2012 Transit Connect XLT premium wagon

[jacks18614]

I am going to take a look at this van with 96k miles. My current full size 2wd 1992 pickup gets 15 mpg average city/highway. The transit connect should average 25 city/highway. Fuel is $2.90/gallon right now. Driving 10K miles per year over a ten year period and deducting the salvage value of the pickup and camper cap the difference in fuel cost alone is equal to the purchase price of the Transit Connect.

I live in an apartment and travel for about 3 months per year. I have designed a camper conversion plan that I have not seen anyone else construct that also keeps the seating for 5 Europeans or 4 Americans in place.

By using just one sheet of 3/4 plywood and 4 adjustable metal legs ($67) I am going to build  what could be called a package shelf (in a sedan) across the rear just under the windows from the rear doors to the second row seat. Then on the drivers side hinge another 36" x 36" approx. piece of plywood to the front of the drivers side that folds flat to the package shelf and when in sleeper mode folds forward resting on top of the 60% part of the second row seat when the seat is folded in place for storage behind the drivers bucket seat.

 

[RVTravel]

"keeps the seating for 5 Europeans or 4 Americans in place"

Are you saying we're fat?...kidding

 

[BigT]

Cool!  Show us what you come up with and let us know how you like it.  

I love my TC.  I don't have all those seats, but I did intentionally keep things simple.  

Lightly loaded, 65mph with no headwind, I get 26.6mpg.  Approx. 20 - 22 in town.   

 

[SVan]

Your design is good. Here are some pics of my similar (but wider to accommodate two) folding double bed platform for my TC-

http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/profile/4098-bill/content/?type=gallery_image

The rear bench seats are not in these pictures, but I usually left them in the van. When the bed platform was deployed, the folding foot section of the platform sat on top of the bench seats with their backrest folded down. Flip the foot section back, put the bench seatback up, locked it in, and you have a 5 passenger vehicle with the "package shelf" you describe. I only removed the bench seats for long term trips where I needed the storage space to carry gear, bikes, etc. Just be sure to get the height right and you are good.

Your idea of metal legs is much better than my 2x2 wood platform base, but I got most of that wood for free (offcuts from a friend's project). I'd also recommend giving your plywood the swiss cheese-look with a holesaw/drill. It'll prevent condensation under your mattress and lighten the bed's weight.

 

[jacks18614]

SVan,

I need more storage space under the package shelf than your design and I was going to fit the shelf plywood into the grooves of the interior plastic quarter panels while placing the adjustable legs 2 located next to the drivers side wheelwell and the other two in the middle with the legs taking most of the weight as not to destroy the plastic panels.

I am going to look at the TC in the pictures on Saturday and take some measurements to see if a bed across the back can work too. There is a window less cargo van that is black in color with only 27k miles in Scranton plus 3 more white cargo vans in that area. I can cut out both the sliding doors and install a RV screened slider in each and a 6" round vent in the top of the rear drivers side door.

 

[jacks18614]

Today being my 60th birthday I bought my "retirement" truck.

It's not the wagon that I was going to take a look at but an TC XLT cargo in panther black with the am-fm CD data stick mp3 Bluetooth that is voice operated with rear glass defroster wipers and the 270 degree opening rear doors.

This link will expire after I take delivery and I will start a new build thread when spring arrives.

BTW it has been driven for only 20K miles since new one commercial owner sold new in Manhattan NYC just off a 60 month lease.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for...Radius=75&makeCode1=FORD&modelCode1=TRANSCONN

 

[Netter]

LOOKS SWEEEET!!