VW T4 Stealth Camper - Downunder

[Marmindie]

Thanks to all who have posted and allowed me to look over their shoulders for ideas. This is my humble little comversion.
https://vanlivingforum.com/album?action=view_album&userid=2104247&albumid=1825

 

[ontheroadagain]

Great job... I really like this

 

[caseyc]

Wow, very cool, I likey!  Question: Is your bed a full time bed, or a part time couch/bed?

 

[Marmindie]

Thanks! Bed is a couch during the day and has a slide out for a very comfortable bed.

 

[caseyc]

That's cool.  I'm curious why you didn't get the fully decked out camper version with the bed, sink and stove?  I'm guessing cost and availability?  Does your camper have that pop top feature?  I was intrigued about the Vanagon and Eurovan at one point, but the $30,000+ price tag for something really nice made me think twice.

 

[Wild_E]

That is one of the best slide out Beds I have every seen congrats!

 

[Marmindie]

Yep, fully decked out camper was out of my price range. New they are $85,000 with a 7 month wait! It cost me $250 for my bed and cupboards. I have a fridge, sink and stove in the cupboard just inside the door. I don't have a pop top, I have thought about it, but the cheapest pop up roof conversion was $7000 installed... That's more than the van cost.

I've been living in my van for 4 months and realised the one thing I needed above all else was a big comfortable bed, everything else was second to that, so my layout was dictated by that, bed first, then see what space was left.

What did you go with?

 

[Marmindie]

Thanks for that. The bed layout has been in my head for some time, it's most pleasing to see it work as planned.

 

[stude53]

<span style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0);"><strong><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I got a real chuckle out of this. You said ... "I've been loving in my van for 4 months and realized the one thing I needed above all else was a big comfortable bed" ... a great quote whether you meant to say it or not! <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif"><img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif"><img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif"></span></strong></span><br><br><span style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0);"><strong><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Bob</span></strong></span>

 

[Marmindie]

Freud would have a field day with that one!

 

[caseyc]

I totally hear you! &nbsp;One of the biggest questions I had when I first started configuring my van was whether to have a part time bed such as a futon, or a full time bed. &nbsp;I finally decided on a full time bed and got a twin size platform bed frame to go with an iComfort memory foam mattress. &nbsp;This setup takes up 85 percent of my entire van interior as a result of the full time bed setup. &nbsp;But I simply didn't want to setup and tear down each time to change to a bed. &nbsp;Plus I got a 9" platform bed frame in order to store stuff underneath the frame.<br><br>The $85,000 price tag you mentioned sounds almost insane! I would have done the same as you too. &nbsp;Geez, for that price, I'd rather get a new or almost new RoadTrek Class B RV which is around the same price. &nbsp;I finally decided on a 1995 Ford E150 conversion van, got rid of the 2 middle captain chairs, plus removed the rear fold down bench seat bed. &nbsp;If I had to do anything differently, I probably would have gotten a later year model and maybe a high top versus a low top ceiling van.<br><br>

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Welcome Marmindie,</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Nice VW, good to see another Aussie. I like that Bear Grylls sticker you've got. classic! Some of your pics look like the north coast of NSW around Coffs Harbour region would I be right?</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">welcome again, nice work.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Might see you on the road somewhere on the eastcoast.<BR>Cheers Geoff</SPAN></STRONG></EM>

 

[Marmindie]

Hi Geoff

All photos are around south west Vic, been crushing around here for the last 4 months.. I will be heading to WA over the next few months for some prospecting then back to the mid NSW coast for some warmer water, I might see you around then.

