Annie-other Subaru Swap - Build Thread

[deathman68]

I dry-fitted both cabinet frames and am happy to report that they fit perfectly. I've got 1/2" on either side of the seat mattress after cabinetry/panels and 1/2" clearance from the front of the seat to the cabinet when folded out flat.

I want just a little more fudge room before I build the rear closet frame, so I'll probably pull in the left-most part by another 3/4 in just to be safe. This will leave me plenty of room for my 5/8 ply sheathing and cabinet doors.

Speaking of which, I've got my veneer on the way and my cabinet guy (friend who I helped with his vanagon) on standby to help me build the doors this weekend. I'm loosely modeling my plan after one of my favorite Brazilian buses as shown below. Wish our buses had the extra 4" of headroom for some overhead lockers. Nice mix between vintage and modern:

_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker

[W1K1]

you might want to re-think the access to the fridge, that other cabinet there will make it a pain getting stuff in, and out of there.

I know our fridge is pretty busy on trips, and the access is straight in the door, so its easy to lean in and grab stuff

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/2520109.jpg
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php

1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap

[deathman68]

Good insights on the fridge location W1K1. In one of the original iterations we had it located where yours is. Through much familial debate, it landed in its final location behind the drivers seat. This prioritizes being able to move the wheeled 62lb water jug easily in and out of the bus. For reference, with the stove cabinet (the one by the slider) in it's "home" position, the fridge door can still fully open. The stove cabinet is on locking 16" sliders and slides towards the outside of the bus which allows the passenger to swivel around while parked/camping.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker

[W1K1]

[deathman68]

A bit of how the sausage gets made:
My friend with an 80s Vanagon just so happens to be a master woodworker by hobby and graciously offered to help me build out my cabinets using his amazing woodshop…this is a guy who calibrates all of his tools to within .001” and the results speak for themselves. I think the best I ever got out of my table saw was .1”

It was slow going but we got the stiles and rails for my shaker doors cut from 5/8 furniture grade Baltic birch ply. Then I had to remember how to apply laminate since it’s been two decades. Amazing how far adhesive technology has advanced since then. I’m using a single stage contact cement (Wilsonart WA500) that you simply roll on with the proper roller, apply a second coat to both surfaces, and then stick together using a carpet installation tool (do NOT use a j-roller…doesn’t apply enough pressure for a good bond!). Really happy with how everything is turning out. Check out the shaker panel insert after routing with a palm router:

The stiles and rails were laminated only on the inside for now since we still have to cut the groove for the inserts.

Then we’ll dowel and glue everything together and finish laminating the sides, fronts and backs.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker

[deathman68]

Been a minute since my last post. Most of my progress of late has been spending countless hours laminating, laminating some more, and then laminating inclusive of going back and removing contact cement w/a rag and denatured alcohol. Not post-worthy by a long shot.

That said, here's a brief teaser of how it's all coming together. I got my vinyl flooring down along w/more decoupled MLV beneath it and started the final assembly of the kitchen. Below is a pic of the main cabinet with the doors final fitted and the drawer fronts put in place for effect while I plan the drawer box builds. The aluminum vertical on the right also has a laminated cover which isn't yet installed:

First drawer box partially complete:

Got my A/C wiring completed and the shore hookups done...located the 2000W inverter (not shown) behind the fridge and cut a long opening w/basket weave behind the drivers seat so the fans can evacuate the air.

You can see my automatic transfer switch in this pic...when shore power drops off (ie. unplugged), it automatically switches to my inverter. Please ignore the puddle of my blood on the floor in front of it::

And lastly, the part that I'm most excited about: the sliding stove cabinet with folding top to conceal my two-burner gas stove is nearly done! I just need to adjust the hinges to final align everything:


Link

_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker

[Shonandb]

Nice work!
_________________
*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image

[metahacker]

wow that is all looking PRETTY BALLER !!!

lovely

i see the inspiration (from the brazillian guy making that cool double westy hinged roof) coming through:) looks GREAT
are you planning to do the upper cabinets like his? i've always wanted to try that..

that wood-faced aluminum extrusion frame construction technique seems very cool! and i'd imagine saves a lot of weight while being super strong.

any thoughts on an undercarriage water tank?
this 12 gal one is molded to fit a bus
https://www.reimo.com/us/camping-accessories/motor...-vw-t2-45l

[deathman68]

Appreciate the compliments!

