Passenger side remodel idea

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Kirah
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Passenger side remodel idea

Post by Kirah »

I've been toying with this idea for quite a while, but it's getting more serious as time goes on. I'm looking for feedback on potential problems and gotchas before I commit.

Short version:

Take out the dinette and all cabinets except those over the dinette along the passenger side - including fridge, stove, closet. Remove the fridge, microwave, and furnace. Replace with a continuous, table-height cabinet that runs from the back door to the passenger seat and includes a cut-out area for a desk.

Longer version:

The furnace is iffy, and I rarely use it. The fridge died, it was fussy before that, and I replaced it with an electric compression cooler, which has served my needs quite well. The closet is awkward, the stove has problems, the dinette is uncomfortable. Plus, the narrow walkway is a PIA with me and the dog in there - she can't pass by if I'm sitting on the edge of the bed. Basically, I have issue with that whole side of the coach.

So, here's a sketch of what I'm thinking about doing - I haven't measured to know what the scale is, exactly, just eyeballing based on a rough idea of the dimensions of the dinette benches:

Pink:things that would be removed. Green: things that would be retained. Yellow: New cabinets.
Pink:things that would be removed. Green: things that would be retained. Yellow: New cabinets.

What I want to do is rip it all out, except the upper cabinets over the dinette, which are rather a nice size, and the plywood "bulkhead" that I gather from Blue's posts exists to help reinforce the shell.

If I understand the anatomy of this thing properly, that would leave me with a big open space, a weird piece of plywood sticking out, a bunch of important wires and switches hanging around, and old carpet on the floors and walls. And a couple of boxes jutting up from the floor for the wheels and the generator. Oh, yeah, and some gaping holes where the furnace and fridge vent.

Seal up the openings ... somehow. Tear out the old carpet and lay down a vinyl plank floor (it's free, left over from a relative's project), and, ideally, paint or re-paper the walls. I'm fuzzy on what I'd do with the carpeted walls.

I also have to deal with the wiring, status panel, switches that live on that side. Boxes on the wall, with wires run through conduit? It would be neat if I could have them all together in one place instead of scattered all over the wall. I'm planning on having a helper for that part of the project who has done quite a bit of wiring work.

Once the wiring is taken care of, I can live in it again while I start on the new amenities.

Build out a series of table-height cabinets that can screw into the floor, about 16-18 inches deep (because that's the depth of my cooler). Leave an opening under the window so I can use that space as a desk. These would run in a continuous line from the passenger seat back to about the bathroom door. Most of it would be drawers, because I love drawers, but some would be ... special. For example, I want to put in a full size trash can. I'm working on the best way to do that, but it's definitely in my plans, as trash has been a recurring pain point. I also need to have a heavy-duty drawer or slide-out for my cooler, with 12v and 110 outlets behind it.

Where the closet is now, build what is essentially a bin for storing large, bulky things that I need when I travel, like a folding wire dog crate (so puppy doesn't wreck the place when I have to leave her alone), and my outdoor table and chair. The bin would have a wooden floor and sides, but the front would be something like a cargo net that can be unhooked to easily load/unload, and then refastened when it's time to go down the road. By making that less deep than the cabinets, I can also gain a little elbow and knee room by the back door for doing things like putting on shoes and hooking up the dog.

And by not having upper cabinets for much of the length of the coach, I have room to put up hooks for hanging up light items, like my clothes when I crawl into bed, or the dog's harness and leash, a jacket and umbrella, etc.

Concerns and questions:

I'm a bit worried about the weight balance from removing so much heavy stuff from one side. I don't have a clue how to weigh everything that's going out vs coming in, but I suspect that cabinets build from softwood lumber are likely to be lighter than the MDF that's in there, and adding a bunch of drawers may not make up the difference.

I'm also going to have to do some problem-solving along the way, like figuring out a good way to close off the vents, learning how to properly cap off LP lines, and working through what to do with the electrical components.

I'm not a great cabinetmaker, but I can build a square box, so this will be a good platform for practicing those skills.

Do you have any suggestions on the order you'd use to dismantle things?

Do you see other potential problems I might run into? Especially things that wouldn't be obvious until you start taking things apart?
1999 Premier, now minus all passenger side cabinets and appliances :twisted:
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HoosierB
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Re: Passenger side remodel idea

Post by HoosierB »

Very ambitious... but doable, depending on skill level.
In my remodel, I have removed most of the existing passenger side galley area (from the stove cabinet to the closet). I'm replacing with OEM type MDF and ply to match the rest of the interior. If I were to do "your project", I would seriously consider using 80/20 aluminum square tubing and connectors/fasteners. It's easy to work with, lightweight, everything would be "square", and you can easily alter layout as needed. The strength and rigidity with a few floor to ceiling members will offer reinforcement of the bulkhead. You can even attach wood decor panels, drawers etc. It is somewhat expensive tho. Like an Erector Set for grownups! Good "how to" vids on YouTube. Otherwise, the only suggestion I have would be to add an interior wall a couple inches out from the exterior shell to cover the vents and wire chase and provide a solid structure to attach cabinets, etc. It will also offset the slight curvature of the shell as well and help keep things square.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
"Wanda" – '01 Chinook Concourse XL V10
eporter123
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Re: Passenger side remodel idea

Post by eporter123 »

Check out the remodeled interior of this Chinook shuttle bus. They built a long counter on the pass. side, and moved the fridge/microwave to the back. I like how they kept one pair of passenger seats.

