Another ProMaster Van Racking

[builderbob]

I figured I'd start another thread so 3PedalMini's thread wouldn't get over run!  (Sorry pedal)

First off, I finally purchased a van!  I've always had trucks with caps and trailers. It was never a great scenario for me but all of the low roof vans were basically the same as having a pickup with a cap so I stayed put. I could never afford a sprinter and didn't want to get into the diesel market with all of the headaches I've heard of sprinter owners.

I had been eyeing out the promasters since their announcement and ordered one in mid October. I finally received it mid January and now I need to outfit it!  I ordered a low roof 136" wheel base 1500 model. There's about 65" of headroom in the cargo space and after I put the partition in, there's 9' of length. I did opt for the extended partition so the passenger space would not feel so cramped and seats can be reclined a bit.

So far, this is where I'm at with the shelving.  I decided to notch the bottoms of the legs so that I can lay sheet goods when necessary. Most everything will be off the ground once all of the shelving is done with the exception of the Kapex which will just have to go on top of any sheet goods on the floor. I'm using an adjustable hole with the "L" shaped metal pins that have a hole in the bottom. This way I can fasten my shelves in and have them stay put but still allowing flexibility with my shelf placement. I'll continue to post photos along the way!

 

[builderbob]

For the floor, I had originally purchased a rubber mat as I felt the $800+freight wood floor was steep. I like the mat except that it was following the ribbed contour of the floor. So I purchased some 1/2" plywood, cut that to the general size...domino'd the sheets, traced the mat and cut it out. I popped that in, glued the mat to the plywood and voila I'm good to go!

 

[penetratar]

Nice job so far. I see you've made a couple of boxes for each end of the Kapex supports and curious to see how you incorporate this into the build .. and liking the light on top of the cab.

 

[mastercabman]

Nice set up!
That's the van I'm looking into but with higher roof

 

[3PedalMINI]

No worries man! i love van threads, even when they derail mine  [big grin]  [tongue]

Man those promasters are goofy looking, they are quite a few of them running around here but they are all white and just ehhh looking. yours in the granite crystal looks much much nicer and helps detract from the goofyness of the front end. The NV200 is a close second to ugleness and goofyness. But you cant take away from how much more capable these euro style vans are then they usual style.

Im glad nissan shook up the market back in 2011. I feel without them we wouldnt have the types of vans that are coming out now and would still be stuck with the same ole choices. Sprinter-econoline or express.

what plywood did you end up choosing? how are you attaching the cabinets to the walls of the van? ill be doing the wood floor in my nv200 but i havent quite figured out how ill be attaching my cabinets to the sides or roof.

Congrats on your van! looking forward to seeing how it comes out!

 

[NERemodeling]

Congrats on the van!!  looks like it was well worth the wait.    shelving is coming out nice, good idea with the flooring

i gotta check that thing out soon!

john

 

[3PedalMINI]

how did you attach the floor? or is it just held in by the partition bolts?

 

[builderbob]

how did you attach the floor? or is it just held in by the partition bolts?

Ironically the floor was done after the partition. The ply is held down by 6 D rings that are placed evenly on the left and right sides from the factory. The 4mm dominos hold the 3 sections together.

The shelves will be bolted from the highest cross rail (which is where all the after market stuff is attached) using an angle L bolted both through the cabinet and through mounting holes in the cross rail!

 

[fortrout]

Where did the jig on the Domino come from?

 

[Theshipstore]

That jig is called a Domiplate and can be obtained from www.senecawoodworking.com/.
One of the FOG members sell these for both the 500 and 700 Domino's

 

[builderbob]

Much appreciation to all of the other van racking posts, I've taken little bits to come up with what I think will suit me best!  Here's what I have so far! 

 

[builderbob]

The space where the drawers are is built to house midi systainers that I plan to put multiple sanders, etc in. The drawers are repurposed from an old supplier that made a batch of drawers incorrectly and sold about 8 solid maple dovetail prefin to me for less than $50 total!  So I made them fit!

