Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:08:41 -0500
Reply-To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: 85-86 westy seat rails in an 83?
In-Reply-To: <CA+n284ORGG4k1xAfX+Xi6PajU6QqSfUB7rcVaYuEdTSzhqeKzg@mail.gmail.com>
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If you want I will send you a writeup with pictures.
Jim
On Sun, Jul 10, 2011 at 12:52 PM, pickle vanagon <greenvanagon@gmail.com>wrote:
> great, thanks for the clarification!
>
> On Sun, Jul 10, 2011 at 1:42 PM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
> wrote:
>
> > At 12:08 PM 7/10/2011, pickle vanagon wrote:
> >
> >> I was wondering if someone could comment on installing these in an 83?
> I
> >> know that some later westys had some kind of tracks for these, which I'm
> >> assuming an '83 doesn't have...
> >>
> >
> > They *are* the tracks. All Vanagons have threaded holes to mount them,
> but
> > Westys have a plywood floor over the holes. The Westy tracks are
> > shortened because of the furniture, and come with covers that fill the
> gap
> > in the plywood when the tracks aren't in use.
> >
> > The installed tracks are a bit below flush with the edges of the plywood.
> > I found that with a rug over the floor (which I always used anyway) they
> > weren't obtrusive to walk on.
> >
> > I cut the installed rug ('84 Westy) with slits so that it could roll back
> > down around the base of an installed 2-person seat.
> >
> > I think I must have made the main plywood cuts with a Skil saw carefully
> > set for depth. I probably used a Dremel tool with a router base to round
> > off the edges of the cut, because I have such a tool and it's easy; but a
> > sanding block would do as well. I can't remember the details of
> finishing
> > off the inside end, toward the cabinet; but I think it's likely that I
> > stopped the rails short enough that the saw could reach, or nearly reach,
> > and maybe worked with a saber saw to make plunging cuts if necessary
> beyond
> > that. I did not remove any furniture. I was starting with passenger-van
> > rails which had to be shortened, so I'm sure I chose the shortening point
> > based on reaching as many fasteners as possible without getting involved
> in
> > the furniture.
> >
> > I have a metal-cutting bandsaw; I might have used that to cut segments
> from
> > the steel edging strip. Otherwise I may have used a Dremel with a cutoff
> > wheel since I tend to use that for sheet metal rather than a hacksaw. An
> > angle grinder with cutoff wheel would be faster. I remember that I left
> > extra length on the parts of the strip that would be reinstalled, so that
> > the ends could fold over to make a pocket. I probably silver-brazed them
> > since I had the means to do so.
> >
> > Yours,
> > David
> >
>
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