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Stuarta



Member Since: 11 Apr 2014
Location: Shrivenham
Posts: 38

United Kingdom 
110 Bed using folded Puma seats
Evening all,

Patiently awaiting delivery and planning adventures... Can anyone tell me if the seats in a Puma would be suitable to form part of a bed base when half-folded (i.e. do the seat backs lie flat)? Obviously I'd need to build a platform over the load area to form the rest of the bed and use a camping mattress on top.

I've found various bed conversion pictures online but none that use the seats so suspect they don't lie flat.

2 weeks today until delivery!

Stuart
Post #339596 20th Jun 2014 10:50pm
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Spookytooth



Member Since: 19 Jan 2014
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 202

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Aintree Green
They lie flat, however, not with the floor or equal height to rear wheel arch. Not sure if you are getting a 5 or 7 seater? With a 7 sweater I found the rear 2 seats a major obstacle to making a bed platform and soon realised they would have to be removed, something I didn't want to do. Even with them out the way the middle seats folded up against the front seats does not provide enough room. The best option appeared to be to fold the middle seats flat, but not folded against the front seats and build a platform over them, having taken the back 2 out of course, this would give a highish bed compensated for with good storage underneath, you would however be sleeping at rear window height so need some good curtains, unless you are getting a commercial in which case no windows to worry about. Lots of aluminium tubing and plastic plug joints available on the web to make a frame so did not appear to be a major task
A further solution I explored was a single bed frame down the centre of the vehicle so your head or feet would effectively be between the front two seats with this portion of the frame hinged to fold back into the vehicle for driving.
Would love to know what solution you eventually install as I am still exploring easy removable options
Post #339628 21st Jun 2014 7:37am
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Stuarta



Member Since: 11 Apr 2014
Location: Shrivenham
Posts: 38

United Kingdom 
Thanks Spookytooth,

Just the info I was looking for. I'm getting a 7 seater but will probably remove the rear ones as not really required. Sounds like a platform to align with the folded seat backs will suit my needs best. Will keep you posted!
Post #339637 21st Jun 2014 8:29am
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VeeTee



Member Since: 06 Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1512

Netherlands 
A member here converted to a dormobile, check his gallery to see some really nice and usefull pics Thumbs Up

https://www.defender2.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=274


Click image to enlarge
 Cheers, Vincent
1959 Polynorm 1/4 Ton Trailer, Olive Drab Green (sold)
1970 M416 Military Trailer (Camping Trailer Conversion), Epsom Green (sold)
1975 Series III 88 V6, Light Green (sadly sold)
1996 Defender 110 CSW 300 Tdi, Epsom Green (sold)
2000 Freelander 1 TD4 3-drs, Silver (sold)
2006 Freelander 1 TD4 5-drs Facelift Automatic, Tonga Green (sold)

MySite
Post #339669 21st Jun 2014 11:46am
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1ten.neuss



Member Since: 07 Nov 2008
Location: Neuss
Posts: 27

Germany 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Keswick Green
I have just seen a new approach at Abenteuer Allrad in Bad Kissingen, Germany by Kauai Camper: http://www.kauai-camper.de/leistungen/ausb...defender/.



The construction is made of some nice wood. The kitchen block is optional and the construction is also available as single bed. Price was slightly higher than 2.000 EUR which is a bit expensive.

Another alternative are metal frames from http://abenteuer4x4.com/node/407.



Best regards,
Bernd
Post #341014 26th Jun 2014 4:30pm
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wyvern



Member Since: 13 Dec 2009
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 2108

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Firenze Red
VeeTee wrote:
A member here converted to a dormobile, check his gallery to see some really nice and usefull pics Thumbs Up




thats my 110 - as VeeTee says - more pics on my gallery
just spent 18 nights in it touring Norway and it was fab!
We've done lots of trips all over the UK, Europe and Scandinavia, and have had no issues with any of the kit.
I've added a table and a heater to the wagon and its amazing what a difference it has made to the whole camping experience
Thumbs Up

thumbnails.php


Click image to enlarge
 Poppy - TDCI (Puma) 110XS 2.2 - Camper conversion - see the build here - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56530.html
Elgar -TDCI(Puma) 110XS Dormobile - now sold
Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response - DC126
Post #341059 26th Jun 2014 8:24pm
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mrandmrsh



Member Since: 31 May 2010
Location: Huddersfield
Posts: 692

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Santorini Black
Depends how tall you are.

The middle row seats in a 110 don't fold flat they just tumble so shorten the load bay length. You could half fold them (just put the seat backs down) but then your bed would nearly be as high as the base of the window giving you that sleeping under a bed feeling.

