BX Camper - can it be done?

[Mickey taker]

When I was in Cornwall there'd sometimes be a car parked at the top of the cliffs with a fold out tent built into the roof rack! I can't remember how access worked though.

a lady I knew had a roof rack tent on her renault 5 , you used to open it all up , undo the roof rack, then drive the car out as the roof rack became part of the frame of the tent.

dont they do a roof rack tent that opens up on the roof then you climb up to it by ladder ?

I'm sure ive seen one on a toyota jeep or land rover

[Gibbo2286]

, some curtains or blinds to popper or toggle over the windows, job jobbed

wouldent very dark limo tint to the rear windows and a divider bethind the seats work better than curtains or a blind ?

I wouldent mind a bx camper but would prefer the estate to start with , getting dressed / undressed in the hatch back is a pain

One of my lady customers told me she once "made love" standing up in a two seater MG Midget. Gibbo.

[cavmad]

, some curtains or blinds to popper or toggle over the windows, job jobbed

wouldent very dark limo tint to the rear windows and a divider bethind the seats work better than curtains or a blind ?

I wouldent mind a bx camper but would prefer the estate to start with , getting dressed / undressed in the hatch back is a pain

Must be even harder in truck stops with people looking through your window?

[Philip Chidlow]

I gave this some thought once. First an estate is the way forward. A hatch is just too small IMO.

First you need to remove the back seat bases. Fold the back seats down to create a flatter 'bed' as well as giving a lot more length (with the front seats moved forward).I seem to remember casually measuring up for a fold-flat divider between front compartment and rear: a plywood 'bulkhead cut precisely to fit the 'hole' behind the driver/passenger seat. This solves the problem of covering windows in the front of the car. The side windows in the rear could be covered with pre-cut foam core card panels secured by velcro (these will also provide some insulation). Less fiddly than curtains: and better light-stops (also means it's easy to open/close the rear doors). The rear hatch window would need a blind: a cheap roller blind could possibly be cut to width? Or draw-curtains? held at an angle by elastic ribbons secured diagonally.

The suggestion of leaving the rear hatch open a tad for ventilation with a small panel is interesting.

The 'bulkhead' divider could have a simple LED, battery powered 'shed-light' attached, as well as simple pockets for stuff.

I would suggest getting a toilet tent: not only for the obvious but for stood-up dressing.

[scarecrow]

I used to have a foam mattress for sleeping, and use towels and clothing to cover the windows (just hang everything from the jams). Not perfect if it rains I'm afraid., but near zero cost

[Mothman]

I have seen Landrovers with a tent attached to the back of the body and the gaps sealed with drawcords. I am sure they are still being made, wouldnt something like this be made to fit a BX.I know the back door of a Landy with a hard top opens to the side but ime sure the tailgate could be accomodated.
This was a few years ago but i reccon a bit of googling would come up with something and it would save messing about with the BX too much.
Mind you, it would mean quite a bit of kit being carried in the motor.

Happy camping.

Andy

[messerschmitt owner]

Grenman

those are a caranex tent

Land Rovers also come with roof tents - I have a pic from the 1960s of a goggomobil with a roof tent

[Defender110]

IMHO Roof tents are just too exspensive so only viable if you need the safety aspect (avoiding lions and snakes )
These Queuecha 2 second tents are the only way to go, they really are fantastic and do everything they say on the tin, as the name suggests they can be thrown up in 2 seconds, they can be put down again in a slightly longer time (10 - 20 seconds) they are double skinned and fully waterproof and can even be pitched on solid ground carpark etc. (needs to be weighted down) Earlier this year at the side of Coniston mine survived fully intact with just 1 tent peg at each corner (with me toasty and warm inside) throught a storm that was snapping poles and guide lines on other tents. All my dive buddies have them too now. Very cheap too & no I don't work for Decathalon (the only UK supplier)

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/2-seconds ... 5641/#INFO

demo video;

http://tente.quechua.com/en/tent/r-8,a- ... -iiii.html
_________________

[Mickey taker]

[quote="Defender110"], as the name suggests they can be thrown up in 2 seconds, they can be put down again in a slightly longer time (10 - 20 seconds) quote]

thats wierd in my experience its always taken much longer to get things to go up than it does for them to go down again














I am , of course talking about inflating and deflating airbeds you dirty minded lot

[electrokid]

I am , of course talking about inflating and deflating airbeds you dirty minded lot

Phwoah airbeds eh... anything bouncy gets my vote (see current avatar )

I've wondered about camping in my other motor - the bottom of the back seats doesn't need to be folded forward - the back of the seat simply folds on top of it and locks to form a loading bay 83" long - that's very nearly 1.2 Clarksons !

I did sleep in the back of my side-window-converted minivan once - but after a long day exploring potholes you'd sleep anywhere - sleeping bag nailed to a tree etc

[Defender110]

I've wondered about camping in my other motor - the bottom of the back seats doesn't need to be folded forward - the back of the seat simply folds on top of it and locks to form a loading bay 83" long - that's very nearly 1.2 Clarksons !

I would imagine there would be quite a difference in fuel costs between your two choices thought? especially as when camping it often equates to travelling larger than normal distances?

[electrokid]

Oh yes... 18mpg doesn't encourage long distances with fuel costs as they are these days. I'm not really committed to the one I have on the road at the moment - it's in too good a condition when 'decent workhorse' is closer to my needs - and it's only the GL. I have a couple of Ghias on SORN - and I have a 1.8TD engine to put into one of them - but all that has to wait for me to do a lot of work on the garden before I have somewhere flat and concreted to work on

And with all that space available it's easier just to throw all the camping kit in

[rayfenwick]

...I refuse to confirm whether this is because my wife discovered that Mr Fenwick also likes a glass or two of red...

Indeed I do, but moving to Wales to avoid me is a bit extreme

[mat_fenwick]

Life could get rather confusing - maybe we should adopt different names? I'll be Mr Fenwick Alpha Prime...

[Dollywobbler]

Thanks folks. Must admit, having seen plenty of Quechuas in action this weekend (including a timed Quechua Wrestling game! 59 seconds was the best time for getting one back in the bag from pegged out) it seems a good solution. May try and kip in the BX (or CX) this weekend at the CXM rally... (or I might just use a bloody tent!).