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Old 01-02-2020, 12:35 PM   #1
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Needed: Ideas for Interior Walls

My next project is building walls and cabinets. I’ve removed all the lower trim, seatbelts, etc. I’m retaining the window trim, as seen in the photo below. I’ll be building a 40” wide (front to back) cabinet on each side that will hold a removable platform bed. That part I have mostly figured out. Forward of the bed, I want to build a straight wall down from the trim to the floor. I’ll be building removable cabinets to sit in front of the wall, using the floor L-track.

What I haven’t figured out is how to attach the plywood walls so they match up to the window trim. And how to attach the plywood to the van. Clearly, with all the bumps and ridges and whatnot, I’m going to need something (2x4 blocks?) to let the plywood come down straight, with a cutout for the fuel-filler pipe. Also, I would like something beefy enough to attach surface-mount L-track on the finished wall just under the trim.

Where the rear cabinets/platform holders are planned, I’ll be putting more structure in there for support. But I still have the problem of meeting up with the plastic trim.

Three pics below. First is my van and second ones are the basic cabinet/platform ideas from another van. In the platform pics, it looks like they fitted 2x4 trim pieces on top and just butted it up against the plastic trim. Seems like the trim would be vulnerable to breakage without something holding it up from underneath?

Sure would appreciate your ideas for on this. My brain has stalled and I need some ideas to jumpstart it. Thanks in advance!

My van. It’s an RB:




Platform idea from another van. Looks like they kept the lower trim and just built over it. I don’t want to lose the space behind it all, but the idea is here.





.

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Old 01-22-2020, 04:42 PM   #2
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I'm not sure if I fully understand what you're looking for, but I'll give my $0.02 from experience in my build:
I have an '98 E150. Walls were very curvy so I also struggled with what material to use in an atmosphere with nothing is plum, level, or straight. I used this product for my walls:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/RevolutionP...4-x-8/50121135

It's flexible to a degree and allowed me to bend it to points where I had stacked some 1x "blocks" on the van body.
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Old 01-22-2020, 09:35 PM   #3
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This is what I've been planning on for mine. I want to cut the lower side pannels where the 3rd row is and build cases from there to the back on both sides. Then have a removable bed topper. I think cutting the pannels and tucking 3/4ply behind them would hide any imperfections. There is a great youtube video of a build like this let me see if I can find it.
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Old 01-22-2020, 09:39 PM   #4
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https://youtu.be/LqKyvAv_6II
Check out how this guy did his side walls.
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Old 01-23-2020, 12:14 PM   #5
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Hey Otter,

I'm impressed with some of your ideas for your build and am very intrigued by the idea of moveable/removable components.

I've been spending so much time on the internet and on the forums looking for ideas & inspiration lately that I feel kinda dirty

I don't know if you've seen this or if it would help, but I really like what this guy has done using extruded aluminum and bamboo plywood:

https://ourkaravan.com/

Looking forward to more on your build...
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Old 01-23-2020, 10:17 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dadvan View Post
https://youtu.be/LqKyvAv_6II
Check out how this guy did his side walls.
Ya, I love this guy. I’ve watched this vid a bunch of times before and here’s the problem: Absolutely nobody makes a video to explain how they built a wall straight down from the trim in an Econoline passenger van. This guy does three seconds on his wall at minute 4:59. See how he cut that trim out and made a shallow box there? This is a cool idea, though I was looking to make mine flat (no box) to conserve room. Even if you made a shallow box, what I want to know is how the heck are they attaching that thing to the van wall? The Econoline, unlike Sprinters, Promasters and Transits, has no ribs to screw your plywood wall into. And the van wall is wavy as heck. So no 1x3 or stringer is going to cut it.



So I’m looking for somebody with a good idea for how to attach whatever wall you make.

My van will have storage boxes in the rear that I can attach to the floor, so they’re not a problem. The forward walls need to be flat so I can affix my movable sink, seats, etc., to the floor L-track in front of the forward wall. Like so:








I’m basically needing a plywood wall straight down from the trim that I’ll finish with gray trunk liner. How do I attach it? I’m betting there’s a really simple answer but I’ll be damned if I can find it. I’m about ready to nutsert a 2x4 to the parts of the van wall that stick out the most and just see how bad that looks. But I’m sure there’s a more elegant solution.
.
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Old 01-23-2020, 10:25 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Glen View Post
I've been spending so much time on the internet and on the forums looking for ideas & inspiration lately that I feel kinda dirty :a8
Hahahahaha! That’s funny!

I’ve watched all of this guys videos (actually, I’m pretty sure I’ve watched all of everyone’s videos. I wake up dreaming about plywood and aluminum welding).
I like him and his ideas. But see my post above. Somebody please find me a video that solves my problem!
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Old 01-23-2020, 10:28 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RosieRed View Post
I'm not sure if I fully understand what you're looking for, but I'll give my $0.02 from experience in my build:
I have an '98 E150. Walls were very curvy so I also struggled with what material to use in an atmosphere with nothing is plum, level, or straight. I used this product for my walls:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/RevolutionP...4-x-8/50121135

It's flexible to a degree and allowed me to bend it to points where I had stacked some 1x "blocks" on the van body.
Rosie Red, exactly what I planned to use. Ya got any pics of how you attached the blocks to the van wall? Or even just an explanation?
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Old 02-06-2020, 11:48 AM   #9
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I am curious to see what you find out on this. I know a lot of people bolt their cabinets to the floor.... but how are they attaching to the walls? That is the question... the world may never know
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Old 02-07-2020, 12:39 AM   #10
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^^^^^ LOL, indeed, it may always remain a mystery!

I did see one van where they glued 2x4 blocks in various places to provide a semblance of equal depth and then screwed the finish plywood into that for the walls. I may need to go that route and forego my hopes of attaching the cabinets to the walls. But, geez, glue?
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