Would you weld in a frame to fit out the troopie?

Thanks, that makes sense.

Thanks for explaining why I shouldn't weld it and what to use. That was going to be my next question.

Cheers.

Gday Hairy,

I want to set it up so I can sleep in it and have storage underneath. I don't want the false floor system cause I want to sit in it sometimes as well - I think. So two storage systems down each side and aisle down the middle, with seat at back. Haven't worked out any dimensions yet. Bolting seems to be the way to go - you always get such good advice here.

Thanks for comments.

Orange.

Gday again,
By the sounds mate......Absolutely not!!!!
There doesnt sound to be any reason for welding to your car.
Maybe go to an engineering firm, tell them what you want (you might be suprised) and see what they say...Dont bull to them ..they might even give you a few ideas??

Cheers

Brian,

Thanks, I'll track it down. I've been surfing the net but have found little in the way of alternate designs to the false floor system.

Regards, Orange.

Yeh, I recall that article too. It was designed for a single bunk on the driver's side above the wheel arch, with storage underneath......... a aisle in the middle and on the passenger's side there was a fridge on a slide at the back (between the door and the wheel arch), then he'd built up a cupboard/bench etc.

He could sit on the bed and use the bench for his computer as well as food preparation. It seemed a bit cramped for my liking and certainly only catered for somebody sleeping in there on there lonesome!!!!

I think the fridge was on a slide that just fit through the smaller door on the back of the Troopy as well.

Kev

Thanks for sharing your website. I looked at storage area. It's interesting to see how it fits together and good for 'ideas collecting' to see what other people have done. I enjoyed reading your wife's art career, too. I'm planning to be a novice painter when I travel next year. I'm going to print off your list of what you take - it looks like a great checklist.

Once again, thanks.
Loris

Thanks for sharing your website. I looked at storage area. It's interesting to see how it fits together and good for 'ideas collecting' to see what other people have done. I enjoyed reading your wife's art career, too. I'm planning to be a novice painter when I travel next year. I'm going to print off your list of what you take - it looks like a great checklist.

Once again, thanks.
Loris

Hi Loris

Whilst what I have done to the back of my GQ may not be what you are thinking of it does give one new ideas.

I like working with MDF. It is strong and one can use it for any application one desires. And it is re-usable whereas with a welding job, once its done, there is no return....:-)

Yes, art is a big thing in our family. My wife runs the local Art Centre and at the moment a Mosaic feature is nearing completion. We managed to encourage Work for the Dole fellas to take an interest and they have come up with a great design.

Cheers

Istill have side seats in. Assume when I take them out (which I have to do if I don't want to go over the pits again) there'll be points for fitting. Ease of adding and removing points is a good point. Thanks.

I also used only existing screw points to fix a bed/ storage under frame in the back of my troopie. One thing you should take care of is when removing the bolts of the seats & seatbelts, especially the ones on the floor, is making sure the weld nut thread gets not damaged by grit/rust adhering to the bolt thread protruding under the car. If it starts getting hard to unscrew DONT force it, you'll damage the thread. It cost me the price of buying a suitable tap (M10x1 I think) to repair the damage caused by being impatient.
The other thing I did was replacing the sidewall covers with thin plywood ones which had pigeon hole type storage bins built in - 3 on each side.
Klaus

Klaus,
Thanks for the advice. The pigeon holes sound like a good idea. I've only found one picture of troopie set out with bed/storage under and row of higher cupboards on other side with fridge on top. Seemed ok - it gives a single bed that way. I'll be doing it in January so have some time to let ideas gel.

Regards, Loris

A few more details Loris. Despite what others said, there IS merit in doing that frame in steel. I used 20x20 square tubing for the bottom frame and folding out double bed, the next smaller size tubing for supports and attachment pieces. Brackets to the body screw locations were in flat steel.
Basically it is a single bed size frame on the driver side which was high enough to fit a modified Engel fridge on runners underneath. This takes up about half the storage space, the forward end was for general storage. The bed frame is double hinged, once to be able to lift it up for top access to the fridge and storage (this did not require to open the wider back door for quick fridge access).
The bed frame coud fold out for a double bed which was supported on square tubular steel struts at bed level to receivers on the passenger side. These struts were stored by sliding inside the open ended bed frame from the rear.
I left the forward passenger side rear seat in place so one could sit inside the back for a snack on a rainy day, the folded bed top providing a table for the food tray.
Under the hinged rear troopy seat a plywood box had space for tools and other bits. Just behind the drivers seat in front of the bed frame is another plywood box for the 2nd battery. The floor is also plywood, much easier to clean and warmer underfoot than the ribbed steel.
The bed box was clad in plywood panels via welded on tangs on the square tubing.
The whole lot needs careful planning to utilise the existing screw locations but it can be done.
I think the 17 odd years my troopy camping outfit has been in use is ample proof that steel and plywood IS a durable method, nothing has broken so far and I would bet its as light as a MDF/ wood frame. The lot travelled up the full Canning and then around Australia in the early nineties.
Klaus

Klaus, Thanks for all the details. I'll get one of my brothers to read it - it seems pretty thorough. It would be good to get a double bed in there - although I will be travelling solo. I might find someone silly enough to share it with me.

Regards, Loris

Yes, wood is the way to go.

What is the difference between plywood and MDF? Is there any advantage of one over the other?

Ply is stronger and lighter than MDF at any given thickness.

MDF swells badly if it gets wet, not from a sprinkle, but if you sink your vehicle tou will bugger your work. Ply is almost totally water resistant. However do not get conned into the extra expense of marine ply.

Jim.

Thanks, Jim. Looks like it's ply.