Flat bed?

[Tidmo]

Hi, Just spent a great week in the Bongo down in Cornwall with the other half camping. This was our first extended trip away and it performed fabulously. My only gripe is the lack of flat bed. Is there a way of retaining the rear bench and adding an extra flat bit to replace the front bench? Ive seen something similar by Imperial but they cant help.
I dont mind losing the middle bench as it gets in the way. I would like to keep the rear bench for safety reasons but am willing to go the rock and roll route if need to. Can anyone help please?

[dave_aber]

I kept the middle bench, and made a bed which folds out over it once it's flattened. The bed base is in fact the base of the rear bench, suitably cannibalised. The middle bench can be used at its 'normal' position for travelling, and using the seatbelts, or slid back for a bit of 'lounge space'.

The bed can either be slid up against the middle seat for a big boot, or slid to the rear.

I've also narrowed the middle bench and bed down to fit a side conversion, but no reason that you couldn't do this full-width. I had a full-width prototype bed for a few months.

[Tidmo]

Hey that looks like a great idea. I suppose it all stores away flat when not in use?
Do you have details of how you made it etc? How does it work with the contours of the seats?
Thanks

[dave_aber]

Click on the pictures, and you'll get the full photo album for the prototype bed and the complete conversion.

With the bed down, the boards just sit on the high spots of the lumps & bumps of the seats, so it completely flattens them out.

[Tidmo]

Hi everyone. Just spent our first weekend away in the Bongo this year. -7 temperatures and all. Finally found a comfortable flat bed solution. Weve used lidl fold out chair beds (£34.99 each) fit perfectly and mega comfy. Pop a double duvet on top and a comfy cosy bed!

[mikeonb4c]

Hi everyone. Just spent our first weekend away in the Bongo this year. -7 temperatures and all. Finally found a comfortable flat bed solution. Weve used lidl fold out chair beds (£34.99 each) fit perfectly and mega comfy. Pop a double duvet on top and a comfy cosy bed!

That sounds interesting. Got any pics?

I must be one of the lucky ones. Despite having a fussy back, I find that provided I reverse the headrests in the middle bench seat, I sleep very well on the standard seats. I usually put a cheap Sunncamp self-inflating mattress over the seat for a little extra evening out of things but even without that I seem to be fine.

[Tidmo]

Hi mikeonb4c. No pics of inside over weekend but will take some tomorrow if I get chance.

[Bongoplod]

Click on the pictures, and you'll get the full photo album for the prototype bed and the complete conversion.

With the bed down, the boards just sit on the high spots of the lumps & bumps of the seats, so it completely flattens them out.

Clicked on your Photo Dave,to look at all the pics.......excellent!!!!!!!

Brian

[mentaliss]

Hi, Just spent a great week in the Bongo down in Cornwall with the other half camping. This was our first extended trip away and it performed fabulously. My only gripe is the lack of flat bed. Is there a way of retaining the rear bench and adding an extra flat bit to replace the front bench? Ive seen something similar by Imperial but they cant help.
I dont mind losing the middle bench as it gets in the way. I would like to keep the rear bench for safety reasons but am willing to go the rock and roll route if need to. Can anyone help please?

have a look at topic 'Coverting Bongos to campervans' my post: My Conversion, the middle seat was replaced by the rear seat/tracks and specialist re-upholstered (including seat belt fixings) to obtain a flat /bed profile.. In my view far better than a R&R set up but not necessarily cheaper.

[Simon Jones]

You can have the original seats flattened for about £500 by the chap that does them for Imperial. Not cheap, but hard to put a price on a comfy nights sleep

[MrSniff]

I'm very interested in the option of flattening the existing seat (already cut down for a side conversion) - does anyone have any recommendations / contacts?

Thanks!

[chipvan]

ikea futon matress is great but its soo big your need a trailer!

[M 80NGO]

We have a 12v airpump and a double air matress, cheap effective and rolls up nice n small when not being used

[MikesBongo]

Hi everyone looking to flatten the rear seat and backrest to remove the unevenness of the arm rests etc:
If you are in Wiltshire within 30miles of Calne-
I took my bongo to South West Auto trimming.

Unless you have unusual needs or an unusual seat, budget for up to £170.

They took out the metal armrest frame and rest but did not alter the structure. They put in high performance foam, so it's really comfy as a seat as well. They also sewed up the fabric correctly leaving the openings for the seat belt
Here is the web link.

http://www.swautotrimming.co.uk/

Mike
Melksham

[MikesBongo]

Hi everyone looking to flatten the rear seat and backrest to remove the unevenness of the arm rests etc:
If you are in Wiltshire within 30miles of Calne-
I took my bongo to South West Auto trimming.

Unless you have unusual needs or an unusual seat, budget for up to £170.

They took out the metal armrest frame and rest but did not alter the structure. They put in high performance foam, so it's really comfy as a seat as well. They also sewed up the fabric correctly leaving the openings for the seat belt
Here is the web link.

http://www.swautotrimming.co.uk/

Mike
Melksham