[W1K1]

We went the same way with 2 four gallon jugs under the sink, easy to access and it lasted a long weekend with no refilling

Those cabinets are top shelf stuff

I have been thinking about an upper mini cabinet for spices and small stuff to replace that thin section between the front and rear roof section
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php

1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap

[Shonandb]

Mine is ghetto in comparison but we use a 5 gallon jug that sits up on a small shelf on the cabinet behind the driver's seat with a small spice rack attached. The water lasts about a week with just the 2 of us including washing dishes.

_________________
*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image

[deathman68]

Functionality is key @Shonandb!

I'm also considering fabbing up folding storage like the Sprinter guys use, but doing it in my bus's upholstery to match my style. Something like this: https://theadventureportal.com/collapsible-overhead-van-storage/

Wonder if it would be possible to make something like this, but trifold since there isn't much vertical space to work with.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker

[deathman68]

Had my first free weekend in a while so I set to work on knocking in some glass (well...one window at least). The slider from Just Kampers was about as tight as they come, but nothing me and my trusty helper couldn't handle with the assistance of paracord, a bunch of rubber-compatible wire pull lube, and a million mallet taps:

Overall I'm happy with how it came out, but man do my hands and fingers hurt after having to go all the way back around with a trim tool to get the gasket perfect on both sides. I'll probably do another million taps to see if I can get the gasket to sit just proud of the frame in the four corners like it does on the rest of the frame. The window slides just fine...not any tighter than my original sliders and there aren't any gaps to the body, so water ingress will NOT be a concern.

With the window knocked in, I decided to pull the main kitchen cabinet in order to cut some ventilation for it for the inverter and fridge. Oops...my clamp let loose and the cabinet hopped while I was routing it:

That's better:

Also final routed and sanded my butcher block counter top and did a test fit:

I've got a little more wiring to protect before I do the final install on the main kitchen cabinet. Can't be too cautious and the last thing I want is a short with all the fire roads I'm planning to hit in the not-so-distant future.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker

[W1K1]

Lol good fix on that runaway router, I hate when that happens, at least you had some wiggle room for that fix
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php

1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap

[deathman68]

Two steps ahead and four steps back

Spent some time finishing up the main cabinet since I had a couple free days before family came to town for Thanksgiving:

12V auxiliary wiring done:

Transfer switch and sink pump plumbing done:

2000W inverter and shore power done:

The finished product with my magnetic/rechargeable task lights:

With the kitchen "done" I quickly realized my bonehead mistake for the month of November: The left-most side of main cabinet is too deep, and therefore I'm 2" short of being able to fit my fancy French fold down seat
Hacked down the aluminum framing and rebuilt the drawer and the laminated side panel and voila...fits!
\

Now the real hard part comes in...I have to make a seat pedestal that enables the whole shebang to gain 5" of vertical height AND to slide backwards to close the gap left by my new seat folding forward...have some ideas down on paper and some wood/steel calling my name in the garage...update to follow. Worst case I will prob go back to the stock bench seat, but that too will be problematic since I built the cabinet too wide to accommodate the original length...no turning back now!
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker

[soissisc]

Time to spend some time in Solidworks haha! Looks great!
_________________
Mark

68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up)

[deathman68]

[deathman68]

The radius arm design is not going to work as the geometry just doesn't work out. Instead I'm pivoting to an equally robust design which is starting w/the purchase of a motorcycle jack which I plan to cut down and cannibalize for parts:

Take a look at the seat mocked up on a wooden frame...now hopefully you can see why I'm so reticent to go back to stock...three arm rests, two headrests, and contours for comfy seating while driving and memory foam on the back side for sleeping!

Here's the new layout as I've designed it in my head:

I'll likely need more than the 7" of slide afforded by aftermarket seat rails, so I may pivot to using heavy duty drawer slides mounted flat to save space and then drilled in strategic points to take a "pop pin" in order to fix it in place. I'll also be planning to add welded mechanical stops to ensure that this thing won't be going anywhere in the event of hard braking or a collision. Nay-sayers look away...it won't be passing any crash tests any time soon, but it's infinitely better than bolting it to my wood sub-floor with no.8 wood screws like it originally came from the ASI Riviera factory. This puppy will be fully welded and thru-bolted to the floor with big fender washers where appropriate.
_________________
1973 Riviera “Annie”
Build Thread: 1973 Riviera+Subaru 2.5+5 Speed
EJ25+5 Speed Conversion Part/Cost Tracker

[Shonandb]

Very cool!
_________________
*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image

[soissisc]

Just throwing it out there, would it make more sense to have the seat bottom / frame slide forward and seat back fold down? Maybe the seat back cannot fold that way?
_________________
Mark

68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up)