Vanagon Slider Door Storage Hack

[StevieSteve]

I am working to fabricate all new interior paneling in my 84. Once I remove the paneling in the slide door it will be trash, its basically being held together by the plugs. Has anyone ever considered making storage inside the slider door? is there enough space to make some skinny shelving using the door framing? I've looked around and haven't seen too much about it. My intention would be to make small shelving within the door and have the paneling be hinged so it could flip up or out to access it. Id love to hear about any ideas, experiences, or absolute failures! Thanks!

[dabaron]

not an amazing amount of space for storage. the door latch pull cuts across the door. that right there limits the available space. don't hack the metal, it keeps you safe in a crash.
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1991 Vanagon GL Camper
i had no idea i wanted to be a mechanic
"burnin oil and cookin coils" -- Destructo

BiWerks Design, LLC

[bobbyblack]

Add to the relative lack of depth to the skin/frame on the door, you'd have a couple inches of room to add outward since the door slips outward when sliding back. That, too, is pretty slim.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[Gruppe B]

Vanagon book storage!
(photo is flipped, not a double slider )

[the joker]

in my rear hatch, I stow a spare set of engine coolant hoses, just put the panel back, and know it's there

the slider works to much to kept stuff there to access , one good slam, stuff would be falling out, just my thoughts.

[Ahwahnee]

I just take less stuff.

[danfromsyr]

while I plan to use some of that space for the sandals/flip flops..
the middle of my door panel touches the side of my van on occasion.
so you really can't get any thicker.
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[alaskadan]

Doesn't somebody make an extension kit for the slider ?

[DuncanS]

Here's what I did on the rear hatch. The same could be done on the slider as well. The rear catch releasee could be done through a Bowden cable and routed to where you want it to go so it does not need to go through the middle of any available space. One of the beauties of door storage--or hatches--is that no matter how the van is loaded, there is nothing in the way when you open the door. Of course in the case of the slider, you have to be inside to access at least the back part of any storage, but you could reach around the front half and get to tire irons, jumper cables and the like.

Those are jumper cables in a bag on the left.

[scottz]

[StevieSteve]

thanks for the tips! I am going to look into options with the back hatch. I didn't even think of that. appreciate it everyone!

[jimf909]