# Custom Car Kennel (56K BEWARE!)



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I've debated whether or not to share these pics here because I have SO many pics of the process! I've tried to weed them down to just enough so you get the drift. This is a custom DIY car kennel setup that I'm building in my car. Unfortunately, the car is too small to get multiple crates in at the same time. Though I'm sad to give up the ability to haul 8-10' lengths of lumber in the car, the ability to pop the dogs in and out is SO nice! The kennels aren't done yet, and I do plan on finishing them in some way- probably paint.

Thought I'd share. I'm quite pleased with the project so far.

The car's rear seats were removed and a new false floor are rear platform were built:


















The platform (and false floor for that matter) are mounted on custom metal brackets that I made. These brackets bolt to the car's rear seat mounting positions:



























The false floor was carpeted, and under the platform is where I can store Pimg's soft crate:


















A center divider was built and attached to the platform:









Next I tackled the back wall, which has two doors. The doors have grill grates embedded into them which allow ventilation as well as allow me to see through:




































After the rear wall was done, I tackled the front wall. In order to get this big piece in the car, I had to install it as two pieces, which I "reconnected" with a piece of oak:



























Now that the floor, front, and back were done, I started work on the side walls and doors. This was no easy task getting everything to fit the curves of the car. I built the sidewall on the bench and installed it as a unit:



























And next I created the side door. Again, this has a grill grate embedded into it for a window:




































I cut some padding for the floor:


















There was a gap between the top of the divider and the ceiling of the car. I filled it with another piece of plywood cut to the contour of the ceiling, and secured it in place with more oak:


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Finally, in these last pics, you can see the space under the platform, and how I plan to put drawers there:



























I have the kennel behind the driver's seat completely done, which is where I put High Jinks. The kennel behind the passenger seat is where Pimg rides, and it's secure enough to hold her in place. I just have to finish the side wall on that side. Then tear it all back out and paint it... Long project! I'm pleased with the results though.


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Wow, NICE!!
What'd you use for the wire...?


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

The wire as in the grating? They are replacement grill grates from a Weber grill. They have "wings" which allow me to stick my hands into the kennels without opening the doors.


----------



## angelas (Aug 23, 2003)

That looks awesome!!! I can set up a double-door 36" crate in my little Aveo hatchback. If I still have it when I get my big dog I might do something like this in my car.


----------



## San (Mar 22, 2012)

Hubby built a crate for a dog club member's two dogs because her SUV could not hold two separate crates. This was a couple of years ago. Hubby says your grill door idea is ingenious!

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/jackplane/custom_kennel1_zps5507c683.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/jackplane/custom_kennel2_zps45b257ba.jpg


----------



## Jmm4 (Dec 31, 2012)

Wow, well done!!! 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

That's fantastic  they look like little dog hobbit holes  Very cozy!!!


----------



## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Looks great! Pimg approved no less, very impressive


----------



## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Wow, great idea.


----------



## DWP (Mar 31, 2011)

*Well done*

As a fellow home fabricator, I say well done! 

As I looked through the pictures, I can imagine the following conversation:

Friend or neighbor: "Cool, could you build one for my car?" 
You: "Yeah, I can do that."
F or N: "How much would you charge me?"
You, nervously calculating the material cost, time and the fact that you will NOT be doing this for yourself: "I can probably put one in your car for around fifteen hundred"
F or N: Blank stare and then "Oh, that much?"

Been there, done that.


----------



## FlyAway (Jul 17, 2012)

Oh LOvE it!


----------



## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

VERY nice!!


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

DWP said:


> As a fellow home fabricator, I say well done!
> 
> As I looked through the pictures, I can imagine the following conversation:
> 
> ...


:rofl: Fellow home fabricator indeed!! Yes, haven't we all been there/done that!! This gave me a good laugh this morning! :toasting:


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

San said:


> Hubby built a crate for a dog club member's two dogs because her SUV could not hold two separate crates. This was a couple of years ago. Hubby says your grill door idea is ingenious!
> 
> http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/jackplane/custom_kennel1_zps5507c683.jpg
> 
> http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/jackplane/custom_kennel2_zps45b257ba.jpg


Wow- Very nice kennels that your husband made! I like that he used hardwood for the front frame. Very nice!


----------



## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

Wow, this is awesome! I would LOVE to do this in my car, but I am definitely not skilled with building anything (especially something without instructions! lol) ... and it takes way too much effort to talk the guys into any big project! It looks great though! I can't wait to see it finished!


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I'm definitely welcoming thoughts on finishing it. Stain/Varnish? Paint? Other ideas?


----------



## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

This look really great. Compliments on the idea of using the grills for grating. Great idea. Now I know what to do if my next car isn't tall enough inside for a big crate. I keep my cars until they die and my current one is 13 years old but has only 114000 miles on it so may have some life left.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Yep- my car is 10 years old with about the same mileage.


