Calling all Berlingo Owners!

[Mick W]

Hi all, I'm new to this site so I apologise if the info I'm after is available elsewhere on here.
Basically, I've just got a berlingo van (54 plate) and I'm looking to do it up as a part time camper, whilst still able to turn it back into a van for those neccessary trips to the dump and so on.
So, I'm thinking of getting one of those pre-cut panelling kits and sticking some insulation between it and the van sides, and making a removable sleeping platform which will sit on the floor, just over the wheel arch bit and provide a bit of storage space underneath it. I can rig a temporary curtain up over the rear windows and between the cab and the main cargo bit without much hassle.
But, even though I'm only 5'8" tall, I'm struggling to stretch out in there. So, another thing I though of is, if I push the passenger seat right forward will that give me enough space? It doesn't fold down much so I'm not sure how big a space I'd get.
The other alternative is to get one of those low backed seats that folds right down and becomes a sort of table, but I can't find any on the internet anywhere, and I'm not even sure what they're properly called. I would be very interested to see how other people have got round this problem, so if anyone can help please feel free to contribute - ta!

 

[kangooroo]

I did something very similar with an 02 Kangoo van which has similar dimensions to a Berlingo. I raised the bed platform higher than you're planning and this gave me a bunk of almost 7' long (like you, I'm 5'8") and 60cm wide. I made removable lockers which formed seating during the daytime then the gaps were filled by a ply sheet for night use with a 10cm thick beanbag Z-bed added.

I would forget the ply lining kit in such a small vehicle - it takes up valuable space. I added 3 layers of foil bubble wrap beneath a layer of car carpet and this worked well (see Getting Started for further details).

 

[Mick W]

Thanks for that - I thought the ply on the walls would make it easier to insulate, didn't realise they took up much space!
My main concern is sourcing a fold-down passenger seat, so I can either use the back of it as a table, or extend the bed over the top of it. I knowpeople have installed them, but I can't find out where to get one from! I'm thinking of scrapyards at the moment, but I can't believe there's nowhere on the internet that sells them.

 

[whitevanwoman]

Thanks for that - I thought the ply on the walls would make it easier to insulate, didn't realise they took up much space!
My main concern is sourcing a fold-down passenger seat, so I can either use the back of it as a table, or extend the bed over the top of it. I knowpeople have installed them, but I can't find out where to get one from! I'm thinking of scrapyards at the moment, but I can't believe there's nowhere on the internet that sells them.

My 01 Peugeot Partner has a fold down passenger seat with a kind of meal tray fitted into the back and as it's basically the same vehicle, it's possible that a peugeot seat would fit your Berlingo.

 

[kangooroo]

Thanks for that - I thought the ply on the walls would make it easier to insulate, didn't realise they took up much space!
My main concern is sourcing a fold-down passenger seat, so I can either use the back of it as a table, or extend the bed over the top of it. I knowpeople have installed them, but I can't find out where to get one from! I'm thinking of scrapyards at the moment, but I can't believe there's nowhere on the internet that sells them.

My Kangoo seat didn't fold down but by raising the height of the bed you can extend it over the front seat if you don't manage to find the Berlingo 'extensor' seat. As WVW points out, probably the Peugeot seat will fit as (I think) they're virtually the same vehicle.

I originally had ply lining on my van walls but then you lose the 'recess' - even just a few cm makes a difference in a small space!

 

[Mick W]

Looks like I'll have to start looking on renault sites as well then. Ta for that - at least it gives me more to look at when I go to the scrappy!