Interior ideas for surfer van

[baciamille]

My 1977 is finally going in to get the body done next week (beyond excited!) and while it's away I have a few months to think about the interior.

I surf and my longest board is 9ft6". I sometimes carry one or two boards, a bunch of beach chairs, boogies boards and surf doodads like fins and wax. I like to be able to keep my boards inside the van because of theft, but I generally have anywhere from 1 to 4 people with me. I do have a full roof rack.

I currently only have a bench seat along with driver and passenger seats. I'm planning on building drawers under the bench seat and another sliding drawer kit in the trunk. I'm also considering a jump seat behind the passenger seat.

Has anyone done something fun with seating and surfboard storage? Thoughts? Ideas? Ruminations? Thanks!!

[alman72]

bears?

[cmonSTART]

Well, whatever you do you'll need plenty of room to change into your wetsuit.

Tough call.
_________________
'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS

[JimmyJagged]

I've liked the idea of using surfboard racks, or straps, hanging from the ceiling.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/205758276705068298/?nic=1
_________________
Current:
1971 Tin Top Weekender Bus
1973 Squareback
1985 Pop Top Weekender Vanagon (my 19yo son's first car. father/son project)
1985 Pop Top Weekender Vanagon w/ 2.5 Subaru

Past:
1976 Rabbit diesel (my first car). RIP. totaled by drunk driver (not me!)
1973 Pop Top Westfalia Weekender Bus. RIP. Blown engine due to 25yo ignorant of VW maintenance (me).
1986 Vanagon Transporter. RIP. totaled by drunk driver (not me!)
1987 Vanagon Syncro. I never should have sold.

[cmonSTART]

I've carried ladders like that in my service vans. Works great!
_________________
'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS

[busdaddy]

[SGKent]

changing into a wetsuit in a VW bus is for midgets. We used to open the sunroof to be able to stand up. Since the courts have decided talc causes ovarian and other cancers, be sure to spread lots around the inside of the van when you are suiting up too. above all else, remember that while you are surfing the homeless are eyeing your bus as a potential new home.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[Abscate]

Look at the cool guys surfing in their VW van

bus

Right
_________________
.ssS!

[TomWesty]

I’ve changed into my wetsuit in my westy many a time. You all are nattering nabobs of negativity.
_________________
If you haven't bled on them, you haven't worked on them.
Visit: www.tomcoryell.com and check out my music!

[HoboBus]

How about a little outside-the-box (outside-the-bus? ) thinking...

Maybe try to find yourself a high-top top -- JUST the top.

Remove your rack, and bolt the high top to the top of your bus. Don't cut any holes in your bus roof, just use it as a "theft-proof rack". Make a rear door / side door to the top section, mount some rollers inside to load and unload the boards, etc. Kinda like a big pickup truck bed cap for the top of your bus.

Good luck,
Hobo
_________________
Salt air it ain't thin, it'll stick right to your skin,
it'll make you feel fine. Makes you feel fine.
And I wanna be there. -- Jimmy Buffett

Just a beach-oriented camping Hobo with a bus.

[Abscate]

If it’s level one theft you are worried about, crime of opportunity, it should be hard TO fab cable locks for the boards.

If it’s level two theft or higher, your Bus is just a convenient carrying box for your surfboards
_________________
.ssS!

[71whitewesty]

Ok here’s my two cents. Put the boards on the outside. Get a lock for them if you’re worried. Slip them inside the bus when your at some place you think they might get stolen. Generally I put the boards on the rack, drive to the beach and use them. No issues then. I change into my wet suit almost daily, plenty of room in a bus and way better than a Subaru.
I’ve never had a board stolen in over 35 years of hauling them around. But again, put them on the rack, go to beach, used them, problem fixed.
_________________
71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[SGKent]

cousin lost a very expensive Surfboard's Hawaii on a roof rack just turning his back for 10 seconds to pick up a second board to load it on top.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[xyzzy]

A 9'6 fits perfectly inside a 73 westy simply on the backrest of the back seat and the icebox.
_________________
-----
1973 VW Westfalia 2L hydraulic, dual Solex PDSIT
1987 VW Vanagon Westfalia

[Spike0180]

[Clatter]

Less is best when it comes to interior cabinets and boxes and all IMHO.

If you are doing this kind of thing with the ocean,
There will inevitably be water and sand involved.
Best to use a few Rubbermaid totes for anything that might be wet and sandy.
If you build anything out of wood to keep wet/sandy stuff in, capillary action will carry it to the far reaches forevermore.
I have different bins for different activities.
If I'm on a long safari with a need to camp, there's a shallow one that fills most of the floor.
Because mine's a Westy, the lift-bar across the middle of the opening makes a perfect drying rack for suits.
With the big wide shallow bin in the bottom of the floor, two suits can hang to dry and all of the water gets caught.


Also, if you look at the late Westy, all along the driver's side, from front to rear, it has a closet, then cooler, then big sink cabinet box thing.
The rear seat is not full width, it stops short at the cooler.
I removed the headbanger, closet, and big sink unit long ago.
The cooler was cut down smaller and lower as well, because it had wasted space underneath.
This way, I can stick a few boards in all along the driver's side,
And still have a couple of passengers, or sleep, camp, or..?

So look at the way the late Westy was set up, and envision what it would be like without all of those crappy cabinets in the way.

If you found a late Westy rock n' roll bed,
You would be 97% of the way there.

This setup has worked for me for many years and many surf missions.

It's crucial to be able to lock everything inside.
Two longboards fit easily - at least to 9'6" or so.
We'll have like five of them in there when company is in from out of town sometimes.

If you need longer then 9'6", you need to surf more, or retire altogether..
_________________
Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[Xevin]

Clatter and 71whitewesty (Pro windsurfer) have probably the most experience with surfboards and Bays in this forum. Some solid advice.

Does anybody have experience with these?


Link

_________________
Keep on Busin'

[zabo]

I really like hobobus's idea. a nice fiberglass high top with a hatch in the back sounds great. cover the buses roof with some carpeting and it would be easy to slide boards in and out.
_________________
1960 6 volt sedan- 1978 adventurewagen
–wanted bill spreen atlanta dealer tag frame

[ImAddicted]