Drawer / bed build for Land Rover Discovery 1 (D1)

[amnesia7]

After owning a D1 for some time I realised that I now had a car that was big enough to be able to lie out in. This would give the option of not only using it for off roading as I currently was but also to use it as a camper.

With this in mind, I started looking into what options there were for adding a sleeping platform of some kind to it. It started out as simply as considering a fold out fishing bed but the more I looked the more I got excited about the idea of a proper build with drawers underneath to give storage options for not only overnight gear but also cooking/camping gear as well. A solid drawer/bed build of some kind would mean that items would remain in place rather than bouncing around while I'm off roading. My off roading can be anything from a leisurely green lane drive to competing in an Land Rover trial so this needed to be borne in mind during my research and subsequent build.

After lots of research, particular the full Post Your Drawer Setup thread, I had a plan of what I wanted to build.

If you read through the notes I made while researching and planning (as well as some made during the build process) I assessed quite a few things in great detail to consider if they would be right for my situation or I could use their designs in some way. I'll post these notes in a follow-up posting.

The main driver behind how I would approach my build was a video I found on youtube on the Wanderlust Overland channel. I really liked this video and it made it seem less daunting and within my reach.

The general consensus seemed to be to use birch plywood so after plenty measuring I decided on a design and sent the measurements to Peter Benson Plywood in Darwen UK (https://www.pbplywood.com/). They were really friendly and helped me to not only ensure I maximised the amount of wood I purchased for what I wanted to achieve but even to ensure I considered which direction the wood grain went in each piece that they cut for best overall effect. I ended up covering it in van lining carpet but that was never the original plan so ensuring the wood grain looked neat was important to me. They also offer a cutting service which is millimetre perfect and was definitely worth the extra expense.

You don't realise how much wood you're going to use until you see it all laid out.





Given that I had provided Peter Bensons with mm perfect measurements, my first task was to lay the wood out as per the build plan to check the measurements were all correct and everything would fit together as I envisaged. Sure enough it went together perfectly.

I then gave all the wood pieces a light sanding.

Next I drilled holes for the drawer runners, all the while making sure I was fitting them to the right side of each piece of wood. Following this I drilled and screwed the uprights to the top piece and then, sitting it on the base piece (too excited to see it in place) I test fit it in the back of the car to make sure it fit ok.





As part of the my pre-build research and measuring I knew it would be close fitting the fridge in place on the drawers whilst still allowing for the rear seats to be upright (usable) so it was good to see it in place with the seats up and check how close of a fit it actually was. To have the seats up I would need to remove one of the fridge handles, and even that was with the other fridge handle going into the recess where the glass is in the back door (a very snug fit). I did remember someone on the drawer/storage thread that had replaced one of their plastic handles with a soft one made from paracord and this was just what I needed to do for mine to make it fit.



I continued with my build, assembling everything, but not gluing because I was following the Wanderlust video process which meant assembling and then pulling apart to glue it before assembling it again. It would probably have saved quite a lot of time doing it all first time but this build was at the far end of my comfort zone so I thought it best to follow their guidance, even if it would take longer and we were in COVID lockdown so it kept me out of mischief anyway.

It was quite a relief when I got my first drawer to fit in the space, given that I was only assembling pre-cut wood which was mm perfect and any wayward drill holes or mis-aligned screws could throw it out.



Followed by the other drawer fitting as well.



Time for another test fit in the car to check the positions of the angle brackets for on the sides to support the side wings that would cover the gaps between the sides of the drawer box and the sides of the boot. As well as covering the gaps down the sides of the box, the shape of these being a close match to the profile of the boot would hopefully help constrain any movement of the box while off roading. And they would also increase the surface area for the sleeping platform.

My plan was to use 90 degree kitchen door hinges to fold the side wings down to rest on angle brackets. I needed to ensure that the side wings were held firmly in place if I might apply pressure on them given that it's a sleeping platform and there was also the fact that the side wings were quite wide as well so part of that width would in effect be unsupported. The action of the kitchen door hinges meant that they would fold up and over the drawer box. This would mean that the side wings would be at the same level as the drawer box when flat but when folded open they could fold to vertical allowing plenty/easy access into space beneath the side wings. The action of the hinges also meant that the hinge was all below the side wing as opposed to using a piano hinge that could be visible on top...at this stage I still wasn't expecting to be covering it with carpet so I wanted the top to be as smooth as possible.

I got the hinges from Wickes and I think it was these: https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Easy-Mount-Cupboard-Door-Hinge---104mm-Pack-of-4/p/159738

These are the angle brackets that I used to support the side wings. They looked quite sturdy and I haven't had any issues with them yet although I refrain from applying too much direct pressure on them anyway.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4Pcs-Hea...-Angle-Shelf-Brackets-Support-UK/274215484032

After plenty thought and looking again through the setups on the forum thread, I decided that I really liked the idea of covering with carpet (and given we were still in COVID lockdown I had plenty time on my hands) so I ordered some van lining carpet samples. I liked the look of anthracite after getting the sample range.

The samples also meant I had some small carpet scraps to check the hinge screw positions in the box and side wings to allow for them covered in carpet because the 2-3mm thickness of the carpet needs to be factored in.

I've mentioned that I was using angle brackets that reached outwards from the box sides. These had holes in them and at the furthest hole I welded a nut so that I could screw in an eye bolt. This would be used with a turnbuckle as a way to secure the drawer box to the mount points on the sides of the boot in the back of the car. I didn't have any mount points any closer, eg in the boot floor, so thought that would be a reasonable idea. This didn't quite work as expected because as the turnbuckle was tightened it pulled the end of the angle bracket down, bending it, and meaning that it wasn't providing the flat surface for the side wing to rest on. The angle brackets are a reasonable thickness and they have been fine for their purpose of supporting the side wings but they weren't strong enough to be fastened downwards to turnbuckles.



To allow bed extension 1 (the one that is attached to the drawer box; bed extension 2 will be hinged from the end of this and unfold towards the front of the car) to fasten to the drawer box, but also make it easy to remove, I opted to use a large quick release hinge. After contacting the company I was told that the strength of it should be fine. I think they said 90kg. I'm not that heavy and the weight would partly be taken by fold down legs anyway.



There was a slight amount of wobble in this quick release hinge idea, which is probably understandable given that it is quick release so unlikely to be amazingly tight fitting. I thought this would be fine for now while I see if it makes any difference.
I later went back and added a small screw-in 10mm angle bracket just to add some extra support beneath it which was all it needed. The fact that it was such a small bracket means that if it the bed extension has been taken out it doesn't get in the way.
The positioning of the screws/bolts for this hinge to join the box to bed extension 1 was another time when you need to make sure you take into account the thickness of the carpet lining. I'm still lining things up and drilling holes in the wood at this stage before everything, not only gets glued together, but also gets covered in carpet which is quite difficult to drill holes through - it seemed best to have the holes already drilled, fit the carpet, and then make a hole through the carpet using a soldering iron where the drilled hole was.

 

[amnesia7]

After having decided that eye bolts on the end of the angle brackets wasn't the right idea, I decided to use u-bolts on the sides of the drawer box and just hope that the reach from the sides of the box to the sides of the boot wasn't a problem...as well as that there were turnbuckles suitably sized to reach that far whilst still having hooks that would fit through the mount bracket holes of the kiddie seat brackets on the sides of the boot. The hooks of the turnbuckles needed a small amount of filing down to get them to fit through the holes in the kiddie seat brackets but that wasn't a problem.
I used two more turnbuckles to mount the rear (front of the car) side of the drawer box to the rear seat belt mounting points/brackets. One of which just happened to be positioned right where I'd put the quick release hinge - the middle point of bed extension 1 just happened to line up with where the passenger side rear seat belt mount point was.





This meant I now had four good mounting points for the drawer box to ensure it stayed in place. The fact I had spent so long measuring beforehand and the mm perfect cutting of the plywood also meant that it was a snug fit laterally between the wheel arches.

Since I didn't feel the need to use a fridge tray/slide (because I could access it whilst stood on the ground anyway) I opted to use footman loops and straps to fasten the fridge to the top of the box. The fridge could still be slid sideways while on the wood top, even with the straps tight, but this would hopefully be less of an issue once the carpet was applied to the drawer box.
I considered putting angle brackets inside at the top-back of the drawer box in case I decide to add a fridge slide at some point in the future. However, I decided that a fridge slide is very unlikely given the dimensions of the fridge and my height make it easy enough to get in it anyway.
A tray to surround the base of the fridge to constrain it might be something to consider in future if it is still an issue but we'll see how it goes.

