Kitchen type cabinet for a Eurovan

[Amkelly28]

I’m obsessed with finding a kitchenette storage option for my 1993 eurovan. I’d like to take the second rear facing chair out and have t by door. All I am find online are Pinterest pics and dead links?
Just needs to be able to store my goal zero in the cabinet and maybe some stuff with a latch. I’m not doin a sink just a bucket but I do have a butane store too for storing in the top would be nice.

[IdeaNerd]

I'm actually doing some prototyping of various-function modules for Eurovans. Would love to hear and see more specifics regarding what you (and/or anyone else) would like to see in a "kitchenette" storage unit. Maybe even copying some of those Pinterest pics here, and commenting on what you like / don't like?

[wildenbeast]

No a kitchen, but I would love to see items 1-3 (overhead cabinet and driver-side rear cabinet) from Reimo replicated over here: https://www.reimo.com/bilder/fahrzeuge-pdf/vanprofi-112-113_2014_vw-t4-multivan.pdf
The rear cabinet could be raised a bit so you could still have a person's leg under it when sleeping in the bottom berth.

As for kitchenette ideas, I really like the ones that can be used outside the van, like this one:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/510525307751176914/
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- Bill, '93 Eurovan Syncro Weekender (2.5 manual ACU)

[Zeitgeist 13]

There's some seriously cool stuff in that Pinterest link. I really like the idea of that railing on the slider for mounting the cook stove, or perhaps even a table for the same. Does anyone know what that's called and/or where to find something similar?
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[wildenbeast]

It is called L-track or airline track. Here's a T6 that used some for a sweet custom spare tire carrier:
https://expeditionportal.com/uro-camper-teams-up-with-viajes-tara/

Here's a few places to order it:
http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Ratchet-Straps-Tie-Downs/Angled-L-Track
https://jet.com/
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- Bill, '93 Eurovan Syncro Weekender (2.5 manual ACU)

[Zeitgeist 13]

Thanks!
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Stripped66]

Very cool! Thank you for posting this resource!
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[logans5vw]

I put an 18" kitchen cabinet in the jumpseat space behind the driver. Had to make channel brackets so it could use the bolt holes there. No sink but the top area can accommodate a gas stove or a dish pan or bucket for washing. Holds lots of stuff. Ill try and post a photo here.

[IdeaNerd]

@Amkelly28:

Got your PM, and it looks like you've figured out picture posting! Bravo!

I'm curious what your "perfect cabinet" would include (and not include). You mention the Goal Zero -- which product, and what size is it?

Sounds like a sink is not on your want list?... or am I misreading your "just a bucket" comment?

How important is portability to you? (i.e. lightweight, grab handles, quick and easy to mount and pull out, etc.)

Generally, these "kitchenettes" seem to have some subset of a handful of functions:

1) Storage
2) Stove
3) Sink
4) Regrigerator
5) Fold-out table / cutting board

In my "modules" project, I'm playing with how best to combine those in a single module, or not combine them, and let individual modules be joined together in various combinations. Your "use case" is interesting to me particularly in that regard.

In one of our vans (we have two Weekenders), an earlier project involved pulling out the rear-facing seat behind the driver seat and putting a larger, more efficient drawer-style fridge in its place. Pretty simple to just bolt in place there, using the four bolt holes that hold the seat down. The "box" is really just in a quickly-hacked-together aluminum frame w/a top surface, and I plan to replace it with something that offers more storage and/or "kitchen functions" later, but overall it's been a "win" for a first iteration -- enough so that I'm continuing related explorations.

The location you are talking about (behind the passenger seat, by the door) is where we usually keep a covered toilet (we do a lot of dispersed camping), and, at least in the Weekenders, it's a little less "friendly" for easy bolt-in-place options, but still likely workable. I don't know all the 1993 Eurovan styles -- which specific model is yours?... sounds like an MV, but I don't know if the MVs only came as Weekenders on the '93. Do both rear-facing seats pull out the same way (i.e. identically)?


@wildenbeast:

You always have great input. It's funny that you mentioned L-Track -- I just bought a small sample of it on Monday, to play with. Kept coming across mentions of it in various contexts (expedition vehicles, van conversions, motorcycle tie-downs, etc.) and finally decided to just buy some to "get to know it better" as a rail-mounting and "joining things" tech. Plus, zillions of tie-down options out there. Should get here today or early next week.

