dberladyn

Hi,

I plan on sheathing or sheeting the inside walls. I don't want dents protruding to the outside. Is there a right and a wrong way to do this? Is there any templates available somewhere on the web?

I know there are plastic liners, but unless I find a great deal, they are too much money.

Right now I am thinking of installing 5 or 6 1x4"'s down the length of the van and screwing 3/8" sheets to this. It just seems like it may be stronger, easier and more accommodating for anchoring shelves and such. I don't really want to lose an extra 3/4" on each side, but it just makes sense to me.

Also for installing the sheets, should a guy go lengthwise or vertical? I'm thinking of cutting templates with thick cardboard, but I won't really know what I do until I do it.

Thanks in advance for your input.

DougE

It's been a long time since I've done a windowless van, but I always found running the sheets vertically worked the best visually due to the exposed grooving in the panels. I've done modifications to a window van lately and have found that the structural rib dimensions are not consistent so it takes a bunch of shimming to get a consistent mounting surface. Attachment to the driver's pillar is difficult so you might consider a minimum of 2x material to give structural stiffness at that front end (and may be the same at the rear). I used 1/4" nutserts to attach structural wood members to the ribs.

dberladyn

A nutsert! Interesting, I never realized there was such a thing readily available. I know manufacturers have leads on interesting anchors and attachments, but I never realized it was a common part complete with a name for the average consumer to locate and purchase. Thanks for that.

I'm still leaning on having a threaded plate which would slip into the slot on the rib and turn 90 degrees acting as an anchor. A bolt through a 1x4 threaded into this plate would lock everything in place securely with no drilling. I've seen it somewhere else, that's what I got the idea.

I was looking at the ribs yesterday, trying to formulate a plan in my mind. I noticed the front rib near the drivers door. I see exactly what you are saying, the sheathing literally has to float there, same with the very rear I think. This is why I see running multiple 1x4's down the length as a possible necessity. They will provide the backing and the strength, not to mention I think they help clearance in a few areas of the ribs.

Speaking of the ribs, I'm not clear on GM's thinking. They didn't seem to design this easy to customize. Or maybe they did? And it's just the best layout between factory fitting out and independent customizers.

So vertical sheets, thank you for the vote. I think I came to conclude that one a long time ago for the same reasons. I looked at another van the other day, he ran his sheeting lengthwise, but you couldn't see the joints because of his shelving. I wish his van was empty, it would have given me a better perspective.

When you out fitted your vans how did you get the exact shape of the sheets? Did you use a template or did you just cut everything rough and live with it. It seems to me there are areas that are not straight.

DougE

I think you'll find that the side ribs are perpendicular to the floor and you only need to measure the vertical distance at each roof support rib to trim the tops of the sheets appropriately. If you're using horizontal support boards then the location of the side ribs isn't important. At the driver's door I butted the horizontal support boards to it and put an angle bracket below each to give it some attachment to the driver's post. You may need to use cardboard templates to give you the shape around the fuel fill cover and the wheel well.
Customized vans are not the hot item they were in the 70's so manufacturers don't bother making them easy for individuals to modify anymore.

canucklehead

I used the thinnest door skin type plywood I could find as it was easier to bend and flex. The hard part is the walls taper inwards front to back and top to bottom, so you have a bit of work to do to get it to screw on flat. Mind you I did it on a g van, and the express is a little more straight.
I spray glued some flooring underlay onto the walls first for sound.....Nothing sucks more than driving around inside of a huge speaker box.

Master Blaster

I am right now in the process of customizing the inside of my 2004 2500.

Not for work. Just for standard hippie van.

The G-series vans from the 90s were awesome for doing this. The frame structure was fairly square-ish, with the frames having almost no curvature or contour.

This Express of mine is a severe pain. Especially from the wheel wells to the back door on the sides. And to get the appearance I want (flat side panels), I am going to have to grind some of the frame structure away in the rear upper corners. And I did have to cut out some frame material just above the rear wheel wells as well.

I am using 1/4" plywood. All I do is drill a hole through the plywood into the frame, then run a sheet metal screw into it. Fast and easy installation that way.

Oh, and I use Frost King insulation on the inside of the van's metal sides, covered with a layer of foil bubble-wrap (both available from your local home improvement store) for insulation and sound deadening.

Here is a photo of what it looks like currently. I did a couple of side and ceiling panels.

Had to take a break due to being short on funds, but am going to finish it up over the next few months.

Once I have the paneling in on all sides and the ceiling, then I will get out the staple gun and staple carpet from floor to ceiling.

Here is the passenger side looking back. Yes, I am building a bed, with built in speaker boxes as well.



Here is the driver's side.

dberladyn

Looks like I won't be doing this, sometimes procrastination pays off. I searched Craigslist last night and low and behold, I couldn't believe it. New (or near new) moulded plastic panels for lining the inside for FREE! To top it off, they were listed there for almost 30 days and no one picked them up because it was a 45 minute drive out of town. I jumped, get them now or lose them.

Now I just have to buy some screws for install and finally decide to insulate first or not. 2" Roxul I am thinking. I am also thinking I am going to glue some 3/4" plywood strips to the back of the ribbed areas for backing to screw to when mounting various things, shelving and the like.

KONNMAN

looking good!!


DBERLADYN- want to sell them??? what did you search to find them?!?!

dberladyn

Not for sale, they are ALL mine! hehe... They will save me a ton of work and probably give me a better finish that I could ever accomplish with plywood and the weight savings will help balance out what I chose for insulation. Which I am still second guessing whether it's the right thing to do or not.

I just search everywhere all the time or from to time. On Craigslist I search for Savana, Savana Parts, Express, Express parts. That kind of thing. There was local can here, a 2008 which was obviously written off in a collision. I was going to buy the power seats and a few things out of it, but I think I got lazy and realized I don't want to spend money unless it's something I truly have the need for.

If you keep looking you will find what you need. There's a set of panels for an Extended Savana in Victoria, BC. They've been there for three months. Maybe contact him?