Next step was to line up and screw on the drawer fronts. I'd hadn't allowed any space between the two drawer fronts because I wasn't sure how accurate the supplier cuts would be in case they were undersized. Since they were mm perfect I now needed to trim shave a few mm off the opposing sides to give a gap and keep them even.

I'd also asked for the slide out shelf (that slides out from below the left drawer) to be the exact size so this also needed trimming slightly. Unfortunately, I trimmed it to slide as bare wood but would later realise that priming and painting the shelf would make it too big requiring it to be over-trimmed to allow for it to be primed and painted...as well as the thickness of the UHMW tape that I would use to ensure a smooth slide surface for the shelf.
As "runners" for the slide out shelf, the sides of the left drawer would extend below the drawer base and, below this drawer base on each side, there would be a length of 18mm x 18mm plywood that the shelf would slide on.





I drilled a couple of large holes to use a jigsaw to cut the space out for the paddle latches.
I wanted to make sure I cut the right size out for the latch so I practiced in a scrap piece first and then used the measurements from that to decide the size I needed in my drawer fronts. I didn't want to overcut the rectangle out for them in case it didn't leave enough wood for the paddle latch screws to secure into.



The spacing of the screws might look very even. That's because I had measured the spacing of any screws right from the start. I wanted it to look neat in case I didn't paint it or cover it.

I wasn't sure how easy the slide out shelf might slide so thought it best to make it clip into something at the back. One female part of the catch is screwed to the underside-back of the drawer and the male part of the catch was screwed to back of the slide out shelf. Owing to the fact that the shelf was just held in place by friction when extended for use, the male parts were recessed into the back of the shelf rather than make the shelf shorter.





I got a wide flat handle for the front of the slide out shelf. I wanted one that would make it easy for the shelf to be slid back in.
The size of the chosen handle turned out to be perfect for the amount of space available between the front of the drawer box and the inside of the boot door...yes, I was cutting all my measuring that fine to maximise space.

I am considering the idea of adding either nut-inserts into the underside of the shelf, or some small bolts sticking downwards, so that some adjustable-length fishing banksticks can be used to turn the [removed] shelf into a table. It would be a very easy thing to do but I've not had the need for it yet.

Next was to make the side wings. Given the difficult profile of the sides of the boot space, and that I wanted to try to follow it as closely as possible in the hope that a snug fit would hold the drawer box in place better, I decided that the best plan was to use a contour gauge. The side wings are about 10in wide and I didn't see any contour gauges that big. Another option I think is called a ticking stick but I came up with the idea of using a piece of corrugated cardboard and putting a piece of dried spaghetti through each slot in the cardboard for my contour gauge. The spaghetti pieces were about 12in long so this worked reasonably well. They are quite brittle so I had to be quite careful...and had quite a few broken pieces of spaghetti everywhere. It wasn't perfect but did get me most of the way to the profile that I needed.





I also noticed that both sides were different sizes so had to be profiled and cut out separately.
At first I made the side wings longer than the drawer box so that they would come level with the drawer fronts as well, although I would later cut these back to be the same. I decided they would look strange otherwise because the drawer box would be carpeted and the side wings would be carpeted but the drawer fronts would just be painted.



It was about this time that I thought I'd try fitting out the drawers with the stuff that I would be taking, not just to ensure that it all fit but I also weighed everything to ensure that the drawer runners that I'd used would be ok with the weight...I didn't realise how heavy the drawers would be.
The drawer runners I purchased had a weight limit of 30kg when pulled out. The stuff I'd be putting in the drawers was fine and I think it makes me think about what I'm carrying in them so I'm not just loading up a load of unnecessary weight. A bit more carrying capacity might've been more reassuring though even if unnecessary. Given that they were more than enough for my needs I decided to stick with them.
I'm putting camping/cooking stuff in the larger left hand drawer, and this stuff is generally lighter. And I've got heavier bulky items in the narrower right hand drawer such as a jack, tools, etc. And both came in within the weight limit of the runners. I don't pack too much anyway.

 

[amnesia7]

Next job was my least favourite part of the build...painting. I taped up the areas/edges where sides would meet so that the paint wouldn't hinder using glue.

With the time it took for primer to dry, then turn over and prime the other side, then turn back and paint, then turn over and paint the other side, I lost my kitchen for quite some time with all the painting and drying. I didn't have somewhere else that I could do the painting without risking weather interruptions. After all was dry, I removed the masking tape and touched up any bits that had been missed or over masked-up which would mean the wood would be visible after assembly.



It was now finally time to start assembling the drawer box properly.

The drawer runners were bolted in place and loctite was used on the nuts to secure them. Extra screws were also used to make them even more secure in the hope that the securer they were the closer they would be to their weight limit...or at least it made me feel better anyway.

Next task was to attach the latch keepers. These were just some small angle brackets screwed to the underside-top of the drawer box inline with the paddle latches. The brackets conveniently had slots in them which would help to ensure a secure closure of the paddle latch / drawer. They would still needed extending slightly using the dremel to account for the carpet pushing the drawer fronts that bit further forward.

With it being so much hassle and trouble involved in doing the drawer box I decided for the drawers that I would glue and screw them together before priming/painting rather than after.

Now that they were all assembled it was now time to apply the van lining carpet...following watching several youtube videos to learn any techniques for doing it. The 4-way stretch carpet is very easy and forgiving to work with. It can be worked into angles and curves that you wouldn't expect. It couldn't do a 90 degree inside corner (required on my side wings) but it could get quite close so for these I had to make a couple of cuts on the hidden side.
I made a few corners, angles and curves with some scrap wood so I could practice forming the carpet around various inside and outside corners.



You need quite a lot of carpet for covering the drawer box in one go so I had to measure, cut and actually stick that on, outside where there was enough room. It was probably also a better place for spraying loads of glue.
I used the bottom of one side of the drawer box as the edge were the carpet would start and end so that that edge wouldn't be visible when in use and also so that it would be less likely to be caught and risk making the carpet come unstuck.
I used a pair of textile scissors for most of the cutting of the carpet and did any close trimming of any extra bits using a stanley knife with a very sharp blade.
The technique I used for doing the corners/edges was to stick the carpet down right into the wood as much as possible and then the excess would be stuck together. I would make sure the excess was pressed to the wood as much as possible and then the rest would just be cut off with scissors and then the knife blade. This left two pieces of carpet meeting perfectly touching each other. Not sure if I've explained that very well. Maybe think of two right angles meeting each other back to back (touching) and then the amount that thye touch is cut off. Not sure if that helps the explanation either.
Any rogue bits of white carpet glue on the carpet were wiped off using a bit of white spirit on some kitchen paper.



Before actually sticking the carpet in place I tried to take photos with a ruler showing the location of any of the holes for fixings to make them easier to locate once the carpet had covered them up.
Once the carpet is stuck down I then used a pin to poke around to locate the fixing holes. Once located, I burnt each hole in the carpet using a soldering iron - just pushing it exactly where the pin said the hole was and just moving it in a circle to burn the hole...all the while having some water nearby just in case but never needed it. The box was done in one go (allowing for the drawer runners and latch keepers) and the carpet for the vertical divider was added afterwards.

Given that the slide shelf would leave an exposed top edge of carpet if I tried to carpet the drawer fronts, I decided not to carpet the fronts and leave them just as painted black using some EICO indoor/outdoor paint.

Now that the drawer box was done and the drawers and shelf fitted, it was now time to check the side wings still fit ok on their hinges and worked as expected. Following that was the priming and painting of the side wings. To ensure it was as well protected as possible for any weather if the back door was open and it might get some rain on it...and I didn't want to have to go through making them again if they got water-affected...I acrylic-primed and outdoor-painted before fitting the carpet anywhere.
The side wings were quite intricately cut so it was time for some more testing with the van lining carpet to see how to form it around corners.





I had to also ensure when adding the carpet to the side wings that I didn't carpet where the hinges would be screwed in place so it didn't affect the security and action of the hinge that had been thoroughly tested.
There was plenty over-spray of the carpet adhesive and this was removed using white spirit [outside in the fresh air!].



Carpeted side wings fitted and tested.

Just to make them easier to fold open I added a one-finger-sized loop of webbing to each side wing which was screwed on underneath.





The drawer box was secured down using the u bolts and turnbuckles, the drawers were in, the side wings were fitted so it was now time to turn attention to the bed extension.
Bed extension 1 first (obviously), the one that attaches to the back (front of car side) of the drawer box using the quick release hinge.
I used the 10cm version since I was told it would be strong enough and I thought it might be easier for me to uncouple it with one hand.
It does wobble a little bit, which is probably understandable given that it's a quick release hinge, so maybe a strip of plastic/wood across the back of the drawer box with a couple of slots cut out to fit some bent pieces of metal (like hooks) on the bed extension 1 (like Drifta extension pieces do) might've been more suitable/secure but my way has been ok for me. I originally thought that the hinge plan would allow the bed extension piece to lift upwards to access underneath it but forgot to take into account that it would be butted up against the drawer box at the same level which would impede it from lifting, d'oh! It still works and does what I need it to though so I'm still happy with it.

