Which van for conversion?

[Susannah]

Hello All
I am wanting to buy a Transit to use as a campervan. I would like it to be a SWB but I'm not sure which model would be best. I would like to be able to sleep width ways in the back and I'm about 5'7" tall. I will need a bench of 3 seats as well as the driver's etc as I have 3 kids and I need it to be a small enough vehicle that I can manage the school run and small journeys without guzzling too much fuel! I'm thinking of having the bench of seats facing the back, so i can use them as seating in the van and squeeze in a tiny woodburner and kitchenette. What do people think? I know it's a lot in a small space but when I go away in the van it will mostly be me on my own. I'd like to be able to sleep my 3 kids in it (one in the double with me and the other 2 maybe across the seats (somehow!) What model transit would be best? I also want to be able to stand up in it once there has been some insulation put in.
Thanks

[Susannah]

No opinions out there ?! It's taken me 8 years to get this far! - I'd really love someone who knew something about this to give me some pointers x

[ned]

Have a look in the camper and conversion section for ideas, I would either go for mwb or lwb high roof, fwd have a lower floor to rwd. N

[mistericeman]

I reckon widthway sleeping is going to be tight (by time you have insulation and lining in) we tried it in our Jumbo and soon rejected it....
Trouble is in a swb van it's going to be pretty cramped with more than 1.
I'd forget the wood burner (nice idea BUT finding decent wood and storing it... let alone the dust and pfaff of lighting it etc soon ore off when I lived on a narrow boat for 10 years) and go for an eberspacher diesel heater.... cheap fuel/faff free/instant heat AND safe.
We get 30 to the gallon out of the Jumbo so not too painful.

[Beaker]

Hello All
I am wanting to buy a Transit to use as a campervan. I would like it to be a SWB but I'm not sure which model would be best. I would like to be able to sleep width ways in the back and I'm about 5'7" tall. I will need a bench of 3 seats as well as the driver's etc as I have 3 kids and I need it to be a small enough vehicle that I can manage the school run and small journeys without guzzling too much fuel! I'm thinking of having the bench of seats facing the back, so i can use them as seating in the van and squeeze in a tiny woodburner and kitchenette. What do people think? I know it's a lot in a small space but when I go away in the van it will mostly be me on my own. I'd like to be able to sleep my 3 kids in it (one in the double with me and the other 2 maybe across the seats (somehow!) What model transit would be best? I also want to be able to stand up in it once there has been some insulation put in.
Thanks

As mentioned, post up in the Campervans and Conversions section - you will get more help there.

I totally get your reasoning and logic for wanting a SWB, but trust me, it will be too small for 4. Don't forget your kids are only going to get bigger as they get older.

My van is a SWB medium roof Mk7 and is fine for my wife and I. We could just about do our three year old grandson as well, but it would be tight. There are photos of my van in rhe Campervan section.

I respectfully suggest you will need a long wheel base van with a medium or high roof for four, UNLESS you buy a drive-away awning for extra sleeping and living space while on holiday, and just use the van for transport and as a kitchen.

As suggested above, have a look in the Campervan section for ideas, and the best suggestion I can make is to open a Pinterest account and use it to save photos of different layouts and storage ideas, bed and kitchen designs etc. I can send you a link to my wife's Pinterest page if you want - it really helped us to decide what would work for us and what wouldn't.

Of course your available budget for the van and the conversion will have a massive bearing on what you can ultimately achieve.