looking at converting a lwb t5 panel van to a camper for me, wife and wee fella and possibly the inlaws/mates for mainly overnights/weekends away and hopefully some trips to europe. Looking at conventional layout – pop top, windows all round, cabinets down off side, 2 seat rock n roll bed, twin passenger swivel (and drivers if both can spin) Gives 5 traveling seats.

something like this

However after chatting to some mates, now musing a full width bed (3 seats), smaller cooking/sink pod and twin captain swivel seats up front. Storage in boxes either behind the seat or under the bed. Much simpler layout but not necessarily cheaper given costly items still included, – pop top, fridge, bed, electrics.
essentially something like this with a full bed and without the cabinets at the back

or do we go for the layout in the pic above but is it the worst of both worlds? small pointless cupboard and smaller tighter seats for 3 in the back (including a car seat)

Getting more and more confused with what we want. How do people actually use their campers/vans? Do people use the cupboards at the back effectively? What do people put in them? Suggestions on your perfect layout please. Pics get bonus points!

Currently doing my T4, going to have top opening lockers which will match the shape of the wheel arches and a small cooker pod/cuboard behind the drivers seat.
The bed is a 3/4 and quick release (Bebb) so the van can be used as a normal van too.
bench will be put on a turntable too with a table that mounts to a wall rail for when we use it as a camper.
Pop top would be nice but it’s only just been resprayed so that will have to wait a while.

I’m useless with my hands, so we spent a lot of money converting a panelled out base T5 into a camper with South West Camper Conversions. Their advice was great, although perhaps less relevant to you since we have two kids (8 and 11 when we have the conversion and 11 and 14 now).

We have three seats (driver’s and two man bench bench) across the front, two of which fold forward so you can sit on them facing backwards. These two are fine for lunch or supper, but not super comfortable (either facing back or forwards). There’s massive storage space underneath them, which you don’t get with swivels and the leisure battery is under the driver’s seat, which doesn’t move.

We have the two seats/narrow rock and roll bed across the back alongside a set of cupboards. The back cupboard is especially huge and you can get two 11 year olds in there as my son and his mate like to prove. We stick all our camping bedding in there including sleeping bags, pillows air bed and tent (more later on these last two). The rest of the camping stuff – crockery and cutlery, dry groceries, first aid kit, lanterns and torches, tea towels etc all live in the other cupboards in the van. We only really need to grab food and clothes and we’re good to go.

The bed is narrow for two of us used to a king sized double, but as you’re up against the side or the cupboards and can’t fall out, it doesn’t feel too bad. Both kids used to go in the roof space on the double bed up there, but they now prefer to have one out in a tent with the dog – hence the tent and air bed mentioned previously. The roof bed is ok for an adult too, but it’s probably not quite 6′ unless you lie diagonally.

Pop up roof is great to give you height when you’re cooking and generally doing stuff.

Privacy glass in the back is great for getting changed.

What would I change if I did it again? Not much; perhaps curtains or fitted blinds rather than the stick on blinds we have which seem to fall down at first light. Other than that I reckon we were given pretty sounds advice and the work was done to a high standard.

No pics as it’s dark outside I’m afraid.

I still reckon the California layout with the door on the right side would be perfect – passenger seat swivels into space, seating for 4, space in the back although a LWD doesnt give you much more.
EDIT: By right i of course mean right as in correct, so left.

Our T5 suits us brilliantly. We have a tin roof (no pop top), and units down the drivers side, which keep a weeks food next to the fridge, and a wardrobe at the back for a weeks clothes. Under the wardrobe is the leisure battery and electrics etc, and in the space between wardrobe and food cupboard is the water tank. A swivel passenger seat gives seating for 3. If you are going to have a full width bed, just consider where the stuff like leisure battery and water tanks can go. There are solutions (water tank can go under the van), but everything in a camper is a compromise of space over storage over ease of use.

There are only 2 of us in our van (and 1 or 2 dogs), and we are not tall, hence no need for a pop top.

Try some out at van shows etc – there are loads of combinations and there will be one to suit you. Vanfest is not far away in time and is at Malvern and is worth a look if you are local.

Our T5 has a full width RIB bed and a small unit containing the fridge and cooker which sits behind the drivers seat. Gives plenty of sleeping space and the ability to carry 6 people – works better for us than our T4 Westfaia with cupboards running the length of the van with a double seat/bed.
Can do pics if you want

Conversions with a rock n roll all seem like the sprogs in the back would be a long way away. Maybe that’s the point.

Depends on what you want to use the van for and how many people you need to travel with. We converted a t4 6 yrs ago and used the idea units down the drivers side, waeco fridge, Smev sink/ hob etc and a bluebird rock and roll bed. We had the van set up for the two of us to go travelling for a month at a time so loads of storage under seat and under rear bed shelf, ammo safe bolted to floor under rear bed shelf etc for passports cash.

We didn’t have seat belts in the back and didn’t miss them at the time as we had another car and the van was a second vehicle. The 3/4 width R&R bed was a tight squeeze but do-able with two of you.

We ended up pricing up a t5 to convert ourselves using a rib bed on rails and a decent pop top with the usual fridge, Smev, decent spec van etc done to a high std. We ended up buying a Cali as it just did all the things we wanted, was safe, and the residuals were better than any other vehicle I’ve known.

I sold my t4 conversion to a mate of a mate in the end and got a decent price for it given wed hammered it for 5 yrs of camping and it had a few scrapes etc. I was worried though as people are put off a home built conversion and I didn’t want to chance that with a pricey t5.

Get to a t4/5 show and get around loads of vans and see what works for you. People in the scene are usually only too happy to show someone round their van and chat over the pros and cons of their conversion. It’s quite a personal thing, the ideal conversion for you, like I said, depends on what you’re using the van for. Van west or van fest was useful for us at the time. Also the t5 conversion lot atportland nr Weymouth have an open day this time of yr if I remember and that was very helpful for us. Get on the t4/5 forum and have a look at the shows.

I’ve had 4 campers with that layout. Personally I’d forgo storage for bed width.

As always, I’ll recommend the kit/layout from Amdro

http://www.amdro.co.uk/angel-campervans/swb-amdro-angel-fitted-conversion-from-panel-van-camper-p-59.html

(you can also buy the kit to fit yourself)

LWB is the same layout but with huge boot and the possibility of a bunk bed across the back for (small) nippers.

Currently using ours with an almost 3 and 6 month old. Pretty standard conversion based on a 2010 facelift T5 SWB. With no fancy lighting or leather seats but to a high standard of fit – smev sink and dual rings, waeco fridge, pop top, all round rear privacy glass, thin storage units up above the sink/hob area. Found our bed fine for two (smart bed evo), with dual seatbelts without going full width. Look carefully regarding which bed to get and `crash testing’ with good under floor pan structural work. Up front went for a swivel double seat which works fine – only recently found the large storage bins underneath :oops:. Our 6 months travels up front with the passenger airbag turned off. The eldest in the back, but took a while to find a car seat which works best as the seat belts are put in the opposite way. Storage wise, its a learning process, but full length access to rear storage under the bed essential for fold up chairs etc. With the roof just went for 3 cheaper bed boards instead of the reimo gas strut version (poptoproofs.co.uk)- these can be stacked on top of each other providing a handy storage shelf when parked up. Reimo rail on the van side to take a drive away tent.