This is the view inside my van this morning. Spot anything unusual? Yep there’s a Honda Blackbird in the middle of my campervan. I’m bringing it back from Rome to the UK.
When I was designing the layout of this Movano campervan conversion I spent a lot of time deciding whether or not to keep access to the vehicle from the rear double doors. There’s no right or wrong so I think it’s more important to understand the “reason” and “purpose” of your vehicle and to be honest about how it will be used. For me at the time the vehicle was a “Work’s van” needed to carry heavy filming equipment which is why you see a large open storage unit on the right in the image above.
The Benefits of Closing Rear Access to A Campervan Conversion
If you decide to block off the rear doors then you effectively create more usable living space. A nice example of this is Ivan the Iveco Campervan Conversion which I discussed in a previous article. They have put a wall inside the rear of the van and their double bed spans the rear end of the van as shown in the photo below taken from the front of their van.
In my van the double bed spans the width of the van behind the bulk head which means I still have use of the rear doors but I can’t walk through to the front cabin.
The Main Advantages of Keeping Access from the Rear Doors of Your Van Conversion
The image below is taken from the back of my van looking towards the bulkhead between the living quarters and the front cab. You can just see the sliding side door opening off to the left and the sunroof (fitted after the van was bought). The L shaped bench seat has a large panel which hinges upwards to make a double bed, once the table is moved out the way.
I decided that my van conversion had to be functional. At times when I’m working with my cameraman hat on I have to put a lot of film equipment in the van. (No I don’t leave anything in it overnight! Unless I’m in the van too!). This is why I have a shelving section in the van. It also comes in handy for putting bicycles, skis, snowboards and even kayaks in the past in. So rear doors allow a van to maintain some of its utilitarian origins. As the picture at the top shows this also allows for the odd motorbike to be transported. I’m using plenty of straps attached to the van anchor points (which I kept in place) so this is a pretty secure setup.
So far I have helped three people move house using this van. I have shipped mopeds and motorbikes from Italy to England. I’ve moved house twice myself and of course I’ve lived in it. Rear door access has also been really helpful when doing DIY house renovation projects as it gives easy and full access to the entire length of the vehicle. On cycling holidays we’ve had 6 bicycles in the back. You can just see in the image above a hole in the white door on the right. This is because the cabinet doors in the kitchen are sliding rather than swinging open doors. This means that even when the main area is full of stuff (for example a darn great motorbike!) you can still open and close the kitchen cupboard doors.
Like I said, there’s no wrong or right to deciding on a layout to your van. I opted for the bed to be width ways behind the bulkhead because I knew I wanted a secure van and that meant not having a walk through bulkhead. It does mean that there are no forward facing seats in the rear (there are 3 beckwards facing seats). But it means I’ve still got full use of the main “cargo” area. Something that has proven to be invaluable over the years.
