Ford E Transit Upfit Update

Fitout By Anonymous Property Manager

Ford E Transit Upfit Update:

The upfit of my new 2023 Ford E Transit high roof, extended wheelbase van continues:

The Bott SMARTVAN System has its benefits, it is fast & easy to install, crash tested, readily accepts Systainers from Bott, Festool and Tanos and is easily reconfigurable. The limitations are, no shallow drawers and no configuration currently available for aft of the bulkhead.

The drawer solution: Utilize 2 new Tanos Sys3 L 137 Systainers and a new Festool Sys3 L 137, with the lids removed, mounted on 3 new Systainer3 L Bott Runner Kits to create slide-out, open-top drawers with Kaizen foam on the bottoms.

Similarly I used an existing Festool Sys3 M 187, with the lid removed, and another new Systainer3 M Bott Runner Kit to make an additional slide-out, open-top drawer for more hand tools.

But wait, there is more, I custom built an aft-bulkhead set of cabinets with shelves on top to accept 8 MINI-systainer T-Loc I’s, with transparent lids & inserts, to organize small tools and consumables that were previously in wooden drawers of my Ron Paulk inspired FORD E350 work van (Previously featured).

In keeping with the Ron Paulk philosophy of passive restraint, the feet of the MINI-systainers rest in cutouts of ¼” plywood. It’s a tight fit, so I applied finger pulls to the front of the MINI’s to lift them up and slide them out.

The cabinets (7 stacked plywood boxes) also offer more drawer storage and open slots to accommodate my aluminum ramps, Festool Kapex saw stand extension wings, levels and a modified version of a Peter Millard design, collapsible, portable, MFT-style workbench.

The Festool green, open, cabinet accommodates 6 battery chargers, 12 battery holders and a commercial grade surge protector.

Systainers Sourced from Systainer.Store SYS-Aid: First Aid Systainer Tanos Systainer3 XXL 337 (for vacuum hose storage)
Tanos Systainer3 L 137’s (with catches removed for hand tool storage) Tanos Systainer3 ToolBox M 237

Materials Schedule: Finger Pulls: 3M Command Small Wire Hooks (Clear) for MINIs’ up to 1# 3M Command Medium Wire Hooks (White) for MINIs’ to 2#

Labels: Brother Laminated White TZe-251 Tape 24mm Brother Extra Strength Matte Silver TZe-S951 Tape 24mm Brother Laminated White TZe-231 Tape 12mm

Van Racking: Bott SMARTVAN

Bulkhead Cabinets: 3 sheets 4’x8’ - ½” Maple Plywood ½ sheet 4’x8’ - ¾” Birch Plywood ½ sheet 4’x8’ - ¼” Plywood ½” & 1” Half-round Pine

Paint: SW Extreme Bond Primer BM SCUFF-X Ultra Spec Semi-gloss (Gray Owl #2137-60) BM FLOOR & PATIO Low sheen (Apple Lime Cocktail #420) RUST-OLEUM Gray 7214830 - 12 oz. Spray

Battery Mounts: RYOBI LINK ONE+ Battery Shelf StealthMounts - Festool, Milwaukee, Dewalt

Surge Protector: Furman PST-8 Digital Power Station

Label Printer: Brother P-Touch Model PT-D600

Peter Millard: Ultralight Portable Bench [video 434] https://www.youtube.com/@10MinuteWorkshop