Cargo Van Sleeper
- Thread starter timvan83
- Start date
hondaking38
Veteran Expediter
i started using a roll-away bed and soon switched over to a air mattress... much more comfortable for me , and i can bungie it to the inside of the roof when not in use....
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Well I have a cargo van and after considerable thought and planning I decided just to copy a successful design so I am building a bunk styled after Terry and Rene’s rig. Diesel Docs design gave me a bunch of great ideas about equipment I didn’t even think of. Terry and Rene have a solid floor and e-track on the sides. There is a lot more to their rig than the pics will show, but I say they did an excellent job. Take a look at the article, which I would post here but I can’t find.
I had to throw together the cargo area and put the e-track on the floor, which I don’t like at all. I can’t wait to move it onto the sides of the cargo area; I need to buy two more pieces of e-track. I started to put together the bulkhead for the bunk area today, but being by myself (wife can’t lift anything because of her shoulder and my father has back problems, friends won’t help because it is not a computer), the project is slowly being put together. The present floor will be used to build the rest of the bunk and I will put down a solid ten foot plywood floor when I make some money.
Once done I will have about 26 inches behind the driver’s seat for the bunk area. Yea I can hear others say that this is too small, but I am used to this. I bought a really nice air mattress for $45 last year, used it twice and now I can’t stop it from leaking at the seams. So while I was on the road last week I went to Wal-Mart and bought a $8 air mattress and I like it better than the $45 one I bought.
Oh yea the first day I got the van the passenger seat went in the back of my pickup to be stored. I don’t want passengers, but I also didn’t want to waste space. I didn’t get to it today but my fridge and other stuff will go under the shelf. I will have the shelf going from the short bulkhead (which starts where the e-track presently ends) to the dash on the passenger side.
I still have to add my electrical panel and tap the vehicle electric for the under hood fuse block. Once I do that my optimum battery is pulled out of my truck and put into the van, the truck is mothballed for the rest of the year.
I have a small solar A/C unit that I am going to install in the van to cool everything down while sitting. Right now the compressors are toasted and I am waiting for a quote for replacements. It draws 20 amps running on high and with the battery, it can run a while. I figure the less I idle the more money I save.
I am not taking any pictures as I am working on it because for the life of me, I can’t cut a straight line and don’t want to show that.
I had to throw together the cargo area and put the e-track on the floor, which I don’t like at all. I can’t wait to move it onto the sides of the cargo area; I need to buy two more pieces of e-track. I started to put together the bulkhead for the bunk area today, but being by myself (wife can’t lift anything because of her shoulder and my father has back problems, friends won’t help because it is not a computer), the project is slowly being put together. The present floor will be used to build the rest of the bunk and I will put down a solid ten foot plywood floor when I make some money.
Once done I will have about 26 inches behind the driver’s seat for the bunk area. Yea I can hear others say that this is too small, but I am used to this. I bought a really nice air mattress for $45 last year, used it twice and now I can’t stop it from leaking at the seams. So while I was on the road last week I went to Wal-Mart and bought a $8 air mattress and I like it better than the $45 one I bought.
Oh yea the first day I got the van the passenger seat went in the back of my pickup to be stored. I don’t want passengers, but I also didn’t want to waste space. I didn’t get to it today but my fridge and other stuff will go under the shelf. I will have the shelf going from the short bulkhead (which starts where the e-track presently ends) to the dash on the passenger side.
I still have to add my electrical panel and tap the vehicle electric for the under hood fuse block. Once I do that my optimum battery is pulled out of my truck and put into the van, the truck is mothballed for the rest of the year.
I have a small solar A/C unit that I am going to install in the van to cool everything down while sitting. Right now the compressors are toasted and I am waiting for a quote for replacements. It draws 20 amps running on high and with the battery, it can run a while. I figure the less I idle the more money I save.
I am not taking any pictures as I am working on it because for the life of me, I can’t cut a straight line and don’t want to show that.
Sunset Express
Expert Expediter
Check out my pics from the Ford van that I put together recently. It's running with Panther right now. It has a permanent bulkhead, permanent sleeper unit, e-tracks, the works.
www.geocities.com/stanisz80/sleeper.html
www.geocities.com/stanisz80/sleeper2.html
I have installed these units into Dodge and GM vans also. Check out topics 1473 and 1503 regarding my work.
If you'd like more info, or if you want me to install something like this for you, email me at [email protected].
Richard
Sunset Express
www.geocities.com/stanisz80/sleeper.html
www.geocities.com/stanisz80/sleeper2.html
I have installed these units into Dodge and GM vans also. Check out topics 1473 and 1503 regarding my work.
If you'd like more info, or if you want me to install something like this for you, email me at [email protected].
Richard
Sunset Express
This might give you some ideas. Hope it helps.
Ace
http://photos.yahoo.com/[email protected]/my_photos
Ace
http://photos.yahoo.com/[email protected]/my_photos
I'm running a 2005 158wb hi-top Sprinter for PantherII. Occasionally am offered a "special" oversize or overweight c/v load.
For sleeping I have three medium plastic totes lined up across the floor about 3 ft. behind the front seats, with a twin air mattress on top. Have a 3'x5' rug between the seats and the totes. Have my tv and computer on a small table behind the right seat. Have a rod and fabric shower curtain behind the bed to prevent drafts and having to heat & cool the whole cargo area. Use foil sun blockers from the $1 store for privacy. Total cost under $50.00. Can stow all my gear in the totes, and can stack it all on my passenger seat when needed.
For sleeping I have three medium plastic totes lined up across the floor about 3 ft. behind the front seats, with a twin air mattress on top. Have a 3'x5' rug between the seats and the totes. Have my tv and computer on a small table behind the right seat. Have a rod and fabric shower curtain behind the bed to prevent drafts and having to heat & cool the whole cargo area. Use foil sun blockers from the $1 store for privacy. Total cost under $50.00. Can stow all my gear in the totes, and can stack it all on my passenger seat when needed.
Barrelhunter
Expert Expediter
I'm using a 2000 Chevy 3500 Extended van. Like the others I like the ability to colapse the bunk to get some of the odd ball freight. I keep 4 milk cartons in the van with two plywood boards. One is 69" by 20 something and I put three coleman self inflate air matresses with foam lining down. The other board is the width of the front seats and fits between the arm rests for when I get stuck sleeping at the consignee.
I also grabbed a folding camp table from K-mart for putting my laptop between the seats while driving. It sits on a steering wheel table bought at TA both on the wheel and table to keep the fans free and cool.
The plywood also pulls double duty when carrying 55 gallon drums, my least favorite cargo.
I also grabbed a folding camp table from K-mart for putting my laptop between the seats while driving. It sits on a steering wheel table bought at TA both on the wheel and table to keep the fans free and cool.
The plywood also pulls double duty when carrying 55 gallon drums, my least favorite cargo.