Mini camper van rebuild

Upon rescuing the mini-van I found that the interior bed/couch and table top had been removed. It was back to a 2-seat cargo van, which was not all that comfortable when I used it to go camping this past weekend. So I set out to rebuild the bed and a small counter top to be both from the inside or the outside with the rear hatch open.

The bed itself is much sturdier than the previous, and instead of a park-bench with slide in storage underneath, I changed it to a a lift-top bed to more easily access the items in storage. The bed is 29 inches wide and 74 inches long, ample room for a single individual. Underneath the bed I placed the extra AGM battery and charger so the mini van can have some additional power once parked at a campground.

The counter top is a simple 24inch by 24inch piece of wood elevated to a useable height. This actually worked out well, leaving a space between the counter and the bed for the two folding chairs. It also allows storage underneath as well as a place to prepare food or set my laptop. It is completely hollow underneath, so a second person could sleep on the floor with his feet (or head) under the counter top if needed.

I will be taking this little guy on some more trips this summer as it is my only vehicle with air conditioning… and it does get 26+ MPG to boot! Next I plan to add 30-45 watts of solar panels on top to keep that battery charged up, and some 12v lights and an outlet too. I am also considering adding an overhead storage cabinet that can be accessed from both in and outside the rear door.