My interior build really starts on the exterior.
I wanted to "stow" my mattress when not in use in front of the rearmost drivers side window. From the drivers seat, while driving, this is the least used window. I also figured, for heating and cooling, the passenger van could use one less window.
While brainstorming a window block off panel I considered many options. Ultimately something I could attach various "rack" accessories/attachments to for SUP boards, snowboards, bike(s)?, or maybe even something to attach Rotopax containers would be a great increase in versatility and much more accessible than on the roof.
So I had a local metal shop cut/roll a piece of 18g steel using an OEM van window as a template.
To replicate the studs on the back of the panel I used weld studs from here:
http://www.weldmountsystem.com/products-fasteners-stainless-studs.php I should note, that I welded these on. These are designed to be "glued" on with an expensive mixing type plunger gun that I didn't want to pay extra for when I have a welder and they are so easy to tack on. I also got the 18-32 thread size which allowed me to use the OEM nuts.
I plasma cut the slots in the steel for the e-track myself. In hindsight I think I would have preferred to use t-slot material but at the same time, regardless, all of the accessories would need to be custom adapted to either.
The SUP racks were on all summer. Its nice to not have to inflate/deflate my deflatable SUP, easy to get on off, I don't travel with it here, just around town, camp to lake, etc. I have also found the hooks useful when using the van to round up firewood.
I had the final product powder coated satin black. The e-track was anodized black from the supplier.
In this pic you can see where I cut my drivers side interior panel. This is right behind the 2nd row drivers side passenger seat and roughly straight across from the rear most part of the passenger side doors.
The interior panel removed was plastic welded on as the interior side of the duct. This is the rear HVAC heat, it comes out of vents at the second row foot area and you can still see a couple fins where I cut through the 3rd row foot area vent.
I later cut this black duct out and installed a hose in its place using modified ABS dust collector parts. In hindsight I wish I would have just covered the section shown here with sheet ABS. In the future I see the rear HVAC being dedicated to the "camper" so this may all not matter at some point.
I had decided to make my bed platform framing out of 1"x1" .083 steel tubing. I had some "used" material, and some new stuff laying around, its easy to weld, etc.
I started by making some wood 1x1's to use as templates. The "flanges" are 1/4" Masonite.
The passenger side,
Drivers side,
You can see I set my bed height (horizontal part of the template) about two inches below the separation in the trim materials. This caused more work in the end cutting down those panels as filler but I think it was worth it. The height was a compromise between getting the tallest cooler underneath and have the most height above.
As most know, doing stuff like this in just about any van is tough. The compound curves of the van itself combined with nothing being square, etc. etc. I fooled around with the straight edges and the templates for quite a while....
I used 8mm riv-nuts in the van inner walls and floor to attach the completed "brackets".
drivers side, here you can see the hose I used to feed the front HVAC vents, also in these pics you can see the pieces of perforated angle steel I'm using to support my bed platform panels.
passenger side,