Framing and Finishing The Caps

[sparkplug188]

How do the professional converters frame and finish the interior of the rounded fiberglass front cap on an Eagle?  Any pictures or ideas are welcome.

It is a particularly challenging area because the front is curved, the top is sloped up at ~45 degrees, and the side walls taper outward from 96" at the windshield to 102" at the body.  I am wanting to mount a 4' wide mini-split air handler up there.  I need to make those curved and irregular walls into a flat surface suitable for mounting the air handler.

[bevans6]

The ones I've seen they cover up the tilted and curved sections with a big flat cupboard and put a TV in it.  Just put the flat front across between the sides, frame it out to your liking, and then scribe in the sides, bottom and top to fit with filler pieces.

Brian

[Jeremy]

The way I would do it would be to fibreglass-in some strong plywood 'ring frames', and then you can (for instance) bolt-in a welded steel framework to hold your AC equipment or whatever. (Basically the same way you'd mount an engine into a fibreglass boat hull, if that helps)

Jeremy

[luvrbus]

You have R&M caps or the Eagle caps ?

[sparkplug188]

Clifford, I am not sure.  Here is a before picture.  I have some mental blueprints-- about to start rocking and rolling!

[TomC]

With both my bus and truck, when I was at this point, I installed 1x3 Apitong (man made Mahogany used on flatbed trucks) horizontally 16" apart screwed into the metal studs. Now you have something to anchor to for cabinets. Then I had it spray foamed to create 2.25" of spray foam. Then cover with 1/4" furniture grade plywood (no formaldehyde). Course if you're going to have overhead lights, overhead power vents, roof top A/C, those items have to be wired before the spray foam. The rest of the wiring and plumbing can go along the bottom of the wall exposed (for easy access).

[sparkplug188]

Progress pictures!  They were taken while the sawdust was still flying.    There are a few more backing studs ("nailers") to cut and install.  Then I will be ready to laminate 1/4" sheathing to the Advantech backer.  I will post few more progress pictures tomorrow.

That is just a purple chalk line across the Advantech.  It is one solid piece, 19" tall at the center and 9" tall on the sides.





Brian- Thanks for posting your method.  I cut out the flat front part first, then framed around it.  It was very easy to get accurate measurements for the surrounding framework.

Clifford- Why did you ask about the cap manufacturer?  What are the differences?

Jeremy- Fiberglass sounds like a good idea.  Unfortunately, I lack the skills needed to make a detailed structure.  I am pretty good at making huge globular fiberglass messes.  

Tom- Where do you buy the 1/4" furniture grade plywood?  I usually use 1/4" utility plywood from Lowes.  I can't tell the difference between utility plywood and drywall once it is painted.  Does the furniture grade plywood stain well?

[Jeremy]

Jeremy- Fiberglass sounds like a good idea.  Unfortunately, I lack the skills needed to make a detailed structure.  I am pretty good at making huge globular fiberglass messes.  

You're welcome - in fact though you have plenty of metal up there to build upon, whereas I had in my mind that you had nothing but the fibreglass cap itself and weren't sure how to build a structure inside it

Jeremy

[TomC]

Furniture grade is available at either Lowes or HD. It has either Birch (lower cost) or oak veneer on one side. I used 3/4" Birch plywood for all my cabinets and walls. About $48 a sheet, but really nice to work with. Almost no voids in the plys. Good Luck, TomC