Coolest Custom Interior

[danfromsyr]

here's a pic of my brother's custom interior
made with 3/4" oak plywood, includes the furnace, microwave and a custom cut-down Magic chef propane oven we use to make lasagna and apple crisp (among other tasty items) while camping and road tripping.

just to show you're only limited by imagination. the staggered furnace and micro cabinets make the step up to the top much easier for those w/short legs.

and yes this is a vanagon, not a bay sorry.
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[webwalker]

[airkooledchris]

if you look really closely at the edges of the top and bottom cross piece, you can see it's attached at either side by some sort of wire or ziptie that's been painted/matched to the body.

just a guess.

[Stuartzickefoose]

[hill]

Catgut, or small green tie-wraps painted to match.

Looks good and solves potential problems with debri or even birds.
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'78 Biegephalia

[Resto-raider]

I'm currently completing my new interior. New headlining, window rubbers, panels, floor, upholstery, seat stand rubbers, etc.

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- Baywindow microbus- aug '68 - 1641cc twinport (AS)
- Mk1 Golf (rabbit) - june 1977

[75bus4/me]

Here is mine.

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1975 Bay Window {Big Red}

[junichi]

I wouldn't call it the coolest but here's what I've done to mine.
before (original 1978 interior):

after (1974-75 style, custom built):

jump seat:

jump seat storage:

I still need to add a low profile head banger cabinet, re-laminate the table, and redo the fabric.

A lot of people say the 78-79 interior is the best, but I found I didn't use the sink and that the large amount of storage was making me store too much junk. And if I camp, I don't tend to put things away into the cupboards. I now have just enough storage for the stuff that needs to be in there all the time (stove, plates, cutlery, awning, wash basin) and I will bring along a cooler and water jug. I am happy to have 2 more seats at the dining table, and no longer is one person sitting table-less at the front swivel. I can set up one more guest at the table (total 5) on a folding stool. Not to mention, the lighter wood feels much brighter and more modern, but not too modern. So far, I consider it an improvement.

[Paintedbus]

While its not all color coordinated yet, i think my interior is pretty cool. I have had several buses over the years and have noted what i like best about each.

The front upper cabinet is also a speaker box now (my doing) and from what i can tell, came out of mexico at some point. I got it from a friend in PA. I wired in a ring of seriously bright LED lights in place of the done light. The 4x6 speakers face forward right behind the front seats. I have never seen another one like it.

the seats are out of an 87 vanagon and were a must after driving my ex-87 westy. No way I'd go back to the baywindow style seat. These are about to be dyed dark brown to match my champagne edition dashboard and components. I have a lot of experience dyeing fabrics, so I think I can pull this off.

In my ex- 71 westy, I removed the jump seat and moved the icebox over to the drivers side. In this bus, i did that as well, but also gutted the icebox in favor of storage. I retained the sink, but use removable used-water and freshwater jugs instead of stock setup. Thats easier to use imo.

The vintage Thermos cooler is where I store all my parts, spare generator, VR, point/ condensers, coils, rotors, wires, cables etc. Works good as an ottoman with the passenger seat turned around. I actually dont have a swivel, but after bending the leading edge of the track slightly, I can just run the seat backwards on the tracks. With a little practice, I can flip it around in 15 seconds.

In the rear, I have the full width 74 westy bed and table (with extension). Lots of storage under there, but I might make it a full slide or drawer. Its too hard to get into while travelling. I find the mattress marginally comfortable and despite my labors at upholstering it (we have a pretty excellent sewing machine) I think I will take this material off in favor of a solid colored vinyl (think early bay westy) and use this striped material for new curtains.


The next change will be the removal of the 74-75 table in favor of the later westy table on the movable arm. It will have mounts on the corner of the sink cabinet (i removed the icebox insert in favor of storage) and near the door. I should be picking that up in about a week on my way through Asheville, NC.

I used the super-hard-to-find late hardtop westy headbanger cabinet, but mounted it flush with the side cabinet and extended it clear to the back hatch, permitting all my bedding to get stored up there, even in the fall.

I frequently road trip this bus and will be on the road again next week, travelling nearly 3000 miles over the next month. To me a cool bus is one that suit my needs perfectly, and this bus is slowly getting there. I have lots of ambitions including a pop top or high-top graft, but thats in the future sometime. A bigger sound system might be soon too though!
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Champagne Edition Roadtrip monster "Juakali"

~"Paintedbus" Ken~
The Mobile Muralist
WWW.PAINTEDBUSART.COM

[ablakely]

[westcoastmarek]

[Stuartzickefoose]

[ablakely]

[famousdrums]

heres mine ive been working on and still messing with...

[williamM]

Here is the vision, but making it a reality is a lot of work.[img]

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some days I get up and just sit and think. Some days I just sit.

opinion untempered by fact is ignorance.

Don't step in any!

[blue72beetle]

Thread resurrection.

Here's my interior. Mostly stock except for the back end. I created my own rear hatch tent, and built a larger shelf in place of a rear seat.

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-Andy-
-1970 Ghia-
-1971 Bus 1776 Microsquirt EFI-

[rob.e]

Mines work in progress, but i'm getting there..

Here's the "before" shot. This was taken May 2013 whilst the bus was still in the USA.

May 2013 - Interior by lotus-gt, on Flickr

Lots of work done since then.. interior shot as it looks now:

cab mats and new shifter by lotus-gt, on Flickr

new cab mats - seat base by lotus-gt, on Flickr

new cab mats by lotus-gt, on Flickr

gene berg shifter by lotus-gt, on Flickr

new door cards, escutcheon and crank by lotus-gt, on Flickr

The R&R bed is now re-made full width for more sleeping space:

Full width by lotus-gt, on Flickr

New full width rear by lotus-gt, on Flickr

New cushions:

Lovely cushion by lotus-gt, on Flickr

240v hookup usb chargers and fire extinguisher fitted by lotus-gt, on Flickr

New headlining, black walnut:

Walnut headlining cab area by lotus-gt, on Flickr

... and in the rear too:

Walnut headlining rear by lotus-gt, on Flickr

Its not finished yet, we still have the main berlin deluxe unit and the overhead cupboard to re-make in the walnut but I'm very happy with how its turning out so far.

[Convoy]

Rob,
Great job on the interior!

[ChrisFred]

*Heavy Breathing*

[1967250s]

RobE, are those mats available? For a bench seat? They are Neat!