When my wife and I originally bought the second Weekender, I was planning on just fixing some things on it that needed attention and then selling it... but, @Itsamoto gave me some input once (early on) that I was "doing it backwards" when we just had one van and I was feeling lots of extra pressure on my dream of doing something more completely custom interior-wise because it would take the van out of commission so long. He suggested tearing into the first van, and then buying a second van to keep my wife happy. We're ending up w/a variation of that -- taking turns w/each van's "out of commission" time, and trying out different setup iterations as I come up with them. Only have done one so far (on the first van), but it's been super-informative. The second van currently has all the back seats and back shelf removed, and is in super-cargo-van mode. That's also been surprisingly useful. It also has me even more convinced that what I really want is a "full camper" that can also easily be a "MV-style people carrier" OR just a "cargo van".

All that to say (sorry so many words! I get excited about this stuff), the two cabinets you're pointing to (wardrobe and rear upper storage) are both on my list to explore on this next iteration. I'm also considering ripping out the floor entirely and putting in L-Track to attach to in whatever flooring I end up replacing it with.

At the same time, I'm interested in designing things other people can use (part of how I'm wired, I guess). I'm thinking a lot about how to design these "modules" such that they can be used beautifully for our own "fully custom" van interior, but also ad-hoc / a la carte by "stock Eurovan" owners. Thinking a lot about the subtle differences between GLS / MV / MV Weekender, and maybe even Full Campers, as it relates to that. Some people, like @Amkelly28, want just one box they can throw in and use for camping/picnic trips. Other people, like you I think, mostly want improved storage for an otherwise already workable "adventure van". Still others, like me, want both of those things plus the ability to have our Weekender basically be a "full camper" without losing the flexibility that is so much of what I love about the MV-based model platform in particular.

It's also interesting to me that the "door box" example you showed (neat! thanks for sharing it) is, practically speaking, basically a chuck box. I love chuck boxes! They are SO practical for developed-campgrounds and picnic table stops. We used to have one in our family's T2 when I was a kid, in the back. It worked great, both in-van/stationary, and also when pulled out and set on the end of a camping table. I think it's fair to say it completely transformed my mother's relationship with camping. She regularly mentioned being glad to not be "stuck in the van" when cooking. Part of what I'm thinking about is how to best combine the flexibility of that with the convenience of "pop the top and we're ready to go in two minutes" full-camper setups. (BTW: I'm all ears if anybody's got thoughts on that.)

Lastly, I believe @Xtremjeepn (CaveVan) is a Reimo dealer now. Perhaps he can get those specific cabinets you linked to for you?


@logans5vw:

Thanks for sharing your creation! Really cool. One thing I am regretting about my "refrigerator cage" that's in that same location is that I didn't take enough advantage of the available space there vertically (it's only as tall as the little Dometic fridge it contains). You've done better with that. It's such a great "not in the way of the driver's line of site" spot -- rare, in that regard -- that I find myself wanting to maximize the use of it. At the same time, swivel seats up front (as @Xtremjeepn often points out) really open up the inside of the van, and I don't really want to lose that either. So... lots of exploratory iterations expected.



Man, I had no idea I had this much to say about this topic. Hopefully not making everyone crazy with so many words.

[alisdairSH]

A bit late to the party, but I'm in the market for a EV camper or weekender and the availability of a pre-made kitchenette for the weekender would likely push me that direction.

A small fridge would be nice, though I'm not sure if anything of a usable size would actually fit in the space available.

But, just storage would be great. 1 or 2 narrow drawers for cutlery and similar stuff, and then a cabinet for pots and larger items.

I probably wouldn't want a sink or basin built in - just hard surface where I can prep food, place a single-burner stove, or whatever else.

Another thing that I like about the Vanagon weekender vs the EV version is the partial rear cabinets. I like the full width bed of the EV. So, some sort of overhead storage would be nice. No idea how feasible that would be, as I don't own a van yet, so haven't measured.

[markcm2]

Here is the cabinet my buddy build for his 02 T4, it fastens to the floor where the jump seat normally latches. There is a Gas ONE GS-3400P Dual Fuel Portable Propane & Butane Camping and Backpacking Gas Stove Burner recessed in the top and cabinet space below. Easy to install or remove.

[Stripped66]

Perhaps another option to consider:
I built a cabinet to house my cooler and sink using an RV storage slide-out. Obviously, I have a tin-top, so I cannot stand up and do anything inside the van anyway; but the slide-out does free up space inside the van, and I have plenty of room to move around it outside of the van.

Stowed:

Pulled out:

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