I decided after 2 years that l could no longer take cracking my head on the Westfalia overhead locker unit. I didn't want to loose the unit because it does have its uses. Being big it really can take an awful lot of stuff. I used to keep all the stuff in it now plus a massive blanket. But to those with one you will know the annoyance if you sleep head against the rear door. You wake in the morning and "bang". There was also an incident where a friends big oaf of a beagle banged his head on it one night and got grumpy for the rest of the night. They also make it feel very claustrophobic in the rear. So with tools in hand and a few bolts removed the unit came out and size determined. Due to the integral strength of the unit l thought it would be best to cut the rear part off and then use the shaped area as a template. Almost finished. Just the slim rear trim to be put back. Quite a lot was taken off. About 12". And the centre section was totally removed. And now for the problems!! Due to the tapering nature of the bus that we all forget because they look like boxes l wasn't able to fit it back. This was due to the the roof trim inside that needed a little attention. Once cut it was a tight squeeze but it fitted. And if l had to do it all again l would make the unit 13". That way you still get to use the original screw holes Westfalia drilled instead of making new ones.
That's very clever, but I could never give up the storage. I remember having to reinstall my headbanger when I bought my bus. (P.O. was in the process of replacing the headliner and quit) The whole time I was putting it back up I kept telling myself, "No way I'm gonna be bonkin' my noodle on this thing. Now I know about them. Forewarned is forearmed,..." blah-blah-blah and a bag of chips. : First night out I about knocked myself into a coma six times. ** Forewarned my ass. Yer not awake! You won't remember. So I'm gonna try to make one of those rear hatch tents that extend the bed out a foot or two. Can you believe they want $875 for one of these? Please. They have lost their minds. Watch me whip one up. If it works I'll post the pattern for everybody, partially just to spite the greedy bastards. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=553284
It's a lot of trouble to go to just because you're so bloody minded you insist on sleeping the wrong way round...
Ive taken mine out to re-fit windows and its not going back in. Its a pain in the arse to get things in and out of anyway, so Its going to be burned at the stake at midnight at TLB Winter Camp Mwahahaha
i need to do something with mine as the rear part has speaker holes cut in the bottom so this is defo what I am going to do. you say to re-use the original holes to make it 13"? is the the bottom part as though you were looking up at it from lying in the bed?
Measure it first because the Westfalia interior is somewhat custom made but yes the front parts were the bracket is and back. If you measure it from the rear holes back (the shortest distance) and then cut it to size. If you look at the picture you'll see the front holes. The rear holes are hidden inside the cupboard.
