Colin's next project...

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TrollFromDownBelow
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Colin's next project...

Post by TrollFromDownBelow » Fri Jun 17, 2016 8:16 pm

After talking to Colin, I found why (or maybe just one reason why) he doesn't like a Westie interior...storage space is all wrong for his needs. But what if he were to find a Westie that was missing it's interior and he could then customize it to his needs. Keep the Z bed, but redo all of the storage compartments. If I had finished carpentry skils, this could be a fun project....
1976 VW Bus aka tripod
FI ...not leaky, and not so noisy...and she runs awesome!
hambone wrote: There are those out there with no other aim but to bunch panties. It's like arguing with a pretzel.
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asiab3
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by asiab3 » Sat Jun 18, 2016 8:11 am

You know, I bought one of those years ago. We camp in it all the time, but I haven't built a damn thing for storage space that I've been happy with. I would LOVE for someone with bus knowledge to start making a few cabinet kit offerings. "Bus Kits" in Southern California used to do them, but he disappeared off the face of the planet. Anybody here have fine cabinetry skills?? :)

Robbie
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

TrollFromDownBelow
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by TrollFromDownBelow » Sat Jun 18, 2016 9:35 am

I have cabinetry skills (built some simple pub tables for our basement, and some simple plywood coffee tables) but, alas, the 'fine' part is lacking.
1976 VW Bus aka tripod
FI ...not leaky, and not so noisy...and she runs awesome!
hambone wrote: There are those out there with no other aim but to bunch panties. It's like arguing with a pretzel.
::troll2::

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asiab3
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by asiab3 » Sat Jun 18, 2016 10:42 am

TrollFromDownBelow wrote:I have cabinetry skills (built some simple pub tables for our basement, and some simple plywood coffee tables) but, alas, the 'fine' part is lacking.
Have you done any fabrication of that sort for a Volkswagen? Would you want to? Someone is visiting Detroit circa September 2016.... :pirate:

Robbie
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

TrollFromDownBelow
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by TrollFromDownBelow » Sat Jun 18, 2016 2:04 pm

I have not done any ... but it would be fun to try! Even if we don't build one you should stop by for some cold adult beverages. I live in Saint Clair shores which is on the east side, about 4 miles north of the city border.

What do you have in mind? PM me some thoughts (or if you think others are interested, maybe start another thread where we can all banter about ideas) .
1976 VW Bus aka tripod
FI ...not leaky, and not so noisy...and she runs awesome!
hambone wrote: There are those out there with no other aim but to bunch panties. It's like arguing with a pretzel.
::troll2::

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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by luftvagon » Sun Jun 19, 2016 6:38 pm

I can attest to Westie storage sucking. It's built for very small loads, tightly packed away, never to be used during camping. Me personally, I spread my entire gear on the floor, and tumble over it at night. If i could do it again, I would get a panel van with a poptop, and build a full time camping rig.
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia - air-cooled Type4 1970cc CV (hydraulic lifters, 42x36 valves, stock cam, microSquirt FI with wasted spark ignition)
1993 Ford F-250 XL LWB Extended Cab 7.3L IDI

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asiab3
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by asiab3 » Mon Jun 20, 2016 12:23 am

I'm about to drive a whole buncha miles this summer. I'll let you guys know how much I like the "blank kombi with a bed" setup for extended dwelling. I have a few odds and ends to keep me organized, but for the most part it's "cardboard boxes on the floor…" Since I'll be traveling alone mostly, I'll take a page out of Colin's book and use the walkthrough and passenger footwell areas too. That leaves my bed always ready for a nap. :)

Camping out of a 7-seater was a trip, with all the cargo room in the back for stuff. I'm so used to that being my mattress and not storing anything there.

