Here are two photos: 1 of the right-hand rail that I have installed in my T5 Caravelle in order to support a sleeping platform. That nut on the floor will go, and be replaced by a countersunk allen bolt.
And 1 photo showing the bracket that I installed behind the rear light.
I did something similar in my T4 Kombi eight years ago, and it has proved very practical in use. I'm sorry the rear fixing is not very neat - it'll be hidden, but I'm sure some of you lot will have a fit over it - and quite rightly so.
It is a shame that I have had to do this to a Caravelle , but I could not get a Kombi to the spec I wanted. I had to remove the rear heating device, but I left the two matrix in place, with a view to making a water heater so that I can make hot coffee on the go, but that's another story. Actually, you Brits may not recognise it as a Caravelle, as the UK Caravelles are really Multivans.
My aim is to be able to carry a large motorcycle in the left-hand side of the load area, and to provide a bed in the right-hand side. And to be able to extend the bed right across the van to make a double bed for when carrying wife instead of motorcycle .
In my T4 I wanted the space under the double bed sleeping platform to be support free, so I ran 2x2 rails across from the two side rails, then fixed 18mm ply to that. But this means that I had to remove, and add, quite a lot of stuff in order to convert it into the bike/single bed layout.
This time I agree to have a wall, running front to rear, under the sleeping platform. This will make conversion from me/bike-mode to me/wife-mode much quicker and easier.
I've installed the right-hand rail using a strong L-bracket pop-riveted to the panel just behind the rear light, and another bracket fixed to the seat-belt mounting point at the top of the wheel arch. There will be a third fixing at the front, that will extend through the ply floor to the space underneath, where the entrance step used to be (this space is now a storage locker). There are only three fixings, and they will all be wing-nuts. It is very strong, and removal takes 5 minutes at most. The me/bike bed will be a 70 cm wide 12mm ply sheet that will rest on the rail on the right-hand side, and a 12mm ply wall on the left-hand side. My wife's bed will fit between mine and another rail running along the left side of the interior. Her bed will be quick to install/remove, and the side-rail can normally be left in place, as it is unobtrusive.
I do not try to fit the ply sleeping platform to the contours of the inside of the van. I leave a few cms space for several reasons: no squeaks, transportation of flat things, ventilation, ease of making etc. It also means that if you have a Kombi, you can get the hard-board interior trim panels off without removing the platform (to add insulation or repair panels for instance).
I expect/hope to have this finished by 2nd May, so may be able to supply some photos then if anyone is interested.
Regards
Happy Yellow
Edited by Happy Yellow - 10 Dec 09 at 12:15