OK time for an update on the interior fit out.
I purchased the 50 litre Boab tapered water tank that I spotted many months ago.
I suspect it was designed for the back of a 70 series, most likely the Troopy, as it fits perfectly between the wheel arches.
While designing the interior fit out I wanted to make sure I could still access the handy underfloor storage area, which was now full of recovery gear.
But the fridge would sit over part of it, so a smaller access flap would be required.
I had also decided that the High Lift jack would fit beautifully above the water tank.
I'm a huge fan of false floors in 4wd's when setting them up for touring/overlanding. It creates a nice flat solid surface and makes building the system above much easier.
So it was a no brainer to include one in this build.
I went to Bunnings and bought some structural ply and a few meters of marine carpet.
And with the rear seats folded up out of the way I could begin building the false floor.
Made a cardboard template to fit snugly around the wheel arches.
And marked and cut the ply.
The false floor will be held down by 4x M10 bolts into captive nuts in the floor pan from the 3rd row seats.
But I wanted to add some brackets at the front of the false floor to add some extra bolts, not that it was really necessary.
Cut and drilled some 40mm x 5mm steel.
They bolt down to the floor with one of the rear seat bolts
And will bolt up into the ply.
I decided to add a piece of ply under the back edge to help it sit flat on the floor as the rest of the board was sitting on top of the ridges in the floor, but their are no ridges right at the very back, in front of the doors.
It would also prove to be a useful edge to support the access flap.
*I just wish I had routered it down slightly where the flap sits, to allow for the thickness of the carpet.
I worked out where the holes needed to be for the 4 x M10 counter sunk headed bolts.
Countersunk them.
And drilled and added the M8 T nuts for the 2 brackets at the other end.
Glued and screwed the strip on the bottom.
Then it was time for the carpet!
Heres my top tip for this week...........
When upholstering something like this, to get a nice neat finish I like to lay the board down and cut an equal overhang all the way around.
To do this I used a 60mm thick spirit level and ran a knife along the edge of it.
I then glued and stapled it to the board, trying to keep the carpet nice and taught.
All done.
And sat back in place, it almost didnt need bolting down, it was such a snug fit!
Put the water tank and fridge back in.
Next I needed to cover and fit the flap.
In hindsight I should have routered that piece of ply I mentioned earlier, as then I wouldnt have had to leave an exposed piece of ply on the bottom of the flap, oh well.
Top side.
Underside.
Cut and screwed a piece of piano hinge on.
Fitted it.
Made a template for the backboard which would run along the full width of the vehicle against the water tank.
While busy designing the system I realised that behind the arch on the passenger side, next to the fridge, was a perfect spot for a 20 litre fuel or water can, as and when I need to carry one.
Behind this I decided I would add a tool storage box, as I've designed this as a touring/camping vehicle, things that wont be needed very often like the tools and high lift jack etc. will be stored out of the way and the drawers and more accessible storage areas will house the everyday items.
Back to the backboard.
I marked the ply.
And cut it out.
I also cut the ply shelf for the top.
I looked at what cooking gear I will be carrying in the drawers and have designed the height of the drawers to best accommodate everything.
I got setup outside and started building the drawer system.
I found some nice thick angle brackets to bolt it all together with.
Lexi will travel on the left and their will be a mesh cargo barrier separating the boot area from the rest of the car, with a central mesh divide to keep her on the left.
I upholstered the tool storage box.
I made some blocks for the high lift jack to fit into.
*in hindsight I should have made the groove further forwards, it will become apparent why, shortly.
I left one face un-carpeted as they would be screwed on through that face.
They were a nice tight fit on the high lift.
Screwed the high lift jack blocks on.
Started carpeting it all.
Screwed the brackets on.
They all got at least 1 M6 bolt going through to a T nut on the other side of the ply.
I mentioned earlier I wish I had made the high lift jack blocks slightly differently and that was because after carpeting them and attaching them I realised the bloody jack wouldnt quite fit because of the jack base.
So I ended up having to chisel a groove in.
I carried on carpeting everything.
Got it all back i the car.
I added some brackets to bolt.
Added all the T nuts into the top face of the shelf.
And carpeted it.
I added some rivnuts into the C pillar.
And added a bracket.
Then everything had to come out again as I remembered I hadnt fitted the brackets to the underside of the false floor, the ones that bolt it down to the rear seat belt mounts.
Bolted them on.
And bolted it down.
With it all bolted back in heres some pics of the setup 90% finished.
Behind the rear seats is the water tank, high lift jack and gas cylinder.
And with the seats folded back up, I have good usable rear seating for 3 and the shelf in the back is below the height of the rear seats so I can still see clearly out of the back window.
And in the boot this is how the setup looks.
I'm in the process now of making the 3 drawer fronts, which will be carpeted ply again, but the drawer boxes will have to wait until I'm back in Melbourne as I want to use the guillotine and folder to make them out of 2.4mm alluminium.
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