With bed extension 1 fastened in place to the drawer box, I installed a piano hinge to the other end of it and joined it to bed extension 2. Bed extension 2 will reside folded on top of bed extension 1 when driving and then unfold forwards to form the bed.
One thing to be aware of was that I made sure I took into account the thickness of the carpet around the ends of the extension pieces, particularly where the two would meet when folded open by the piano hinge.
I considered using a counter-flap hinge for joining the two bed extension pieces together but thought it might not work too well with the 3mm thick carpet between it. It might work ok if it's just wood against wood.
The forward end of extension 1 has 2 legs that go down to the rear footwell and extension 2 sits on the centre console. I did a ridiculous amount of measuring right at the start to ensure that everything would line up so that the bed would fold open and rest on top of the centre console so it was such a relief when it did. To reduce the height that the platform I had measured up with the lid of the centre console off (since it's quick release). This would mean that little bit more headroom which all helps when you want to sit up.
I had done several test measurements but I could now properly test that the mattress I'd purchased would fit...which it did, with a few inches to spare.

Tri-fold mattress that I'd seen well reviewed online and it's associated mattress cover for when storing it at home.

 

[amnesia7]

I used some 90 degree fold down hinges for the legs for extension 1 into the footwell. I spent quite some time trimming and sanding them to fit the contour of the rear footwell that each would stand on. I wanted to make sure that the load was spread as evenly as possible so there was less risk of any one spot taking too much weight and risking breakage.
The fold down legs for bed extension 2 needed to also be positioned so that any long objects stored in the rear footwell could be taken out without the leg positions hindering.







With the bed extension pieces and legs trimmed accordingly, it was now time to get them primed and painted.
While I had the brushes wet, I decided to give the drawer fronts another coat now that I was sure that I was not carpeting them to give them a bit more protection.
With the drawers out, I also used the opportunity to apply UHMW tape to the wood runners (and also the underside of the drawer) for the slide out shelf to ensure it slid smoothly, and was very pleased with how well this performed....although be aware that it would possibly stick better on raw wood rather than painted as I did. I folded the tape over the ends of the runners so the shelf was less likely to unstick the tape.



The drawers (including paddle latches) and shelf were reinstalled in the drawer box and the bed extension pieces were attached to the back of the box. Now that it was time for final fitting, I replaced all normal nuts with nyloc nuts so there will be less chance of them coming undone when off roading.

I fastened some figure-8 metal curtain rail loops to the rear floor, where the bolts go in the floor for the rear seats, and threaded a cam strap through two of these and over the top of the folded-shut bed extensions to prevent the extensions from bouncing while off roading. To open out the bed platform is just a case of loosening the strap and sliding it out of the way.

And with that the project was complete!







...until I looked at the leftover carpet that I had and decided to carpet the insides of the drawers to prevent things rattling and bumping around as much in them.





I considered making some drawer dividers - I did actually get some plywood cut for some right at the start but thought that using some packing cubes would give more freedom of placement and sizes of things that I could put in the drawers.
These packing cubes have been working well so no sign of moving away from them yet to some solid dividers but we'll see.

The next step was to make some window blinds/shades to allow me to sleep in the car.
I used some 5mm closed cell foam for this. Foam this thick meant that if cut correctly they would be a press fit into the windows and wouldn't need suckers to hold them in place. When you've got a car that has 10 windows, not having to use suckers is quite a relief.
The easiest way I found to make the blinds was to:
* Sellotape enough newspaper together to cover a window
* Tape it in place on the outside using some masking tape (less sticky) since I didn't need to worry about the ins and outs of the interior panels from the outside
* Draw the outline of the window shape on the newspaper
* Cut the newspaper out following the outline
* Replicate the newspaper template onto the foam but adding an extra few cms all the way around to allow for the foam to actually reach beyond the window glass to the parts of the car interior that it will press-fit against
* Trim the foam blinds until they fit snugly following the profile of the interior panelling as required
* I found it better to use two pieces of foam for large windows, eg front windscreen and rear window since the weight of the blind could cause it to hang away from the window but that was less likely when two separate pieces were used
* It's also a good idea to mark each blind in a way that indicates which window it is for and which way it fits if it's not obvious from the shape
You don't want them to be too hard to fit or else the extra bending of the foam blinds might cause them to fold in places and be harder to press-fit in place.
I must not have noticed when I was purchasing but the foam that I used has a reflective coating on one side (which I point outwards) and a white design on the opposite side for cutting and measuring. I'm not sure if this is better or worse than if it had a relfective coating on the inside as well or if that would be annoying when the blinds are in place on the windows and using a torch in the car. It could be blinding if it's reflective on the inside as well in that case.

One minor annoyance, even with all the measuring I did, is that, with the rear seats in place, to fold open the side wings, they are impeded by the angle of the rear seats. I built and measured all the wood based on the fact that I wasn't planning on carpeting it so with the addition of the carpet, the extra thickness of carpet below and on top of the drawer box and then the extra height of the side wing with carpet on the edges of that as well, it meant when the side wings were folded up, there was an extra height of 4 x carpet thickness. I'd not allowed for such a margin for error in them folding up because I wanted to maximise the depth of the drawer box.
The profiles of the side wings/sides of the boot must be slightly different because the side wing folds up ok on the driver side but is impeded on the passenger side. I'm only storing lesser-used items under the passenger side though anyway such as spare fluids etc so no big deal and if needed I can just unclip the rear seat on that side and fold it forward a little so the side wing can open fully.
If I'd known I was going to carpet it all then the drawer box could be made that little bit shorter, or I can just cut a diagonal off the corner of the side wing where it collides withe the rear seat. I decided against this for aesthetic reasons and so there was no gap left where the drawer box met bed extension 1 at that corner. I'll continue moving the rear seat for those odd occasions when I do need to access that side wing unless I find an absolute need to do something about it.

After a few car camps I found that I tended to sit on the driver's side of bed extension 1 a few times for getting on and off it and when putting shoes on. I didn't like the way this would put weight sideways on the quick release hinge as it would tilt the extension a bit so rather than wait to see if it might have any adverse effect I screwed a tiny angle bracket onto the drawer box near that edge of extension 1 so that it would add a bit of support to make it more assuring.

 

[SDDiver5]

Fantastic work! Check out Solid Wood Worx on youtube he does this for a living and has a ton of videos on there. You basically have it all planned out and done but for future mods.

Nice build

 

[amnesia7]

Fantastic work! Check out Solid Wood Worx on youtube he does this for a living and has a ton of videos on there. You basically have it all planned out and done but for future mods.

Nice build

Thanks.

Yeah Solid Wood Worx guy looks familiar. I think I must've spotted some of his videos during my research. Speaking of which I'm going to post all my scribblings and notes in case they're of use.

 

[amnesia7]

Before I started on the above build...and over the course of it as well...I was making a load of notes of anything i spotted or crossed my mind.

I've gathered them all together and thought I'd share them here in case they're of use to anyone. It all started with the micro camper video linked below.

Scribblings/notes #1

---

Micro camper video
Window blinds/shades. Make paper template of window, mark out on reflective foil, cut, punch metal eyelets in and use suction cups with rings in back for removal, as seen in: https://www.newbecca.com/product/552823874392. Alternatively, get suction cups with flat back and put some Velcro on it. Then put Velcro on corresponding area of material to use over window so suction cups stay in place and then jut stick material in place and peel off as required. Alternatively put some Velcro on edges of window frame and some on material and just stick in place when required. Use Velcro idea on door edge seals for door windows so windows can be lowered slightly to allow airflow if need be and probably need to use suction cups idea on alpine, rear, tailgate and windscreen since edge seals not as accessible.

Sink - attach flexible hose to drain hole in sink and tuck up underneath sink and would need to pull shelf out to get to the tucked-up hose underneath and then put a water bottle/tank on floor for it to drain into when required. Need a bung on end of pipe so that it doesn’t run in bottom of drawer if forget to setup with catchment container?