So, my first attempts involved unbolting the rear seats and removing them. If I was using it for a fortnight I might do this still. But they are big heavy Censored and that makes them fiddly to move about and put back.

My current setup is fold the seats forward, put a sheet of ply in the back (mine sits in the 'lip' on the wheel arch boxes rather than going full width) that fits inch perfect from the rear door to the back of the front seats. I have a sizeable off cut from the 8x4 sheet I had to buy and I put that on top for some extra strength at the back door end (because you sit on that end) and another off cut at the front. Time to install: 2 minutes (after spending 20 minutes clearing the sh Censored e out of the boot). I then put a double futon mattress on top of that, a double quilt on top of that and then me and then another double quilt to cover me and I am as a snug as a bug in a rug.

I'm 5'9" and it's a bit too short but if alone fine when sleeping diagonally. I also use this arrangement with my son who is 12 (in fact we will be landy camping tonight at Santa Pod) and we get on fine - he now says he doesn't want to use a tent or the caravan and prefers it to staying in a nearby hotel when going to car events.

I then cut some old sheets up and trap them in the doors to act as curtains and stretch one across from front door to front door to block out the windscreen and it's very comfortable. Have slept in very hot and very cold conditions and found having an "aluminium tent" with air conditioning and heater to be very useful lol.

HTH. Will get some pics and post them later if that would be of help.

Craig 2015 110 USW XS in Santorini with premium contrast leather seats in tan/black, black headlining and with Dual Finish alloys (in the garage, now on Wolf rims with Goodyear MT/Rs)

2012 '62' 2.2 X-Tech 110 USW now gone ...
1984 90 soft top with full roll cage, 200 tdi engine etc now sold
2012 USW XS 2.2 "FUU" now gone....
Post #341377 28th Jun 2014 8:48am
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wyvern



Member Since: 13 Dec 2009
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 2108

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Firenze Red
Hi Craig,
that is how we started by boarding out the back of the previous 110's - it all worked very well but I wanted somthing a bit better and more versitile, so we went for the Dormobile convertion for everything but the poptop roof.
The boards are great as a temp measure but we were using the wagon as a daily drive and camping about once or twice a month, so we looked for other options.

The set up costs for the Dormobile kit came to £4000 - (sink/cooker/water pump unit, seats, water tank, wardrobe, and 240 inverter) and having used it in 2 wagons over the last 15 yrs we have really got our money's worth !

However I must stress that you never finish tweaking a camper !
We have always added new features to the wagon over the years (long storage draw, nets, window grills etc) with a fuel powered cab heater, Roofbox and removable table being the latest additions for our trip to Norway.
everyones 'camper' is unique!

happy camping Thumbs Up Poppy - TDCI (Puma) 110XS 2.2 - Camper conversion - see the build here - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56530.html
Elgar -TDCI(Puma) 110XS Dormobile - now sold
Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response - DC126
Post #341383 28th Jun 2014 9:28am
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Stuarta



Member Since: 11 Apr 2014
Location: Shrivenham
Posts: 38

United Kingdom 
Thanks all, lots of food for thought there. I think I'll investigate the aluminium square tube route using the back of the half-folded double seat to start with - should give a bed of about 85cm and will still leave room for a bike down the other side. I've seen closed cell foam (like camping roll-mats) being used for 'curtains' in small yachts (using those clear plastic suction cups like you get in kids car sub shades) so being at window hight shouldn't be too much of a problem. Will post pictures if/when I get round to it - got to get the car first!!

It would only be for the odd night here and there - I have a perfectly good mountain tent for more established pitches!
Post #341385 28th Jun 2014 9:52am
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mrandmrsh



Member Since: 31 May 2010
Location: Huddersfield
Posts: 692

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Santorini Black
Your dormobile looks great - love it. What's interesting and absolutely in line with why Defenders are just the best is we all want something slightly different and our amazing vehicles can meet our needs.

I would love a folding roof but my camping use is invariably at an event or camping behind a pub etc so cooking facilities aren't a high priority. Given the cash the full dormobile would be great but for my use my half arsed, Yorkshireman budget, attempt is ideal but I can see mine is the (very) poor relation.

Each to their own, happy camping and to the OP make sure you show us the result Smile

C 2015 110 USW XS in Santorini with premium contrast leather seats in tan/black, black headlining and with Dual Finish alloys (in the garage, now on Wolf rims with Goodyear MT/Rs)

2012 '62' 2.2 X-Tech 110 USW now gone ...
1984 90 soft top with full roll cage, 200 tdi engine etc now sold
2012 USW XS 2.2 "FUU" now gone....
Post #341397 28th Jun 2014 10:52am
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