Hanging Cabinets in mid-60's vintage trailer

[65CV]

Hi-

I'm about to rivet the inner walls back into our '65 Caravel. I'm concerned about providing enough support for the overhead cabinets. I'd like to avoid the problems shown in this picture taken by the PO. (see below)

I'm thinking about drilling through the inner wall and the main support member. I would then epoxy 1/4-20 nuts on the back side of the support member "C' channel. This would be done before riveting the inner walls.

When I hang the cabinets, I will slot the wood to account for expansion and then through bolt the cabinets to the nuts that I would install now. This should avoid the problems with screws pulling out.

Comments?

Thanks,
John

[Beginner]

Why not just take a piece of Aluminum flat bar, 1" wide 2 foot long 3/16" thick, bend it to the radius in the section of the wall where the cabinet goes so that it fits flat against the inner skin/rib then pop rivet it in place with a counter sunk rivet to hold it in place.
You will have to drill holes to place the sheet metal screws back in the wall but the strength will be greatly increased. You will not have to be as accurate in the placment of the beefing material as you will have to be with the 1/4-20 nuts.
Beginner

[65CV]

Beginner-

I like your thought process there. What I may do is put a strip just like that horizontally, just like a nailer in a kitchen for cabinet installation. It can go between the two stronger ribs and give me a far better attachment point.

Thanks.

John

[Ambie '64]

That's a good solution, Beginner. It seems like it could also work to keep the cabinets attached at the top to prevent excess pressure on the wall screws (in engineering, it's called moment reaction, or rotational effect of gravity force). You can then load all of your Swiss gold bullion in the upper cabinets for safe-keeping.