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Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:25 pm

erste wrote:

Very cosy interior! How did you make the cool shelf along the roof?

Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:50 pm

epowell wrote:
Very cosy interior! How did you make the cool shelf along the roof?

Shelf build starts about halfway down this page, but there's not a lot of detail.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=44

The bottom of the shelf is 3/16" plywood, quarter circles are 1/2" ply, I think. One solid oak strip runs the length of it (1" x .75"?). The middle is anchored to the grab handle location. The front has an L bracket that's screwed into the roof area with self tapping screws. Rear is supported by the rear cabinet. LED strip lighting was really easy with a dimmer and I'd recommend it.

Feel free to pm me for details! 8)

Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:56 am

I note a couple of posters have advocated using 'disposable' plastic containers for water. Please don't!

Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:47 am

erste wrote:
Shelf build starts about halfway down this page, but there's not a lot of detail.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=44

This is an incredible thread...
….yes eventually I will make one of these shelves (if I don't end up putting a water tank up there :D

Getting started today building the cabinet...

Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:30 pm

Thu Sep 19, 2019 3:21 am

I Was flipping back and forth to compare wood cut to plans.....
here are Ed's plans from page 1

Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:35 pm

Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:59 pm

Nice progress!

Thu Sep 19, 2019 9:45 pm

erste wrote:
...Here's a pic of my current setup...

I appreciate the real-world approach you've taken toward utilizing your living space --- e.g. the book shelf, the fan, & the high shelf which utilizes space that otherwise never gets used. (Well maybe for a coat hook.) Your space looks like it has actually been lived in & travelled in.

As a refugee from the split bus forum, I visit the Vanagon forum just to read the trip reports & see practical interior additions like yours.

Maybe 20% of split buses are routinely used for camping excursions or actual travel (if you don't count all those trips to VW shows.) Over there, keeping everything Original is the gospel, which means that drilling a new hole anywhere in your bus is considered Original Sin. So I avoid posting anything about my rear cabinets & other camper interior mods, because absolutely nothing I've installed in the back is original.

Anyway -- it took me a while to realize that all of those decals in your camper are camouflaging the front of the ARB fridge that you have tucked into its narrow cubby hole on a slider. I also have an ARB and am considering a similar install which I'm afraid might restrict the amount of direct airflow to the rear cooling vents in the same way that you seem to have yours.

Given all the stickers, it certainly looks like you've had your ARB fridge in place for a long time so I'm assuming it keeps your food cold enough for you. But what kind of clearance do the cooling vents really need back there? One inch on each side? Two Inches? Maybe Three? Did you have to cut any holes in the back of your wood cabinet to provide additional airflow to your ARB?

TIA for any advice

Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:31 pm

Viking Funeral wrote: I also have an ARB and am considering a similar install which I'm afraid might restrict the amount of direct airflow to the rear cooling vents in the same way that you seem to have yours.
TIA for any advice
Thank you! I've had the fridge for almost 2-1/2 years in that cabinet, running off solar 24/7 without issue. Definitely be concerned about airflow to those vents.

Here's a pic of the cabinet without the fridge. You can barely see, but on the left side that area is completely open. The panel on the right is peg board, so there are some holes. Originally I wanted the fridge on a slide, but nice slides were costly and it was going to be more work to do it, so I just laid a piece of 3/4" ply, anchored to 2 seat belt bolts and with the L brackets to the cabinet, then strapped the fridge to that with the ARB hold down kit.

Sometimes I pack stuff into the left side of the fridge that blocks the vent, but I really try to avoid that. I think a 1" gap on the sides would be fine as long as the fridge isn't enclosed. I wouldn't be worried about holes in the back panel, but for sure try to keep the side vents from being blocked.

Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:51 pm

erste wrote: Nice progress!

My only partial regret at the moment is that I think I went overkill on the heaviness of the wood used... the unit is getting pretty heavy, and I now realize that it would have been enough just to use 1/4" or 3/8" ply with 1/2's around the edges.
...anyhow it is SOLID!

Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:52 pm

Viking Funeral wrote: Over there, keeping everything Original is the gospel, which means that drilling a new hole anywhere in your bus is considered Original Sin. So I avoid posting anything about my rear cabinets & other camper interior mods, because absolutely nothing I've installed in the back is original.

Yeah, the things I did to my '67 split even make me cringe nowadays. Because I was living in mine, I cut out the front seat partition, and then installed the cabinets from a late bay van. I'm not a cosmetics guy, so I used white house paint to "touch up" the exterior. To be fair, it had already been hacked up quite a bit, but my additions were just insult to injury. Most of the Vanagon guys aren't shy about modifying their vans, but typically these are just overpriced aftermarket doodads that they think make the van look cool and utilitarian. Apparently, it's just money.

Thu Sep 19, 2019 11:26 pm

Zeitgeist 13 wrote: Most of the Vanagon guys aren't shy about modifying their vans, but typically these are just overpriced aftermarket doodads that they think make the van look cool and utilitarian. Apparently, it's just money.
what "doodads" are you talking about? And is that even relevant to this thread?

Fri Sep 20, 2019 5:54 am

:lol:

Fri Sep 20, 2019 8:47 pm

The only thing weird is the propane fitting goes straight out the back of the stove, and I anoly have about 2" max behind there.... I guess I will have to find a 90* elbow adapter to get the propane fitting facing straight downwards...

Sat Sep 21, 2019 6:46 am

Yeah, I had wondered about your material choice but then recalled that you were using wood you had on hand. I figured that using what you have will result in a slightly heavy (though sturdy) cabinet.

Dave

Sat Sep 21, 2019 11:27 am

The extra weight is likely less than a big bumper or a couple of kids in the back seat. While I favor minimizing weight, I wouldn’t sweat this at all. Carry-on!

Sat Sep 21, 2019 1:40 pm

vanagonjr wrote: The extra weight is likely less than a big bumper or a couple of kids in the back seat. While I favor minimizing weight, I wouldn’t sweat this at all. Carry-on!

Thanks... it IS really nice and solid! And I won't have a fridge and my water "tank" is only 10litres... my little 1,6D NA can take it :)

Sat Sep 21, 2019 2:08 pm

epowell wrote:
My only partial regret at the moment is that I think I went overkill on the heaviness of the wood used... the unit is getting pretty heavy

"Simplify, then add lightness"
Colin Chapman

Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:41 pm

erste- how do you open that fridge with the shelf above it? Can you post a pic with it open. I am liking the design
Thanks