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Good on you,</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">That was my next guess SW Vic. Hope you avoided the big bushfire which raged down there in that beautiful coastal national park.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Yes, I done blame you, I will be around NSW mid north coast in winter too.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Geoff<BR><BR>I can't believe that was my 200th post. Geeze I better shut up for awhile. NOT.</SPAN></STRONG></EM>

 

[Lifemagician]

Marmindie, <br>&nbsp;<br>Picked up my 2002 T4 (Chilli Red) at Easter time, just an empty shell.&nbsp; Have had invaluable help from <br>http://www.busnbug.com in helping me make it into a little camper, on a shoestring.&nbsp; As a septuagenarian <br>grandmother am not able to do most of this work myself.&nbsp; But if I could find out from you where you got the <br>bits, etc., that would be a great help. <br>&nbsp;<br>That is a great bed you have there.&nbsp; Am also wanting to put in a bed for night and seat by day.&nbsp; Especially if <br>I can manage to put a bit of a desk along the other wall. <br>&nbsp;<br>I do not have the three seats in the front, nor the grill between the cab and the back.&nbsp; Am putting a swivel on <br>the passenger seat, so I can use that facing back.&nbsp;&nbsp; Do you have a house battery to run the fridge? <br>&nbsp;<br>My plan is to put the house battery (batteries) behind the driver seat, build a box around/over it/them, and <br>secure the Waeco on top of that.&nbsp; Then some storage shelves/drawers (~12" wide) floor to ceiling.&nbsp; Then my <br>bed.&nbsp; At only 5'5", I plan on a 5.6" bed. <br>&nbsp;<br>Will not do all of this before I set off in May for Adelaide, Uluru, Tennant Creek, Mt Isa, Cameron Corner, <br>Broken Hill and back to Melbourne.&nbsp; Will probably just have the air mattress on the floor and some boxes <br>for 'stuff'.&nbsp; The battery and fridge will be in place, and there will be a flat wooden floor. <br>&nbsp;<br>With only the front windows opening, what do you do for ventilation?&nbsp; I am trying to get an opening <br>window for the panel next to the sliding door, but they are not cheap.&nbsp;&nbsp; Mine has a lift up door at the back, <br>not the two doors like yours.&nbsp; <br>&nbsp;<br>Great to see more Aussies on this forum. <br>&nbsp;<br>Lifey

 

[Marmindie]

Hi

Comgratulations on your new T4!

Bed.

The timber for the frame is 30 x 30 mm framing pine... It was cut for me by my local hardware store, the slats were also cut for me they are 65 x 19.

Total cost including strengthening brackets, handles, glue, screws and paint was $132.

Foam 125mm medium density from Clark Rubber was $124 (ask for caravan bed pricing).

Covers for cushions were $180, bit expensive, but I wanted them to look good, be comfortable and last.

Bed makes a great day seat and a very comfortable bed, there is heaps of storage underneath. It's a big bed 1950 x 1250 when pulled out.

At the end of the bed behind the drivers sest is my 100aH battery (120W solar on the roof) waco fridge on a slide out, companion hot water unit, shower tent, folding toilet and clothes storage and inside the slidimg door is my water tank, storage and cooker. It all works really well. This is my 3rd go at getting it right... You learn as you go.

Ventillation.

It got hot, humid, stale and very stuffy over summer, so I got a muller vent ($20 eBay) and fitted that... It helped when moving but nothing when stationary, so I brought a $2 computer fan off eBay... That worked really well!
I was lucky my van came with weathershields on both front windows, so I stitched up two window covers out of mosquito netting, now I crack both windows, put the covers over, it works really well. This weekend I have just installed a boat cabin fan $99 from Canada... Expensive, bit only draws .5 amp and is whisper quiet.
I've seen a backet for $12.50 plus postage that allows your rear door to be cracked open but held securely.

The trip you have planned sounds wonderful. I'm sure you'll really enjoy it. Just take your time up the silver city highway... fuel at packsaddle (premium only in emergency) and tiboburra can be iffy... Are you diesel or premium?

TigerzII have pullout awnings and screen rooms for $249 ATM... That would be a good investment for the desert. The flies can be a real pain.

Good luck and keep me updated on your travels. I'll keep an eye out for a chilli T4.

 

[Ballenxj]

Nice simple camper. I like it. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> Curious though, what is that apparatus behind the passenger seat? <br>-Bruce

 

[Marmindie]

Hi Bruce

The item behind the passenger seat is water storage, general storage, cooker and hand pump. We are RHD down here.

 

[Ballenxj]

OOPS!, Yeah, I knew that ;-Bruce

 

[Marmindie]

No worries... It would by my fridge/freezer you can see.