Berlingo Micro Camper Conversion

[Jackdoor]

Hi, you answered my post about ideas for an interior stove. That is a great conversion. I take it you are happy to cook inside as long as the doors are open for bags of ventilation. If that is the case I need to make a unit like yours with storage drawers. How are the units secured to the vehicle

I always cook with the tailgate up, I have a great wind break that goes round the back of the car; it's 3 section 5ft high and 18ft long. The tailgate acts as a roof when its up and windbreak has 3 sides, so it makes a good shelter when needed. The units are secured with Velcro. it hold them well and it makes it easy to take them out to store when I'm not using it as a camper. I also have a side awning.

[Jackdoor]

   

Hi, you answered my post about ideas for an interior stove. That is a great conversion. I take it you are happy to cook inside as long as the doors are open for bags of ventilation. If that is the case I need to make a unit like yours with storage drawers. How are the units secured to the vehicle

I always cook with the tailgate up, I have a great wind break that goes round the back of the car; it's 3 section 5ft high and 18ft long. The tailgate acts as a roof when its up and windbreak has 3 sides, so it makes a good shelter when needed. The units are secured with Velcro. it hold them well and it makes it easy to take them out to store when I'm not using it as a camper. I also have a side awning.

I have add picture of the windbreak so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about

[Discoverypaul]

Nice conversion

[AlfaMan]

Any chance you could put up some more photos showing how you built it?
Assume the back seat isn't the full with of the berlingo to allow access from the side door? Is there a table incorporated into the design?

[Jackdoor]

Any chance you could put up some more photos showing how you built it?
Assume the back seat isn't the full with of the berlingo to allow access from the side door? Is there a table incorporated into the design?

I didn't take photos of the build, but I can talk you through my build and I can put together some notes if you like.
The basic concept is 3 boxes:
Box 1 = Looking from the rear it sits on the left hand side. 900mm X 395 X 350 this is the main storage unit with a full width draw at the bottom which is 100mm deep and runs on 350mm length roller draw runners. The top section is divided in two sections with a common lift up lid. I have used a full length piano hinge on the lid.
Box 2 = Looking from the rear it sits on the right hand side. 610mm X 395mm X 350mm this unit houses the services (water and gas) in one half and has 2 draws in the other half for pots and pans and food storage. it also house the bed width extension so the bed can be a good single or a full width double (I'll take photos to make this clear)
Box 3 = this unit has 2 functions:
1) it houses the cooker, as you can see the lid lifts and acts as a splash guard, and the front drops down and acts as an extra work surface. it also has a fold up ledge to the lift that acts as an extra work top if needed for cooking and when it is in position for the bed acts as an extension bridge ( I'll take photos to make this clear).
2) it acts as the bed centre bridge.

The seat is 2/3 width to enable the use of the side door. this is important if like me you want to use a side awning. I wouldn't recommend a rear awning as getting could be a problem if your car does not have an internal catch on the tailgate.

When I get time I will write a paper on the build.

Hope this helps.

[AlfaMan]

I didn't take photos of the build, but I can talk you through my build and I can put together some notes if you like.
The basic concept is 3 boxes:
Box 1 = Looking from the rear it sits on the left hand side. 900mm X 395 X 350 this is the main storage unit with a full width draw at the bottom which is 100mm deep and runs on 350mm length roller draw runners. The top section is divided in two sections with a common lift up lid. I have used a full length piano hinge on the lid.
Box 2 = Looking from the rear it sits on the right hand side. 610mm X 395mm X 350mm this unit houses the services (water and gas) in one half and has 2 draws in the other half for pots and pans and food storage. it also house the bed width extension so the bed can be a good single or a full width double (I'll take photos to make this clear)
Box 3 = this unit has 2 functions:
1) it houses the cooker, as you can see the lid lifts and acts as a splash guard, and the front drops down and acts as an extra work surface. it also has a fold up ledge to the lift that acts as an extra work top if needed for cooking and when it is in position for the bed acts as an extension bridge ( I'll take photos to make this clear).
2) it acts as the bed centre bridge.

