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Conversion Planning

To be able to design a camper van and choose your base vehicle, you will need to decide a number of things :-

1. How many people you wish to accommodate whilst travelling ?

2. How many people do you wish to accommodate whilst sleeping ?

3. How many people do you wish to accommodate sitting / dining in the van ?

4. Do you wish to stand up fully in the van (6ft roof height) ?

5. How do you wish to access the van, side door, rear doors, rear hatch ?

6. What type of trips do you intend to use the van for (and all the combinations) ?

7. Where will your destinations be

8. When will your trips be ?

Now this list probably seems obvious to you, however I can't stress how important it is to know the answers to these questions. As if you don't the van design and vehicle selection process will be a lot more difficult and it could result in your camper van not being very usable to you.

Now if you already know what you want in your van and how you are going to use it, you can skip the rest of this page.

My basic requirements for my van were :-

1. Panel van, small enough to be used for work / commuting and being able to get in to supermarket car parks.

1. Six passenger seats for travelling, TUV crash tested with 3 point belts.

2. 1 6ft long double bed, minimum 4ft 6 inches wide.

3. 1 smaller double bed for the kids to sleep in.

4. Kitchen with Hob, sink and fridge.

5. Leisure electrics system(mains hook up, 12v sockets, electric fridge ?)

6. Seating and dining area (table), sized for 4 comfortably and 6 at a squeeze

7. Storage for clothes, holiday equipment, awning, food, kitchen equipment

8. At lease two passenger windows, in the back of the van

This list can now be used to judge any suggested design and layouts. Please note that for insurance and DVLA purposes there is a full list of what is required for a vehicle to be classified as a 'Motor Caravan'