I took the overhead racks out of my bus before measuring how high the overhead racks were from bottom of opening to roof. Does anyone know what a typical measurement for this might be?
I want to build some new overhead racks/cabinets on the sides in the front area, and I'm only coming up with 9" from the bottom of the opening to the roof at nearly 18" from the wall. 9" isn't room to store hardly anything. I suspect I really should be lowering the bottom from the ceiling somewhat, but not sure how far is practical. I suppose I should mock something up with tape and cardboard to see how it looks.
Brian, I too want some racks/cabinets and have decided that the top of the windows is going to determine the bottom of the cabinets.
All the space in the section where I covered the 4 windows on each side is already spoken for.
Ed
I'd think that how far down from the ceiling you can go would depend on what was under the area in question. I removed the overhead rack on my MC-8 on the passenger side, but left it on the driver's side for use storing tools, materials, etc. When it came time to put up walls and cabinets, I had to do something with it. I ended up leaving part of it - from where it was originally in the front to right where the kitchen cabinets will be. I just cut it off. I like the retro bus look (after all, it is an old bus) with the curved section in front with the 'Crusader' emblem and all. It's right over where the sofa and end tables will be and isn't in the way at all. Even though I'll have cabinets elsewhere, it's very handy to have a place to just 'stick stuff' when entering the bus that's pretty much out of sight.
David
My bus is different from a typical conversion. I left four sets of bus seats up front so I can haul eight people. I have eight bunks in the rear.
The overhead racks/cabinets would go over the original seats that I left in and the couch on the other side. I figure nobody would hit their head if I put at the same level as original, but no idea what that is. My windows stop about two inches from the roof line and are pretty big. I also figure I would have to drop the overheads over the top edge of the windows like the original bus.