FW: 2M Planes in Mini-Van -Help-

[rick]

Larry - 

 

I don't have pics, but here are words on my 04 Sienna setup: This setup will
hold two guys, baggage, 4 (!)  2 meter planes, and EZ Up, chairs etc for a
week of flying. Total conversion time from plane carrier to people carrier
(assuming the flying stuff is out of the van) is about 10 minutes for one
person. 

 

Remove all seats. 

    The Sienna middle seats come out / go in easily

     The back seat (folds flush w/ floor) removes permanently w/ 2 bolts - a
plywood deck over the hole gives a flat floor 8 feet long, with great
storage underneath. 

 

 

Wing rack: If your van has 4 coat hooks, your wing rack is PVC pipe
suspended between each pair; - coat hanger wire bent up and covered in pipe
insulation for hangers. Optionally 4-5  laths rubber banded to the PVC to
prevent the wings from sliding between them.

 

Build a 'table' that splits the available area  into upper and lower areas.

      4' x 8' 1/2 " good grade ply works well   The main part ends up 4' x
4'. 

      Use a piano hinge or similar to hinge additional pieces about 2' x
2-1/2' to at the front. 

             If you leave the mid seats in these will cover / rest on them.
Either or both can fold back to allow use of the seat(s)

             If the mid seats are out, build a 1x 3 u - frame that will go
directly behind the front seats and tie these movable table sections
together. Use 1/4" carriage bolts / washers/ wing nuts  for attachment. 

              Also if the seats are out, support the 'flaps' with scrap  1"
x 3" X 24"  bolted under the table - one bolt into table and one into the
flap -- 1/4" carriage bolts / wing nuts. 

        A pair of folding legs goes on the sides of the table, as close to
the edges as possible. Home Depot sells folding leg sets for about $15 - get
a set, cut them to the correct height and screw them to your table. Cap the
ends with plastic plugs, etc to prevent damage to the van carpeting / floor.


        Bungee the table to the van floor w/ two cords on each leg forward /
aft - attached to available cleats factory mounted in the in the van floor. 

       Optionally, carpet the table to help keep stuff from sliding around.
Find a friend who's redecorating. 

              The van floor gets covered w/ something you don't care about -
we use a moving blanket. 

               Fuel jugs go in a Tupperware-type plastic tub. Target has a
size that's 6" deep and is just the right size to hold two one-gallon fuel
jugs, and assorted sunscreen, bug repellent spray, etc. 

 

Loading: 

       Wings in the wing rack.

       Up to three fuselages and batteries, chargers, etc go on the table.
Fuses go strapped / bungee'ed into cradles; cradles tied to table w/ webbing
straps. 

       One fuse underneath. 

       Transmitter cases, EZ-Up, field boxes, coolers, baggage, etc go
under. 

 

Hope this helps. I can do pics in the next couple of days if you promise not
to laugh at the mid-season disarray!. 

 

Rick 

 

 

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