The seat is 2/3 width to enable the use of the side door. this is important if like me you want to use a side awning. I wouldn't recommend a rear awning as getting could be a problem if your car does not have an internal catch on the tailgate.

When I get time I will write a paper on the build.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply. So the box on the left goes right back to the back of the seats where as the other two are shorter to allow side access? I think I'm starting to get my head around it now, its a great design. I'll be removing my three rear seats when using it as a camper so I might be able to incorporate another 4th storage box to take the place of the rear seats. Interesting what you say about the side awning, I had intended on using a rear awning, what do you mean by the internal catch?

Thanks again for sharing the design, look forward to seeing more photos

[Jackdoor]

I didn't take photos of the build, but I can talk you through my build and I can put together some notes if you like.
The basic concept is 3 boxes:
Box 1 = Looking from the rear it sits on the left hand side. 900mm X 395 X 350 this is the main storage unit with a full width draw at the bottom which is 100mm deep and runs on 350mm length roller draw runners. The top section is divided in two sections with a common lift up lid. I have used a full length piano hinge on the lid.
Box 2 = Looking from the rear it sits on the right hand side. 610mm X 395mm X 350mm this unit houses the services (water and gas) in one half and has 2 draws in the other half for pots and pans and food storage. it also house the bed width extension so the bed can be a good single or a full width double (I'll take photos to make this clear)
Box 3 = this unit has 2 functions:
1) it houses the cooker, as you can see the lid lifts and acts as a splash guard, and the front drops down and acts as an extra work surface. it also has a fold up ledge to the lift that acts as an extra work top if needed for cooking and when it is in position for the bed acts as an extension bridge ( I'll take photos to make this clear).
2) it acts as the bed centre bridge.

The seat is 2/3 width to enable the use of the side door. this is important if like me you want to use a side awning. I wouldn't recommend a rear awning as getting could be a problem if your car does not have an internal catch on the tailgate.

When I get time I will write a paper on the build.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply. So the box on the left goes right back to the back of the seats where as the other two are shorter to allow side access? I think I'm starting to get my head around it now, its a great design. I'll be removing my three rear seats when using it as a camper so I might be able to incorporate another 4th storage box to take the place of the rear seats. Interesting what you say about the side awning, I had intended on using a rear awning, what do you mean by the internal catch?

Thanks again for sharing the design, look forward to seeing more photos

One of the things I did when I was desiging the system was lay in the back, imgine that I was on the double bed, then I looked to see how I would exit in the moring after a nights sleep. I don't know if all Berlingo's are the same, but I don't have an internail catch on the tailgate, this means I can't open it from the inside, therefore I can only exit the car from the side. For me, the idea of an awning is to allow flexability, and I thought for me, if I had a rear awning some of that flexability would be lost if I can't open the tailgate from the inside and have the privacy of the awning. A personal choice. What I do have for the rear is a good windbreak; the type I have is a coleman (I have posted details), this windbreak cost £19.99, a fraction of the cost of a rear tailgate awning, and I must say does a great job.

[Hardnut]

There is a video on youtube by a guy called- JesterBushcraft
I cant access the youtube link in work.
He made an internal switch for the boot, by taking the internal boot cover off, splicing the wires and adding an extra push button switch inside. Great simple idea.
This on a MK3 berlingo

[ddb]

There is a video on youtube by a guy called- JesterBushcraft
I cant access the youtube link in work.
He made an internal switch for the boot, by taking the internal boot cover off, splicing the wires and adding an extra push button switch inside. Great simple idea.
This on a MK3 berlingo

OMG, that is so simple and obvious, embarrassed that I didn't think of that. I think I would tend to use two buttons that have to be pressed together to reduce the likelihood of it getting opened accidentally.

[7tradey1]

That's amazing fella!! I am starting something similar with my '96 m49. Nothing too fancy just something me and my 5 year old can use for the odd night to escape 'er indoors' and have some father-son time on the occasional weekend. I don't have the side door tho so will have to design something around that configuration! Congrats on your conversion tho.