I did a little camper conversion of my car, using some leftover material from my home renovation, and I'm happy to share this in my GreenTDI thread.
Now that I'm on the hunt for 'incredible' consumption figures, (70 mpg tank and 90 mpg trip) my 'camper conversion' could come in handy. And if I succeed, could it be "the world's first 90 MPG RV?"
First, I did this for the least cost, so I kept it simple. I love recycling and using leftovers, and managed te keep the total cost below $ 35.
Secondly, it had to be a usable sleeping place for 2 people: minimal 6,2 ft length (190 cm) and 4,1 ft wide (125 cm) at the shoulders. To work around the armrest, it was integrated into the bed. By working with hinges, the bed can be folded up again in 'driving mode'. In 'sleeping mode', the front seats has to move forward. And even with a compact car like mine, the big advantage of an estate car is shown: the boot space is huge, thanks to it's length ...
Thirdly, keeping it simple: I just wanted a place to sleep. Easy to install and easy to remove. No need to install a battery and solar panel. However, there must be enough storage space to take along a table, 2 chairs, and some other camping material. This can be placed under the bed between the frame, and is accessible from the trunk. I also wanted a few storage compartments accessible from the bed without getting out of the car.
Fourthly, I looked at the weight. The lightest and easiest material turned out to be chipboard. The entire construction with made bed weighs less than 100 lbs (45 kg). It consists of 4 parts: The frame, and three lay-on plates. They are completely stuck between the walls of the car, so that nothing can slide. The mattress I found in the attic is just 10 cm thick foam that is light, easy to cut and also keeps things underneath into place.
Fifthly and finally: privacy, darkening and heat protection. It should be easy to install and remove from windows. For the rear windows, I used a subfloor woodpulp plate and reflective insulation foil. Just cut to the right size and stapled together, it simply stays in place throughout the journey. For the other windows I bought cheap reflective sun shades with suction cups. Not so 'advanced' as the rear windows, but it does the job.
Ready for a basic R3 TDI camping trip!