Cut top wood to profile of vehicle / interior panel sides which should prevent some movement forwards and backwards as well as the adjustable turnbuckles holding it in place vertically and horizontally to some extent as well

Fasten down to kiddie seat bolt holes using suitably sized lifting eyes

Folding table legs for bed support

Kiddie seat bottom mount points are 12cm above carpet for using eye bolt and tie downs to secure down the top of wooden base box

Seek Adventure - ultimate diy canopy camp kitchen has a table top stored in back that has quick release hinges on one end (see bookmark for a seller of them - camper interiors). The other half of these hinges is on side of truck so just attach table top to truck using these and then fold down some (adjustable-height) legs at other end to have a table attached and stable. Or maybe use lift-off hinges?

Somewhere down sides or behind front seats to store camping chairs. Leave gap under sink/oven side, or full width, to store a fold up table. Somewhere for a soap dispenser unless it can just fit at side of sink? Or an alcohol-based squirty thing might be simplest, stored in compartment behind cooker or in the paracord pouch on driver’s side if space

Mount shower hose holster on back edge of that compartment so that it can sit like a tap over the sink but normally lives in the compartment on its side and can be used free hand like a shower hose. Compartment will need waterproofing in case of drips from hose not completely empty

Is 80Ah strong enough for fridge etc although no room for bigger battery on passenger front?

Brush some watered down pva glue onto edges of plywood to seal it better and help it last longer

Fridge - Bearmach compressor fridge. They all have same foot print of 345 x 690. 32 is 380 tall. 42L is 462 tall. Manufacture specs say you can fit : 60 x 330 cans in 32L, 72 x 330ml cans in 42L. Use metal base under it so something to strap it down to (see Dometic universal fixing [UFK-T] in eBay watchlist). Don’t think the 32L fits a 2L bottle stood up in it but 42L probably can but check.

Somewhere for fire extinguisher (Velcro in place somewhere?) and spare gas canister for cooker

Bearmach fridge would be better than mobicool one because it opens length ways whereas mobi one would only be easier to get into if slide pulled out but not possible because cooker/sink drawer out so only one shelf can be slid out at once unless use them end-on

If fridge is too tall then hard to see into it when stood on floor at back of disco

The bed extension pieces will need a clip on their sides to hold them in place when not in use so if trialing they don’t unfold or anything if nothing resting on them. Bungee cord with hooks to wrap around it to hold them together?!

Water pump looks to be this one: https://www.agratech.co.uk/Shurflo-SLV10-AA40-12v-Pump-40-PSI-3.8-Ltrs-Min-1.0-GPM.html (this has switch but no wiring connectors compared to the AA41 and AA48)

If base stops at end of level boot part then bear in mind the length of the extendable table legs hanging down may be too long for the height available without hitting the slope in front of rear seats

Use an adjustable height folding aluminium picnic table as the shelf that slides out under cooker/sink so can be fully removed and used on floor if required

Slide out cooking shelf could just be an outer frame with slide runners that an aluminium picnic table can sit in/on so can use it as a shelf but also remove table for use on floor. If not a solid shelf then shelf wouldn’t need to be slid out to allow the waste pipe to be extended to a bottle on floor. Possibly just mount the table directly onto shelf slide runners that have quick release buttons/levers...although that does mean the drawer slide needs to be built to exactly fit the particular table dimensions and what if table left out in the elements overnight for some reason and slides on side of it could rust. Rather than making the table fasten in place to slide, why not just use U-shaped sides for it to loosely slide in so not fastened securely and easily pull out; would need to be aware when using as shelf so don’t over-extend and put weight on it with little of it left inside to support that weight

Confirm full length of bed because it is limited by the full length of platform then the extension can only be back to as far as the fridge will allow it to lie flat

Don’t forget somewhere for a bin bag

Alternative fridge cooler used when double bed required. Cooler can go in normal place when not sleeping then put under fold over extension sections when sleeping...so ensure platform is high enough for a cool box to fit on floor below extension sections while still being able to sit up! 20L Dometic TropiCool TCX 21 Electric Cool Box in eBay watchlist is 42cm high

Take note of which type of hinges are used, particularly for the double hinge bit behind the front seats to get in the base compartments and for the extension pieces

How long can you have tailgate open because the interior lights come on which must affect the battery. Change bulbs to be led, or check if they are on their own fuse in which case add a switch so that their function can be turned on and off, wire them to leisure battery if definitely need them to work with door although possibly not best idea since door could be open for hours even during the day when no light required. Or, if the same switches on a D1 300 have 3 rather than 2 positions so can be turned off at the switch, then maybe replace with those instead?! Or just “disable” the sensor switch when door is open to stop it putting lights on

2 roof bars for attaching awning to?

A free standing / drive away awning can be useful for saving the camp pitch if car camping and go off during the day and come back later. Free standing awning would remain in place and ensure people know the pitch is in use. Also gives somewhere attached to the boot to get up and stand up to get changed without being visible. Check how big the tailgate awning is when down to ensure it will fit somewhere in back

Make sure the dimensions of it allow it to be tipped on its side or diagonal to go in and out and be aware of extension pieces on sides over wheel arches

If got a picnic table to put in slide shelf insert and it had legs that were enclosed underneath then they could fit within the inset so as to not take up any additional height

Sink needs a plug so that water can be heated on cooker and then used in sink for a wash if cold wash not wanted

What do people do about covering over when cooking on tailgate and it’s raining? Fishing umbrella attached to cooler/sink drawer using octoplus?

Dual burner stoves seem to be about 60cm wide, although would need to check how gas is attached, in case want to make the space big enough in case in future want a dual stove instead of single (although a second single burner can go on the tailgate fold down shelf anyway)

Check stock of what would still be required if had bed platform that I took with me and where it would need to fit

Use a piece of board across front of cooker that can be slid upwards and used behind it as a windbreak as on drifta YouTube video in favourites - cooker is protected by sink and not exposed so this isn’t necessary

Put some oil in 1L bottle so don’t need the big 5L bottle or the funnel

Shouldn’t need jump leads if can use the leisure battery to start it if main battery fails

Put bare minimum tools in a zipped bag in one of the stretchy paracord pockets so don’t need to take full socket set or screwdrivers etc

 

[amnesia7]

Scribblings/notes #2

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Recovery and safety - recovery / waffle boards in case get stuck on my own

Recovery and safety - fire extinguisher and mount

Recovery and safety - first aid kit - scissors (1), alcohol pads (8), Antiseptic Cleaning Wipe (4), Tweezers (1), Adhesive Bandage - Large (10), Adhesive Bandage - Medium (10), Adhesive bandage – Small Round (10), Safety Pins (5), Adhesive tape (1), Cotton Buds (10)

Swivel round, rather than fold up, extending table legs would mean that hi lift jack can be fastened to front of drawer box platform and not get in way of legs being folded up for use

Use Velcro on edges of bed cushions so they stick together

Fold down cover for sink so more work surface when not in use?

Side of oven drawer that the guy doesn’t have a side, I could have a side but it use 90 fold down hinges so that it gives some extra working area “in front” of the cooking stove? Or just shape that area so stove stays in place but exposes the stove controls

See [drifta] Toyota 80 series drawer setup demo - if fridge on right in main YouTube video then why need to be at base level when could be on top of another drawer for more storage because space above is wasted otherwise. Also note the Aluminium edging to protect the corner, apply carpeting and also there’s the pull out table with adjustable legs. Drop slide for fridge? Teflon used for slides rather than runners gives more space for drawers. Tie downs for fridge. Check height of fridge if did mount on top of drawers rather than at base level

See water tanks and bed extensions as ideas https://www.drifta.com.au/drawer-accessories-page/

See drawer designs and layouts https://www.drifta.com.au/4wd-drawers/ although Toyota 80 series drawer setup demo YouTube video is probably the most conclusive setup

Marine plywood

Marine carpet for drawer covering

Separate boot section with drawers for fridge stove and sink so that it can be used even if back seats are in and have a separate section in place of back seats joined using a peg or lock for when want a sleeping platform

Insert tray in a drawer so sits above other things in the drawer adding a second layer inside the drawer. Could be used for cutlery or small things

Spring bolt on back of drawers that points upwards and prevents it being pulled out but can reach in and press the spring bolt to release the drawer

Table/shelf like drifta would need a sprung bump or something that it goes over when inside so that it stays in place but can still be pulled back out again by one hand; something like those balls that are used on indoor doors that don’t use a proper catch

If want to use a 12v shower then might be handy to have a 12v socket accessible somewhere near boot so don’t need to put wire across to socket in front seat

Drifta table slide out - check height of it for use as a shelf based on how high it is. Might be worth it sliding from below drawer rather than above if it would be too high of a shelf if it’s above the drawer

Wheel arch covers / side wings - held up by angle brackets. drifta doesn’t screw them in place. The brackets just slide into place for use so can easily be removed if need be

Drifta sell clear top bags for use in their drawers to contained together but can easily see what’s in it

If split into two portions so can have it in boot but add an extra portion of take rear seats out to allow sleeping then fasten rear portion in place using two tie downs on each side to kiddie seats. Front portion could be fastened in places using rear seat bolt holes at front and fasten to rear portion using door bolt-style lock to hold in place and together

Split cushions on top rather than one big inflatable would be better if having two sections joined together and some compartments accessed via hatched on top

If want to do drawers in boot that are separate to some storage section that replaces the rear seats then need a decent way to join them together neatly and securely. Maybe an overlap from rear seat section over top of drawer section somehow and that overlap is used to bolt one down to the drawer section that it overlaps

Front section where rear seats are might be easiest as just a top piece with fold legs and maybe some dividers that hang down from it to the boot floor; depends what would be stored under it and whether it needs the structure of compartments or whether just bags or dividers would be enough

If it was done as just a boot section and an extension section where the rear seats are then the boot section will be good forever and rear seat section can be upgraded to a proper built storage thing I’d like to in future and sleeping in it is ok since don’t expect long jaunts

Use magnets to hold wheel arch cover / side wing pieces in place

Would stove fit down the side, where a kiddie seat is rather than needing to take up drawer space?

