"Vandit" A Build Thread

[Twoxentrix]

That's some impressive progress. and nicely documented for others to utilize. Well done.

[marret]

Agree, well done.

[aarcaris]

Originally Posted by Twoxentrix

That's some impressive progress. and nicely documented for others to utilize. Well done.

Thank you! I hope that this thread can give someone else some ideas when they are build their van out.

Originally Posted by marret

Agree, well done.

Thank you!

[aarcaris]

Overhead Console

-So I started on the front overhead console. With help from forum members on another forum post, I was able to get some better pictures/ideas of how SMB does these. Everyone's suggestions and pictures were a huge help. I started this like everything in a cardboard form. Luckily I had the stock headliner out so I could use it as a tracing guide for the windshield side. After transferring this to ¼” Baltic birch I was able to do an initial test fit in the cab with the stock headliner in.

-Then I located and cut out openings for the sun visor mount and center clips. The visors can't mount directly to the wood since they need to be held at an angle that matches the original orientation to maintain full functionality. So I cut an oversized hole and used an odd-shaped piece of ¼” BB to space the visor down. You can see that I clamped a 4’ level to the shelf while doing the test fit to get everything all lined up and fitting correctly.

-After getting the visors located correctly I was able to get my final dimensions all figured out and cut.

-I then added the vertical ½” BB supports which are cut to the taper of the headliner.

-After that, I started on the front face of the console. I used ¼” BB that was pushed tight to the curve and then scribed to the headliner to get a tight fit.

-After getting the face figured out I worked on the location of the overhead switches and where I wanted the openings to be located. I have enough room on both driver and passenger sides to have 3 22mm pushbuttons, but as of right now I am only using one location for the overhead map lights.

-Clamped it all up in place and then pulled it from the van to do a glue-up of the front face. I unintentionally made it a much more complex curve as it has a few flat spots with connecting curves and the front face goes from being perpendicular to the shelf to more angled in the center. Wasn’t an intentional design choice, but I am happy with how it turned out.

-Then it was back to the van for a final fitment check. As of right now, I am only using factory mounting points, and it seems to be plenty strong for what we are intending to use it for. It is held in place by the center visor clips that have long screws pinching the shelf to the van frame and then it is also pinched between the headliner and the A-pillar trim on the sides. Still have a few more things to do before upholstering but I am pretty happy with how this came together.

-I also added some small 1” overhead lights that I referenced above as overhead map lights. I saw this idea in a few pictures from SMB West's Sportsmobile Classic build and thought it was a great idea so I added it to our list.

[aarcaris]

Door Panels

-So now that I am getting close to done with the wall panels I started on the door panels. The first step was to mark out all the areas that I am going to cut out of the factory doors. I used pictures from REF’s and cthayn’s Build thread to help decide where I should cut to. I was a little nervous to take too much meat out of the doors and lose any rigidity, but after getting them all done I think they should be totally fine.

- I used a jigsaw to cut everything out, then a grinder to clean up the edges, and then a sanding block to get it ready for paint. After getting it all prepped I hit it with some Rustoleum rust-stopping paint.

-Once the holes for the door boxes were all cut. I started on all my door boxes starting with the front 60 door. I made the main structure out of ½” BB and will use ¼” BB for the rear panel. Since these boxes will be getting a decent amount of abuse being in the door I used a rabbet joint for all the corners except the 45° joint and dadoed the center shelf making for a very strong box.

-After doing a test fit I pulled it out and glued and screwed it all together using 2” trim head screws and then checked for final fitment after a light sanding.

-After getting the 60 door done I moved onto the 40 door and followed the same process. On this door, I had to notch the top of the box to allow room for the door locking cables. A nice and sturdy box just like the other one.

-I then went back to the driver-side rear door and repeated the process.

-After getting all the external structure of the boxes done I went back and added a ¼” BB to each box. These backs are glued and nailed from the back and then a trim bit router along the edges to get a clean edge, not that it really matters for back in the door.

-That's about all I have for now, but this week should be a pretty busy and exciting week. I have some more time set aside to work on the van, and have lots of parts that are expected to show up by this weekend!

[Twoxentrix]

***Overhead console looks great - well done!
Not sure what you plan on for the doors, but may consider making use of the front of the cabinet door that you'll likely install (to hide the storage cavities)...It could be as useful as the interior you just took advantage of, and with your skills & creativity I'm sure you'd come up with a very functional idea. I used molle boards on mine, to hold bags and other stuff. Couple members here have been fabricating similar product to utilize that area.
Enjoy watching the progress on your build aarcaris.

[aarcaris]

Originally Posted by Twoxentrix

***Overhead console looks great - well done!
Not sure what you plan on for the doors, but may consider making use of the front of the cabinet door that you'll likely install (to hide the storage cavities)...It could be as useful as the interior you just took advantage of, and with your skills & creativity I'm sure you'd come up with a very functional idea. I used molle boards on mine, to hold bags and other stuff. Couple members here have been fabricating similar product to utilize that area.
Enjoy watching the progress on your build aarcaris.

Thanks for the compliments! I haven't totally locked down my interior door design yet, but I do plan on having a flip-up and a flip-down table on the 40 door and I like the idea of adding some additional storage to the face of the door especially since we have the doorstep that is essentially dead space.

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by Twoxentrix

I used molle boards on mine, to hold bags and other stuff. Couple members here have been fabricating similar product to utilize that area..

Twoxentrix.... Can you post a picture or two and supplier info for your Molle stuff?....maybe not here since this is aarcaris' build thread....or maybe if it helps people with door panel ideas...




aarcaris.....excellent work! keep going!!

[Oly11]

Great work on the console. Very kind of you to document all of these processes for others

[aarcaris]

Originally Posted by boywonder

Twoxentrix.... Can you post a picture or two and supplier info for your Molle stuff?....maybe not here since this is aarcaris' build thread....or maybe if it helps people with door panel ideas...




aarcaris.....excellent work! keep going!!

Thank You! It's slowly coming together, and really can't wait to see how all of it looks upholstered.

Twoxentrix-I would also be interested in seeing the supplier for the molle board, so feel free to post on this thread if you want.

Originally Posted by Oly11

Great work on the console. Very kind of you to document all of these processes for others

Thanks, just trying to do my part since I would be lost on a lot of this without other's documentation of their builds.