 

[Brice Burrell]

Bob, are your shelves/drawers fastened/locked somehow and what holds the Systainers from toppling off the shelves?  As an aside, I checked out a ProMaster and decided to go with the Ford Transit Connect instead.  I drove the Transit first and then the ProMaster seemed like an bus, that's just more than what I want to drive everyday.

 

[builderbob]

Brice, the shelves take so much might to open/shut. They're the gliderite slides and they stay shut...so far!

The systainer idea I used from our member wing who also has a promaster and made the four notches for the feet of the t loc systainer. They stay in very well. Been over some bumpy terrain already and all is well...so far!

I'll keep ya posted!

Congrats on the transit connect!  You don't have a need to haul sheet goods?

 

[Stephen B]

[size=11pt]

On this and other similar van Posts there has been discussion of sheet goods. It is my experience, working PTime in a TimberYard, that a majority of Van and Utility owners carry sheet goods on roof rack systems. We load them by hand or forklift depending on set up. Now, yes we have a milder climate than some parts of Europe and NA, but it still can rain (fat chance at the moment) so high quality sheets are wrapped.

And as others have said, there is also delivery; free within 10km.

Nice van and set up.

You would not believe the mess in some vans/utilities I see. Then you might!    [eek]

 

[Brice Burrell]

Brice, the shelves take so much might to open/shut. They're the gliderite slides and they stay shut...so far!

The systainer idea I used from our member wing who also has a promaster and made the four notches for the feet of the t loc systainer. They stay in very well. Been over some bumpy terrain already and all is well...so far!

I'll keep ya posted!

Congrats on the transit connect!  You don't have a need to haul sheet goods?

Right, that's what the pic of the 1400 is showing, I got it now.  I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product, keep up the good work.

Congrats on the transit connect!  You don't have a need to haul sheet goods?

Thanks.  No I don't need to carry sheet goods, I've got a great lumber yard that delivers free, usually the same day.

 

[Jonhilgen]

Bob, are your shelves/drawers fastened/locked somehow and what holds the Systainers from toppling off the shelves?  As an aside, I checked out a ProMaster and decided to go with the Ford Transit Connect instead.  I drove the Transit first and then the ProMaster seemed like an bus, that's just more than what I want to drive everyday.

Brice,  I thought the new connects aren't goo to be here until summer 2014.  If they are here, do you test the longer version, or the standard size.  I'm sick of my truck, and really don't have much a need for transporting sheet goods much either.  Comes in handy every once in a while though.

Jon

 

[builderbob]

The Transit Connects are already here. The full size Transits are summer 14. I did hear a longer version of the Connect was coming out but I know nothing of that as to when

 

[Brice Burrell]

Bob, are your shelves/drawers fastened/locked somehow and what holds the Systainers from toppling off the shelves?  As an aside, I checked out a ProMaster and decided to go with the Ford Transit Connect instead.  I drove the Transit first and then the ProMaster seemed like an bus, that's just more than what I want to drive everyday.

Brice,  I thought the new connects aren't goo to be here until summer 2014.  If they are here, do you test the longer version, or the standard size.  I'm sick of my truck, and really don't have much a need for transporting sheet goods much either.  Comes in handy every once in a while though.

Jon

As Bob said the '14 Connects are here now.  I have the long 120" wheel base model.  The total length of the Connect is about 190" giving you 72" 84" in the cargo area with the seats all the way back.  You've got a little over 48" between the wheel wells, I forget the exact number but I think it's 45" high in the back.  The roof is around 72" off the ground.  I'll start another thread on the Connect when I get the wire partition, roof rack and window grills and take pics (that way Bob can hijack my thread like I've done with his [tongue]).    

 

[Brice Burrell]

.......The full size Transits are summer 14........

Well, maybe.  The commercial salesman at the dealer told me there's a really good chance that will be delayed (possibly long term).  Seems people freaked out when Ford announced its plans to discontinue the E-series.  Apparently van guys aren't ready to give up their pickup frame style van just yet.