Sink - don’t want to have to setup waste water pipe and butter if only doing a tiny bit. Don’t want to have to push bed back to put a large bottle on platform above a drawer sink. Don’t want to make platform too high for a manual pump tap in a drawer. Don’t want water bottle/tank too far from tap to pump water and would also leave more water in the piping. Large bottle just off floor of drawer base with collapsible sink in base so pull drawer out and expand sink downwards and bottle tap can work straightaway inside drawer. Fold down front on drawer as well so easier to access sink if it’s in base level of drawer

See Vanessa slide out kitchen youtube video for how they do bed extension pieces that just sit in place although would need to ensure a flat floor surface to do what they’ve done maybe

If kept a flask handy then could always boil extra water when cooking on stove and pour excess in flask for any use such as warm water to wash pots/hands etc

Sink (drawer) needs to still be accessible while stove in use if it’s on the tailgate shelf

Sink drawer could have two formats - one with collapsible sink fitting into hole in bottom of drawer with 8L tank slightly raised so works by gravity (short / day usage), the other format would be with a stainless steel sink that is flush with top of drawer or so and has a waste pipe that goes through the hole in bottom of drawer to bottle setup on floor. Would need a water pump and tap/spray nozzle

See ARB fridge freezer and slide review YouTube video for 12v socket positioning in boot side interior panel. Mount socket high enough so wire doesn’t get caught in fridge slide but need slack or a spring or something holding the wire to keep it out of the way so doesn’t get caught in the slide

Teflon strips would need tapering or rounding at the leading edges so that if drawer is taken out they don’t get caught when being pushed back in again and the Teflon in drawer base catching the Teflon on inside face

Use a sprung upright aerial wire thing for holding fridge wire up away from getting trapped in the fridge slider - see Everyone got stuck 4WD-247 video of Shauno’s sooty at camp. Drifta sell an aerial wire thing for use with fridge slides

Might need latches in front of drawers so they are held very securely and don’t rattle when off road. Possibly using those latches that have a thread on them so they hold perfectly securely. Or is it easier to use locking drawer slides instead so less faff of having drawers like drifta with another locking latch on each. Use catches like drifta handles and just ensure that they catch a piece of L-shape metal fastened above drawer catch tightly enough

Carpet on inside of drawers and on top will stop things in drawers in placed on top from sliding around as much. Carpet only needs to be on base of drawers, not necessary on sides. Black or dark colour inside drawers could make things difficult to see when it’s dark so maybe easier if the insides are paler carpet colour or something

Mosquito midge net that clips to roof gutters over top and goes over the open tailgate and down to floor so it can be open without any coming in back because very exposed if open and would be hard to get rid of them then

Fridge plug could come through hole in the wooden base for it and have wire go below slide somewhere so that it stays out of the way when sliding in and out

Right hand drawer - water tank held in place in back of it while not in use using a Velcro strap or something. When need to use water then drawer can be slid out, front folded down and a think wire/bar C-shape can be pushed into holes in end (top) of drawer front that the collapsible sink that has the extensions can then be sat into. The water tank would be pulled to the front of the drawer so spout over sink. Holes for C may be best to have metal tubes glued in them if it will be used over and over. It would need some 90 degree hinges for front bottom of drawer and possibly a pair of latches with screw threads to set their tightness for each side at front to hold it tight and stop it wobbling when just using it as a normal drawer

Water tank fastened in place where hinge-side kiddie seat is. Then put a pump action spout on it that is high enough to put water into a walking bottle

Be aware of the height of the centre console if bed platform lies on that. I would be leant back or lied down towards front of lump so height to sit up only needed from midway to the back of the boot?!

 

[amnesia7]

Scribblings/notes #3

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Use small Addison plug rather than cigarette lighter plug for fridge because it is a securer plug that clicks together and less likely to come undone when off road. Wire from battery under bonnet would need to come through bulk head, up A framed pillar across over doors and down in boot area to a socket in rear panel as necessary

Octoplus attachment for fishing umbrella on back door if cooking while it’s raining?

Simple fridge slide made from drawer rails and cheque plate for top: https://www.landcruiserclub.net/community/threads/diy-fridge-slide.130136/

Check height of existing fold down shelf compared to where plan on having drawers because it would be awkward if can’t open right hand drawer if shelf in use such as while cooking. If it would clash without drawer then maybe need shallower drawer if have tables above drawer. Drawer still needs to be deep enough for the water tank bottle if keeping it in drawer

Just use an extension piece of hose on tap of water tank so it doesn’t need to be right near edge... water bottle on roof with hose from it and tap on end. Something like the sceptor Jerry can spout but that’s only sold in America. See the Seek Adventure youtube video where he makes one on a budget using parts from hardware store. Vango Jerry Can 10L on Amazon for £14.95 that has a tap that can hopefully be changed for something with a thread to go to a pipe like seek adventure video

Use c-square bolts in front and behind fridge to hold it in place and to fasten straps from fridge handles to. Make sure the bolts are tall enough to have thread for nut, thickness of fridge slide wood and stick up far enough to allow for rounded front edge of fridge: https://u-bolts-r-us.co.uk/125507-c-square-bolts Need to be reasonable length because it will need one but above the wood and another below it to hold it in place at the right height

Position fridge on drawers so that it might fit with rear seat up possibly if rear fridge handle removed

Be aware of how much room the fold out bed platform would need if folded up when not in use. Would it fit on top of driver side drawer?

Check rear visibility through boot window and passenger side window with fridge on top of drawers compared to it on floor

Water - just look for a water tank that’s the right size and doesn’t have a tap but has a large enough opening to get hand in, then cut a hole in and fit a tap/outlet attachment low down add required and then can attach piping as required. Maybe something like http://www.watertankswarehouse.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3792193-FCW9-9-Litre-Fresh-Water-Container.html

Footman loops for securing straps or to use on the sides for some L-pieces to slide into for the extensions over the wheel arches or for the fold out bed extension. See pg27 of expedition portal show us your drawer system thread

Centre console storage box - broken hinges could be replaced by a small piece of webbing with a loop on the end and a hook on the underside of the storage box lid. That way the loop in the hook limit how much it can open but unhook it and the life can fold back the full 180 degrees. See photo on expedition portal drawer system thread page 34

Rather than try to fasten the bed platform extension with the rear seat bolt holes, just use some eye bolts in them with tie downs like how it will fasten down to kiddie seat bolt holes in boot

If do a shelf under one of the drawers then the shelf could run in 1/2in aluminium “C” channel and attached to the bottom of the drawer so shelf slides with the drawer, ie drawer doesn’t slide over shelf and push what was on shelf onto the floor

Stick Teflon drawer slide strips in place on underside of drawer and associated base just with (strong?) construction adhesive

Rather than Teflon strips which would possibly need to be countersunk, use UHMW tape like @sds on page 49 of expedition portal drawer setup thread so tape slides against tape rather than any contact with wood against tape. Also note the chunks cut out of wood base to reduce weight since unnecessary underneath. It would still need something to hold the drawers in place to stop them sliding about

Rather than making the drawer system more complex and use space up with the slide out table, maybe get a folding adjustable camp table instead that can just go on a drawer or Paracord to the side somewhere next to the fridge

Small fire extinguisher mounted at back if going to be cooking on tailgate?!

Mount on tailgate for kitchen paper if going to be cooking there?!

