A Beginners Guide

[Ian]

I've had a request over the ether to produce a "Beginners Guide to Camping in Your Bongo".

So, you have bought your Bongo, and are thinking of getting it converted to be a full blown campervan. It's just you and the dog and you want to get out on the open road. You intend using it all year round.

What are the essential requirements? What are the "must-have" bits of kit for the dedicated Bongonaut?

[helen&tony]

Hi Ian
That might be split into short journeys and long journeys, as my kit varies between those 2 headings.
I don't tend to want , or need as much as some folk like, either, so I would prefer very basic kit. Perhaps we could sub-divide each into "essential" and "must have" as you say?
Cheers
Helen

[Bob]

We bought ours intending to convert once we'd seen a few.

Nearly 7 years later it is still an 8 seater as it is so versatile.

We can sleep on the front and middle seats, cut bits of foam to help level, loo in the back and brew kit are the basics.

For longer trips we now have a caravan as Bongy is also a great tow truck.

[roosmith]

I followed the exact same route as Bob. I think the attraction of the Bongo to so many is that it is so versatile. Good luck writing a guide but it sounds too open ended to me!

[helen&tony]

Hi
Ours is the same, Bob, but after 10 years, I am considering a rear conversion (maybe), as it will be good for rapid sprints to Greece with quick meals en route without setting anything up, then putting the awning up and setting a camp kitchen outside for the longer break!...Southern Greece in 2 days with a bit of a shimmy!
Cheers
Helen

[BigPanzer]

Hi,

Some excellent advice that was on the forum about conversions is - live with it unconverted for a while to see what you need and more important, what you can live without. I ignored this advice and regretted it.

Please could you give us a bit more info Ian, are you thinking of an AFT or tintop? Does it have rear aircon? (If not the space can be used for a water tank)

In any case, I think the first step would be a leisure battery with voltage monitoring and a split charging system and lots of 12v sockets. You can never have too many 12v sockets.

Peter

[Jillygumbo]

After 10 years mine is still unconverted but I have made some modifications: Fiamma 45S wind out canopy, leisure battery, rear bench seat replaced with gull wing seats and a Stimson Explorer kit. The only thing I may consider is one of Dodgey's solar kits as I prefer non electric sites. The only thing I wish I had is a raising roof for the headroom.

[Muzorewa]

Essentials are a bog and a fridge (some would argue the fridge to keep your bogroll in for when you've had one of Helen's curries ). Handy are a sink (with water) and a hob.

Electrickery of varying types is handy too but if you're solar, and don't need a heater, then no need for mains.

Frankly I could do without the bog too but the females in what remains of Team Muz would strongly disagree

[cmm303]

Interesting challenge! We Bongo frequently with 5 others, with a large variety of conversion types reflecting their individual needs. We remain thoroughly content with our unconverted layout.

Would a workable approach be to provide pros and cons of main layouts?

[Spencer54]

Well I can add some info here,

I've had three separate attempts at camping in Genghis as he's known so far

So firstly, unless you like waking up at "crack of sparrows" get a window covers for the front and side windows or a cab curtain.

In standard form and no leisure battery leaving doors open and lights on kills your battery in no time.
so a second leisure one or aftermarket LED lighting is a must. So is removal of the key bleeper.

Make sure you have decent bedding if sleeping up top, single camp mattress won't cut it if you roll over in the night. Proper mattress or a topper cut to fit is essential.

Get the vehicle as level as you can, make a difference when trying to sleep or drink anything.

Rear conversions have the full length sleeping down stairs and with the seats and rails reversed, they are comfy, but they are a faff to get in and out of as the door entry is smaller.

Like others have said, unconverted is the way to go and see what layout suits you best.
I was sure rear was the way to go, but now I'm thinking side would have probably been a better bet.

[Dr Fingers]

Cool box is quite adequate 90% of time for us 2, (wife doesn't drink much white wine, I like red, no beers..) a fridge is too bulky for us and we don't cook in the van, (and rarely in the awning, simple camping gaz 2 burner suffices), but yes a LB is an essential, as said elsewhere. We're still unconverted, 3 years down the line, mid seats removed, rears plus boxes make full width v comfy bed, easy to get in/out, we added a drive away awning, works for us..


Derek

[mikeonb4c]

I'm an unconverted man and just put up a slideshow of my cheap camping units here:

http://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/view ... 47&t=67512

For the roof, I have 2" memory foam and some 10 tog lining panels I made myself using cheap duvet fill sewn into reuseable space blanket material. Too cold+condensation, or too hot and bright when sun comes up, if you don't do something like that.

Always have Smidge with you is another beginners tip. And that picnic bag in the tailgate locker has packet / longlife food / teabags etc that lives permanently on board so we can always survive if the shops are shut.

[Jillygumbo]

In standard form and no leisure battery leaving doors open and lights on kills your battery in no time.
so a second leisure one or aftermarket LED lighting is a must. So is removal of the key bleeper.

But ... Key beeper should prevent you leaving your lights on in the first place! I re-installed a removed beeper to avoid that problem. I'll beep on forever thank you.