If you want to go traveling on the open road with more than just your sig-oth, but you don't want the hassle of pitching a camp every night you really only have one option: The full RV, with its bulk and poor fuel economy. Sure a conventional pop top van can sleep two couples but it lacks the other full amenities that make for truely comfortable OTR travel. The problem with a pop-up campervan isn't a flawed basic concept, it's that designers have ignored the one great innovation in pop top technology, the vertical lift double extension tent. This design is very popular in the tent trailer category, but has never been implemented in a camper van.
This van consists of the upper section of a tent trailer consisting of the roof, extensions, jacks and canvas mounted to the roof of a conventional high economy van. This raises the roof line 8" but should incur a far smaller economy penalty than a high top van. The van itself is camper converted but no beds need be laid on the "ground floor" allowing space for larger toilet and galley facilities". When the top is popped and the slides extended there are now two berths atop the van and an area of standing room below where food can be prepared.
Upsides:
Sleeps 4 in comfort.
Allows for complete galley and bathroom.
More open than current Sprinter and Maxi-Van designs.
Should provide far better fuel economy due to near minivan wind resistance on the road.
Downsides:
Possible wind issues due to sail like shape when popped.
Van will be heavy and top heavy.
Bathroom has low headroom.
Seating for rear passengers must be dual purpose/stow able somehow.-- WcW, Dec 08 2009 vw camper van http://thevwcamperv...ad7d6ec20b2b634.jpg [xenzag, Dec 08 2009] Here's my 3D model of the idea http://sketchup.goo...d8504b7&prevstart=0See, straight up with extensions on both ends. [WcW, Dec 09 2009] All you need. http://www.funpic.h...20204&c=1&s=dd&p=98 [outloud, Dec 09 2009] yes. the vw van has a popup, specifically a clam shell style. This makes for limited headroom and a berth for two upstairs. It also lacks bathroom and adequate galley facilities. The VW van could be an implementation of this idea if the roof went straight up and then had two slides (see link)-- WcW, Dec 09 2009 Makes sense. Too much sense.-- leinypoo13, Dec 09 2009 +-- afinehowdoyoudo, Dec 09 2009 I'm a bit puzzled. The caption with the illustration says "I take no credit for this at all it's all stolen", so what part did you invent?-- xaviergisz, Dec 09 2009 I think that with the complexity that can be achieved with origami, the advances in robotic joints and the new designs in container architecture, just changing the top isn't doing the word new justice.-- wjt, Dec 09 2009 Still. (+)-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 09 2009 well... as long as you're there you may as well have pop-out side-tents as well for extra storage (though you wouldn't want to put weight on them) and handy sun/rain shades for sitting outdoors. [+]-- FlyingToaster, Dec 10 2009 For your reference " is in inches ' is in feet as in 3' 11" or three feet eleven inches.-- WcW, Dec 11 2009 In the UK, we have hotels.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 13 2009 No, I'm afraid you don't. Just trust me on this.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 13 2009 random, halfbakery