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L2h2 feels like it’s getting a bit less practical for the school run when needed, on the flip side giving more space and seems much cheaper than a t6 with some change for a car!
Did you contract or Diy the conversion @stwhannah
The Movano is my only vehicle, I generally try not to drive unless I really have to, but it’s rare I’ve had any trouble getting parked etc.
It came with the welfare conversion done, we took out the bits we didn’t need (it had a toilet and drying room in the back) and then my husband did the conversion (I was very little help, with a dislocated shoulder last summer!). It’s a van not a camper, insurance company has it logged as a modified van.
I've got a T6 Caravelle that I'm gradually adding (fully removable) bike storage, bed, and kitchen pod with fridge, sink with fresh and grey water containers, and enough worktop for a 2 ring cadac portable gas stove.
Cooking - inside. Opening sliding door windows help with this, you can get midge screens for them too. I wouldn't want to be cooking under the tailgate when it's pishing it down as it often does in the UK.
Sink - very handy, you'd need to store a water container otherwise and faff around with it when you just want to fill the kettle up in the morning.
Extra space - I've got a wind out awning which I'll use most of the time on campsites. If I'm staying somewhere for a few days though I'll get a drive away awning. Not only does it mean extra space for seating, working on bikes, cooking outdoors when it's raining, it 'saves' your spot if you need to go and drive somewhere.
LWB or SWB - I only had the choice for SWB but I would have gone for a LWB if I could.
Mine is my only car so gets used the same as my previous STW favourite, the Skoda Superb, did. Once you get used to sitting further forward and it seeming like there's about 40ft of car behind you, it's actually easier to drive than a car.
My layout is very specific to me; 4x seats (Inc driver) as a daily car, convertible into a single bed. Storage for 2x long MTB with the front wheels off. Kitchen with fridge, cooking, sink. I've also a got a swivel front passenger seat and I'll have separate water storage for the power wash for the bikes. All inside the van with no pop top. It'll only be for one person as it is, but if I added a pop top it'd be good for 2 people, 2 bikes, full comfort - only missing a toilet and shower.
I've got a basic leisure battery setup at the moment, the VW optional extra, with an excellent eberspacher diesel heater, I'll be upgrading the electrics too over the course of this year with a lithium battery and solar, which should let me go from the current 1-2 days without driving or hookup to a week or more with ease.
There's some in my thread here
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/my-ultimate-mtb-van-caravelle-build/
But here's a couple of the bike storage:
I'm working on the kitchen pod at the minute, so that's a bit away from being completed:
I've gone through a couple of designs with the bed but have come up with a decent solution which I'm happy with - just need to order the parts for it (aluminium profile and some sliders). And I'm also going to build up the right side of the bikes with extra storage, up to the window line as I'll be using window bags that clip into the window frame and black then out and provide a load of storage.
I'd advise getting over onto the T6 forum, just lock your wallet away before you do! 🤣
I've got a much bigger thread on there on my van.
https://www.t6forum.com/threads/tallpauls-caravelle-mtb-wagon.43548/
Oh and tailgate - but only because that's the only option I had!
Barn doors do allow for more storage though, you can hang bags, or shoes etc off the doors which you can't do with a tailgate.
But also, if you have a tailgate you can install some LED lights in it so that when you come back from a night ride, you've got perfect light above you when putting the bikes away (in the dry, under the tailgate 😉).
@ta11pau1 that looks amazing.....dont suppose you fancy building me a unit to house the fridge in my T4?!?
Haha, thanks - and no thanks! 🤣
It took me a month to do the bike drawer, and I've been working on the kitchen pod since the 13th Jan - I'm hoping to have assembly finished on that in the next 2 or 3 weeks, I only get chance to work on it at the weekends.
Should have the van completed in time for spring!
barndoors please.
You can open one door, and pack accordingly.
Opening the tail gate? hope you brought a map and snacks for the trek away from the van to let the thing open.
Then it opens and dings on a low hanging branch,
then you shelter under it in the rain, but find when you come to close it the numberplate well is full of water, so you now in your nice dry clean clothes, get a second, surprise, dirty shower.
And if the gas strut fails, or goes weak, good luck lifting the thing up!
I don't suppose anyone with a transit custom could do me a favour and see if a modern bike fits sideways behind the rear wheel arches with the front wheel off? Maybe tilted at an angle with the fork halfway up the wall?
I don’t suppose anyone with a transit custom could do me a favour and see if a modern bike fits sideways behind the rear wheel arches with the front wheel off? Maybe tilted at an angle with the fork halfway up the wall?
It's tight but you might be ok. My front mudguard gets in the way and I've not get got around to removing that to test for sure, and some rotating of handlebars may be required as there's really not much depth at all behind the wheel arch. If nobody gets back with a more comprehensive answer I could be tempted to drag a bike out and take some snaps of it in situ.
then you shelter under it in the rain, but find when you come to close it the numberplate well is full of water, so you now in your nice dry clean clothes, get a second, surprise, dirty shower.
Only happens once... to you. You can get mates loads of times.
Now I know, having started at the top today, NEVER buy a barn door van from @RustyNissanPrairie!
If nobody gets back with a more comprehensive answer I could be tempted to drag a bike out and take some snaps of it in situ.
@ped that would be really helpful if you could, aiming to try and by a van in the next couple of weeks and it's dependant on this working. Otherwise it'll be a L3 crafter with a garage and that's hard to fit on my drive and too big for a daily driver.
@scruffythefirst, here you go.
It's actually better than I thought it was, so thanks for forcing me to check! It fits but at floor level the bars are too wide for the doors to close, with not enough space to turn them to make a difference (ie, the bars hit the wall). It's ok once you shift the forks halfway up the wheel arch (door closes with room to spare in the second photo, tho' doesn't look like it would from that angle). So I guess I'll be making a little wedge with axle mount to sit in there.
Fantastic thanks, that's the plan on track!
What seats do you have?
One of these Smart Beds ones: https://www.smart-beds.com/beds/smart-bed-evolution-rail/
It was already fitted by the bloke I bought the van from. I'm not sure I'd have specced the same, perhaps going for a ply guys-like setup instead as I don't often need to carry rear passengers, but it's very nice quality.
Ive got barn doors on mine and its fine. Cant say ive ever thought if rather itvhad a tailgate.
If you're after a bike rack external then the vw spec one on tailgates is miles better than the fiamma barn door one ive got. Other than that I'd find a good van and not worry about it.