When not stitching at home, I'm having 'fun' building a folding bed for our new van to turn it into a basic motorhome.
We have a Mercedes Vito 'Taxi' version. I have removed many of the seats to take the 8 seater to 4 seats, designed fittings so a pair of cupboards can use the redundant seat fittings, that way I don't need to modify the vehicle or tell the insurer, because it'll be treated as cargo (insurance of self-converted motorhomes is fiendishly expensive, so we don't want to go there - the insurer assumes you are incompetent even if it can be demonstrated that you are not.). The bed will go behind the last row of seats. If we were to buy a 'Motorhome' bed we'd have to buy one for a VW Transporter at around £1000, and get one with a step in the bed (or pay £200 extra for a stepped pad), and still have to modify it a fair bit to fit in a Vito. Instead, we got a wooden framed 'Futon' sofa for £160, and with £91 for steel I am making a frame that will support the timber slats and also support an easily folding bed. This will bolt to the cargo anchorages in the back. Unfortunately my welding is
awful, so I had to get the little amount of welding I need done at work. I've made the pivot bolts on my lathe from hexagonal steel bar (6 minutes each for 12 pivots), and now I'm in the process of making the fixed legs, folding legs and braces so it will unfold over the top of the folded rear vehicle seats. If nothing else interferes, another 2 weekends should be enough to finish the bed.
The Vito feels really small after our previous high roof, medium wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter. Unfortunately that van, at 19 years old this August, is rusting away and won't get through the annual safety check this July. I converted that van in the year 2001, cutting holes for the windows, fitting a seat-belted bench seat in the back, cupboards, bed, table, stove & home made, manually operated pump for the sink etc . We have paid through the nose to the insurers since then for daring to have exactly what we want, instead of buying ready made what we are offered. Makes me so annoyed; You are expected to have
either a motorhome
or a van. We want a vehicle that can be a van (for building materials), motorhome, picnic vehicle, moped rescue truck, transport when moving home. Basically a general, all purpose vehicle. What the insurers want, nay,
demand, is a single purpose vehicle, one for each job.
Regards,
Richard.