Wall Panel Issues

It was time to make the final fit of the wall panel, that sits behind the Murphy Bed and that forms the background of a closet and side of the rear kitchen.

wall panel cargo vanThe length of the 8′ x 4′ (244cm x 122cm) plywood panel, is just shy of what’s needed to cover the rear window, but that is solved by extending the window support. The cut-outs for the ceiling cross beams fit tightly and the top corner, behind the driver’s seat, fits snuggly around the side airbag location.

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The Murphy Bed is situated immediately behind the seat, with small cabinets above, that hide the existing wireway and with slightly larger cabinets below, that will house the batteries and other solar components. The unfolded bed will remain a little more than one foot (31cm) above the ground, enabling the future storage of a smaller kayak. Hugging the bed on the rear, is a floor-to-ceiling closet, followed by the kitchen, which will span the vehicle from wall to wall.
When the installation is complete, the small window at the rear will remain fully accessible, the larger center window is permanently covered and the forward window can only be used when bed is down. The wall panel will receive a cut-out for a window frame, that will keep the insulation behind the panel out-of-sight.
The floor vent at the bottom will protrude through the lower-cabinet, where it enters the living area.

wall panel cargo vanOn the outside, the unfinished panel background accentuates the color difference with the dark-tinted windows; it clearly shines thru the tinted window. Spraying black, the insulation in between, will barely improve the issue and I might have to use a dark tint on the interior side of that window or an other black-out material.
The forward Murphy Bed window will be mitigated, by using dark colored blankets and/or sheets to improve the visual effect. A dark gray is one of the primary colors used in the interior decoration.

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