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New Hawk Shell planned mods. Thoughts?

hawk couch mod

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#1 robcocquyt

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Posted 25 March 2018 - 04:12 PM

Hi All,

 

I recently purchased a Hawk Shell (with stove and furnace).   Having had a different Pop-Up camper previously,  I have a good idea of how I want to build the Hawk out.  Having said that, I am a little worried about the mods I need to do working around the aluminum frame.   So, a few questions:

 

Is it reasonable easy to pull off the inside panelling to view and mark the location of the aluminum frame members?  I'll want to attach the new cabinets to the frame so will need to know precisely where the frame members are.   I also need to install a sink drain and water filling port and will need to make sure I don't bore through the frame.

 

Most importantly, however, I need to build a comfortable couch.   It doesn't need to transform into a bed, but I want it to be a good place to relax during long rainy or cold nights.    The problem I foresee is that the benches are too high. A properly comfortable couch needs to have the seat tilted back a bit and your feet need to touch the ground.   The shell "bench" has a long narrow storage area where the mounting plates are.   I was wondering if anyone has eliminated the storage area (keeping the mountain plates obviously) to drop a home-built couch by a few inches.   I was also considering building a storage box on the floor (only on the couch side) that would "raise" the floor on which my feet could comfortably rest.   Long story short, has anyone come up with a comfy couch solution for their hawk?

 

I've also attached a rough sketch of my planned "kitchen" side.   Clearly, I prefer drawers (on full extension slides) to doors. Note that the "cubbies" area will be stepped back (only 17" deep) to leave room for my ARB cooler and water storage against the front wall.

 

Last question, has anyone "hung" small light cupboards from the ceiling framing?   My previous camper had some really handy storage spaces above the couch and above the stove but cabinets were easy to install (screwed to plywood ceiling)

 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

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#2 Bisleybud

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Posted 25 March 2018 - 04:38 PM

Welcome aboard. If you check my build sight you can see what I did to mark the framing.You should be able to unscrew the inside panels pull them back a little and see your frames.Good luck on your build.
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#3 fireball

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Posted 25 March 2018 - 04:47 PM

I think you have too many drawers. Lots of weight and lots of wasted space with slides and drawer boxes. You might want to reconsider doing larger drawers with internal dividers to keep things organized.

Regarding your other questions the Wall panels come off pretty easily.

Is the bed going to block your sink when it's pulled out to a queen?
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#4 robcocquyt

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Posted 25 March 2018 - 07:44 PM

I think you have too many drawers. Lots of weight and lots of wasted space with slides and drawer boxes. You might want to reconsider doing larger drawers with internal dividers to keep things organized.

Regarding your other questions the Wall panels come off pretty easily.

Is the bed going to block your sink when it's pulled out to a queen?

I agree about the number of drawers.  We're actually considering making some of the smaller ones into cubbies.   the bed comes out to about an inch away from the edge of the sink, so it shouldn't be a problem but I'll double check the dimensions because it would be unfortunate to not be able to brush teeth, get water, etc while the bed is made.


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#5 robcocquyt

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Posted 25 March 2018 - 07:46 PM

Welcome aboard. If you check my build sight you can see what I did to mark the framing.You should be able to unscrew the inside panels pull them back a little and see your frames.Good luck on your build.

Thanks!    How do I find your build site?


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#6 RnK

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Posted 28 March 2018 - 09:03 PM

We built a front dinette in our Hawk shell so a little different situation, but we did raise the floor between the seats to a comfortable height.  And we do use the space for storage.  If you look at my post about the build and scroll down a ways, you can see the raised floor:

http://www.wanderthe...k +shell +build

Good luck with your build!

Robert


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2004 Tundra 4x4 Dbl. Cab

2014 Hawk Shell


#7 robcocquyt

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Posted 30 March 2018 - 02:13 AM

 

We built a front dinette in our Hawk shell so a little different situation, but we did raise the floor between the seats to a comfortable height.  And we do use the space for storage.  If you look at my post about the build and scroll down a ways, you can see the raised floor:

http://www.wanderthe...k +shell +build

Good luck with your build!

Robert

 

I like what you've done!   I truly believe raising the floor or lower the couch is the way to a more comfortable couch / chair.   


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