Removeable component interior ??

[grandpa pete]

I have gotten a bunch of ideas from u tube and here about how I want to do my van interior . Like most of you I have a notebook with drawings and lists of ideas I NEVER would have thought of on my own .
Recently I have been discouraged from doing a full build out because of two recent U Tube occurances....Beach cricket had a rear brake fire that cost her the van and another ( Lost on land ?) u tuber 's daughter rolled her van and lost it ...
The daughter was told that she couldn't remove parts of the interior until the insurance company was through with it ...

Has anyone had any experiences with temporary attached components that would be removeable and transferrable to another similar van? 
My experience with real estate has always been that anything " permanently attached  " stayed with the property . What about our vans interiors ?
 I can build an interior that is NOT ATTACHED to the van body ? Would this be removeable personal property ?

Does anybody here have any more info than I do on this ?

Thank You for reading this .

 

[mr_elijah_gardner]

I don't know if a modular interior would be considered personal property or not. 

I watched one video where a guy made a big point that his couch/bed wasn't permanently attached so that legally it was the same as hauling it. He was based in he UK I think. I'm not sure if it makes a difference there.

There are alot of advantages to a modular interior. Probably the biggest one is as you build your van things and ideas constantly change. It would make it easier to have a van that suits your preference.

Hopefully the chances of an insurance claim are super low. Personally it wouldn't be the deciding factor for me.

I suppose any interior you build could be transferred to a different van depending on the amount of work you want to out into it.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

Catastrophic loss of the vehicle, while possible, is an unlikely event.
While you state two examples, there are also a lot more vans with stuff bolted in them that haven't been totaled.

Also using a modular system has advantages and disadvantages.

First, for modular components to be of use in another vehicle they have to fit.

So you need to consider...if you total your vehicle, are you going to get the same exact model and year to replace it?
If you did your build on say a 1995 vehicle, and it's been a few years you might want to upgrade to a 2001.
The components may not fit or may be of such a modular design that they aren't as efficient as a built-in item.
For example, if you build a bunk that is built to conform to the wall of your vehicle to maximize storage space and wheel well placement, it may not fit well in different vehicle or even a newer version of the same model where the interior shape may differ.
Also with modular components you need a way to lock everything down so it doesn't shift yet be removable enough that it is considered "cargo" and not an accessory. That can be tricky.
Also I've seen some pretty slick built in set-ups that utilize the natural curve of a vehicles wall or unique spots to create extra storage space, convenient cubbies, etc. Modular designs will generally not be able to do that.

On the plus side modular components do offer the flexibility to change over quickly, to turn your vehicle form camper to a "civilian vehicle" and back again. or if you need to change the design due to changes in your living situation (adding a living companion, decide you need more dedicated storage, changing the layout to include a work space, etc). And if you are dead set on always living in a 1992-2014 E150, then the interior won't change much and you can always upgrade your vehicle and take your modular stuff with you.

Lastly if you have insured your vehicle as a "camper" or for replacement value based on the things you have done and added, the insurance company can argue that those things are part of the van and when they total it out, you cannot remove them.
Now if it is a total loss of vehicle and it only has scrap value, you can probably get the scrapping place to let you remove those items.
Generally they are only concerned with the scrap value.
Nobody else is going to find a lot of value in a custom made plywood bunk/storage unit.
But if you've added a heater, AC unit or something with some value to others, then they might not let you remove that.
Or it might be a situation where the damage is just enough to total the vehicle so Insurance pays out, but the shop decides they can repair it on the cheap and buys the salvage title from the insurance co.
You sometimes have the right to buy your vehicle back in a salvage/write-off case but not always.

I am personally not worried about vehicle loss enough to make modular design a concern.
I'll just start over, it's a risk I'm willing to take based on the legal issues of registering it as an RV, cost of insuring for replacement value.
My van is also not my primary residence so that is another factor.
just like people set aside money for future repairs/maintenance/overhauls I think that just registering and insuring your vehicle for as cheap as possible and putting the difference in a nest egg is the way to go.

 

[highdesertranger]

one thing about modular components you need to keep in mind is that they are heavier and bulkier. highdesertranger

 

[John61CT]

If you just make it a little smaller than tight-fit, shopping for the next van just make sure it fits before buying

Ones I like:

The Grove Guy
http://thegroveguy.blogspot.com/2011/06/toyota-sienna-van-conversion.html?m=1


SwissRoomBox
http://www.swissroombox.com/index.html


Fifth Element Micro Camper System
https://fifthelementcamping.com/honda-element-micro-camper-system/

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

. . . I can build an interior that is NOT ATTACHED to the van body ? Would this be removeable personal property ?

