JAL - Superwide bed Spaceship conversions - pros & cons?

[agentdagnamit]

We're thinking about buying from JAP Imports and getting this conversion. Probably a mushroom roof. Currently we have a full width bed, fridge underneath it , tin top and just a small sink unit behind the drivers seat. We'll be going from a 96 Diesel to probably a 2001 V6.

So we'll loose a little bed width, but gain a hob and some more cupboards (but they wont be deep).

It will also be a phaff to use a roof box, but we only do that occasionally (though usually on long trips).

Anyone else got this conversion, and have any comments or would have made a different choice with hindsight?

cheers

[Ian]

Remember, you can't fix roof bars to a mushroom roof.

[Jim the Box]

We have the larger bed and as you say the storage space width is reduce greatly around the cooking/basin area, our fridge is installed under the rear passenger seat (the R&R bed) so again storage space under the seat is reduced. We would rather have the large bed, and sacrifice the storage space, we tend to eat out a lot when day to day touring, and take an awning to store stuff if spending a few days on the same site. We have 2 portable plastic 3xdrawer units which we place in the drive away awning once it is erected all our bits and bobs /spare clothing are stored in them. Use the awning as base camp and tour day by day from there and returning at night to do a bit of cooking for supper, and then off somewhere else locally the next day, we just travel light if away for a day or 2 minimal clothing for 2 days, and only taking cornflakes, snacks, and a few tins of soup, and just eat out at nights, works for us. We also store all our bedding, pillows, double sleeping bag in the mushroom roof when travelling. We took far too much on our first few outing, you well soon get the hang of what to take and what not to take.

[Neildeb68]

we had the same conversion. one thing i hate is the position of the fridge on the far side under the bed. not a good look in the mornings when the side door is open and im pot holing to get the milk in my underpants . Cupboard space is a pain. if i had a choice and Phil at JAL was a bit easier to talk to i would have the fridge closest to the side door and loose the tall side cupboard at the back as you cant open it unless the bed is down.Apart from that we love our van

[Mrs Muppet]

We opted to stick with the standard width R&R bed as I wanted the cupboard space. I do not find the cupboard space that useful as I had thought as it is quite restricted. Tend to keep things in boxes/baskets stacked on floor. so, in hindsight the wider bed may have been a good idea for us. Nice and cosy though

We opted for the sky lift roof as Mr Muppet found the mushroom a bit too heavy for him, lovely though the mushroom roof was.

We got the mattress cushions to use in the roof and they make for a nice comfy bed up there. Not sure if there is more storage room (when shut) in the mushroom roof than the skylift but I do not think I would dare try putting pillows and duvet up there as well in case we strained the roof. Would be great if we could store them up there as they take up so much space under the bed.

Anyone with a skylift who could advise me if they store all this up in theirs and it has done no damage.

[sdsk]

Hi,

We have the skylift roof.
We can't store much up in the roof at all - even a spread out sleeping bag (3 season) is too much on top of the mattress...
(I think we might have managed to put the silver screens up there)

Nice simple roof mechanism though!

Darron

[Jim the Box]

The mushroom roof is very heavy, I think it just compresses my memory foam mattress and my 2 soft foam pillows, and the sleeping bag which is rolled flat out.