Sleeping in a D1

**steveG** · 9th November 2008, 10:32 PM

We've been planning a one week trip to Tassie next autumn with another couple, and were intending on sleeping in the back of our Falcon wagon.
The other couple has done it before and had a great time.
Very basic, not a camping trip, more like 7 day trips and sleeping in the car when it gets dark.

The problem is that now I've got my D1, I REALLY want to take it instead of the Falcon. Unfortunately its about 2' shorter, and not really long enough for me to sleep in even if I took the rear seats out and push the front seats all the way forward

SWMBO is a bit vertically challenged and fits quite nicely in the Disco with seats out, but I'm 6'1" so no way I can get my legs straight.
While contemplating things tonight, she came up with the idea of putting some sort of a false floor in over the top of the folded down rear seats (just folded not pushed forward) and it would basically be the same height as the center console storage compartment so I could stick my feet through between the seats if I needed to stretch out.

I've seen photos on the 'net of a similar setup in a Prado, and one for 60 series cruiser. Anyone done something similar in a D1 ?

**harry** · 10th November 2008, 06:27 AM

it gets bloody cold in a disco if it's cold outside - all that glass
and yes they are short, i cannot sleep in mine however i did see one chap sleep in his with both rear seats out and the pax seat pushed forward.
her indoors has a good idea, that way you retain the back seats to take your friends somewhere on your trip, question is, how do you store the extra plywood? when you have the seats up.
if you figger it out i am interested

**MacMan** · 10th November 2008, 07:48 AM

I've slept in the back of our Disco, but that was with the passenger side rear seat removed, front passenger seat all the way forward and tilted towards screen, and me sleeping diagonally. At 6'6" I'd hate to have to share the back with someone, especially someone I want to be talking nicely to in the morning. It's the ONE big drawback with the Disco for me.

**bblaze** · 10th November 2008, 08:44 AM

For the cost of ply you could buy a 3 man tent, 2 sub zero sleeping bags and a couple of sleeping mats and be a whole lot more comfy. A small tent could be put up in 10 minutes, pack up and on the rd in the morning quicker than sorting out the back of a disco. Tassie has some grat places you could pull up and set a tent for the night. Do it in comfort
cheers
blaze

**87County** · 10th November 2008, 09:26 AM

following on bblazes post, barbeques galore sell an "instant tent" for less than $80 - could be a cheap quick alternative and then if it's really raining heavily, you've got a good reason to shout yourselves a motel night (with as many warm showers as you want/need thrown in for the price)

regards - Laurie

**cooter** · 10th November 2008, 10:09 AM

we have slept in our disco with the rear seats in i had a bracket made to fit in the hitch reciever with a pice of plywood leve with the floor so our feet hung out the back add a good quality tarp and your set

**Poida4x4** · 10th November 2008, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by bblaze

For the cost of ply you could buy a 3 man tent, 2 sub zero sleeping bags and a couple of sleeping mats and be a whole lot more comfy. A small tent could be put up in 10 minutes, pack up and on the rd in the morning quicker than sorting out the back of a disco. Tassie has some grat places you could pull up and set a tent for the night. Do it in comfort
cheers
blaze

I agree. Sleeping in cars has always been more trouble than it's worth for me, except a good panel van or kombi. Tent, matress and a doona would be my go. Currently I'm using the swag but with the likelihood of regular rain, I think a tent would be better. Keep your eye on eBay for good canvas ones. This one didn't sell and if I had the $$$ I would've bought it:

Heavy Duty Canvas Tent - eBay Other Tents, Tarps, Swags, Tents, Tarps, Swags, Camping, Hiking, Sport. (end time 04-Nov-08 20:14:59 AEDST)

**101RRS** · 10th November 2008, 10:59 AM

I slept across the back seat of a Disco once - never, ever again

Garry

**Outlaw** · 10th November 2008, 11:19 AM

I've slept a couple times in the disco without any real concerns (6ft)...

Back seats just folded down, front seats pushed forward as far forward as they'll go with the backs as flat back as they'll go... you end up with an almost flat area... a couple storage boxes in the boot area to get a similar height throughout... then an air-mattress on top of it all.

Or as already suggested... easier to just grab a quick setup tent.. maybe a centre pole job or one of those instant tents

**steveG** · 10th November 2008, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Poida4x4

I agree. Sleeping in cars has always been more trouble than it's worth for me, except a good panel van or kombi.

Agreed. The only time I usually sleep in cars is for recovery purposes

Definitely still considering a tent, and would be a definite if we were going by ourselves. Our friends last trip had a "raw road trip" flavour to it - sleep when it gets dark, up when its light - sort of thing, so I'm hesitant about turning it into "cant stop here - no room for the tent".

Cooter - I'd thought about hanging something out the back, but hadn't thought about using the hitch receiver as an attachment point. Thanks for that.

Harry - I've been contemplating some drawers for the back anyway, so was thinking that all I'd need would be some sort of folding ply arrangement that would attach to the front of the drawer body once the seats were folded down, with some vertical supports in the rear footwell. I haven't measured, but hopefully the front/rear length would fit sideways in the back once it was folded up.

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