Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:54:18 -0400
Reply-To: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: westy interior install, was Re: westy kitchen mod question
In-Reply-To: <89AC6B82-1079-4A02-B531-11D43C668273@shaw.ca>
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Keep in mind the differences between a passanger van and a westfalia in
terms of the roof. The westfalia roof is flat and sits about an inch lower
in the center, while a passanger van roof is curved. (And a sunroof van roof
is 1.1'' lower throughout on the interior!).
As such, the overhead cabinet designed for the flat roof of the westfalia
does not fit on the curved roof of the passanger van. The rear corner
cabinet (WARDROBE) is also too tall, specifically on the corner along the
outside edge and will need to be cut down.
The rear seatbelts are held in by finely threaded and wildly large machine
screws, which often require strange amounts of force even if not coroded or
cross threaded....
There should be welded in nuts on all vans (as the passanger vans used the
same holes.....)
The westfalia bed however will require some additional holes that go over
the flat section of the rear but infront of the engine bay. Those are not
there on passanger vans and will need to be drilled. One comes out above the
transmission and the other in the wheel well. These make for some tricky
installations often requiring two people (or creative use of vice grips) to
sufficiently grab the head and still remove the bolt. I used Long machine
screws with fender washers and double nuts for this purpose. And it takes me
two people/use of creative vice grips to do. (this sucks).
The welded in brackets allows one less need for two people or creative use
of vice grips.
I found the act of cutting and removing from the westfalia pieces that
needed to be welded in to be a reassuring and important part of the
installation that constantly reminds me that this is not just a hacked
together bolt in job.
Of course the downside to this is the only way to successfully remove the
brackets is by first taking out the ENTIRE interior from the donor westy, in
order to remove/harvest the wooden floor. This sucks because that way you
can't easily move the interior piece by piece from one van to the next. It
really sucks in that regard. But once it's ALL out of both vans and the
brackets welded in, the whole swap slapps together in little to no time.
I suggest not installing any of the exterior (3) ports (water, electric,
water fill). There is just no point, and they are known to leak. I did cut
the hole for the dometic, and run mine on propane all the time and love it.
However, when I do it again in the near future, I plan to install an
electric fridge and thus avoid cutting any holes. Cut the dometic hole by
first making and tripple checking your template, taping it on, and going to
town with a nice scroll saw and a brand new Bosche Metal blade. You will use
many of these (as well as 1/8'' drill bits!) so don't be afraid to replace
them.
I run my 110 electric fridge hookup to a 3 way splitter kept behind the
drivers seat, and when I want to plug in at a campground, I just run an
extension chord through the window. Simple. I always fill my tank via the
fill port on the top, so that eliminates two holes right there!
I did not wire in 110volt. I never use it except when at a campground, and
then I have my 3 way splitter! In the future, I will have a single pair of
110 outlets indpendently wired into the 3 way splitter. Instead, I removed
all the outlets and that annoying breaker box and replaced them with
stainless steel wall socket covers. I then drilled holes in these covers and
put in 12v outlets. Being as I travel a great deal, I have 12v chargers for
most all my posessions, and having 12v near the sleeping area is great for
charging a phone that you will bee using as an alarm clock. I also have a
12v socket and fitting gooseneck light at the top corner of the wardrobe,
facing over the sleeping area. I carry with me a small inverter, which I can
then plug into any one of my 12v outlets should I need 110 power. Thus, I
can either use it off the starting battery while driving (via the dash) to
say charge my computer while driving (As Mac STILL doesn't sell a 12v
adaptor for Macbooks!!!!!), or run it off the house battery while parked.
I personally love the freedom of having 12v rather than 110.
The swivel seat install particularly is handy on the passanger seat.
Don't put the westfalia window in behind the kitchen, keep the passanger van
one! It's 50/50 to open rather than 60/40 and allows for greater ventilation
while parked. They sell window screen kits that fit it.
Or better yet, put in the bay window Jelousey windows! (my next project!)
Drilling holes for the drain and propane and all that crap is best done with
a series of "hole saws" that fit in your drill. Go buy nice metal ones.
I must be missing a few things off the top of my head, but that's a few good
pointers to consider.
I'm way to young to have this much knowledge of how to do this......
-Craig
'85GL turned WESTY
BOSTIG in the back
On Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 6:32 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
> yeah, you're probably right about not much time savings. Scratch one more
> brilliant idea :)
>
> not completely sold on welding in the brackets... but close :)
>
> rear cabinet needing shortening? not quite sure what you mean.
>
> I have A/C unit where overhead cabinet to be installed (with filler piece
> to match ceiling curve), was hoping to use A/C mounting holes.
>
> One thing though, rear seat/bed, brackets screw down on engine deck. No
> holes visible on passenger van. I can't recall if it is sheet metal screws
> or machine screws that are used. If later need to pop in a riv nut?
>
> any more tips Craig?
>
> alistair
>
>
>
> On 10-Jun-10, at 3:19 PM, craig cowan wrote:
>
> I can take the whole interior out in about 4-6 hours. It's not "that" hard.
> As far as installing the westfalia interior in a passanger van.....
> I went with the welded brackets on the floor, though some have suggested
> some alternatives. I plan to install a westfalia interior into a syncro in
> the near future and plan to do it the same way. The actual act of cutting
> them out and having them welded in didn't take much effort and now it's done
> and "right".
> You're destined to find other interesting problems with putting a westy
> interior in the passanger van..... such as the rear cabinet having to be
> shortened and no "real" solution to hanging the overhead cabinet......
>
> For more tips on westfalia interior install, start a fresh thread and I
> will gladly chime in (as may others that have done it as well).
>
> -Craig
> '85GL turned WESTY
> BOSTIG in the back
>
>
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