Alcohol hand cleaner small bottle, winch gloves, toilet roll... for in driver’s door pouch

Be aware that if cut areas out of base underneath to reduce weight, could find that it’s not strong enough to support the weight on the uneven boot floor and cause it to break or crack

If use 12mm birch plywood to build it, might need 15-18mm plywood for the fridge slide which will probably need to be made from sturdier stuff

Epoxy resin very strong for using for making the drawer and base joints etc to save weight of any other type of joint

Water resistant wood or treated, that’s also dimensionally-stable, corrosion resistant fasteners, water resistant adhesive

If fridge would be too high with level of top being just above wheel arch then might need fridge side to be lower than other side. Could always make a raised spacer thing to use if fridge removed to make both sides level

Small tie down rings for fridge might be better than C-bolts because they would need to go right through and have a nut on the underside which I’m effective would be in the drawer underneath the fridge. This could interfere with things in the drawer when the drawer is being pulled out or pushed in, or likewise for the fridge slide shelf going in or out also.

Maybe sit the fridge in a shallow open top drawer above the normal left hand drawer and the open top drawer makes it look level with the right hand side. Could put some side supports down either side of open top drawer that a top plank could sit on if fridge not there to level that side off with the right hand side. See expedition portal drawer/storage thread pg126. Also looks to be shown with fridge, shelf and drawer slid out on pg148

Tidy setup with beige carpet on expedition portal thread page 130

Apparently UHMW sliding against UHMW won’t work. It works best when rubbing against wood or metal

Sink holder could be a pull out shelf that slides out from under the drawer that’s under the fridge. The shelf could just be a piece of wood sliding in C-section metal rails. It could have a space cut out at one end for the sink to sit in and be just solid at the other so if want to use for collapsible sink then just pull it all the way out, turn it round and slide it back in as far as necessary to use the end with the hole in it. When finished, pull out, turn round and slide in enough to use as a shelf? Would need something to secure in place when not in use. Be aware of how far the water pipe will be to reach the sink. Be aware if using shelf end then the it would be using the sink end with a large hole in it to hold in place and that little wood might not be strong enough

The tie down loops on page 159 of expedition portal drawer setup thread don’t look very big so might be better than C-bolts going right through into drawer underneath

If use a shallow drawer for fridge that may want a cover over it if fridge not in there then maybe the clover could be hinged so it is either covering the shallow drawer or it stands vertical as a divider of the rest of the boot from the fridge, particularly if I might be sleeping next to the fridge. The hinge would have to be one that can be locked in place either horizontal or vertical to stop it getting knocked or loosened and then banging against the side of the fridge as it tries to close to horizontal... if that’s possible. Checkout self-locking folding hinges on google (like suggested earlier for the table leg extension legs for supporting the bed extension). Or maybe more simply, just put some C-channel at either end and slot a piece of wood in vertically but would need a pin through it to lock in place or something so doesn’t bounce out

What about the noise of the fridge fan coming on during the night if I’m going to be sleeping right next to it?! Would definitely need the insulation cover to reduce how much it might come on. Insulation and then maybe turn it off overnight while sleeping?

Second boot door shelf could attach in place using releasable hinges that only go to 90 degrees

Allow for thickness of fridge insulation cover when planning where it will fit and how it will fasten down

Might be best if the pipe from water container is attached to a tap on the container so it can be turned off at the container just in case unless pipe can definitely be secured firmly to container and no risk of leaks

Needs to be possible to take the fridge out and have a full width sleeping platform if need be. But also to be able to take fridge out and just have a full width flat area in the boot for transporting things etc

 

[amnesia7]

Scribblings/notes #4

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Use brackets in corners of drawers and drawer framework rather than just rely on screws to keep it firm

See wanderlust overland youtube video of diy drawer build using standard tools and includes measuring and fitments and latches

That video suggests using L brackets at the back to secure top to the back because of the strain the fridge sliding forward and hanging off the front will put on that joint

If use L brackets at the back or possibly sides as well then may need to use sliders rather than just Teflon sliding tape so that the space down sides created by sliders allows for the bolts to hold the L brackets in place... as mentioned in that video. Or could just not make the back of the drawer go full height to allow for L brackets at the back but still full height down sides if no need for brackets down sides

Campmor - Mattress Premier

This high quality roll up premier mattress from Campmor is ideal for use directly on the tent floor or camp bed.

www.expedition-equipment.com

To counteract the fridge sliding forward, the rear of the drawer base may need turn buckles secured to the mounting bolt holes for the single rear seat. Although, why should the force be too much different to weight in a drawer that’s slid forward/out?

Could hi lift be secured horizontally on rear bumper using something in the holes for attaching recovery shackles since I’ve got a recovery point anyway?

See Seek Adventure youtube video about fire extinguisher bracket attached to base of front seat mount

Would fridge block use of the door latch from inside boot of sleep inside although could get out through side doors?

Can the height of the bed platform allow for the fridge to go on floor in rear footwell is something was in footwell to make it a level base and the platform fold over the top of the fridge... if need be

Diagonally backward tie down nearest back door to cover going uphill, diagonally forward to cover going downhill and also from front one a second tie down going sideways to cover fridge slide. Remember that 60 degrees is the strongest angle

Use tie downs to attach back of drawers to mount points for seatbelt buckles to hold it in place for uphill and allow for fridge slide. Would still need kiddie seat tie downs to hold it in place for downhill so either sideways or pointing backwards from the front bolt hole. At least one required pointing sideways on each side to allow for bounce upwards when driving over rough stuff

Might need a metal angle on bottom at back to stop the wood base banging against the seatbelt buckle mounts if it moves slightly

Invisible latch for locking front of fridge slide in place that’s on my eBay watchlists looks to be 15mm deep so could fit straight through a 15mm front piece on drawer front that fits onto the main drawer container with screws. So front of drawers is two pieces of wood thick; cut through one for invisible latch to sit in and the other is what it is actually screwed into. Assemble everything with locking drawer slides and see if need an invisible latch as well or not. May need to check if it locks open otherwise when closing, would need to press levers for both sliders as well as the invisible latch!

Use sliders for drawers rather than Teflon because the space down the sides and back will give room for three nuts on the inside for the tie down loops to be fastened in place

Fasten water tank and stove box in place in side areas using horizontal strap and maybe a paracord net (like on back door) over the top with hooks on each end

Use footman loops on back of drawer base against rear seats to secure the bed extension section to the drawer section. Be aware of the tie downs on there that would get in the way of anything flush fitting

Locksonline.com for some cheaper drawer slides that can lock

Could replace rear handle on fridge with tie down D rings instead of an actual handle so it takes no space at all

Situate tie down anchor points to corners/sides of fridge corners, allowing for any extra for fridge insulation cover so don’t take up any unnecessary length

Use UV-resistant piping for the water-to-tap pipe so doesn’t corrode over time and then leak

Drawer INTERNAL dimension must be at least 60cm long to be able to fit the folding bamboo table in which is 60cm; see eBay listing... unless it gets shoved down the side over a wheel arch or something of drawer length doesn’t allow

Use magnets to stick the side covers down onto the L-brackets rather than any twist-lock or quarter-turn fasteners or anything so they don’t bounce loose when off roading. Magnet only required on underside of wooden cover piece if L-brackets are steel?

Footman loop tie downs might stand too proud for the angle bracket and cause it to hang in an angle but might be ok with two on each side. Is it easier to just get some aluminium bar and make my own and drill holes as required

If floor might be uneven then maybe the upright pieces all need to rest on the floor piece and not just the central divider like it does in the wanderlust overland diy video

Use webbing bridges for holding the angle bars on the sides to cover the wheel arches since footman loops seem to have too big of a gap in them but the eBay webbing bridge item has a gap of 4mm

Search App Store for camp4night - no exact results but several app suggestions for overnight parking camp spots

If putting carpet in the front of the drawers then may need to put it in before cutting out the slots for the latch plunger to fit so that it is a tight fit... since carpet will go over the top and inside the drawer front

Use carpet on sides of drawer frame and make it a snug fit between both wheel arches so holds it in place better (like he did with his drawers on raptors garage) as well as using the turnbuckles

Apparently there are sleeping bags that lack bottom insulation and instead have a sleeve for an insulated pad to slide in. Some guy on offroad passport (linked from expedition portal) slid an air mattress and foam inside his which zipped up and held everything together as one big bed

Don’t take bed platform full width so that the area in front of the fridge is available to get in through side door, take shoes off and climb into bed if need be?