----------



## Nickyb (Jul 11, 2011)

Wow fantastic!!! I need something like this for car... except I have a 4 door... 
Might be time to buy an SUV lol


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Nickyb said:


> except I have a 4 door...


...Look a little closer.  (Unless you were implying that my car is a "5" door. I never have really used that distinction, but yeah- the hatchback is definitely much different than a sedan.)


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Dang, Willy! Great job! 

Umm...if you're ever coming to Texas...ummm...just sayin'...hubby couldn't come up with something like that....


----------



## hologrammoth (Jan 30, 2013)

Wow! I wish I had that kind of skill-more accurately, I wish I knew someone that owed me a huge favor that had that kind of skill)


----------



## evybear15 (Mar 28, 2011)

Holy cow! Very nice! The things we do for our dogs. Now I feel guilty that Baxter only has a tiny hatchback to ride around in.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

LOL. Guys, my car *IS *a tiny hatchback!


----------



## evybear15 (Mar 28, 2011)

Hmm...maybe I should just remove the back seats and follow your lead. With something much more crude-looking, because it will NOT look that nice. 

Mine's only a 2-door hatchback ('93 Honda Civic, woooo), but at least I'm short enough that the seat it far forward, and Baxter easily fits in, haha.


----------



## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

Wow, well done.

Carpentry and craftsmanship... skills that I very much envy


----------



## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Awesome job, very impressive. :thumbup:


----------



## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Can you build me one for a SUV? And an A frame?


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I'm still waiting for Willy to get hooked on flyball and re-engineer the box.


----------



## Nickyb (Jul 11, 2011)

wildo said:


> ...Look a little closer.  (Unless you were implying that my car is a "5" door. I never have really used that distinction, but yeah- the hatchback is definitely much different than a sedan.)


Yes I have a sedan.... BOOOOO I knew I shouldve bought the Audi A3 instead


----------



## San (Mar 22, 2012)

Hey Willy, hubby says he put on 3 coats of SPAR polyurethane on the crate he built. He didn't put a stain on it because birch plywood tend not to take stain evenly. 

The crate sat inside of our club member's SUV for the first year. She then got a truck so it had been sitting in the truck bed for the last year. Hubby really didn't build the crate for outdoor use, but the SPAR polyurethane is holding up exceptionally well because of its ability to resist UV radiation.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

San said:


> Hey Willy, hubby says he put on 3 coats of SPAR polyurethane on the crate he built. He didn't put a stain on it because birch plywood tend not to take stain evenly.
> 
> The crate sat inside of our club member's SUV for the first year. She then got a truck so it had been sitting in the truck bed for the last year. Hubby really didn't build the crate for outdoor use, but the SPAR polyurethane is holding up exceptionally well because of its ability to resist UV radiation.


Thanks for the info! I didn't know that birch plywood doesn't stain well. That's what this kennel is made out of as well. I think I'm still leaning towards paint though. I'm just not sure a huge "chunk of wood" looks right in the car. I was thinking of perhaps a two-tone paint job. Dark gray (near black) on the bottom to match the dark door trim, and light gray on the top half to match the upper interior trim.

I also considered trying to color match it to the car color, which I think looks ok, but might attract to much heat. Honestly, heat due to color choice is probably irrelevant since the car gets well over temp in the summer anyway...

I also considered an orange color like hunter orange in order to _complement_ the car color, but photoshop of that looked a bit strange- just a little over the top...


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Um I would go with something poop/food/mud colored!


----------



## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I have a MINI Cooper...purchased a rear seat delete kit (remove the rear seat and place a perfectly manufactured plastic cover over the hole that is left), and put a metal crate on it. Now I'm getting a second dog...crate has to go, and car might have to go unless I figure out something to keep them out of the front seat.

Great job on the fabrication though! I keep trying to think of something but I want it to be removable and I do like the use of my rear view mirror lol. I'm really debating trading the MINI in but its just such a fun car...and the gas mileage is amazing. My current plan is to purchase a good pet barrier, make the back completely flat, and then use harnesses to hook the dogs to the hooks that the seat backs would generally click into.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Liesje said:


> Um I would go with something poop/food/mud colored!


Given the mud in my house, and my currently broken vacuum (parts in the mail) this is probably the best idea... 

Here's some photoshops of ideas I've had:


----------



## San (Mar 22, 2012)

Willy, hubby says you may already know this, but if you prefer to paint it, water-based paint with glossy or semi-glossy finish is best (easier to wipe down). 

Use low V.O.C. paint so the fume won't suffocate you while it is drying  

3 coats would be best, sand with 220 grits sandpaper between coats (not that I know what all this means )


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I like the dark stain/color. That will disguise poop, blood, mud, etc. It matches the car and is unique like the design.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

dark stain as in the gray or the blue?


