Panel or kombi van?

[Phil.G]

Hello all!

I'm thinking of buying a medium van to convert into a camper but what's the best base van to start with? A plain old panel van or a crew cab style with windows already fitted?

Thanks so much.

 

[PeterCarole29]

Hello all!

I'm thinking of buying a medium van to convert into a camper but what's the best base van to start with? A plain old panel van or a crew cab style with windows already fitted?

Thanks so much.

Depends on budget
Main drawback i see for single glazed windows is condensation and generally non opening

 

[PeterCarole29]

Hello all!

I'm thinking of buying a medium van to convert into a camper but what's the best base van to start with? A plain old panel van or a crew cab style with windows already fitted?

Thanks so much.

Depends on budget
Main drawback i see for single glazed windows is condensation and generally non opening

 

[Guigsy]

You're often better fitting your own windows. Camper windows are double glazed. And can cover the inner insulation.

The seats on a crew cab can be useful. But only if they're the right location and the right height. The cab seats with a spinning base end up being quite raised. A table that's right for the cab ends up uncomfortably high for cab seats. Hence converters raise them on a platform. But it needs custom bases for the seats to sit on.

 

[PeterCarole29]

If you fit windows yourself the motorhome type you have ventilation and blind/flyscreen
If you co down that route you can buy curved ones that fit the contour of the van better

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[Dall]

Depends on budget
Main drawback i see for single glazed windows is condensation and generally non opening

Definitely agree on the condensation aspect for single glazed crew van original fitted windows. I would get a panel van and fit my own proper camper windows..

 

[oldiesontour]

Plain van then you can have the layout you want not dictated by what's already there

 

[Phil.G]

Thanks very much everyone for the advice. I'll get me a panel van then. Regarding the cab swivel seats can I fit these myself? Is it a hard/easy job? I'm a tradesman so I'm practical and I did convert a transit many years ago but at a basic level. Also, how easy is it to remove the bulkhead - thinking of buying a vivaro H1L2. Cheers

 

[Guigsy]

Thanks very much everyone for the advice. I'll get me a panel van then. Regarding the cab swivel seats can I fit these myself? Is it a hard/easy job? I'm a tradesman so I'm practical and I did convert a transit many years ago but at a basic level. Also, how easy is it to remove the bulkhead - thinking of buying a vivaro H1L2. Cheers

You can buy the swivel mechanism. It just clamps between the seat and the base.

Getting a single seat for the passenger side can take some effort. I'm not sure what the situation is with a Vivaro. It may not be the same as the driver's seat. I think it's down to the belt receiver? I've heard some people getting a scrap LHD driver's seat from Europe.

 

[oldiesontour]

Fitting seat swivels often involves changing the seat mounting as the swivel raises the seat a few inches ,replacement mounts are available for many vans (but not cheap) ,many me included alter or re fabricate the original base ( beware of insurance tho)

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[oldiesontour]

Some may disagree but having considered swivels I felt and observed in manufacturers vans they have more disadvantages than advantages in a mwb pvc..the drivers swivel is often restricted by furniture ,the passenger is across the side door ,the height is wrong,they heavily dictate the whole vehicle layout..even down to the need for cab blinds or screen cover,instead of a simple curtain.
Look at what's available for different vans I would say the Ducati type has more conversation/upgrade stuff than any other except vw

 

[Boldly]

If changing a double seat to a single often the electrics need adapting so the ECU still effectively sees 2 seats belts etc.
Think on newer vans this must be done by reprogramming of some sort

 

[PeterCarole29]

I have found a company on eBay very good for swivels Jennings seats I think good quality CAK
Vary from £120 to £160 meet standards necessary

 

[gus-lopez]

Regarding the cab swivel seats can I fit these myself? Is it a hard/easy job?

Yes & yes.easy

 

[Guigsy]

Some may disagree but having considered swivels I felt and observed in manufacturers vans they have more disadvantages than advantages in a mwb pvc..the drivers swivel is often restricted by furniture ,the passenger is across the side door ,the height is wrong,they heavily dictate the whole vehicle layout..even down to the need for cab blinds or screen cover,instead of a simple curtain.
Look at what's available for different vans I would say the Ducati type has more conversation/upgrade stuff than any other except vw

I agree, there's a lot of compromises. But it's also enabling the cab to be used as living space when you're parked up.

My first van was a post conversion job, paid for by the previous owner. It was a Ducato 5.4m. Behind the driver's seat was a full height cabinet. The seat swivel was irritating because it clashed with the cabinet, steering wheel and the handbrake. And I could only turn it a bit over 90° and it involved tilting the seat back upright, moving the seat all the way forwards, turning a bit, sliding back, then turning the rest of the way. Faff. But it was a comfy perch once set up. The passenger seat twisted all the way around and freed up some legroom.

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[Phil.G]

I didn't plan on making the drivers seat swivel, didn't even come to mind really! I think I would just want the passenger seat to swivel? Rewiring the seatbelts/ECU sounds a bit of a faff? Maybe there are companies out there that can do it for you. Thanks all.

 

[Guigsy]

I didn't plan on making the drivers seat swivel, didn't even come to mind really! I think I would just want the passenger seat to swivel? Rewiring the seatbelts/ECU sounds a bit of a faff? Maybe there are companies out there that can do it for you. Thanks all.

