Ingenious ideas???

The Tardis factor (interiors, awnings, roofs etc)

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roj62
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by roj62 »

IKEA!

they do a bedroom drawer organiser thing: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/produ ... #/00192631" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
they are a perfect fit in the cupboard beside the fridge and over the cab locker and handy for keeping stuff organised, they fold down easy too when you don't need them.

Also Ikea do a large zip up laundry bag, handy for packing up duvet and pillows and you can use it as an, err,,,, laundry basket!

Don't take the guitar - learn to play mandolin or ukelele!

A friend of ours used pillow cases for clothes, one for each family member, easier than a suitcase and squash able. A better option would be dry sacks.

When camped up with the seats turned the area behind the passenger seat is really handy - we have a string bag that hangs behind the seat and is used to store fruit and veg.

I've got packing the van down to an art and won't let anyone else do it - all the light stuff goes up top (if you have hardtop) and once its all jammed in then stuff like canoe paddles fishing nets etc can slide in and the bendy light keeps them in place.

Another tip, drink espresso - smaller cups and a bottle of baileys in the drinks cabinet to give it a bit of interest :-)

tforturton
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by tforturton »

My plan is a removable kitchen unit, so you don't always need to take it with you. The sort of thing that Mazda Bongos have - a box with sink and two hobs on top, then grill and drawer, then uderneath clean and dirty water bottles, and gas bottle. All in a double width cabinet that can be lifted out. I've already got it....in my head.
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ghost123uk
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by ghost123uk »

tforturton wrote:My plan is a removable kitchen unit, so you don't always need to take it with you.

If I was ever to do my own interior I would do that (self contained kinda thing). We use our TinTop as a daily driver and often think it is a waste carrying all that weight and volume around that we only use once a month or so.
Got a new van, but it's a 165bhp T4 [shock horror] Accurate LPG Station map here

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Titus A Duxass
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by Titus A Duxass »

ghost123uk wrote:
tforturton wrote:My plan is a removable kitchen unit, so you don't always need to take it with you.

If I was ever to do my own interior I would do that (self contained kinda thing). We use our TinTop as a daily driver and often think it is a waste carrying all that weight and volume around that we only use once a month or so.

I've done this, remove six screws and out she comes.

Image
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ghost123uk
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by ghost123uk »

Nice :ok

I often also think that a sink is sometimes not essential and takes up valuable room. A washing up bowl (with tap and pump if you wish) would be a more versatile arrangement, and could be left at home when not required.
Got a new van, but it's a 165bhp T4 [shock horror] Accurate LPG Station map here

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Titus A Duxass
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by Titus A Duxass »

ghost123uk wrote: I often also think that a sink is sometimes not essential and takes up valuable room. A washing up bowl (with tap and pump if you wish) would be a more versatile arrangement, and could be left at home when not required.

We are from the same school of thought.
My only concession is the underfloor gastank that is being fitted this weekend.
I got fed up of lugging 2 gas bottles around (kuhlbox and Propex).
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kentishvanman
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by kentishvanman »

Hi,
You could hinge the front seats and then use the space underneath the seats.
Pic. in my garage.
Don
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randamonia
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by randamonia »

Major thread revival but it is just the topic I was looking for as we plan what we need (and more importantly what we don't need) and where it all goes.

Has anyone had any other ingenious ideas / packing tips in the last 3 years?
1987 Autohomes Komet 1.9 DG

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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by slippy8v »

Find an aircraft trolly 7 drawers, light ,easy to move ,locking wheels.Have this one in my panel van recovered it in black gloss wrap.
Image
Image
Last edited by slippy8v on 17 Mar 2015, 19:26, edited 1 time in total.
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petethefeet
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by petethefeet »

We used to use a bakrak before we had the camper. Fixes to the towball, we use to put the tent and a few other 'outdoor' bits on it. We could get the tent set up before unloading the car. British made as well :ok
http://www.bak-rak.com
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by kevtherev »

evilnoodle wrote:Thanks for the ideas so far, people.

Sorry Covkid...the fridge is staying :mrgreen:

I have found an idea I am quite happy with and wanted to share...
I am a veggie, but hubby isn't. We like barbeques and have always had seperate barbies, which is not a problem at home, or even in the cara van, but they take up too much room in Charlie even when we have smallish bucket barbies which can share the same bag. The coal takes up space too. As in this pic....

Image

...and there are only a couple of charcoal pebbles left in that bag!

I bought a spare gas bottle off ebay and it came with a burner, so I bought a couple of grill plates to go on top. And so, hey presto, we have clean (I hate mucky barbies in the van!), outdoor cooking that takes up much less space. The two grill plates fit in the same box (and they cost under £8 for the 2!). As in this pic....

Image

Sorted :ok
Looks to me like you have the early Autosleeper VT20 interior with a full width bed?
like this
http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=114299" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
An overhead locker if you haven't got one would add extra storage
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itchyfeet
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by itchyfeet »

If like me you don't have a fitted interior or rear cupboard some shelves on the rear are great for storing stuff.
these have a lip both sides so you can travel with stuff on there too

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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by randamonia »

slippy8v wrote:Find an aircraft trolly 7 drawers, light ,easy to move ,locking wheels.Have this one in my panel van recovered it in black gloss wrap.
Image
Image

Love this......would be very handy in the garage!
1987 Autohomes Komet 1.9 DG

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B.J
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by B.J »

I built this a couple of years ago (still a work in progress) and it's working out quite well.

I use a origo fuel cooker so no gas bottle, the kitchen unit is removable quite quickly. The unit on the right house all batteries, sterling and ctek chargers and top loading fridge at the moment but that's going to change. I'm putting
the fridge on a sliding tray in the middle unit and swap pots n pans etc. I'd like to put aluminium drawers (like the one s in the trolly) into my units.
Image

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keith
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Re: Ingenious ideas???

Post by keith »

take less stuff....most of it doesn't get used.
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