Wohoo! Within 3 months, the van is now fully functional and fully usable. The only outstanding bits are some cupboard doors, another drawer, some shelving, boxing and final trimming. But, pretty much 3 months to the day……!
So the bed frame was made by Rusty Lee (see http://www.doyourdream.co.uk/2016/05/nv200-seat-and-bed-rusty-lee-rock-roll/ ) – and we are more than happy with it. We then made the bed boards http://www.doyourdream.co.uk/2016/05/nv200-making-bed-boards/ and gave them to a customer/friend/neighbour (Pete @ SW Auto Trimming ) to upholster.
The boards are back, made to our design, and are fixed to the frame which hinges around them so no cushion crushing. The fabric is VW automotive fabric so should be hard wearing.
The bed/seat is the most critical part of the van, so thank to Rusty Lee and Pete for their really positive contributions
Does this come with a certificate and how much I’d the fitting?
Certficate of what? It does not need one. If you are looking for crash certification you do not need it – and a cert only applied to pro fitted bed to the particular van/chassis its fitted to. So in 99% of cases it does not actually mean anything. IMO – I looked at the build quality, the angular strength, and the size of the steels and the quality of the welds, and the rusty lee bed was really very good. The fitting is easy with large spreader plates and engineering bolts. If we ever have an off that rips that out then nothing would stop it. don’t believe some makers marketing blurb about CAD testing or whatever – esp if you are putting it an NV as I don’t think anything is approved. Suggest you look at some in the flesh, and do your own research (SBMCC for instance) away from the sellers. Good luck, hope this helps
Could i ask roughly what you paid for the complete bed including fitting. Many thanks
In my view, very little. The bed build quality is astounding and far far better than most. I suggest you go and see one 🙂 Prices for bed are http://www.vwrustylee.com/vw-t4-t5-beds/ – however as mine is custom size, I paid a little more. The extra I paid was quite minimal for the extra work needed (e.g. some bits hand made as different to VW size, so no jig template). I also had the extra belts, gas assist etc
I did the boards
Upholstery maybe £3-400 – I forget.
I fitted it.
All in, less than <1k.
What extra work did they do and why?
Err…. Flat front bar (so loo could slide out), gas assist lift, narrower, shorter, corner cut out for the rear. Basically, same as he normally does but totally different to give me the dimensions I needed and to fit the NV. Could not fault it – the bed was key to the van working.