Rear conversion advice needed!

[Indy]

Just in the process of buying our first bongo.
Once we have the van we are looking
to carry out a rear conversion with a full width rock n roll bed.
If anybody could offer advice as to where would be a good place to
get this conversion done in the north west for a reasonable price
that would be great.
Cheers

[windywatson]

Hi

Welcome to the forum. With regards to the conversion you are looking to have that would also include a full width bed. I would If I were you take some time to consider what it is you really want to get from your Bongo. If you want to leave the rear conversion in place whilst sleeping in the van would reduce the length of the bed. As you may be aware many owners carry rear kitchens that can be removed & placed into awning/tent & then recline all of the seats to give a nice size large double.
Most Rock & Roll beds that I have seen have been used alongside fitted side conversions. This gives full length bed all be it narrower.
There are many variations of conversions, so you are best advised to do some more research. Have a good look at the forum for pictures of what others have. Once youve seen one you like the member will only be to pleased to tell you where the work was done.

Cheers & best of luck with your project.

[tallbongo]

Hi and welcome.

To make the same point as windywatson but more strongly...

The length of the Bongo pretty much makes this impossible. There is only about 7 feet of length available. Even if your rear conversion takes only 12" and the bed is 5'6" - 6' long, that leaves little to no room to stand to pull the bed out or put it away. Have a serious think before committing to this design.

[dom_e]

Would using the driver and passenger seats as part of bed get around this (though out would of course mean it wasn't a double)?

[the1andonly]

would agree with Windy
check out all the variations available.
talk to people.
hire the variation you want first if you are going rock n roll
do a variation of your layout in cardboard/ chip board. live with it.
look think imagine

My first trip out raised questions, and I thought I'd thought about it.
don't rush it .

I suspect I will run multiple variations for different applications.

The front and mid seats are part of one option, not yet tried for sleeping

[winchman]

We have a rear home made conversion that allows us to seat 8 adults but sleep two by using the middle and front seats and leaving the back seat up, you are welcome to come and have a look

[tallbongo]

Out of interest, how do you find making up the bed? Do you have to get out of the van to flatten out the seats into the bed? I tried a rear conversion before opting for the side one, but just couldn't get to grips with the layout.

[winchman]

Out of interest, how do you find making up the bed? Do you have to get out of the van to flatten out the seats into the bed? I tried a rear conversion before opting for the side one, but just couldn't get to grips with the layout.

Yes, its not ideal, but I had to keep the seats and was on a tight budget so little option, if I had the time and funds to do another I would have a side conversion and shorten the existing seats so I could still carry six.

[Simon Jones]

I built my own rear conversion using original seat which I had professionally flattened. Makes full width bed which is about 6 feet long.

Originally I had a small infill cushion, but now don't bother with it as I tend to extend the headrests to make up the gap:

[M 80NGO]

I have a rear conversion and my advise is this, don't have a conversion at all, just leave her as an 8 seater as it's the most versitile set up possible, with a conversion of any type you are just robbing sleeping space, you'll do all your cooking outside as you won't want your bongo smelling like butty wagon and you'll be constantly carrying a kitchen unit around denting your mpg, you loose your boot space, your money would be better spent on a good awning where you can put your table, chairs and twin burner portible stove then when you've finished camping you can pack it all up in the boot that you wouldn't have with a rear coversion

[tallbongo]

I built my own rear conversion using original seat which I had professionally flattened. Makes full width bed which is about 6 feet long.

Originally I had a small infill cushion, but now don't bother with it as I tend to extend the headrests to make up the gap:

I like the flattened seats. It's pretty much the first layout I tried, however I made the flappy paddle seat cushions big enough to fill in the gap that you fill with the headrests.

[tallbongo]

I have a rear conversion and my advise is this, don't have a conversion at all, just leave her as an 8 seater as it's the most versitile set up possible, with a conversion of any type you are just robbing sleeping space, you'll do all your cooking outside as you won't want your bongo smelling like butty wagon and you'll be constantly carrying a kitchen unit around denting your mpg, you loose your boot space, your money would be better spent on a good awning where you can put your table, chairs and twin burner portible stove then when you've finished camping you can pack it all up in the boot that you wouldn't have with a rear coversion

That's definitely a matter of opinion though. We only bought the Bongo because the size, lifting roof and fitted blinds made it an ideal base vehicle to convert into a campervan. I'd repeat the oft spouted advice on try out the vehicle to find out how it works for you before committing to a conversion. If you just want a bed and are happy using an awning, great you can keep it as an 8-seater. If you want somewhere warmer to cook and sit in while it's peeing down and the gales are blowing, some form of conversion may suit better.

[mikeonb4c]

Try PMing Hotpot (Anne) to learn more about swing-out rear conversion. I fancy trying this idea out, esp if unit cM be easily removed from the swing-out base. It would allow rear seats as bed plus keep MPV versatility, hut I'd want a tailgate throwover for weatherproof enclosure. Never been done before but must be doable.

[Simon Jones]

I like the flattened seats. It's pretty much the first layout I tried, however I made the flappy paddle seat cushions big enough to fill in the gap that you fill with the headrests.

Have you got any photos please? I'm planning to re-jig the flip up seats along similar lines so would welcome some ideas.

[tallbongo]

Sorry, I don't, but they were just like your cushions, except extending to the seat. I didn't change the flappy seats themselves, just had cushions that rested on them. I didn't have the bench reversed so the gap may differ.

I am however planning on changing the flip up seat on my side conversion, but it's quite a long way down the list of things to do. I've still to measure it all out, but my current thinking is to completely unbolt the current flip up seat and replace it with a bar. I'll then make a new seat base with a slot through which the bar will run, allowing it to be raised and pivoted, rather than turned over, when the passenger seat is in use. This should allow a bigger seat. I hope the really rough sketch below helps.