Passenger side remodel idea

[Kirah]

Well, this weekend I started inching towards my remodel goals: the dinette is out.

I figured this would be the easiest piece, and it was pretty quick and painless, apart from the seatbelts. There were about 500 screws, a mix of Phillips and square drive, that needed to come out, but then the benches came out in manageable pieces.

The seatbelts were a bit more involved. I couldn't get at the heads of the bolts from underneath. Lying on my back under the rig, I can't reach the floor, and beyond that, some of them end up above... things. I'm not sure what I'm looking at down there

In the end, we cut the bolts off with a cheap angle grinder bought special for the job. Melted the carpet and set off the smoke detector, but we got them out. Well, mostly. One bolt clanked down onto something metal under the floor and won't drop out. It sticks up about 1/8 inch, so I just threw a rug over it for now. I have an idea how to cut it closer, but it's a job for when I have the carpet out.

Heading out for a week in the Ozarks next weekend. I'll have a folding table and chair in that space for this trip. I'm loving the idea of flex space. Table and chair fold up to make room for the dog's crate, which folds away to make room for a pair of chairs, or drying space for laundry, or whatever. Should be fun to play with.

My goal this winter is just to get the cabinets out so I can get good measurements and properly plan replacements. Special bonus if I can get the floors done, too.

[Blue~Go]

Hey cool! And now I know what to call *my* passenger side space that I haven't really decided what to do with: It's "flex space"

Actually, it IS kind of nice to have that flexible space. After all, one may not always be doing the same thing all the time. Crushingly, you won't be able to seat seven anymore (nine counting the cab)

You may have read my summary in dougm's thread about the half dozen ways I've tried it. Flex space in action

[Kirah]

I saw that discussion!

I'm devastated to lose my space for hosting dinner parties, but sacrifices must be made. We'll just have to move out to the veranda.

[eporter123]

I found that some of the floor bolts have a “heat shield” covering them. Chinook installed this along the length of the frame, before they put the shell on. SO, the problem is you can’t just remove the heat shield to get at those few bolts, and would have to cut an access hole, etc.

I had a bolt that moved up and down, but wouldn’t drop out. I pulled up on it, and then drove several wood screws next to it at an angle to lock it in it’s hole. Then I cut it flush with the angle grinder and finally added some construction adhesive to seal the hole. Should work...

[Blue~Go]

We'll just have to move out to the veranda.

I imagine the servants will adjust

[Kirah]

I had a bolt that moved up and down, but wouldn’t drop out. I pulled up on it, and then drove several wood screws next to it at an angle to lock it in it’s hole. Then I cut it flush with the angle grinder and finally added some construction adhesive to seal the hole. Should work...

I was still working out how to hold up the bolt. Thanks for the tip!

[Kirah]

Okay, got back from my trip, and taking out the dinette was a GREAT thing to do, even with the furnace still sitting there like a lump (I didn't have time to cap off the propane and pull the furnace out before this trip, and I wanted to make sure I could stay warm without it, which it turns out I can).

I have one of these folding rocking chairs, which fits me beautifully, and which I was able to use indoors and out. When the weather was cold and icky, I set it up inside, with my feet up on the bed, and it made a great reading chair. At meal time, I set up a small table under the window and pulled the chair up to it, so I could have a meal and a view. I loved the space so much. I'm keeping it. I may look for a cushioned chair some day... but maybe not. Not once this week did I think, gosh, this chair has gotten uncomfortable.

New plan, then, is to keep this open space from the back of the passenger seat all the way to the rear wheel well. I may, at some point, pursue replacing the passenger seat with one that swivels around, but for now, it's fine, and serves as a support to bungee my folding dog crate, chair, and table to, so they are secure while in motion.

The cabinets behind that point still need to come out, so I can build new storage that suits what I actually travel with: not so deep, different fridge, with an open counter going the whole length, so I have space to plop things down, and with shallow upper cabinets for small items so they don't get lost.

This whole trip I was making lists of the things that annoy me, things that work well, the things I never could find a way to store, and inventory of all the stuff in the camper, so I know what I'm designing for a little better. Then I started sketching some storage ideas to pursue once I get the rest of the space emptied out and measured.

Could end up being a busy winter

Next step: get the furnace out, then start working on detaching electronics and removing the back cabinets and fridge.

[chin_k]

Have you consider attach a table to the wall, that swings up when you need it?


or

[Blue~Go]

Cool report! I have been known to set up my Helinox Sunset chair at the head of the "aisle, facing aft (although my passenger side is in flux, I usually have something there).

Isn't it telling to make a list about what works and what doesn't? I have found that while I have more space than I need for "small things" (i.e. cupboards with small doors that fit smaller things), I always tend to lack space to get larger things away from just sitting on the floor or etc. By larger I mean say, my backpack that I'm always using. Yes, it can fit in the closet, but most everything else is partitioned. I have started keeping it in the overcab, which I can do because I have that front piece off (SO spoiled by that huge space without the tiny doors, but I want to put something back there....)

I am missing having table space, but when I had the table set up (with any number different chairs)... I never sat there. Go figure.

I did buy a swivel and put it on my passenger seat but for me it ended up being a big/heavy/bulky catch all, plus just felt kind of oddly situated. I think it would have been better if I had a side door right behind it, vs. it being at the end of an existing living space (for me anyway). I used it for awhile but then went back to my storage box (that I made to replace the passenger seat when I'm traveling solo). Naturally it remains in storage with all my other Chinook optional parts

My furnace has been out since 2014 and I just occasionally use my Wave 3. But I do sometimes miss being able to lazily hit a thermostat from my bed and quickly warm the place up (which I could do in my campervan). I'm thinking of installing a Propex HS2800 or even HS2000 to fill that bill. Either where the stock furnace was (but it's MUCH smaller), or maybe where the table was but by the wall (cause I do like that forward flat space for various chair options). Either way it could use the stock gas line and power wires. Thermostat would go within arm's reach of the pillow

So... I'm enjoying reading about your thoughts and experiments. Examined space

[Kirah]

This week was really an interesting experiment for me in terms of camping in relatively cold weather. Several nights got below freezing, and one day never got above 38 degrees. I ... am not used to being cold any more I don't really enjoy sitting around when it's so cold that I have to keep my hands in my pockets - I get bored very quickly.

As long as I had electric, there was really no problem, but then someone knocked over a power pole out on the main road, and I was suddenly boondocking in freezing weather.

I learned two things:

• Even with the blinds closed, there is massive heat loss through those big windows, and through the metal bars used to raise and lower the blinds. I bought a few yards of polyester fleece and covered the big windows with double layers, tacked down all the way around with cheerfully large thumb tacks. That made a big difference in the ability of my small heater to keep the space comfortably warm.

• The Wave 3 heater on its own was not enough to heat up the chilled space in a reasonable amount of time. I'm debating options there. Maybe just watch for a good sale on another Wave 3 or one of its bigger brothers. I feel like 2 of them could have done the job, once I added my window covers. Also, I have GOT to find a way to mount them out of the way. Maybe those wall-mount articulating monitor arms...

Fortunately, the power didn't stay out for more than a few hours, so I didn't have to - gasp! - resort to kicking on the big furnace, but it did give me an opportunity to test the question of whether I want to do without the furnace in freezing weather. The answer is: yes with electric, maybe not (yet) without.