How can I sleep 3 people in a full size van?

[JAGI410]

I'm starting a new project van (yet to be purchased) and I want to make it so it can sleep 3 people comfortably. A bigger bed for my wife and I, then some other platform or bunk style bed for my growing teenage son. He's outgrown sleeping sideways on a bench seat in our current van. I'm leaning towards getting another Chevy like a G20 or Express.

Preferably it wouldn't be in place all the time. If it takes 5-10 minutes to set up, that's fine. Does anyone have any ideas or examples?

 

[calicamper]

I'm starting a new project van (yet to be purchased) and I want to make it so it can sleep 3 people comfortably. A bigger bed for my wife and I, then some other platform or bunk style bed for my growing teenage son. He's outgrown sleeping sideways on a bench seat in our current van. I'm leaning towards getting another Chevy like a G20 or Express.

Preferably it wouldn't be in place all the time. If it takes 5-10 minutes to set up, that's fine. Does anyone have any ideas or examples?

Three local families do 5
One is a standard Mercedes with a pop top.
The other one is a extra long/tall Mercedes hard roof. The third is a Transit long/tall
All three have AwD/4x4 etc.

All three were custom builds.
All three have rear flip down side cots over a full width bunk.
The 5th in both tall extra long rigs is across the very back slightly above the main. Bed ie main bed foot space under smaller 5th bunk.

The standard length Merc the 5th is in the penthouse pop top.

All three use the stock 2nd row bench for seating 3.

The two long/talls have a small 3ft ish wide wet locker side door side just at the door root.
It doubles as a wet locker, small shower in a pinch, and or some trips they toss the composTing toilet in the wet locker. Basically its flex space for dirty crap etc. very small cabinet behind 2nd row seat with small dorm style fridge and tiny sink. Short section of cabinet above starting at about the seat back on the 2nd row.

The standard merc pop top family does lots of desert4x4 trips.
The tall/long van families do lots of snow ski team trips winter and NP trips summers

All three run a gear box on the rear door with a rack system. All three can run two bikes ontop of the gear box and the rest on a hitch rack.
The extra tall/longs often run a thule style roof box with light bulky stuff in it. They all run with ski gear on the back doors in a rack system

Inside they only pack food and clothes.
use duffel bags that pack down small for each family member. Most gear gets stowed under the rear bed.
They all have a small water system but drinking water is done via jugs stowed under rear bunk.

 

[86scotty]

sportsmobile floor plans - Google Search

Sportsmobile has had well documented and thought out floor plans floating around for ages. Most of theirs take in to account things like wise window placement and working electrical/plumbing etc. around the common layout of most vans, meaning what's under the floor, where a pillar is, etc. The world has changed a big in the last 10-15 years since the Euro style vans took hold in America but the SMB floor plans are still a wise place to start thinking through what you need/want and where it might work in a van.

The first question I would have for you is what's your budget? Chevy G20/Express points to not wanting to put a bunch of money in to the base van, which is cool, but they are smaller.

Anyway, most of the floor plans in the link above are older SMB plans which were designed for the older domestic vans.

 

[Spencer for Hire]

Look up @Malimish on Instagram. They have traveled the world with 2 adults and 3 kids in a Sprinter.

 

[JAGI410]

That Sportsmobile link is great, thanks! I should have thought of that.

Budget is ~$30k. So transits/sprinters are out. I like the smaller van anyway, even though it'll present some challenges for the sleep arrangements I'm after. It would be a weekend warrior type of build and doesn't need to be fancy.

 

[GHI]

On my my previous Pleasureway Lexor MP , Chevy Express 3500, I had the two extra captains chairs which could fold down flat. The driver and passenger seats would rotate to face the rear and fold down into the other seats. You would sleep north to south fashion.

I’m 5’7 and this was my sleeping arrangement for 10 years. My son slept on the other one and wife and daughter took the jackknife sofa bed at the rear.

It takes less than a minute to rotate and fold flat the seats. I’m not sure if I explained it well enough, but I know what I’m trying to describe.

 

[JAGI410]

That would be a clever solution, as I was hoping to add swivel seats. This sounds most promising so far, thanks!

 

[ihatemybike]

Roof top tent for your son. He'd probably dig being up there with a few. Could start out with a Kamp-Rite cot tent mounted up there.

 

[simple]

You didn't specify what kind of climate you are camping in. A RTT like scout camper could be mounted to the roof with a pass through.

 

[JAGI410]

I've been looking at Westfalias (dream car for many years, perhaps therapy is needed?) and it did dawn on me that a RTT isn't that different sleeping experience for my son who would be sleeping up top. But I don't think RTT life is the life for me, even though it would also fit my Outback which could be handy sometimes.

Camping climate is mostly Minnesota. I'm usually bikepacking down to 0F, but for family camping I think we wouldn't go below freezing. I think we've done 20F before and regretted it. So fairly fair-weather 32F-85F.

 

[hoodzy]

Axis Vehicles has the Revolver layout which will seat and sleep up to 5. We're also about to release the Sportwagon layout which will do the same but is a more streamlined van build with an optional GoalZero integration. Rendering attached. Hope this helps.

 

[hoodzy]

I forgot to mention the 3 person seat behind the driver converts to a 72"x52" bed.

 

[Herbie]

Possibilities:

• Bunk bed
• Sling cot over the front seats (a la VW bus, suspended from A and B-pillars - if teen is taller than bus is wide, a "wide" cot could let them sleep diagonally)
• Sleep longitudinally on the floor (with a mattress) with legs under the adult bed
• Add on a Pop-top or RTT

I grew up camping in my step-Mom's '72 Westy bus. At various points in its life, as many as six or seven people have slept inside: 2 in the pop-top bunk, 2-3 in the lower bunk, 1 child in the cot over the front seats, and one adult in the "aisle" on the floor.

We slept 3-4 in our Astro van with 1 adult or 2 kids in the pop-top and 2 adults on the lower bunk.

 

[JAGI410]

Following up on my own thread...

It's been a few months, but I bought a 1994 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear. It's smaller than a full size but bigger than a minivan. It turns out that the long wheelbase version sleeps 3 people and a dog just fine! All of the seats fold flat (the middle row rotates 360 too!). My son sleeps in the front passenger seat, with the option of having his feet in the footwell or on the dash. My wife sleeps behind him, and there's probably 6-8" of space between her feet and his head.

Also in the deal I get amazing 4WD capabilities and 22+ mpg!