Sue and I ordered our FourWheel Grandby shell camper
with few options, figuring that we could build the interior to suit our peculiar
camping needs - few amenities, specialized storage for camping gear, strong
bins attached securely to the camper for off-road maneuvers, and no wasted space.
After using the camper for a year, we felt we were ready to begin building our
cabinets, and after seeing Rick Dusch's Fourwheel camper and the storage he
built, we knew what we wanted to do with ours.
 |
The camper interior had a seat facing the window, a backless seat in
the front, and a small shelf unit with sliding doors on each side of
the camper. The seats fold to make a bed that will sleep two friendly
people. |
First, we did not want to move the couch to the passenger
side because we enjoy looking out the window. This compromised the space available
for storage bins, and places most of the camper storage on the driver side
of the truck. Careful packing in the utility bed will be needed to prevent
load imbalance.
Second, additional insulation was needed for cold weather
camping with no heat source. 1/2" double foil faced polyisocyanurate house
sheathing was attached to the walls behind the storage. This insulation will
reduce condensation inside the storage areas, and retain heat in the camper.
Third, we needed to add wiring for lights and radio
equipment. This wiring could easily be installed in plastic wiremold behind
the cabinets.
I had a collection of scrap 1/4" and 3/4"
birch plywood left from several kitchen cabinet projects. It would not match
the oak trim in the camper, but the price was right and the finished birch
would not absorb as much light as the darker oak. The back and some sides were
made from 1/4" stock, the front, shelves, doors, and some sides were built
from the 3/4" stock. Toward the front of the camper, the cabinets could
not be taller than the bed slide rail, so they were shorter. Behind the couch,
the cabinets could extend to the ceiling, but they had to be notched to clear
the couch back. The bins behind the couch use the seat back for a cabinet door.
 |
 |
The original shelf on the driver side was removed. Then 1/2" Foil
faced house sheathing foam was installed on the walls. Plastic wiremold
was installed along the edges of the insulation for the light and power
wiring. |
 |
The cabinets were built in sections - glued and screwed for strength.
The foam insulation provides a buffer to allow movement and flex between
the cabinets and camper walls. |
 |
 |
Polyurethane varnish protects the birch plywood and maple
trim. After drying, the individual sections are installed in the camper
and then tied together. The cabinet structure is very strong and each section
is screwed into the camper frame. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
The standard Ram behind-the-seat storage net makes an excellent gear
retainer. After borrowing the net from behind our seat, we liked the
results so much that we ordered a second net from the dealer to cover
the other half of this bin. |
 |
The original shelf on the passenger side was moved forward to provide
space for a book cabinet in the rear corner. |
Last Update: May 7, 2001