To prevent the airbag light from coming on from the removed middle seat, my van just had the unused seatbelt receiver still connected and just zip-tied up inside the passenger seat base to stop it rattling around.

 

[Boldly]

You can get twin seat swivels for some models. Not sure if they make them for the vivaro.

 

[oldiesontour]

My boxer(2020) had the double front seat and 2 belts but only one buckle was connected to the ECU...the one in the ctr of the seat had no pretensioner...as is often the case

 

[3crispies]

I know only really T6s, but factory windows always leak and we fit ours other way round so opening is beside you. Also be careful some airbags dont deploy if the ecu thinks no one is sat in seat that is no longer there. All converters can source seats ask Richard at Kernow campers....

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[Phil.G]

Very helpful thanks to you all. Another question, should I go for LWB or SWB?

 

[Daffy64]

I’d go kombi as it will be classed as a dual purpose vehicle and as such normal car speed limits (I’m assuming you want a VW Transporter type van).

As to LWB or SWB, I road tested both versions of the T6, you can park a SWB anywhere but the extra 300mm makes a world of difference if you want to use it as a daily driver - I’d recommend a test drive and simply take it to a local car park and see how you’d feel walking away from it.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Length of van depends on where you want the bed, shorter vans may have the dinette converting to bed or no dinette and a bench seat arrangement at rear.
I suggest you first go to a number of dealers and look at layouts, decide which layout you like then find a van you can build out to that layout or a version. That’s what we did and it saved us going through the 3 Van routine.

 

[fishplug]

My old Sprinter had a seat occupancy sensor for the middle seat so when I converted it to a single I had to put a resistor on the connector to fool the sensor. Took a lot of searching to find what the correct Ohm rating was, but once that was done it was a three minute job that cost pence!

My current Citroen Relay conversion was also pretty simple. Single passenger seats for these are gold dust and a lot of places have cottoned on to the UK importing them so they're pretty expensive.

I found a single drivers seat and used the seatbelt buckle from the original twin seat and relocated it. The second buckle with the pre-tensioner was simply removed (really must stick up on eBay one of these days...) and no programming or other work was needed for that.

MWB/LWB... There's no right answer.

Welcome to the wonderful world of making compromises and hoping they're the right ones!

For me it's a 6m van (Sprinter MWB is the same length as a Transit LWB so using the WB acronyms can be confusing)

This makes it just about parkable anywhere and keeps just within the cheaper band for most ferry crossings. I go for a high roof (I'd love an extra high, but again these are really hard to find)

The compromise is that you really are limited with the remaining space and having things like a shower become harder to do as does having a private toilet area.

However, less space also means less 'stuff' which equates to less weight and less fuel consumed...

My first van was 4.7 ton. We only ever went abroad with it once as the costs were astronomical.

While we're choosing vans, have a think about shapes and drivetrains. I loved the Sprinter, however, the side walls on those curve in more than you might think so you lose a fair bit of width high up. If you want a double bed running wall to wall you won't be able to fit it in beyond a certain height. Rear wheel drive was great, especially on muddy fields etc however it came at the cost of having a driveshaft running all the way down the van.

That means that you start to be limited in what you can put under the van such as gas, water and waste tanks.

That (and the galvanised body) was why my latest choice was the Relay/Boxer/Ducato platform. There's a reason why they're the most popular choice for motorhome platforms!

Lots of other vans make great base vehicles too, it depends on your needs and use case.

 

[Phil.G]

I’d go kombi as it will be classed as a dual purpose vehicle and as such normal car speed limits (I’m assuming you want a VW Transporter type van).

As to LWB or SWB, I road tested both versions of the T6, you can park a SWB anywhere but the extra 300mm makes a world of difference if you want to use it as a daily driver - I’d recommend a test drive and simply take it to a local car park and see how you’d feel walking away from it.

Interesting, I'm looking at either a transit or vivaro, so a double cab or windowed van would be classed as mixed therefore higher speed limit?? Good point about the length, tbh my driveway is short about 6.5m so I think it would be awkward to work on a LWB van.

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[Phil.G]

Length of van depends on where you want the bed, shorter vans may have the dinette converting to bed or no dinette and a bench seat arrangement at rear.
I suggest you first go to a number of dealers and look at layouts, decide which layout you like then find a van you can build out to that layout or a version. That’s what we did and it saved us going through the 3 Van routine.

I think the common layout for a Viv/custom/dub is rock and roll bed at rear, kitchen on far wall and folding table? Not sure what a dinnete is? Cheers

 

[Oldrat]

I’d go kombi as it will be classed as a dual purpose vehicle and as such normal car speed limits (I’m assuming you want a VW Transporter type van).

if you end up with a fully converted campervan (ie compying with the DVLA guidelines, then it will be subject to the same speed limits as a car (if sub 3005kgs unladen) regardless of it being a dual purpose kombi or not.

There is a lot of misinformation out there in respect of this..

The DVLA are very clear about the (lack of) impact of classifications on speed limits..

See here

To be clear, if it has all the elements of a proper campervan then it is, regardless of what it is labelled by the DVLA.

DVLA link

 

[3crispies]

This ^^. We had a Rib bed as it could be used to carry things on a day to day basis as a rear shelf. Whereas a RnR bed has about 300mm boot !!. Works van has seats on Vw rails.