Diamond plate on the wheelwell, and it looks like the existing seat bases were used to support the cabinets.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7&hilit=BAINBRIDGE
sport chinook on ebay2.png
sport chinook on ebay.png
sport chinook 3.JPG
Former owner of a 2000 Chinook Premier, V-10, with no Interior...
Kirah
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Re: Passenger side remodel idea

Post by Kirah »

HoosierB wrote: May 2nd, 2018, 1:37 pm Very ambitious... but doable, depending on skill level.
In my remodel, I have removed most of the existing passenger side galley area (from the stove cabinet to the closet). I'm replacing with OEM type MDF and ply to match the rest of the interior. If I were to do "your project", I would seriously consider using 80/20 aluminum square tubing and connectors/fasteners. It's easy to work with, lightweight, everything would be "square", and you can easily alter layout as needed. The strength and rigidity with a few floor to ceiling members will offer reinforcement of the bulkhead. You can even attach wood decor panels, drawers etc. It is somewhat expensive tho. Like an Erector Set for grownups! Good "how to" vids on YouTube. Otherwise, the only suggestion I have would be to add an interior wall a couple inches out from the exterior shell to cover the vents and wire chase and provide a solid structure to attach cabinets, etc. It will also offset the slight curvature of the shell as well and help keep things square.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
I'll look at the square tubing. I've never worked with metal much.

I was planning to just screw the cabinets to the floor, since it's plywood and they're short. I do like the idea of putting up an interior wall, though - it would give me a place to mount things without having to worry about the fiberglass. Have to think about how to do that.
1999 Premier, now minus all passenger side cabinets and appliances :twisted:
Kirah
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Re: Passenger side remodel idea

Post by Kirah »

eporter123 wrote: May 2nd, 2018, 1:54 pm Check out the remodeled interior of this Chinook shuttle bus. They built a long counter on the pass. side, and moved the fridge/microwave to the back. I like how they kept one pair of passenger seats.

Diamond plate on the wheelwell, and it looks like the existing seat bases were used to support the cabinets.
I've seen that! It looks very nice.
1999 Premier, now minus all passenger side cabinets and appliances :twisted:
Kirah
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Re: Passenger side remodel idea

Post by Kirah »

FWIW, I'm not expecting a sleek, professional look when I'm done. At the end of the day, this is a camper, not a show room, and I'm looking for function more than form.

I've remodeled a kitchen, installed vinyl flooring, and assembled cabinets, though I've never built them from scratch. I've built simple shelves and boxes, but have never yet built a drawer. I'm planning to use this as a learning project, and not hurry it. I feel like between my existing skills and some YouTube searches, I should be able to get it functional, even if it never looks polished.

This is a student project :lol:
1999 Premier, now minus all passenger side cabinets and appliances :twisted:
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HoosierB
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Re: Passenger side remodel idea

Post by HoosierB »

That's the beauty of 80/20 aluminum... it's like cutting a 1x1 piece of wood, but it's not warped or splintered. A good Sawzall (or chop saw) and a screw driver and you're good to go!
"Wanda" – '01 Chinook Concourse XL V10
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Blue~Go
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Re: Passenger side remodel idea

Post by Blue~Go »

I have some thoughts, but until I relax and make dinner they won't do anything but swirl around :D

I like 80/20 but not sure it's that helpful in a Chinook. I mean, it can be used, but plywood would work just as easily for most things in the Chinook, IMO. But of course if it's something you like, then do use it.

I'll come back later (if I forget, feel free to PM to bop me upside the head :mrgreen: )
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HoosierB
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Re: Passenger side remodel idea

Post by HoosierB »

YouTube vid on a DIY cabinet build using 80/20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuMufzRVa-M

Like Blue said, maybe overkill, but you can't argue about the end result. Sprinter RV forum guys are discovering it takes way less construction time than working in wood.

Again, depends on your desired results, skill level and how deep your pockets are for the project.
"Wanda" – '01 Chinook Concourse XL V10
Kirah
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Re: Passenger side remodel idea

Post by Kirah »

I see what you mean about it being an Erector set for grown-ups :lol: Pretty slick.
1999 Premier, now minus all passenger side cabinets and appliances :twisted:
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