136" Short Wheel base. Goal is to build a passenger and campervan combo with a pop top (Sportsmobile or Colorado Campervan) like what I did on a recent E-150 build. Gong to do something simple basically a Sprinter crew with a pop top that sleeps 4 and transports people to be as close to a VW weekender (that I rebuilt also) that I loved but was just to small. I will do a bed platform behind the front seat I think that can be removed if I want to have two rows of seats. I also left enough room that two cots can fit behind the front seat if I decide not to do a platform or want more versatility.
Phase 1:
windows, Seats, flooring
Going to use CR Laurence vent windows on drivers side. This window however cannot be swapped out with the factory slider window, I think they messed up on their template. Another thread confirmed that they don't have an exact fit for their vented windows. I heard however you can convert a the slider window to pop out...but I have yet to see this in person. I am hoping to do this, but if not I will have two vented windows and can roll down the fronts windows and put magnetic screens on them to get plenty of ventilation at night and keep bugs out.
Phase 2:
walls/sound dampening
Phase 3:
Pop Top
Thanks to Leo's thread I decided to go with sprinter seats I was able to trade for a longboard I had to a guy who had a few seats with out mounts. Ordered mounts and through some long calculations and measurements I was able to finally mount them. I decided to do 3 mounts in two rows so I can do a two or a three seat bench in either location. I was able to run a few bolts through frame rails or cross members, what I could not do I did full plates all the way across using 1/4 inch stainless steel plates. I wanted it to be as difficult as possible for the mounts to come through the floor due to the weight of the seats. My preference would have been to weld in braces, but no welder and I am pretty confident this will be strong enough...if there was a problem that would mean the entire van would be totaled and I would have more than a seat coming out. I was able to do two full length brackets on the front seat mount and one on the rear with two bolts through frame rails using as large as a washer/bracket as possible to take up as much area. This was a very long process to figure out mounting everything and aligning it up. I was able to get about 16" of legroom between the rows of seats. I have a two and a three row seats.
Some of the mounting options
Mounts finally done, now I will have to make templates for the floor. Plan is to build a 3/8 base then put a 1/2 inch flooring on top making the mounts flush to the floor.
Making first round template for the base floor. Use this template to make router guide to cut out the first base floor slots for the seat mounts.
More to come-cut out the base floor pieces that will sit on some vinyl flooring I got at home depot to reduce noise and noise of the plywood on floor. I first thought about using something else the the 1/8 to 1/16 inch thickness of this should be very close to the 15/16 the bottom of the mount is to the floor.
Phase 1:
windows, Seats, flooring
Going to use CR Laurence vent windows on drivers side. This window however cannot be swapped out with the factory slider window, I think they messed up on their template. Another thread confirmed that they don't have an exact fit for their vented windows. I heard however you can convert a the slider window to pop out...but I have yet to see this in person. I am hoping to do this, but if not I will have two vented windows and can roll down the fronts windows and put magnetic screens on them to get plenty of ventilation at night and keep bugs out.
Phase 2:
walls/sound dampening
Phase 3:
Pop Top
Thanks to Leo's thread I decided to go with sprinter seats I was able to trade for a longboard I had to a guy who had a few seats with out mounts. Ordered mounts and through some long calculations and measurements I was able to finally mount them. I decided to do 3 mounts in two rows so I can do a two or a three seat bench in either location. I was able to run a few bolts through frame rails or cross members, what I could not do I did full plates all the way across using 1/4 inch stainless steel plates. I wanted it to be as difficult as possible for the mounts to come through the floor due to the weight of the seats. My preference would have been to weld in braces, but no welder and I am pretty confident this will be strong enough...if there was a problem that would mean the entire van would be totaled and I would have more than a seat coming out. I was able to do two full length brackets on the front seat mount and one on the rear with two bolts through frame rails using as large as a washer/bracket as possible to take up as much area. This was a very long process to figure out mounting everything and aligning it up. I was able to get about 16" of legroom between the rows of seats. I have a two and a three row seats.
Some of the mounting options
Mounts finally done, now I will have to make templates for the floor. Plan is to build a 3/8 base then put a 1/2 inch flooring on top making the mounts flush to the floor.
Making first round template for the base floor. Use this template to make router guide to cut out the first base floor slots for the seat mounts.
More to come-cut out the base floor pieces that will sit on some vinyl flooring I got at home depot to reduce noise and noise of the plywood on floor. I first thought about using something else the the 1/8 to 1/16 inch thickness of this should be very close to the 15/16 the bottom of the mount is to the floor.
