I’m looking at replacing the SMax with a camper conversion. It’ll be my daily drive so not completely convinced about the full on permanent interior as I’d like the practicality of having the space a van affords for bike carrying duties and other practical things. However when using it in camper mode it would be handy to have the sink, gas rings and fridge. Has anyone used these removable pods? They look quite a neat solution meaning I can have a van with the pop top and a wider 3 seater rock and roll bed for normal duties and when camping pop in the pod.

The Ford Transit Terriers have the sliding R&R seats as well so can slide the seats forward when not camping leaving plenty of space in the rear for bikes and other stuff. Also the Fords tend to come with a fully loaded spec (including the awesome heated windscreen) whereas T5 conversions usually have pretty basic and crap spec’s, even with the Highlines, which is not ideal for a daily drive.

With it being a daily drive it seems a bit of a waste to be lugging around the full camper interior with all the weight and practicality penalties when I’ll not be using it most of the time, so the pod option looks like a potential winner.

Cheers.

As ever, I’ll recommend the Amdro Angel conversion. All the bits are separately removable to give more space of needs be, and it’s entirely usable for biking with them all in.

It’s been my daily drive for six years with the kit in all the time and gets high thirty’s MPG.

Its a different set of compromises. Camper vans are all about compromises and which ones you prefer. Pull out pods might be handy if you want a van at other times but will not be as good as built in stuff when camping

Really enjoyed the Amdro video

[video]https://youtu.be/vKn5iqU1Gn4?list=UUh24wCKKtzpuq0RXgOod4hA[/video]

I really can’t recommend their stuff highly enough. It’s a brilliantly practical, functional piece of kit. No (well, few) bells and whistles, it just works.

So the kit is £5000. Presumably conversion work like insulation is extra? What would he conversion cost be roughly starting from van? Or can you point to website that lists costs

The reality is that if we do it we’ll start with a boot jump. But one can dream

Have a look at slidepods.

http://slidepods.co.uk/

Hmm, when I bought the kit it came flatpack and included the lining panels, lining material and insulation (sheeps wool) and the electrics, leisure battery, split charger, the lot. It even came with the tins of spray glue. I did the conversion myself, was a nice little project.

I’d just drop him a mail or give him a bell, he’s a really nice chap.

From memory when I looked at the pods, they generally fit into the caravelle rails. You can get the rails retro fitted, but not cheaply. I discounted the pods, as felt is was probably the worst of both worlds (for me)

Thanks for the suggestions, some food for thought. I appreciate these things are all about compromises and deciding where you want to make them. My van journey so far has evolved from me just wanting a plain van that we could ‘rough it’ camp in from time to time and the wife looking at me as if from another planet, to my wife being smitten with full on camper conversions, which sort of negates the original reason I wanted a van in the first place.

I think removable pods might work. Don’t even need the full suite – just a ‘kitchen’ unit with burners, sink and fridge. We’ve got a big drive away awning for the longer 1 to 2 week main holidays, so can set up the ‘kitchen’ pod in the awning, and for times when we’re shooting off for a weekend or even an overnighter we can have the pod in the van.

Just need to sell the SMax now.

My camper is my only vehicle.
It’s amazing how’s many times you make a coffee or lunch etc…when you didn’t think you would. Not sure the weight Is really an issue with a van either.
Saying that….my new van that I will be converting this year will have a bed unit that’s can be removed for the twice a year ish that I might want to transport my motorbike. Not sure if I will ever use the feature though….