Right kitchen, Left kitchen

Sofisintown · Aug 22, 2020

I'm about to install my kitchen cabinets, and I'm still undecided whether it is better to have the kitchen behind the driver's seat, or behind the passenger seat.
My van Chevy Express, has windows on the doors only, which they tilt.

I see lots of vans with galleys behind the driver's seat, and that side has a lot more length, but no window for ventilation.

Me and a full tank of gas, add about 430 pounds on the driver's side.
Electric stuff on this side will add another 140 pounds.

My question is; Where is YOUR galley, and is it because of weight considerations, or not? Am I overthinking it?
My reasoning is , that I can balance all this weight with water and propane stored in the passenger side... right? :s

B and C · Aug 22, 2020

Mine came from the factory behind the driver's seat. I also have a roof vent for any needed additional ventilation.

Qxxx · Aug 22, 2020

Shirley the gas tank is designed to distribute the liquid equitably across the width of the vehicle. No? Plus, I would put the frig and all the heavy canned food under the bed on the passenger side.

And if I were ... ... I might have a hood and a nice exhaust duct to run the hard gases across to the passengers side.

tx2sturgis · Aug 22, 2020

For any van, I prefer the galley at the back, for outdoor access...'chuck wagon' style...

highdesertranger · Aug 22, 2020

"Shirley the gas tank is designed to distribute the liquid equitably across the width of the vehicle"

I doubt it.

highdesertranger

VanFan · Aug 22, 2020

tx2sturgis said:
For any van, I prefer the galley at the back, for outdoor access...'chuck wagon' style...

I second that, and would add that I enjoy inside access to cold stuff, panty goodies, utensils and a cafeteria tray for times when eating in is a must.

Spaceman Spiff · Aug 22, 2020

Mine is on the left side, which doesn't mean much since it is just a counter; no built in stove, sink, or water supply. All of my cooking is outside,; inside I use a small backpacking stove to boil water.

You are smart to be thinking about weight distribution, both side to side and front to back.

Qxxx said:
Shirley the gas tank is designed to distribute the liquid equitably across the width of the vehicle.

Some vehicles have the gas tank on the left, some on the right, and some centered in back. None of the OEM tanks have baffles so the gas is free to slosh around.

B and C · Aug 22, 2020

VanFan said:
panty goodies

Thanks, I needed the laugh

tx2sturgis · Aug 22, 2020

Yes, 'panty' goodies....I'm 'shir' that Sofi was thinking of that possibility.

tx2sturgis · Aug 22, 2020

Yes, 'panty' goodies....I'm 'shir' that 'Sofi' was thinking of that possibility.

Shirley the gas tank sounds like a cartoon character...

Hey we all make a few typos....my computer is used to it by now.

Qxxx · Aug 22, 2020

highdesertranger said:
"Shirley the gas tank is designed to distribute the liquid equitably across the width of the vehicle"

I doubt it.

Oh well, 30 gal is about 240#. Considering the vans weigh 5000# and can carry 3000# loads, I guess that 240# isn't too important.

Shirely Sofi can figure out how to distribute her weight. 2 boxes full of canned food weighs 80-100# or so, which will balance out 10 gal of water, but however can anyone figure out how to balance Sofi herself. ??? (not me).

flying kurbmaster · Aug 22, 2020

I think behind the drivers seat mostly because wind is often a problem while cooking this is where it is on my grand caravan, the fridge is there as well cupboards with food and sink. You would think there would be a problem as there is nothing on the other side but there is no problem with leaning or handling. It is the Westfalia design and they have done it this way for years one of the best layouts, tried and true. This way you can cook with the sliding door open and not have your burners blow out or blow around. There is an opening window behind it but I often have to close it to avoid wind. In my kurbmaster it is by the back doors and if there is the slightest wind I have to at least close one door to avoid having the flame blow out.

Sofisintown · Aug 23, 2020

tx2sturgis said:
Yes, 'panty' goodies...
Shirley the gas tank sounds like a cartoon character...

Yeah, my Shirley the tank is definitely under the driver's side half of the van, and the panty goodies... eh, let's not go there right now...

I will split the kitchen ops - sink on the driver side, and cooking on the passenger side.
I'm finding that the cabinets I'm using are too tall (even chopped down) to cook on. Too close for comfort to the roof. :s
Here is a dry fit attempt. Thanks guys for pitching in...

MrNoodly · Aug 23, 2020

Qxxx said:
Shirley the gas tank is designed to distribute the liquid equitably across the width of the vehicle. No?

No. It runs along the driver side. The exhaust runs along the passenger side.

MrNoodly · Aug 23, 2020

I don't have a galley in my Express. I have a bit of countertop (cupboard beneath) on the driver side. The "sink" is a stainless steel mixing bowl I pour water into from a gallon jug. When I don't need the bowl, it's in the cupboard.

When not cooking outside, I use my one-burner stove on the floor. Otherwise, it's packed away. When I had a propane-only stove I connected it to a 20 lb. tank mounted via a heavy steel strap attached to a steel tradesman's cabinet. Now that I have a dual fuel stove, I use mostly butane, except when it's cold, then I use propane bottles.

The driver's window and side door are usually open at least a crack, there's a roof vent directly above where I use the stove. So I have plenty of ventilation.

Also, the things I cook tend to have short cooking times, so I'm not generating a lot of heat and steam.

Qxxx · Aug 23, 2020

tx2sturgis said:
Shirley the gas tank sounds like a cartoon character...

Like MrN .... "When not cooking outside, I use my one-burner stove on the floor" by the side door. And ditto for everything else MrN said.

Cool, Shirley Sofi (I assume that's where ... ... comes from) your counter situation looks very much like my van driver's side now. I have a largish computer desk there. I used to place the wash basin on the solar cabinet which I took out, so last winter the basin was on the floor, lol.

However, my plan now is to build a fold down shelf on the rear passenger-side side door that is low enough that I can both place the Coleman stove on it and also the wash basin when I need it. I decided having more open floor space 95% of the time is preferable to having cabinets for stove and sink that are used only 5% of the time. So after cooking and washing I can flip the shelf up out of the way.

And nicely rounded corners on that piece of plywood you placed on top the cabinets. Good work.

wayne49 · Aug 23, 2020

"Surely the gas tank ..."

Airplane! (1980)
Rumack: Can you fly this plane, and land it?
Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious.
Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.

Qxxx · Aug 23, 2020

Shir took you a while to figure that one out, LOL (jk). But why does Sofi sign off a lot of the time with ... ... ???

nature lover · Aug 23, 2020

My kitchen is stretched across the back like many people have their bed. Because I have a recliner where the passenger seat was to sleep in. I do as little cooking in the van as possible. So the kitchen counter usually is filled with other stuff. I have a butane stove I can use in here and then a Coleman two burner propane for outside. The butane stove I use also for heat in the winter with a heat battery on top of it. Homemade apparatus basically an antique Woodstove toaster filled with marble chips. Of course I turn off the butane stove before I fall asleep and marble chips in the toaster on top of the stove stay warm for an hour or two. Probably not the most efficient or best way but it beats Having nothing. Now that I am full timing I plan for an all natural heat system. That is traveling south until I find more warm weather. I used to love winter tent camping but “dem days is gone.“

Sofisintown · Aug 23, 2020

Qxxx said:
But why does Sofi sign off a lot of the time with ... ... ???

Same reason as your . --- ..-.

Right kitchen, Left kitchen

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