Calibrate phone in holder on level ground so when stopping to sleep can ensure that ground is level so not on a bad slope

Use contour gauge thing to make the side wings in boot so they match the profile of the boot side panels

Wait for response from Vadania about whether locking mechanism for their drawer slides are free floating or spring loaded because free floating ones have loose metal bits that can rattle a lot on bumpy roads

Fasten bed platform extension to the drawers using take-apart hinges so the angle can flex and easily separate

Use some more take-apart hinges for attaching bed extension supports to as per offroadpassport v2 write up

Use footman loops for the fridge tie downs rather than actual tie downs so they take up less room but still do the same job. Actual tie downs might be more useful though for when not using it for fridge since they would allow for hooks to attach but footman loops wouldn’t

If using locking drawer slides then could use flat edge pull handles at bottom of drawers near slides as per offroadpassport v2 write up

Use cam buckle tie down straps for holding fridge in place. Use one continuous one on each end rather than two with hooks at each end like off road passport v2 write up

Locking drawer slides need to lock using spring mechanism rather than just locking via gravity (free-floating) because that can cause a lot of rattling on bumpy roads. Vadania ones are free-floating so best to ignore those and maybe just get heavy duty slides and use 6” concealed door lock in front face to be tidy and lock in place securely

Can’t use upturned L section for under-drawer shelf on left because it needs to fasten to underside of drawer so doesn’t push shelf contents on floor when opened. Use C section big enough for 18mm plywood and some foam padding above and below the wood to make it slide smoother. Sticky backed thick foam tape stuff like use for gaps in window frames. Although, L section could be used if drawer sides extend below drawer base (use grooves in drawer sides for drawer base to sit in) and fasten aluminium to the side bits as required. The extended sides would also give something for the shelf front to push back against when closing (?)

Small piece of paracord that’s doubled back on itself into a loop secured under slide out shelf like the power lead is secured in a wall plug with just a piece over it screws down on either side

Drifta style instead of runners wouldn’t allow for dado drawer base, needs to be a completely flat base so easier to slide on smooth surface

Drifta drawer fronts overlap horizontal drawer dividers but flush with vertical ones to give flat front that can be carpeted; see DSS webpage. Also notice that drawer runners for fridge shelf are inset so no large gap down sides, where runners are, for things to fall in

Drifta drawers have a slightly lower back on them compared to sides because there is a small angle inside fastened to the underside top that the spring bolt hits to stop drawer being pulled right out

 

[amnesia7]

Scribblings/notes #5

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Wydale plastics show an 8L water tank on their website but I’ve not found anywhere that stocks it (they didn’t reply to my email) and possibly not ideal anyway because it doesn’t have a handle to make it easy to remove for refilling, and the lid is only 2.25in diameter so wouldn’t be able to get hand in to clean it if need be, especially with it having corners

Carpeting the top (at least) means that sleeping cushions/mat can be held in place using Velcro on the bottom of them

290mm high should make left side big enough for a drawer fridge if ever needed?

Use 12mm for side wings if not enough 18mm

Use 2 x 12mm thick pieces to make the slide out shelf if not enough 18mm

Use thin lengths of plywood leftovers to make the rails for the pull out shelf to run on rather than buying L-section lengths of stainless or aluminium

I need the bed extension to lie on top of centre console so bottom of the top of drawers needs to be level with centre console so need height to be 10”+18mm (10.75”)

35” and then 19” as the fold out extension and cut both down a bit as required

Carpet the bottom of the drawers to stop things moving about as much and to reduce noise of things bouncing about

Removable dividers for in drawers. Pieces wider than drawers and cut grooves in sides so can just slide in and out without needing metal pieces sticking out as guides. If carpeted then doesn’t need to be birch if not enough 12mm left. Dividers might need to be carpeted on both sides to reduce noise?

Leave space above drawer to allow for the nuts used for the fridge tie downs. Use plenty screws from drawer base to drawer sides for strength if weight inside drawers might be bouncing about and/or metal brackets in corners of drawer to reinforce since screwing sideways rather than vertically. Might need space above and around drawers for angle brackets for holding drawer system corners together for strength... like he did in YouTube video although part of that was because he was going to add a fridge slide but bear in mind how mine has limited points for turn buckles so might need strength for that reason such as on sides

Measure for bed extension support legs as well and allow for the upward peg that goes into the bed extension itself to hold it in place

Horizontal take apart hinges could slip sideways and come undone while an angle bracket and footman hinges would lock in place better

Use locking take apart hinges for attaching extension to back of drawer system whilst allowing it to be hinged upwards to get to stuff store underneath it in back seats area eg hi lift mounted to rear seat floor mount holes

Bracket for dividers? _/|_|\_

Test wood sizes before doing anything by standing the sides and vertical drawer divider up on the base and then stand up the drawer slides and drawer sides/bases in place to check that it will all fit together without stretching the drawer slides. If not correct then maybe move left drawer sides in a bit or the drawer system sides in a smidge. Also check size of drawer system base fits between wheel arches ok!

Need to decide where bolts required for side angle bracket so don’t clash with where drawer runners bolted in place? Or just screw into wood from the outside although that could still clash?! Put drawer runners as low down as possible even if heights don’t match, so they’re out of the way for side u bolts

Use some of the surplus wood and some small angle brackets to put vertical pieces to cover the gap between drawers and inner edge of boot

Put a marker/stop line on slide out shelf for point to pull it out so it can still support weight with what’s still on runners

Two pull cupboard tabs at bottom of slide out shelf rather than trying to put a hand grip or cut out for fingers to fit. Using two means can still use a cord in middle to hold it shut if need be

Fasten angle brackets to sides of drawer box, then fasten turnbuckles off kiddie seats to the underside of the side wings rather than to the drawer box so more vertical. Wouldn’t be able to put some blanking plates either side of drawer box this way because wouldn’t be able to get to the turnbuckles to undo them otherwise!

Pull tabs for slide out shelf could be downward facing rather than upward. Would need the shelf front to have a groove in it so the tab can be flush across the top

Fasten angle brackets to drawer box. Fasten wings onto angle brackets. Cut sections out of wings as access hatches to get to the turnbuckles that will fasten from kiddie seat points to underside of wings. Also use access hatches for putting stuff in that area. Might need plates to give the hatches something to sit on and maybe held in place using magnets. Use extension pieces to cover the sides up between the drawer box and the sides of boot door since don’t need access to turnbuckles that way because can go via access hatches

Quick release hinges by camperinteriors.co.uk for joining bed extension to drawer box so secure but removable hinges

Can’t use magnets to hold side wings in place because putting any weight near side where no angle bracket support underneath will cause it to tip up. Need side wings to be fastened to drawer box using hinges so secured but can be opened

Use Level feature in the Measure app to check if surface/ground is level when setting up camp for sleeping and calibrating the 4x4 app

Put a length of foam pipe tubing around the fridge handle near the back door so if it does move for some reason if straps not tight enough then should cushion it if it hits the back door/window

Carpet underneath as well should give a rougher under surface to reduce chances of it sliding as well as raising it up slightly to account for the plastic trim not lying flat on the passenger side of boot door

Replace rear fridge handle with a paracord bracelet style handle and a couple of tie down points so that rear seat can remain upright: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...wer-storage-system.9034/page-160#post-2742522

If leaving wood exposed, not using carpet over everything, then may be best routering the edges so less chance of chipping bits off

Side wings - blanking plates at boot door end - just have an upright that is full height to match drawer front and then screw to it a piece at right angle so just place it firmly in place rather than fastened. Side wings lengths should start level with drawer box since same length

If use u bolts on sides to fasten it in place and just use the angle brackets to support the side wings then if the weight on the side wings is too much causing the angle brackets to bend then could make some short screw-in legs that go into the nuts welded on the angle brackets. Side wing on passenger side could be supporting some of my weight and the one on driver’s side would be supporting a water tank

Fridge doesn’t fit behind back seats with normal handle so unscrew handle and use D ring tie downs for securing down and two more for a paracord handle (see starting it in one D ring and putting the loops through the other before making it)

Quick release triggers side of the hinge is attached to the bed extension. This should mean that the bed extension piece can rest in back of same hand pressing the triggers making it easier to guide into place

Footman tie down loops - leave a small gap between them and fridge to allow for insulation but if not too much then they could actually prevent the fridge sliding forwards or backwards anyway

Make sure can get Allen key to screws for forward most side wing angle brackets

3 tiny washers between side wing hinge and the box itself to push it away to account for carpet. Don’t carpet the edge off side wing that meets the drawer box since it probably won’t rotate open without getting tangled in carpet on the corner edge of drawer box or put the carpet on the end and cut off if not right, although the hinge screws are allotted to reposition as required

Side wing template - fold seats down to give flat edge. Allow for quick release hinge sticking out further on passenger side. Fasten in place tightly using turnbuckles so definitely fixed and line up with black plastic trim at boot door floor opening. Allow for hinge tilting wood outwards a bit and might need to replace bolts at top of kiddie seats with some that sit flatter since side wing hits them when folding up because they stick out so much

