I'm attempting to (finally) turn my van back into a camper and I have the original 70 devon interior which is pretty ruined. What are thoughts to restoring to original condition or junk it and fit a new interior? I like the layout as the bed pulls out over the rear seats from over the engine bay. It'll be a lot of work to repair all the cabinets and refit. time to stop thinking and start doing!
Restore or replace interior
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Get to a few shows and have a real good look and chat to the owners of the earlybays and see what really works for you. I personally don’t like vinyl seats in the back as part of the bed, because there’s not enough give for sleeping but that’s just me, I prefer fabric as it seems to have more give in it. So that, and a nice easy Rusty Lee rock and roll styled bed for a good nights sleep, rather than a bit of a cushion here on the table there and pull that up to it etc etc. The rest of your interior can be a combo of limitless combinations but I’m not a big big fan of washing up so no sink, everything gets a cursory rinse and a visit to the dishwasher when I get home, and I prefer to cook as much outside as the weather will allow rather than stinking the van out every mealtime. But some loves the originality.
Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,, Have a good look first.
Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,, Have a good look first.
I am with Ozzie. I had a trashed Dormy interior. Ripped it out. Fitted a Rust Lee bed and a small unit with smog cooker. I don’t cook in the van but it’s good for making a brew in the morning. Everything else I do outside.
My new interior in very dark greys and black with a slap of chromium trim.
One of the things it took me a decade to work out, is that I never ever ever used the walk through because I had a custom made buddy box in there which is just sensible. Anything can get chucked in there so that it’s out of the way of prying eyes that can be so easily tempted. This is the basis of my new interior with the fastest fridge ever. Although I like to be original with things, I also love practical too. I have a little space between the new units and the sliding door. I’ve toyed with lots of ideas, but the oldest ideas already planned and hatched by lots of the various marques of conversion are sometimes next to impossible to better. Now I can’t bring myself to muster up any enthusiasm in building a spice rack as it’s something that may appeal to some cooking types but not my cup of tea. But I’m rearranging my grey cells into a sensible formation to perhaps work on some sort of swivelling / fold out / framed set up that might facilitate external cooking to which I’m a firm advocate. Along with a nice display of used Stella boxes to form my waste disposal and recycling centre just inside the van.
Rather than the present facilities that would only result in civil unrest around the campfire after several hours of routine emptying of Stella etcetera etcetera.
Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,looks like we’ll be peeing elsewhere,,,,,,,luckily
One of the things it took me a decade to work out, is that I never ever ever used the walk through because I had a custom made buddy box in there which is just sensible. Anything can get chucked in there so that it’s out of the way of prying eyes that can be so easily tempted. This is the basis of my new interior with the fastest fridge ever. Although I like to be original with things, I also love practical too. I have a little space between the new units and the sliding door. I’ve toyed with lots of ideas, but the oldest ideas already planned and hatched by lots of the various marques of conversion are sometimes next to impossible to better. Now I can’t bring myself to muster up any enthusiasm in building a spice rack as it’s something that may appeal to some cooking types but not my cup of tea. But I’m rearranging my grey cells into a sensible formation to perhaps work on some sort of swivelling / fold out / framed set up that might facilitate external cooking to which I’m a firm advocate. Along with a nice display of used Stella boxes to form my waste disposal and recycling centre just inside the van.
Rather than the present facilities that would only result in civil unrest around the campfire after several hours of routine emptying of Stella etcetera etcetera.
Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,looks like we’ll be peeing elsewhere,,,,,,,luckily
I have a Devon Sunlander which I bought in 2012. The original interior was intact but had mostly delaminated due to leaks etc. I’m a heritage designer so I was never going to get rid. I dismantled, used the panels as templates and rebuilt, reusing the oak joints and improving/tweaking as I went. If interested I can send photos.
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2018
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I was quite lucky when we got our bus the interior was in good condition and didn’t take a lot to sort out just a good clean up I think the more original the bus is the better but you can buy some really nice interiors or bespoke you own like Ozzie has and if yours is rough and and a lot of work to restore I’d be more than tempted to go down that route mate and it’s cool to put your own ideas into it.
W1K1
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- Oct 18, 2022
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- Location
- southern Alberta
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1971
- Van Type
- Westfalia camper
I have never liked the layout of the early westy, so we did our own cabinets. Fridge, sink and water storage in the main cabinet, diesel heater behind the pass seat, and the rest is open storage for stuff 
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2018
- Messages
- 144
- Reaction score
- 53
Yeah very nice looking that mate
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