My DH and I finally bought a van today, our first. A 13' Windsor Windcheater 1983 - in vgood condition and a FAB price.
Only downside is that it has twin beds and we would like a double. If we put in a double there is no place for a table (currently a small table drops down between the beds). We would have to eat outside the van in the annexe which would be ok but worried about bad weather.
Are there any websites or computer apps that show you how to redesign the interior.
Or does anyone else have the same van - what did you do?
Many thanks for any help/suggestions
Radar said
10:21 PM Nov 14, 2015
If you are in Soutg East Queensland could pass onto you a caravan repairer who would help in this conversion.
We like his work and ability. Radar.
Jewels Sparkle said
10:25 PM Nov 14, 2015
Hi Radar
No we are in NSW but thanks for replying
jules47 said
10:33 PM Nov 14, 2015
Jewels Sparkle - took my eye immediately - then on your profile I saw your name - great imagination! Welcome to the forum - hope you enjoy your time on here, it can be fun, join in, on any of the sub forums - Solos, Tips and Hints, Free/Budget campspots, etc.
Used to have a 14.6 van, took us ages to find one that we wanted - we, unlike you, wanted single beds, but ours were in an "L" shaped configuration, gave so much more room in the van. Good luck, hope you find someone to help you.
Jewels Sparkle said
10:54 PM Nov 14, 2015
Hi Jules
Fab name
I've been looking at some reno sites and think I've found a solution - a futon ! we can leave it as a sofa during the day and then convert to a bed at night - enough room for a folding table and chair - what do you think?
Aus-Kiwi said
11:17 PM Nov 14, 2015
I bought one for old motorhome .. On eBay for under $300 delivered.. A better mattress over the top would make it comfortable ..
You want the type that folds down . Not pull out ..
Jewels Sparkle said
11:21 PM Nov 14, 2015
Thanks Aus-Kiwi
How did you anchor the futon to the floor?
jules47 said
11:41 PM Nov 14, 2015
Fantastic idea - looks like you came to the right place - keep posting, and reading - joining in!
Aus-Kiwi said
11:51 PM Nov 14, 2015
One of my fav things I do is fabricating steel.. I used 25 X 25 square pipe and made a frame .. Using same bolts through the floor and wall to hold .. Screwed a steel plate sliders to sit between bed and frame and L Brackets each side to move a few mm out from wall to lower .. Drilled L bracket through frame to hold in place when folded up.. But doesn't really need it..
Worked out much more secure as frame is bolted to side wall as well.. Being bus I had to contend with front wheel arches..
Aus-Kiwi said
11:58 PM Nov 14, 2015
This is half way through .. I moved fridge on top of freezer to make better use of space .. If your floor is flat ? It makes things way easier..
Hi Jewels Sparkle, this may not be helpful but I'll say it anyway. We are in the mid 70 age group, and although not travelling much these days have a 16 ft van for the odd week away etc. It has singles beds and we have been in the same cot for 55 years. This may not suit everybody, but I bought 2 good quality sleeping bags. It works a dream, I pick the sleeping bag up and chuck it in a draw, Yippeee beds made in a second. No more making 2 sheets, blanket, cover and pillow etc everyday in case some body looks inside. The choice is yours, 10 seconds to make the bed, or 300 seconds. It is also good for the BACK.
Simmo.
the rocket said
11:09 AM Nov 15, 2015
Hi jewels sparkle. Welcome. Good luck with your van. Regards. Rocket n strop
Jewels Sparkle said
03:07 PM Nov 15, 2015
Thank you Aus-Kiwi and young simo for the tips :)
Thank you Rocket n Strop for your welcome
PeterD said
11:28 PM Nov 15, 2015
Friends of ours had a Viscount Nipper (similar layout to yours.) They carried boards under the mattresses that were placed across the van at night and the mattresses were also turned around to make a double bed. This worked well for them.
One of the problems you will have with altering the layout of the van is the way they are built. The floor is laid first. The furniture is then placed on the floor and secured. The side walls are then lifted into place and secured to the furniture from the outside. After the furniture is attached to the walls the aluminium siding is then applied to the walls thus covering all access to the fasteners. The front and rear walls are then attached in like manner and the whole lot topped off with the roof.
What this means is that removing any of the furniture that is attached to the walls is likely to leave large scars on the walls. This may be OK if you are covering those scars with the new furniture. The other thing is that the walls are part of the strength of the furniture (and vice versa.) Any furniture you build to go in the van is likely to be heavier than the lot you pull out, this will reduce your carrying capacity of the van. You have to plan things carefully, its not like rearranging the furniture in your house.