Robbie
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Jun 20, 2016 5:27 pm

I have done did thinked about it some.
I want metal diamond plate boxes with roll-out drawers affixed to the underside of the car. They will need good door seals and locks.
Six of them.
I want a lower head banger cabinet. We'll call it the face smacker. Rear seat can be a permanent horizontal memory foam bed with double the thickness, underneath can have a fold-out vise/anvil. rest of compartment can secure heavy tools like axle sockets and breaker/cheater bars. Forget that "closet" over the spare tire well. It is a little joke of a toy closet, who sits back there and pretties up by that door mirror? Pshaw.
I need a roll-out counter top at the rear deck under the bed. If you release the EZ catches, it can roll out entirely for engine work.
I want sophisticated high-quality roll-up horizontal slat blinds for the side windows. You can adjust for light and privacy at the same time. Forget the curtains, they catch on my wizened fingernail cuts. The side panels along the ceiling (yeah, the Ivory Silk Sticky Panels) need to be fogged translucent plastic with multi-colored LED illumination behind them. No more fluorescent light. Sliding door can be a thin-profile hardware bits/fastener storage box with some sort of decorative "tile" as each little compartment door.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

TrollFromDownBelow
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by TrollFromDownBelow » Tue Jun 21, 2016 4:52 pm

Welding diamond plate is currently beyond my skill set and my tool supply. :flower:
1976 VW Bus aka tripod
FI ...not leaky, and not so noisy...and she runs awesome!
hambone wrote: There are those out there with no other aim but to bunch panties. It's like arguing with a pretzel.
::troll2::

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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by ErniePunkin » Mon Jun 27, 2016 6:38 am

Hi Guys,

I've never posted here before. I'm a sort of VW :newb: girl who used to own Ernie the REI "rust bucket" bus which you can read about over in theSamba bay forum page 2.

I did what you are talking about with Ernie before I naively learned that his frame is unsafe from rust. I stripped out and gave away a beauty stock cabinet set and then planned to install an all-new interior that is better suited for long-haul camping. As it turned out Ernie went to REI Seattle to inspire future VW-ites, so I bought a 2nd bus (77) "Pattie". We used the not so great cabinet set from the 2nd bus to put into the REI Ernie display, so again nothing wasted. Now I'm moving forward with my empty Westy interior "art" project.

I want to see if it's possible to upgrade "Pattie" with extra storage capability and the sleek elegance you'd expect in a custom boat interior, while avoiding the use of garish colored laminate often seen in Europe (example: Danbury). I don't like Vanagons or trailers or RV's. I'm a huge fan of late bay westfalias, but I want to be comfortable and have a fresh interior to enjoy, so I'm working on creating a sort of hybrid lifestyle environment.

I hand-drew plans and then took them to an interior designer to put into a design app. I have the computer drawings in a .dwg file if anyone wants to have a look. The drafter never got some of the concepts or sizing correct, so what we will actually build will be somewhat different than the plans. The plans aren't useable right now until they are corrected post-project, but I uploaded a sample drawing. It would have been easier if I had just given my hand sketches to the cabinetmaker and let him measure the bus interior and plot it out but live and learn.

A marine cabinetmaker is working on the project in Seattle right now. Hopefully it will be done by October and I can share pix and more info then. I selected canary wood for it's coloring and ease of use. I thought about importing a supply of the newly produced nearly identical cabinet laminate from NLAVW in UK but the cabinetmaker wanted to work with real wood. Ok with me. I love the rich but rustic look of canarywood.

I also wrote a long tutorial to the cabinetmaker with a ridiculous amount of detail to consider. I'd share it but I'm shy about being outed as a totally absurd VW-OCD person.

I specified cabinets on both sides that are as wide/deep into the living space as the outer edges of the rear window, with a headbanger that is not any lower than the top of the rear window. I don't like the stock cabs protruding into the window space. The lower bed uses an adjustable metal rock n roll type of frame that reduces to twin size or around 40" wide which is close to the width of the rear window. "Pattie" will sleep 3 adults not 4. The dog gets the lower birth and I'll sleep up in the "loft".

On the galley side we brought the cabinets up to the lower level of the windows all the way along the side and as deep as the driver seat. Installing a SMEV stove and sink, Isotherm fridge, extra large water tank, and I'm having a look at one of these now: http://www.truma.net/us/en/water-systems/aquago.php. We are using kitchen hardware like soft closing mechanisms with original VW black handles. For a table I'll use the portable tripod style table base with a single smaller table top that can be stored behind the driver seat. It can be used outside as well as inside vs the semi-permanent floor or cabinet side wall installations of yesteryear.

