My McMansion Latest Improvement Photos, September 2013

Here are some photos of the latest major improvement to My McVansion. This is the unit I designed to serve as a combination galley and storage unit. First, I've laid out the components to be assembled. Then you'll see the completed unit sitting outside the van. Finally, you'll see a shot of it actually installed in the van.

I'm on the road on my first Shakedown Road Trip with My McMansion as I compose this post. I had planned to provide some method of securing the draws in the plastic storage units below the cabinet, but I hadn't installed them before I left. Fortunately, I didn't have any drawers fall out and dump everything on the floor, but they wanted to. So, this morning, I went into the Walmart at Phillipsburg, NJ where I overnighted in the parking lot and acquired some bungee cords and some screw in eyes and that problem is now eliminated.

The space under the counter was actually designed to accommodate a small 2.7 cu ft. refrigerator with a microwave on top of it. I can still do that if I determine I'd like that arrangement better. But, for the moment, plastic storage units are there and will soon have fresh water storage behind them along with a gray water container.

Everything is functioning as planned with the exception of not having the bungee cords in place. Now with those added, I fully expect everything to ride perfectly. 

This is the base plate for the unit, already stained and notched to accommodate the gas filler pipe that extends inside the van. It's sitting on top of the two plastic storage units that will be housed inside the final cabinet.

These are the two side panels. The taller of the two panels is the left side panel.

This is the counter top.

This is the back splash panel.

Here it is. The fully stained and assembled unit. It may look strange in this form, but you'll see it assume its functional shape in the next few photos.

Adding the two plastic storage units makes the unit infinitely more functional.

Here's a rear view of the unit showing where the fresh water storage and gray water accumulation container will be located.

Viola! Here it is, installed and secured between the driver's seat and the bunk. Matt, Carolyn's son, was quite impressed that it fit in perfectly the first time and is completely functional.

I also installed the black out panels in the window behind the galley/storage unit and the right rear window and created temporary black out curtains for the two rear windows, the left rear window, the side door windows and a black out drape to close off the cockpit from the living area in the back.