Yes you could build an interior that is not permanently attached to the van body.  You would need to talk with your insurer and the state to determine how they define 'cargo'.  My biggest concern would be that things are tied down well enough so that in the event of a major accident things aren't flying around and doing you damage.  It would take more thought and engineering.

 

[Almost There]

Technically, I COULD remove the entire interior of my van. Yes, it's all screwed together but screws can be unscrewed.

Over the course of the last 40 odd years, I have removed the interior of several vans and re-installed them in other vans. Sometimes it was only re-purposing the wood, sometimes it was using the same board for the same purpose.

Come to think of it, the wood that is now my platform for my bed has been in 3 vans and also used as the top of the platform bed in my apartment for 8 years...

If my van is so badly damaged as to have it be declared a total loss, my interior is probably going to be toast as well but then I've got it insured as a motor home and have it covered for stated value. 

I had one van (a Safari) that the insurance company wanted to write off after a moose ran in to the side of it. I knew I couldn't replace it for the settlement amount so I kept the title and accepted the settlement less the scrap value deduction that the insurance company would have received at the wrecking yard. The repair estimate was based on having the work done at a dealership, which as we all know, is way high.

I checked around, found an excellent bodyman who worked independently, waited 6 weeks for him to have room in his shop and had a better job done for 2/3rds the price.

 

[John61CT]

For securing the cabinetry: L-track or tie-downs attached with PlusNuts to the floor and / or side ribs / pillars.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

If you just make it a little smaller than tight-fit,  shopping for the next van just make sure it fits before buying

Ones I like:

The Grove Guy
http://thegroveguy.blogspot.com/2011/06/toyota-sienna-van-conversion.html?m=1


SwissRoomBox
http://www.swissroombox.com/index.html


Fifth Element Micro Camper System
https://fifthelementcamping.com/honda-element-micro-camper-system/

That Swiss Box is $2187 Swiss Francs! And the Franc is pegged at 1:1 with the USD!
That buys a lot of high quality, lightweight marine grade ply...and tools, paint, glue to make the same thing from scratch, plus groceries for 3 months!

The fifth element is $2195 for JUST THE BED BENCH!

I would use the above sites for ideas, but would build it myself.
I can duplicate function of the above systems exactly, just the finish might not be quite as pretty.

 

[Motrukdriver]

I think if you are that worried about totaling your vehicle then you shouldn't be doing this. That would be like never leaving your house because you are worried about getting mugged. Don't get me wrong, there are some people with those types of fears. Mobile living probably isn't one of those lifestyles if you have any level of that. Remember, if you do total your vehicle you can buy it back from the insurance company. I totaled a small sports car, well a kid that got his driver's license pulled out in front of me and I T-boned him, not my fault. The insurance company gave me two options. Full insurance reimbursement and they kept the vehicle or a smaller figure but I got the vehicle back. I opted to just take the full amount. My wife at the time totaled her car but I figured it could be rebuilt so we took a smaller amount and I got the car back, used the money and bought a new front clip, her brother did the paint and finish. We ended up with a car that looked nice and a few extra hundred dollars in our pocket. I was with State Farm at the time and the insurance went up a few dollars. By the time that car found a new home we were still in the green. Just something to think about....

 

[breeze]

If things slide and fly around, then you would be trouble in any State's DMV. Safety First!

1. An electric screw gun is cheap and reversible (screw in or remove screw, screw out.)

2. AL extrusion would be ok if you had unlimited machine shop labor dollars for cutting and paid storage for all the 'old' extruded length pieces you don't need anymore. (very expensive unless you have a house to store old parts and worked at a SMT house who need AL extrusion for manufacturing.) O/W, very cost prohibitive plus a lot of engineering in 3D modeling for precise fit geometries that all change with every addition (but it looks nifty.)

You don't need to be a Value Engineer to pick #1 - Screw gun, tape measure, a notebook pad with 1" squares that have 100 lighter squares inside each 1" square, and maybe a $8 Walmart calculator. The easiest way is usually the best way!

 

[mayble]

I'm building modular pieces as much as possible - the bed platform and a few shelves are attached to the van, but the stove base, refrigerator and sink cabinet will be attached only to the van's tie down points.
I want the ability to move things around the van as needed and if push came to shove for law enforcement or insurance purposes, I'm only carrying my camping gear in my van rather than living in a self-built camper.  If I ever wanted to, I could pull them out and set the whole kit up in a tent, cabin or the great outdoors.

 

[John61CT]

I would use the above sites for ideas, but would build it myself.

Yes of course, just posted for design ideas, never imagined anyone here would consider buying one.

Funny, so many Americans talk about how much higher our standard of living is, but boy those Europeans and Aussies sure do spend a lot on their campers!

Not too many seem to be forced into full-timing in them in them either, those countries must be doing something right. . .