Hylda&Jon said
11:42 PM Nov 15, 2015
We have a 17 foot 1996 caravan which we bought 2nd hand about 6 years ago and it came with 2 double beds separated by a bedside table.
We were going to travel Australia for 2 years (which we did) while our house was rented out
We didn't want separate beds for that long so a friend and I ripped out the single beds then joined them together, turned them around 90 degrees then mounted it on beams spanning from what was left of the left hand single bed frame to the right hand bed frame making a king size bed. It fits king size fitted sheets perfectly.
It did leave a gap of about a foot either side but as water tanks on one side and the water pump was on the other side we couldn't have a skinny walk way so we just made long shelves running along either side at an equal height to the bed base which have bolster cushions running along them for aesthetics and comfort.
The photo's show before and after shots.
I haven't got around to it yet but I will be putting a pair of hydraulic lifts to make raising the bed easier.
We love the double bed as we can be together if we want to or well apart during the heat of summer and we rarely disturb each other.
The only drawback is it's a bit of a pain making the bed.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
Jon
-- Edited by Hylda&Jon on Sunday 15th of November 2015 11:58:47 PM
We have a 17 foot 1996 caravan which we bought 2nd hand about 6 years ago and it came with 2 double beds separated by a bedside table.
We were going to travel Australia for 2 years (which we did) while our house was rented out
We didn't want separate beds for that long so a friend and I ripped out the single beds then joined them together, turned them around 90 degrees then mounted it on beams spanning from what was left of the left hand single bed frame to the right hand bed frame making a king size bed. It fits king size fitted sheets perfectly.
It did leave a gap of about a foot either side but as water tanks on one side and the water pump was on the other side we couldn't have a skinny walk way so we just made long shelves running along either side at an equal height to the bed base which have bolster cushions running along them for aesthetics and comfort.
The photo's show before and after shots.
I haven't got around to it yet but I will be putting a pair of hydraulic lifts to make raising the bed easier.
We love the double bed as we can be together if we want to or well apart during the heat of summer and we rarely disturb each other.
The only drawback is it's a bit of a pain making the bed.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
Jon
-- Edited by Hylda&Jon on Sunday 15th of November 2015 11:58:47 PM
Love the conversion
Jewels Sparkle said
02:05 PM Nov 16, 2015
Hi Peter
My DH likes this plan thank you
Jewels Sparkle said
02:06 PM Nov 16, 2015
Hi Jon
Thank you for the info.
I love your crochet blanket
grahamg said
09:48 PM Nov 16, 2015
To get ideas, if possible look at the same van as yours with the double bed configuration. Ours is a Coromal compac 402. ( 2 single beds with a full height cabinet in the middle)
If you look at the 401 with the double bed the cabinet has been split on two with smaller cabinets on each side. With the single beds there is shelf around the whole of the van at eye level. With the double bed there is no shelf.
we have found single beds in a small van gives a lot more space. There is somewhere to stand when someone else is moving around the kitchen.
Jewels Sparkle said
10:24 PM Nov 16, 2015
Hi graham
I don't know anyone with the same van as ours - I've tried searching online for interior/layout photos of our van but no luck so far.
Any suggestions as to where I might find layout of 1983 Windsor Windcheater poptop?
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Tuesday 17th of November 2015 01:22:21 PM
PeterD said
01:56 PM Nov 17, 2015
Cruising Cruze wrote:Oops sorry full size
Plus 7' too long and it already has the double bed.
Jewels Sparkle said
10:04 PM Nov 17, 2015
Thanks John and Peter
Just a bit bigger then mine !
I'm sure we will work out something - I've tried turning the mattress side ways and side by side with a board underneath - no extra room but we have a double bed :)
Hi everyone
My DH and I finally bought a van today, our first. A 13' Windsor Windcheater 1983 - in vgood condition and a FAB price.
Only downside is that it has twin beds and we would like a double. If we put in a double there is no place for a table (currently a small table drops down between the beds). We would have to eat outside the van in the annexe which would be ok but worried about bad weather.
Are there any websites or computer apps that show you how to redesign the interior.
Or does anyone else have the same van - what did you do?
Many thanks for any help/suggestions
If you are in Soutg East Queensland could pass onto you a caravan repairer who would help in this conversion.
We like his work and ability. Radar.