Click slide out shelf in place using either a magnet on back end of shelf that sticks to a metal piece hanging down from underside of drawer. Or maybe a catch on back end of shelf so it’s out of sight; like the one on Paul’s cat door frame

Could use bags for putting stuff in under side wings so don’t need to make ends caps for tailgate end and rear seats end to stop stuff escaping and easier to remove drawers than if extra wood blanking pieces attached to each side

 

[amnesia7]

Scribblings/notes #6

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Use a strip of hardboard stuck on each side of shelf near back to guide it when sliding so it doesn’t drop as much when pulled right out - wait until painted in case the multiple coats in underside of drawer and top of shelf affects the gap size

Can’t screw through carpet at all so need to decide how stabilising fridge now - fasten fridge down using webbing straps through tie downs in opposite corners

Widen all bolt holes when dismantle because it needs to be possible to push bolt through carpet and hole, won’t be able to wind the bolt through

If fridge still moves then maybe sit it on a piece of foam which will hopefully provide the extra friction required

Put holes through carpet using soldering iron in circular motion

12v kettle so can make noodles and coffee even if weather too bad to open back and use stove (https://www.tektouch.net/car/12V-car-kettle-reviews.php ?)

Fit tie downs to underside of bed extension 1 and some where the rear seats fasten at the front and then the bed extension can be secured in place and not risk bouncing up and down on bumpy terrain which could also chip the drawer box where the two meet. Could also use them to create a vertical mesh there as well to hold bags in place between drawers and that mesh and below bed extension 1

Leave the boot door handle paracord mesh in place even though no room to use it because the cord provides a buffer between the checker plate and the slide shelf handle in case the drawer box shifts slightly towards the door

The YouTube guy (Court Rye) that stealth camps in his Prius said he had trouble with using an eye mask to blackout when sleeping somewhere so he uses a cover that he pulls over his head/eyes. I think in a later video he creates some ultimate insulated window blackout blinds

If put the tie downs for bed extension 1 in the right place then a tie down strap could go through them and then up and over the top of it and bed extension 2 to secure that down as well and then need to undo it and unfold to use the bed then fold up and wrap the strap over again to secure for travel. Maybe secure to tie downs using bungee cords with hooks

If drawers need lifting slightly to prevent the drawer fronts catching them using some strips/lengths of wood or something that just go underneath from front to back - see end of Land cruiser auxiliary power distribution video in Brady Adventures channel on YouTube

Water container - even if it sits in gap at side of drawers normally, if it could go on top of the side wing during the day then the sun warmth could heat the water up slightly for washing hands rather than just cold

Can the side wings be folded open while the back seats are up without it catching the seats? Or does the bit near the rear seats need to be smaller so it’s smaller when vertical? Otherwise it would need the rear seat to be folded down to give the space to fold open. Or might need to cut it diagonally backwards if necessary and then cut the bed extension diagonally backwards to fit the gap accordingly...as long as bed extension 1 is long enough!

If need more holding power on drawer runners then maybe just use screws if already carpeted over the box

If need to replace drawer slides for stronger ones, use a pin through carpet to find the Allen key points on the outside, burn access hole to each of them using soldering iron, remove bolts, get heavier duty slides and allow for hole positions when fitting, use bolts (and loctite) if same holes can line up, otherwise just use right-sized screws and be aware of the ones going through the vertical divider because the screws will be aiming at each other since they’re at the same position

Could put threaded inserts into the underside of the slide out shelf so that it can be taken out completely and some [adjustable] legs screwed in if want to use it as a table. Or glue four bolts to the underside of the shelf and then use four adjustable suitable height aluminium fishing bank sticks to screw onto them (get suitable bolts to match the back stick thread). The points on the bottom of the bank sticks would allow it to be pressed into floor for security and to provide a bit of ease for levelling it! If use legs long enough then just two at the front could be used to prop up the slide out shelf while it’s still in to make it extra level?!

Fridge tie down - take the straps diagonally underneath the fridge and up at each end

Keep pack of baby wipes in tailgate paracord pouch which would also act as a cushion to stop drawers shifting

Possibly an alternative for recreating the profile of the side wings is using something called a ticking stick ()

Replace fold down shelf on tailgate with an alternative piece of checker plate that has the middle cut out to fit a collapsible sink in. Would need to check sizes and that the peg can hold it up when not in use, and also that the bowl can fit in the cut out but may be able to make it larger than current one to accommodate it...maybe. Would need to check that water can flow into the sink either via gravity or pumped from a container somehow

Use sturdy foam or plastic or wood (cut to shape) with Velcro on base, stuck to carpet on bottom of drawers, to hold things in place

Mattress - search internet for tri fold camper mattress. Milliard 10cm Thick Tri Folding Mattress with Ultra Soft Removable Cover with Non-Slip Bottom – Small Single (190cm X !75cm!) seems to feature top on comparison reviews

Fire extinguisher fixing option alternative to passenger front seat footwell suggested by Wanderlost overland is a molle panel by Grey Man Tactical (MOLLE Vehicle Seat Back Equipment PP Board - 5mm thick PP board). Back of drivers seat should be accessible by driver and through rear drivers door if was in back or at back cooking

Add fire lighter flint to camp kit just in case forget matches or they’re wet or something

A water bag with a hose attached to the bottom could mean that it will maximise the amount of water that can be carried while fitting in whatever space is available under driver side wing and for use. Just hook it up on rear seat belt bolt with hose that could maybe go to a Velcro clip on back door so the tap is above a collapsible sink that’s sat on the fold down tailgate shelf. Acts by gravity. Could just use a different tap for a shower. Limited by bag size and having to set it up

12 Litre Water Tank T12NA-4 from Tanks Direct could be an option with a hose tail(?) if hose position can be in a suitable position. Would need to move the tank if need to get to anything under that side wing

If split a pair of locking drawer runners across two drawers, one locking for each, then the locked drawer when pulled out can wobble with one side still being moveable

On one of the drifta videos the drawer front wood looks to be a bit shorter than the drawer sides to account for carpet on drawer front going up and over top of drawer front making the front and sides equivalent heights

Use a new blade for trimming the van lining carpet, it’s so much easier

Try the van lining carpet on various internal and external corners/angles on a test piece first

Bed extension 1 legs may not be ideal having just two legs from edge down into rear footwell if hi lift jack down there and possibly moving around if off roading. Possibly use two small legs from bed extension to seat bed/boot level and screw legs down to footwell in place before sleeping for the extra support. They may need the swivel feet adjustment things to ensure they are correct to provide support to match the level it is being held at by the seat bed legs

Water container - another option could be something like the slimline rotopax tanks and secure it using the dickie seat mount points just below the rear side window

How much space is there between side of fridge and interior panel for bed foam? Would need to turn fridge off while bed in use(?) because foam would be against the fridge fan - 75cm+3.5cm between interior panel and side of fridge

Ring Hafele - can spring be removed to prevent the spring hinge support bracket expanding open because I’m going to sit shelf on it rather than attach shelf to it so no weight acting downward when closed

Use blocks or the small folding wheel chocks around wheels to stop it having any chance of moving overnight if handbrake fails

Suckers for holding window covers up can have trouble sticking when it’s cold so maybe look for an option using magnets or Velcro

Pull out table using slide out shelf and screw on adjustable legs. If want it to be tidier at the back rather than cut outs for the catches then could fit a cross piece to underside back of drawer and fasten drifta table style catch instead and saw slide shelf flat across back instead

 

[amnesia7]

Scribblings/notes #7

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Windows - Condensation when sleep in car - put some kitty litter in a sock and tie off the ends (the stuff with silica in it). When the socks get damp just take them out and dry them in an oven. For steamed up windows - polish them with shaving gel

Window blinds - easier to make template by sticking newspaper over the window and seals on the outside and tracing the edge of the seals with a pen on the newspaper. Much harder on inside with the interior panels etc

If need somewhere to store/carry more water, what about fastening a rotopak water tank to the spare tyre (would need a bracket making) although that would probably be as heavy as hanging hi lift jack on there and that’s frowned upon. Alternatively, what about making a custom metal tank to fit in rear kiddie seat area secured in place to kiddie seat mount points avoiding any used to secure the drawer box and being aware of any power sockets (with bigger tank it might be better adding a 12v water pump instead of the 5v one)

Could use a rechargeable magnetic torch for in back and cooking rather than having to decide where to plumb a strip light in which could interfere with the window shades positions.

 

[jgaz]

Very nice job! Excellent write up as well.
Thanks for posting