New carpet for the Bus!

Lately I have been wanting to do some improvements to the bus, however there are no funds to allocate for such projects. I have been doing little things here and there, installing parts that I bought a year ago and have yet had the time to install ) spedo cable, radio antenna, lights in the dash. I also have made a few custom things that I can salvage at work, and fix little things here and there that have simply been neglected (I think that a lot of this car's life it has been neglected...poor thing!). So any expenses have been very minimal. This latest project represents about $16 out of pocket, for floor mats in the front and rear to protect the coolness!

When I worked on the Rexburg temple I was able to salvage a few pieces cut-off of carpet big enough to re carpet my Bus. I have had it kicking around the house for quite a while now. I thought I would just do the front seat area but got on a roll and did the whole bus today. I really didn't think that I would have it all completed today, I thought I would be driving around for a week or so with a bare bones cargo area. It looks really good...the carpet does the bus still looks like crap. I really dig the vine design in the carpet (maybe I'll use it as inspiration for the outside painting of the bus! Those of you who have been through the Rexburg Temple will recognize the design...that is if you ever look down while you are there.

It is obvious that I need to replace the kick panels (beneath the dash), simple masonite or thin wood paneling will be what I use, I also plan on doing the door panels and headliner with the same. I think the blue Vanagon seats need to be recovered in a green pallet, but they are much better than the original seats that were in the bus when I got it.

To get the carpet out of the back I had to remove the rear bench/bed and all the cabinets. You can see how nasty the original carpet was (30 years of neglect). It is very obvious where the cabinet was, and what the carpet once looked like.

Here's the "Kitchen" with the new carpet. I bought a nice, clear, plastic cargo mat to lay down to protect it for the winter. I want to keep the nastiness off it for as long as possible. Note the "Mr. Heater," it is really great for camping!

When I started tearing out the rear seat, I thought that was all I would have to take out, and that the carpet could be just pulled out from under the ice-box and cabinets...

...nope! I was sorely mistaken (very sore! Try working for 3 hours bent over lifting and moving cabinets...I even had the pop-top up!). I really liked the space inside without the sink! I am thinking of building a custom bench that is the width of the bus and eliminating the ice-box, sink, and cabinets (closet is questionable). I could easily use the existing hardware and just build it out of plywood like Westfalia-Werks did. The cabinets just eat up the space.

Here it is all done! I really like the look, and it feels great on the toes! I can't wait to camp in it...I just worry about the dirt. This carpet is really thick and has pad too, better insulation and much softer. I will mull over the idea of a wider bench and less cabinets, but that means more carpet, this carpet just barley goes under the cabinet now, and a farther departure from an original westy (not that the Temple carpet is OE!). All in all I am very happy with it.