Small Space Living

[Boxster1971]

Nice job jerhofer! I also used a small IKEA Billy bookcase in black-brown to add a mini-desk behind the drivers seat.

A lesson learned from my experience, if you plan to apply something like clear polyurethane to increase they durability of the very thin IKEA finish. Whatever IKEA applies as a finish has prevented the poly from adhering completely. I probably should have cleaned it with a fine 3M abrasive pad first and perhaps also whipped it down with a solvent like denatured alcohol. Now my finish looks good but can easily be scratched. I think refinishing my IKEA hack project may now be required.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[Boxster1971]

Also noticed that red Ferrari in background -- is that a F355 Coupe? Nice!

[jerhofer]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Also noticed that red Ferrari in background -- is that a F355 Coupe? Nice!

It is a 1990 348.

[73shark]

Daily driver, right?

[jerhofer]

Originally Posted by 73shark

Daily driver, right?

I bought the car a little over a year ago and have put around 5,000 miles on it.

This time a year ago the engine, transmission and the entire rear suspension were sitting on a table in my garage so I could do the timing belt service.

[73shark]

Bet that was fun.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by jerhofer

it is a 1990 348.

beautiful!!

[jerhofer]

Originally Posted by 73shark

Bet that was fun.

When I told my son I had bought the car and that the engine needed to come out, he was excited. We have worked together on a number of projects. He has a '69 Camaro that he has owned for 14 years. The most recent engine we installed was a 525HP LS3. It is a strong car. We replaced the rear suspension and mini-tubbed that car as well.







He is a mechanical engineer who went to work for Michelin and designed race tires there for 12 years. About seven years ago he made the transition to NASCAR, where the money is. He now works for Toyota Racing Development and is in charge of tire testing for all of the Toyota NASCAR teams. He gets to play with all of their fancy machines every day!!

[73shark]

Tough job but then someone has to do it.

Nice Camaro!

[Lily&Me]

Doug loved old cars, working on them and driving fast.

I'm sure he is looking over my shoulder at these photos, drooling a bit.


Maggie

[jerhofer]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Doug loved old cars, working on them and driving fast.

I'm sure he is looking over my shoulder at these photos, drooling a bit.


Maggie

Doug sounds like a guy I would have liked to know. I have been a car nut since I can remember. Based on the photo below, it was predetermined. See the model car on the table. This photo was probably taken around 1950.

[Lily&Me]

Maggie

[Kwils25]

We recently took a road trip to California and we needed to bring along my suit with dress shirts and my wife needed to bring along a fancy evening gown. Our previous experience told us that stuffing these items in the wardrobe would not work well. Our solution was to mount three hooks on the back of the rear overhead cabinet (see photo). It worked so well that we even hung some of our casual items there. All of the items that we hung were out of the way and easily accessible. They did block the view out of the rear windows but we felt that was a small trade off.

Will we use this every trip, probably not, although it does provide us a means to bring along some nice clothes if needed and arrive wrinkle free!




Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[Lily&Me]

That is a great idea, and gives you all the length you need!

When I think to wipe down those rear doors, they tend to be pretty filthy, so I would have to be very careful of that and to perhaps always bag anything I carried back there.

That is unused space I had not yet thought to use. I love it!

I got an expandable clothing rod, as for vehicles, that I hook into the upper cabinets on each side in the rear, for hanging still-damp clothing after doing laundry.

Works very well, would handle clothing but not evening wear, and easily stows under a bench when not in use.


Maggie

[weirdstuff]

By "evening wear," I thought you meant sox, shoes, and a sweatshirt. HA!! I think I've been in So Cal too long!

[Lily&Me]

Anyone who knows me knows I am not the high-maintenance type, but I do own a beautiful long gown I wore to my daughter's evening wedding in NYC, and a long black skirt.

Some people live a more formal life, and long clothing would need extra hanger space, right?

We drove our car to NYC for this wedding, and with our and my son's families' formal clothing laid out in the back.

Had I thought of these hooks, could probably have taken the Interstate.


Maggie

[bonginator]

We currently have a 23fb but are considering the Interstate plunge. The lack of storage is still somewhat concerning to us. Do any of you mount some sort of external storage rack/box to the hitch that is easily removable so you can open your rear doors?

I'd love to see pictures of some alternatives for additional exterior storage if you have them!

Thanks.

[Lily&Me]

Some do, and it's a matter of personal preference how much you want and need to carry.

They all will block the rear doors, and must be emptied before the doors can be opened more than a few inches.

You will find discussions on this thread about this very thing.


Maggie

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

They all will block the rear doors, and must be emptied before the doors can be opened more than a few inches.

There is at least one hitch-mounted cargo box with a swing-away feature, that lets you open the rear doors without dismounting the box.
Thule Terrapin 684 - Thule
I'm sure there are others as well.

Before I bought a daily driver also suitable for use as a toad to pull behind my Interstate, I used a hitch-mounted cargo tray. My basic rule was, anything for outdoor use went on the tray, anything for inside use went inside the van. No point having outdoor stuff cluttering up the inside, and no point having indoor stuff outside where you can't reach it.

[jerhofer]

I have considered a swing away storage solution. I am hoping the cabinets I installed behind the seat will suffice.