Converting Pickup....

[Sudgolf]

Evening all

New to the forum, looking for some advice.

My partner and I are keen adventurers and love travelling across to the Peaks, Wales or up to the Highlands in search of a wet muddy trail. We also like the campervan life style...

We are looking at options as to which mode of transport will best suite our 'needs', and something I like the idea of is converting a pickup...

Has anyone on here converted the rear of a pickup into sleeping accomodation? Looking at something like a Ford Ranger, connecting the main cab to the rear (so you can to some degree fold the rear seats down and make a larger area) and convert the rear so that you can sleep there in comfort.

Any suggestions, ideas or experience would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[jollyrodger]

Plenty of demountable body's out there .

 

[cmcardle75]

Demountables are the way for pickups. Best of all worlds. You can leave it behind and still have a pickup. You just leave it on site like a caravan and go into town. Or leave it on and have a small motorhome. The only disadvantage is that you can't spin the seats round to have a lounge.

 

[Sudgolf]

Plenty of demountable body's out there .

Thanks Jolly. Weve looked at these but this will be my daily driver, so a demountable wouldnt be an option

 

[Sudgolf]

I should state that the demountable isnt an option as no where to store when at home

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[cmcardle75]

Thanks Jolly. Weve looked at these but this will be my daily driver, so a demountable wouldnt be an option

I'd have thought that a demountable would be ideal for a daily driver. You have a complete unmodified pickup for daily use, complete with load bed. Do you mean you have nowhere to leave it? Although I'm not sure even that makes a difference, as you just drive around with it attached, which is no difference to having it fully converted and also being always attached.

 

[bigwood]

Not sure about using a pickup but I know of a long wheel base Landrover that was used for overnighting. Maybe a bit agricultural for most people but it would get you more places than a 4x4 pickup.

 

[Sudgolf]

Ill go into a bit of detail.

A demountable (im being picky here), would be a bit 'chunky' as a daily driver. I use my vehicle for work (travel the uk as a territory manager for an IT company).

When we've looked online we've found some conversions where people have the 'truckman' rear as an exmaple, raised the floor with some MDF and converted this to their sleeping area. As an added bonus it would be nice to make this space accesible via the main cab, as opposed to having to walk around to the split rear.

 

[cmcardle75]

Ill go into a bit of detail.

A demountable (im being picky here), would be a bit 'chunky' as a daily driver. I use my vehicle for work (travel the uk as a territory manager for an IT company).

When we've looked online we've found some conversions where people have the 'truckman' rear as an exmaple, raised the floor with some MDF and converted this to their sleeping area. As an added bonus it would be nice to make this space accesible via the main cab, as opposed to having to walk around to the split rear.

You might be better off with converting a conventional large 4x4, as converting a pickup is essentially converting it to large 4x4 to the same and then converting it into sleeping accomodation.

 

[Sudgolf]

You might be better off with converting a conventional large 4x4, as converting a pickup is essentially converting it to large 4x4 to the same and then converting it into sleeping accomodation.

We had thought about getting a Disco4 and adding a leisure battery, convering the rear to make it flat when rear seats and folded....

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[glenn2926]

Have you considered a roof tent? There are some very fancy versions out there for all types of pickup. Some even have a deck area for sitting out on.

 

[Vipar]

Greetings peeps welcome from Bexley

You only get 5 free posts

 

[2657]

Why not just get a small campervan, many are less than 5m, my daughter uses an old Toyota Hiace Japanese import for daily use. Lots of more modern ones around.
I would have thought that converting a pickup by taking out the bulkhead would have serious structural implications and no headroom whatsoever.
I have owned a Mazda Bt50 pickup which was basically a Ford Ranger and my son has just swapped this for a newer Ford Ranger.
Can't really see how this conversion would work, the pickup body is a self contained tub and without the front section would have no strength.

 

[The Wino]

Still think a demountable is the best option and pay storage. You could chuck a matress in the back of a pickup but it would be really basic. Or how about a be camper.

 

[Terry]

You can buy Bongo's that are 4wd also 4wd Iveco vans to convert.
Making a body to fit on the ranger should be easy enough. You can get 9 mm Buffalo board and Aluminium angle to outer, if you don't want to go down sheet Ali road.Buffalo board is garenteed five years underwater provided you seal cut edges and it would give strength.Line inside with 25 mm kingspan stuck to BB and 3mm ply stuck on to the kingspan . I have a Ranger and it will get you almost anywhere a LR will go within reason

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[tacr2man]

A pickup is going to be very limited due to its floor area as to what you can do with it , other than basically chuck a mattress in the back . demountables only work by putting the bed area up over the cab .

 

[cmcardle75]

We had thought about getting a Disco4 and adding a leisure battery, convering the rear to make it flat when rear seats and folded....

I think that, or the various similar Japanese large 4WD for slightly less money, would be a much easier conversion, as no structural work removing bulkheads etc. Or just cut to the chase and convert a UniMog!

 

[cmcardle75]

<Broken link removed>

Now that's how to convert a pickup!

 

[Terry]

<Broken link removed>

Now that's how to convert a pickup!

Hardly going to use a Unimog for daily transport ....I was already thinking making body with Luton

 

[cmcardle75]

Hardly going to use a Unimog for daily transport ....I was already thinking making body with Luton

It'll be fine. It does 35 gallons to the mile!

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[Landy Andy]

We had thought about getting a Disco4 and adding a leisure battery, convering the rear to make it flat when rear seats and folded....

The back of a Disco works well as a bed.

Or a roof tent,

We also looked into demountables, but decided they gave the worse of both setups. The off road ability has been ruined (size and suspension compromised) and they are poor campers, at high cost.