I opted for a tall vertical cabinet to cover the 2nd rear driver side window. Those will look something like Riviera cabinets but cover the full length of the rear window. Cabs will curve to better fit the wall to roof contour. Hopefully no boxy gaping! The rear corners will have very shallow curved back cabinets that also slope with the roof and utilize the corner space left vacant by the original Westy design. I call one of them a "medicine cabinet". On the pax side there will be a long shallow but tall row of hinge top well-style cabinets that stop at the bottom of the windows and come forward to the start of the sliding door.

There's a toilet box that has a push to pop out compartment for a laptop safe at the bottom, a shoe drawer above that, and a supply storage on the side. The hinged top opens towards the galley and can be used as a sort of table while on the potty. It will also have a fold out and up table on the door side that is a copy cat idea from early bays, but it opens to a larger table courtesy of a nifty rotating hinge device. The toilet box also works as an ottoman for the pax seat when spun around or an extra jump seat. I'll get the height just right by adjusting the amount of cushion foam on top.

Of course there's the usual muddy boot or tire jack storage under the bed. I designed a sort of ventilated "electrical closet' on the outer edge of the rear left driver side Riviera style cabinets. Small backsplash behind the stove and sink maybe with some displays (water level) and outlets. The windows will be the new JK sliders so the handle is accessible even with a backsplash installed.

I really wanted to install a little shower system in the back cabinet until I found a Mr-Heater-Boss-Battery-Operated-Hot-Water-Heater-Shower-System that I can put on the countertop and just drop a hose into the water port on the cabinet top. From there a long shower wand makes it possible to wash the dog (or me) outside with warm water.

Sorry if I went on about this. I'm excited to see the results of my "art" project. The adventure started in 2011 so it's been swimming in my head for a long time.
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Busy building a better Ernie.

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Bleyseng
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by Bleyseng » Mon Jun 27, 2016 7:37 am

Sounds like a fun project and nothing beats South American wood for cabinets.
Geoff
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by vistacruzer » Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:00 am

I have done did thinked about it some.
I want metal diamond plate boxes with roll-out drawers affixed to the underside of the car. They will need good door seals and locks.
Six of them.
I want a lower head banger cabinet. We'll call it the face smacker. Rear seat can be a permanent horizontal memory foam bed with double the thickness, underneath can have a fold-out vise/anvil. rest of compartment can secure heavy tools like axle sockets and breaker/cheater bars. Forget that "closet" over the spare tire well. It is a little joke of a toy closet, who sits back there and pretties up by that door mirror? Pshaw.
I need a roll-out counter top at the rear deck under the bed. If you release the EZ catches, it can roll out entirely for engine work.
I want sophisticated high-quality roll-up horizontal slat blinds for the side windows. You can adjust for light and privacy at the same time. Forget the curtains, they catch on my wizened fingernail cuts. The side panels along the ceiling (yeah, the Ivory Silk Sticky Panels) need to be fogged translucent plastic with multi-colored LED illumination behind them. No more fluorescent light. Sliding door can be a thin-profile hardware bits/fastener storage box with some sort of decorative "tile" as each little compartment door.
Colin

I COULD DO THAT
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70 wide lowered body rag top 2056 type4 DTM nothing stock if I could touch it.
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ruckman101
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by ruckman101 » Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:32 am

Wait a minute, I don't think that's stock.


neal
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vistacruzer
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by vistacruzer » Mon Jun 27, 2016 5:37 pm

ErniePunkin that is awsome
71 bench 1915
70 wide lowered body rag top 2056 type4 DTM nothing stock if I could touch it.
Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

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vistacruzer
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Re: Colin's next project...

Post by vistacruzer » Mon Jun 27, 2016 5:43 pm

Wait a minute, I don't think that's stock.


Neal Love the not stock, but stock is ok. Just wait till you see my wide body Fuch's behind my fender flairs. That's right built and ready weld on. :thumbleft:
71 bench 1915
70 wide lowered body rag top 2056 type4 DTM nothing stock if I could touch it.
Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

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