Interior rebuild

R

ratb3rt

0
Hi all
I've been assessing the work that I'm going to need to do to get Rupert looking pretty, and one of the first things that stands out (excluding bodywork) is going to be the interior. Whoever has owned him in the past has made an effort to do work inside but for some bizarre reason they chose to use bog standard ply and paint it with magnolia emulsion. They also seem to have had a tape measure which only went down to whole cm - everything is either a little bit to short or too long.
So, I'm going to remove the majority of the ply panels and rebuild with something nice.

So, what's a recommended material? My list is currently a choice between contiboard (cos it's melamine faced, so needs no extra coating) and marine ply (which would be lovingly varnished, rather than painted).
Any pros/cons/advice/warnings?
 
I've never used contiboard, but I remember my dad using it and I remember it being rubbish - the edges seem brittle when sawing. I don't think it's particulary light or great with moisture either.

I'd say marine ply or suitably treated MDF. I personally probably go with ply as I like working with it.
 
If I was starting from scratch I would avoid contiboard, particularly if it is based on chipboard. I would avoid chipboard if possible, it is heavy and does not respond well to dampness.Varnished marine ply would give a retro look, but to look good it requires a lot of preparation. As an alternative, you could use a veneered ply, which could give you a lightweight structure with any variety of real timber finishes. Most popular these days is oak or ash faced ply which is used extensively in narrowboat fitting out. It generally comes in 8x4 sheets.

Have you had a look at any other vans for ideas in respect of layout, particularly Autosleepers - they were converting Commers for many years and knew how to make good use of all available space. Don't restrict yourself to Commers, Autosleepers are still making van conversions and although the base vehicles have changed, the general principals and layouts are essentially the same. You may even be able to get a secondhand interior from one of these 'modern' vans.

Good luck with your fitting out, it looks like you have a good base vehicle there and keep us up to date with progress and plenty of pics. :) :p

Chris.

'It's not a proper slider'
 
Veneered ply for the visable areas, with either birch ply or marine ply for the carcases and shelves.
I have just been doing one of mine this weekend, with oak faced ply for the visable surfaces. I will use marine ply with a formica face, for the worktops.
Try and stay away from chipboard or mdf, as both absorb moisture [xx(]

IMG_8014.jpg


http://www.commervanspares.co.uk/

http://www.yorkshireclassiccampers.co.uk/
 
quote:
Good luck with your fitting out, it looks like you have a good base vehicle there and keep us up to date with progress and plenty of pics.



Same applies to you Martin! ;)

'It's not a proper slider'
 
We saw Martin's handywork in the flesh on Sunday during our visit to 'CommerWorld', as it looks even better in the flesh and can't wait to see the finished product :p

th_Commer_carpark.jpg

Commer 'Hi Tor' by TorCars
 
Or you could go this route:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CARAVAN-COMPLETE-INTERIOR-DOORS-DRAWERS-KITCHEN_W0QQitemZ260465250839QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories?hash=item3ca4f05217&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

'It's not a proper slider'
 
quote:
Originally posted by martin maltas

Veneered ply for the visable areas, with either birch ply or marine ply for the carcases and shelves.
I have just been doing one of mine this weekend, with oak faced ply for the visable surfaces. I will use marine ply with a formica face, for the worktops.
Try and stay away from chipboard or mdf, as both absorb moisture [xx(]

IMG_8014.jpg


http://www.commervanspares.co.uk/

http://www.yorkshireclassiccampers.co.uk/




That looks great... nice too know what wood is best, when its bluebells turn... the original like colin and helen is that brown chip wood, but not sure if we'll keep to original [?]

Cazz...Is smiling again, as Smurf is on the mend!!!!
 
The opportunities with Bluebell are greatly increased due to the extra space. If you compare new coachbuilt motorhomes with caravans they often share the same interior. the main difference between Bluebell and a modern coachbuilt is the end door configuration rather than a side door, but the amount of space is similar.

I wonder whether Mactosh has any interior views of his van, as I seem to remember from when it was for sale that it had a modern interior which suited it perfectly.

'It's not a proper slider'
 
cheers for the pointers guys. i'll keep an eye on that auction, but i think the temptation of a complete custom rebuild will win out ;)

as soon as i get started, i'll post some pics up on the readers rides page - the 'calm before the storm' pics as it were :D
 
quote:
Originally posted by renaultvation

The opportunities with Bluebell are greatly increased due to the extra space. If you compare new coachbuilt motorhomes with caravans they often share the same interior. the main difference between Bluebell and a modern coachbuilt is the end door configuration rather than a side door, but the amount of space is similar.

I wonder whether Mactosh has any interior views of his van, as I seem to remember from when it was for sale that it had a modern interior which suited it perfectly.

'It's not a proper slider'



When we get to that point, i will be very happy :D

Cazz...Is smiling again, as Smurf is on the mend!!!!
 
quote:
i think the temptation of a complete custom rebuild will win out ;)


That's what I am going to be doing over the winter ;)
 
ditto :) going to let the v8 bed in a bit and tackle more subtle interior design work in the winter

mybanner4a41eb1237a97.jpg
 
Take a good look ladies and gentlemen - Not often you will see the words "subtle" and "V8" in the same sentance!!
 
quote:
Take a good look ladies and gentlemen - Not often you will see the words "subtle" and "V8" in the same sentance!!

Not unless "subtle" is followed by "as a sledge hammer"!
 
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