Floorplan
I wanted the interior of the cabin to meet the following requirements: 4 legal seats with safety belts, a large space to sit, a large table, the ability to lie down without breaking up the seats, a large bathroom with a toilet and shower, a comfortable working space in the kitchen, a large bed downstairs, a large fixed bed upstairs (roof-tent) and lots of storage space. All this in combination with a compact cabin from the outside. Indeed, the challenge was to realise the impossible. I admit, I’m rather proud of the result.
Most cabins in this vehicle category nowadays feature a similar floor plan: a(n extendable) double bed in the back, a high cargo space underneath, a seating area and kitchen in the middle, and a bathroom with a passage to the driver’s seat in the front. Of course, this is a good, comfortable and tried and tested way to build a camper cabin for two people. I do however see some disadvantages as well: a cargo space situated behind the rear axle, a rather vertically oriented cargo space, a rather small seating area (although big enough for two people), probably no opportunity to legally have passengers in the back.
Taking into account our experiences with the old Iveco, we opted for a different approach. The result is a compact vehicle with no less than 6 legal seats with safety belts, and – especially in the case of travelling with children – the same amount of sleeping places inside the truck. We were also able to maintain a large seating area on top of the cargo space in the middle between the axles. This solution allowed us to strive for a balanced weight distribution, with the watertank residing precisely in the middle between the 4 wheels, and all the other heavy stuff like the heating unit, the air compressor, the electrical system and the boiler installed between the water tank and (or on) the rear axle, at the same time leaving enough space for additional goods. In summary, all heavy equipment and storage space resides rather low in the centre of the vehicle.
Take a look inside
Storage space under seating area
Driver’s side: Shurflo Whisper King pressure pump – 175L water tank behind steel construction (= anchoring of seat belts) – Famous Water filter system. Yeah, I admit, I should have done better with the heating pipes… Webasto’s installer, however, found it necessary to install a longer pipe at the outlet of the heating unit. That’s why I had to choose a different location for the appliance at the last minute, taking into account the (im)possiblities in relation to the chassis underneath. Maybe I will adjust this in the future.
Very satisfied with the general concept of the truck. The vehicle on its 2017 maiden trip through Albania