Taking out the drop down bed ...

In answer to a FB question about removing the front drop bed in a Hymer. 

I am a great believer in taking out the drop bed, if you are a couple, and want the space, and hardly ever have guests or children to stay, then it's a great mod. You won't believe the difference! The bed comes out with 4 bolts, and - it's quite a job for two practical blokes. But it does come out and fit through the door - It's a "right said Fred job". So err on the side of caution, unless you are a strong practical couple.

Here are some photos of mine, it's a 700, with the bed out, new shelves installed, and TV and speakers mounted. You will see I have mounted the sun visors on the underside of the front shelf. You need to modify the curtain tracks and make it look tidy, either with wood or fabric. It wasn't cheap - I paid someone to do the joinery, and I wish I had paid extra for doors - things keep falling out of the cubby holes! Although we have a system now to prevent this.

It would have been wildly expensive to try and reproduce the Hymer veneers and style exactly (although of course nothing is impossible with money!) so I went for something that complimented it, with the same angled shapes as the Hymer cubby holes. My fitter bolted the whole thing together using the original bed mounting bolts.

 The front windscreen then becomes "liberated" and the views get even better! Driving is more fun and open. It takes you a year to get used to not ducking your head. I can't recommend it highly enough. In a 660 you can still make the dinette into a bed if you have to. But I am no fan of dinettes either! But that's up to you, there is an easy mod that turns the dinette into an L shaped settee, but then you need a removable table. Jon Avery wrote about it once, let us know if you need that info.