Kitchen install on rear of seats

[Alkers]

Has anyone tried or considered installing a kitchen unit on the back of the middle row of seats?
Mightn't sound great but it would actually be quite practical. I reckon you could make a bracket that mounts to the back of the middle row of seats, that holds a smev hob and sink. To use them, you would fold the seats into their "table" position and could slide the seats all the way forwards. The seats would still be fully functioning (at the expense of some leg room for the 3rd row of seats, all the seats would be able to fold flat into a bed and I'd still have full use of the boot.

A bit of thought needs to go into the bracket, so that it can hold the smev units in place while upside down and also about how the gas and drain is wired. I'm thinking I'd mount the gas bottle to the bulkhead in the boot and just have a flexible pipe running to the smev, with enough flex so the seat is able to go into all of its positions. For the sink, I could just have a length of flexible tubing that I can use to drain the sink out of the door into a bucket when required.

Thoughts?

Has anyone seen or tried a setup like this?

[mikeonb4c]

Has anyone tried or considered installing a kitchen unit on the back of the middle row of seats?
Mightn't sound great but it would actually be quite practical. I reckon you could make a bracket that mounts to the back of the middle row of seats, that holds a smev hob and sink. To use them, you would fold the seats into their "table" position and could slide the seats all the way forwards. The seats would still be fully functioning (at the expense of some leg room for the 3rd row of seats, all the seats would be able to fold flat into a bed and I'd still have full use of the boot.

A bit of thought needs to go into the bracket, so that it can hold the smev units in place while upside down and also about how the gas and drain is wired. I'm thinking I'd mount the gas bottle to the bulkhead in the boot and just have a flexible pipe running to the smev, with enough flex so the seat is able to go into all of its positions. For the sink, I could just have a length of flexible tubing that I can use to drain the sink out of the door into a bucket when required.

Thoughts?

Has anyone seen or tried a setup like this?

Never heard of anything like that having been done before. I'm trying to figure out why and how the smev is going to end up being stored upside down.

[Gasy]

Loads have built a kitchen box
Inc myself will post pics later
Which is stored under the bench seats and then can be put on them to cook or outside

These usually store all utensils and cooker etc
Could be fixed onto back of seat for storage

[Bob]

I fancy the 'Kitchen Box' idea is brilliant.

Does all you want, sensible cost and can be removed to allow use as a load carrier.

[cmm303]

Alkers, intriguing idea.

You mention a sink in your kit which sounds a challenge to work well and not restrict leg room too much when travelling. Personally, having an easy and quick fresh water supply would be a priority. Water gets used frequently and we found a pump tap avoids spillages and allows a freestanding water container to be stored out of the way. A plastic bowl for collecting and doing washing up does us fine, usually outside, under tailgate or in site facilities.

Well worth incorporating a splash back to protect the van interior.

[the1andonly]

I feel a touch of dejavu here
Kitchen on top of the mid table seat is a good position to stand to cook with roof up.
height may not be perfect- hunch back hurts an old man.
Alternative stowage point may be under the mid seat on a shelf thickness limited. various folding burners suitable for this purpose, including heat shielding for base and front seats.

A simple washing up bowl would complement that simple set up or splash out and get a silver bowl and put a drain in the side and empty by tipping, a 5l bottle will do job. Even if you go the Smev route use a bottle. for water and waste.
good advice from cm303
For such a novel approach try a simple (cheap ) route first to prove the concept. I'm on my 3rd incarnation in 3years (last one ish)
the kitchen box has more than one advocate and used in various positions mid, back side ways on back and outside.
a professional one stimpson
http://www.stimsonexplorerkit.co.uk/

requirements change.
GAS requirements:
what you propose is illegal in the UK don't know about rest of Europe.
A flexible hose may be used for fixed systems that hinge your proposal but not that length. The bottle should be fixed in a box with a hole to the outside (straight down for gas to escape.)

If you have not got a fixed system eg a removable stow-able cooker you could use a bottle close by and store wherever preferably restrained.
connect flexible on cooker and bottle

[g8dhe]

Also you need to bear in mind that you will need to inform the insurer's of any changes, they may not be to keen to have loose bottles and flexi gas pipes! Might be worth having a word with them first as to what it might do to the insurance premium ....

[Alkers]

The smev would only be upside down when the seats are a bed, it would be sideways when the middle row is as seats.
I need to have "permanently fixed" sink and cooking facilities to avail of campervan insurance (I'm in Ireland ) and if I go with a kitchen that is to be used from outside the vehicle, it will not be classed as a camper for tax purposes. This is why I think that it would be the best solution, still allowing 8 seats and a large boot.
my main hurdle is how to secure to the rear of the seats, I have a plumber/gas installer friend who can look after the pipe work once I get the unit mounted.
I've seen smev sinks online which have a shallow enough depth so I don't think legroom will be a big issue when I ocassionally use all 8 seats.
Thanks for the replies so far!

[the1andonly]

I think Simon Jones as posted in the past about removing the plastic trim to fit table clamps.
have a search, theres nothing on the box.

[Simon Jones]

I did this mod to allow table to fit to rear of bench seat: http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... le#p650540

Unzip the rear of the upholstery and you'll find a thin plastic 'board' behind the foam. I cut a sheet of 3mm ply to a similar shape and size which I then bolted in place to the mounting points on the steel frame. Its a bit fiddly to do but than gives you something that you can screw into from the outside.

[mikeonb4c]

I did this mod to allow table to fit to rear of bench seat: http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... le#p650540

Unzip the rear of the upholstery and you'll find a thin plastic 'board' behind the foam. I cut a sheet of 3mm ply to a similar shape and size which I then bolted in place to the mounting points on the steel frame. Its a bit fiddly to do but than gives you something that you can screw into from the outside.

Will it be strong enough I wonder to hold the weight of a complete SMEV unit and sink hanging upside down from it?

[Alkers]

I did this mod to allow table to fit to rear of bench seat: http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... le#p650540

Unzip the rear of the upholstery and you'll find a thin plastic 'board' behind the foam. I cut a sheet of 3mm ply to a similar shape and size which I then bolted in place to the mounting points on the steel frame. Its a bit fiddly to do but than gives you something that you can screw into from the outside.

Will it be strong enough I wonder to hold the weight of a complete SMEV unit and sink hanging upside down from it?

That's the current million dollar question alright! I have the smev already, doesn't feel too heavy

[Simon Jones]

If it were me, I'd pick up a cheap bench seat and strip the upholstery off to have a good look at the steel tubular framework inside and then make a template for steel hinged mechanism which could be bolted or welded to the proper seat.

[cptsideways]

Quite a common mod in the Landcruiser world is to fit one in the rear window aperture that folds down. Some even remove the window & refit a panel that swings out either way in & out so you can have an indoor/outdoor kitchen.

This sort of thing, called gullwings in the overlander world

[stuc]

Quite a common mod in the Landcruiser world is to fit one in the rear window aperture that folds down. Some even remove the window & refit a panel that swings out either way in & out so you can have an indoor/outdoor kitchen.

This sort of thing, called gullwings in the overlander world

Now I do like that idea!