Hi Radar
No we are in NSW but thanks for replying
Used to have a 14.6 van, took us ages to find one that we wanted - we, unlike you, wanted single beds, but ours were in an "L" shaped configuration, gave so much more room in the van. Good luck, hope you find someone to help you.
Hi Jules
Fab name
I've been looking at some reno sites and think I've found a solution - a futon ! we can leave it as a sofa during the day and then convert to a bed at night - enough room for a folding table and chair - what do you think?
You want the type that folds down . Not pull out ..
Thanks Aus-Kiwi
How did you anchor the futon to the floor?
Worked out much more secure as frame is bolted to side wall as well.. Being bus I had to contend with front wheel arches..
Hopeing pic explains better..
Hi Jewels Sparkle, this may not be helpful but I'll say it anyway. We are in the mid 70 age group, and although not travelling much these days have a 16 ft van for the odd week away etc. It has singles beds and we have been in the same cot for 55 years. This may not suit everybody, but I bought 2 good quality sleeping bags. It works a dream, I pick the sleeping bag up and chuck it in a draw, Yippeee beds made in a second. No more making 2 sheets, blanket, cover and pillow etc everyday in case some body looks inside. The choice is yours, 10 seconds to make the bed, or 300 seconds. It is also good for the BACK.
Simmo.
Hi jewels sparkle. Welcome. Good luck with your van. Regards. Rocket n strop
Thank you Rocket n Strop for your welcome
Friends of ours had a Viscount Nipper (similar layout to yours.) They carried boards under the mattresses that were placed across the van at night and the mattresses were also turned around to make a double bed. This worked well for them.
One of the problems you will have with altering the layout of the van is the way they are built. The floor is laid first. The furniture is then placed on the floor and secured. The side walls are then lifted into place and secured to the furniture from the outside. After the furniture is attached to the walls the aluminium siding is then applied to the walls thus covering all access to the fasteners. The front and rear walls are then attached in like manner and the whole lot topped off with the roof.
What this means is that removing any of the furniture that is attached to the walls is likely to leave large scars on the walls. This may be OK if you are covering those scars with the new furniture. The other thing is that the walls are part of the strength of the furniture (and vice versa.) Any furniture you build to go in the van is likely to be heavier than the lot you pull out, this will reduce your carrying capacity of the van. You have to plan things carefully, its not like rearranging the furniture in your house.
We have a 17 foot 1996 caravan which we bought 2nd hand about 6 years ago and it came with 2 double beds separated by a bedside table.
We were going to travel Australia for 2 years (which we did) while our house was rented out
We didn't want separate beds for that long so a friend and I ripped out the single beds then joined them together, turned them around 90 degrees then mounted it on beams spanning from what was left of the left hand single bed frame to the right hand bed frame making a king size bed. It fits king size fitted sheets perfectly.
It did leave a gap of about a foot either side but as water tanks on one side and the water pump was on the other side we couldn't have a skinny walk way so we just made long shelves running along either side at an equal height to the bed base which have bolster cushions running along them for aesthetics and comfort.
The photo's show before and after shots.
I haven't got around to it yet but I will be putting a pair of hydraulic lifts to make raising the bed easier.
We love the double bed as we can be together if we want to or well apart during the heat of summer and we rarely disturb each other.
The only drawback is it's a bit of a pain making the bed.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
Jon
-- Edited by Hylda&Jon on Sunday 15th of November 2015 11:58:47 PM
Love the conversion
Hi Peter
My DH likes this plan
thank you
Hi Jon
Thank you for the info.
I love your crochet blanket
If you look at the 401 with the double bed the cabinet has been split on two with smaller cabinets on each side. With the single beds there is shelf around the whole of the van at eye level. With the double bed there is no shelf.
we have found single beds in a small van gives a lot more space. There is somewhere to stand when someone else is moving around the kitchen.
I don't know anyone with the same van as ours - I've tried searching online for interior/layout photos of our van but no luck so far.
Any suggestions as to where I might find layout of 1983 Windsor Windcheater poptop?
cheers
Julieanne
Hi Julieanne
I found one here:
www.aurvsales.com/detail/Used-1983-Windsor--/TTGFBLeGFPBaCBTGSLGF.html
Cheers John
Oops sorry full size
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Tuesday 17th of November 2015 01:22:21 PM
Plus 7' too long and it already has the double bed.
Just a bit bigger then mine !
I'm sure we will work out something - I've tried turning the mattress side ways and side by side with a board underneath - no extra room but we have a double bed :)