pull over for a nap it'll be at motorway services so I am not interested in kitting it out with tables, sink, cookers and all that stuff.

As I said, it has a rock-n-roll bed but given that I can't see us ever using it as a chair I wonder if it wouldn't make more sense to remove it and build a cupboard type thing to keep tools, spares, and emergency rations out of sight.

I've also just bought a Propex heater. Now the thing here is that the instructions suggest mounting it on that 45 degree angled bit between the rear wheel arches. I got it from Bluebird and bought a couple of extra bits so I can link it into the main heating pipe and feed the heat through to the vents at the front. However I'm not confident about the heater's ability to push warm air through what would end up being about 3m of pipe to the front vents. Thus I'm wondering about other places that I could mount it. Like behind the drivers seat maybe?

Thoughts, suggestions and/or images/links to what you did would be much appreciated.

 

[Guest]

its not the length of the pipe thats important (although the max length fresh air inlet and outlet should be no more than 12m) its the the inner diameter of the fresh air inlet/outlet pipe thats crucial... It must be no less than 60mm to ensure that there is no flow restriction.

I have the older 1600 and it will happily pump hot air throught the existing warmair ducts to the front.

 

[LuAn]

I'm interested how/where you connected yours into the main pipe. I have a couple of ideas but obviously if yours is tried and tested...

 

[dubberdaz]

I'm interested how/where you connected yours into the main pipe. I have a couple of ideas but obviously if yours is tried and tested...

I am also interested!

 

[Guest]

i cut a hole in the deck and connected it up using some PVC accordian tubing and replaced the heat exchangers with J tubes.

 

[LuAn]

Cheers Johnny. I might put her up on axle stands and have a look under there tomorrow.

Anybody got any thoughts about the bed?

 

[Guest]

a rock and roll bed is the easy option once its in. 2 secs to pull it out and easy to put back. you can buy a 3/4 if you want to fit a cooker/sink etc.

You can buy the brackets on thier own and make your own up if your handy with a saw and save yourself a few dollars.

 

[LuAn]

As I said in my initial post, cookers and sinks are not something that I want/need.

As for ease of setup with a rock-n-roll, I can't see that we'd ever use it as a seat so we'd have it permanently in the bed position. Thus there's no real advantage to having the seat option which is why I'm thinking we might be better off with a custom unit that'll box in the Propex heater and create a space for tools and stuff such that they are not on view if anybody peers through the windscreen.

 

[Guest]

a bed that turns into a seat, means you can throw a few people into the back of the van if you need to and sit somewhere if your having a break to stretchout

 

[Araon]

From how I read it your set on the easiest conversion of them all a permanent bed installation with hinged boards forming compartments for storage and a special one to store and secure the propex and gas bottle.

see the cad drawing below it may help you plan your install wether you do it yourself or get the local chippy in to do it for you.


http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?t=217&highlight=cad

 

[LuAn]

I wouldn't say I'm "set" on it but I am definitely leaning in that direction. I have enough woodworking skills to be able to do a decent job myself but I'd still have to find time for it and of course I don't want to do it and then see a better idea six months down the line.

 

[Araon]

OK then hows about an idea i've been toying with for a while.

making a pair of individually reclining comfy seats in the back that will go virtually flat, enough to chill in after a long drive or day on the surf. Keep the under side of the seats for your heater kit then you have plenty of storage options. That way you still retain a pair of seats in the rear that can have belts fitted too so that yo cxan carry passengers.

To be honest use the cad drawing and play to your hearts content. No point in rushing into something and you can always as a temp measure stick a blow up air bed in the back till you've come up with something.

 

[Guest]

OK then hows about an idea i've been toying with for a while.

making a pair of individually reclining comfy seats in the back that will go virtually flat, enough to chill in after a long drive or day on the surf. Keep the under side of the seats for your heater kit then you have plenty of storage options. That way you still retain a pair of seats in the rear that can have belts fitted too so that yo cxan carry passengers.

To be honest use the cad drawing and play to your hearts content. No point in rushing into something and you can always as a temp measure stick a blow up air bed in the back till you've come up with something.

i see where your going. very interesting :idea: almost like a parker knoll recliner in the back. Two separate chairs that fold out and make a double bed would be very cool. Althought you would need two lots of rock-and-roll hinges. I wonder has anyone tried it?

 

[LuAn]

While I can see the appeal, it doesn't actually appeal to me because I really can't see us having the need for anybody (including us) to sit down in the back.

 

[Guest]

While I can see the appeal, it doesn't actually appeal to me because I really can't see us having the need for anybody (including us) to sit down in the back.

what if you or Dee is feeling a bit frisky and the in laws are round yer gaf? perfect little hide away :wink:

 

[Araon]

Thats right johnny just trying to figure it out on paper as with Luan I'm not after a full on camper just a chill area two "Parker Knolls" in the back :wink: and lots of space also considered putting a third seat facing out of the slider though wont recline as far back just allows for a good view whilst relaxing at the beach with a hot drink.

Luan as I see it you only really have a few options before you
1. Permanent bed fixture
2. RnR set up of choice
3. A pair of recliners
4. Air bed
5. Hammocks

anyone else got other suggestions?

 

[LuAn]

what if you or Dee is feeling a bit frisky and the in laws are round yer gaf? perfect little hide away :wink:

Yeah, so where's the advantage of having a bed that converts into a chair? Chair into bed - I can follow your thinking.

 

[Guest]

Yeah, so where's the advantage of having a bed that converts into a chair? Chair into bed

more positions = more fun

no seriously... why have a fixed bed when you can have an easy to make bed that converts to a bench chair. It doesnt take up anymore room and gives you twice the options. for me its a no brainer even if your not going to use it much. I know the vans a keeper but it might add more value even?

 

[Araon]

The other problem with a permanent bed is access from the side door will be quite high it will also make access to the storage a pain.... but then each to his own

 

[LuAn]

@Araon: I don't really understand what you are saying but I think you might have got the impression that I was talking about making the whole of the back into a bed. I'm not. I'm thinking that the bed would come as far as the door opening so we'd still have a decent amount of floor space for my wife's electric wheelchair, luggage, shopping, etc. (nb: she can walk short distances and can get in and out of, and from front to back of the van. She just can't walk around supermarkets, along promenades, and things like that).

@Johnny: I guess it's probably because it isn't fitted correctly but the full width rock-n-roll that's in there at the moment slopes down when it's in bed mode. I guess I could fix that and box in the area underneath so I can hide my tools and spares.

On the other hand, I could get rid of the rock-n-roll and create a wooden structure in it's place with cupboards, drawers, and other convenient places to store my bits without them rattling around. I could also put a decent mattress on top as opposed to three pieces of foam.