----------



## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Tint your windows and don't worry about the paint color. I'd stain it just to prevent injuries.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Not really a fan of tinted windows. I don't like how it always makes everything so gloomy. I just asked Pimg and she agrees- she likes to see the blue sky! 

How does staining prevent injuries though?


----------



## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

wildo said:


> Not really a fan of tinted windows. I don't like how it always makes everything so gloomy. I just asked Pimg and she agrees- she likes to see the blue sky!
> 
> How does staining prevent injuries though?


Lol I don't think Pimg is going to see a lot of blue sky in that crate...and I believe staining tends to prevent some splintering doesn't it? Or maybe I'm confusing staining with a clear coat cover of some sort.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Ah- I see where you're going. No, stain will not prevent splintering, but I suppose with a thick enough coat (or many coats) perhaps clearcoat would. So would paint (latex, at least). Enamel may be a bit thin for such protection.


----------



## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

The design and engineering is ingenious Willy! I can't tell what you did with the inside of the kennel, what if you used contact paper inside of it to prevent splintering and it would also make for easy clean up?


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I haven't done anything with the inside yet. Or the outside for that matter. I'm still in the construction phase until Pimg's side is done. I'm hoping to finish it up (construction) this weekend.

I have considered a covering on the inside- even sheet aluminum. That'd be cool. And expensive... Well, actually come to think of it- I do have a little experience in the way of wood splintering from dog's teeth. If you guys recall my foster Gretchen- I built I plywood kennel for her. She chewed the crap out of that and never really did have any issues with splintering. Jinks does chew a little bit, but overall I haven't seen it become an issue. He's not digging in, and is only chewing one particular edge-- an edge I plan on covering with oak anyway.

So I guess I'm not so concerned about a chewing/splintering issue.










[EDIT]- yes, it DOES look splintered. But mind you, the plywood is soaked from the chewing/gnawing and the pieces frayed off are hardly sharp like a "splinter"


----------



## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I'd be careful with metal sheeting of any sort...adds a lot of weight and you're already pushing the limit of your car's engine and suspension in my opinion with the crate and dogs in there. I guess if you don't mind sacrificing some acceleration its not that big of a deal...but I can tell you I can feel the difference with the crate (30 lbs) and dog (85 lbs) out of the car...and I have the turbo version.


----------



## GusGus (Oct 24, 2012)

Oh, how we revolve everything around our dogs. Lol.


----------



## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

I like the first example. The dark wood look. Looks nice with the cars color. More professional looking.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Agreed- the sheet aluminum would add some extra weight, and I'm not sure much is gained. But the both the car's engine and suspension have plenty of upgrades!  Yes, there is some sacrifice in performance, but it's not too bad. I'll likely just paint the whole thing though. Hmm... I did forget that I wanted to get back into autocross though. Would be pretty silly to autocross the car with all this wood in the back.  Oh well- sacrifices all around. Agility has become my autocross... And Pimg is much better at her sport than I ever was at mine... :rofl:


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

TrickyShepherd said:


> I like the first example. The dark wood look. Looks nice with the cars color. More professional looking.


Ah! So maybe that's what Lies meant when she said "dark wood" as well. That was meant to be an orange color. Is that the one you're talking about?


----------



## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

wildo said:


> Agreed- the sheet aluminum would add some extra weight, and I'm not sure much is gained. But the both the car's engine and suspension have plenty of upgrades!  Yes, there is some sacrifice in performance, but it's not too bad. I'll likely just paint the whole thing though. Hmm... I did forget that I wanted to get back into autocross though. Would be pretty silly to autocross the car with all this wood in the back.  Oh well- sacrifices all around. Agility has become my autocross... And Pimg is much better at her sport than I ever was at mine... :rofl:


It's your auto-cross to bare


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

wildo said:


> dark stain as in the gray or the blue?


The orange/red. The gray looks like everyone's kennels who has Kustom Krate or WT Metal and I like the contrast rather than the blue.


----------



## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

wildo said:


> Ah! So maybe that's what Lies meant when she said "dark wood" as well. That was meant to be an orange color. Is that the one you're talking about?


Hmm.. yeah, lol I guess that's the one. Either way, I like it! It looks much better then the others I think.



Liesje said:


> The orange/red. The gray looks like everyone's kennels who has Kustom Krate or WT Metal and I like the contrast rather than the blue.


^This. The grey will look typical, and boring. Also, making it try to look like metal when it's not can be a mistake.... I've seen a lot of people try to pull that off, usually doesn't work.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

My bumper sticker came in today. So here's another option (the yellow) and another of the orange that everyone seemed to like.


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh the yellow/yellow is cool!


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

OK- last one, promise.  I'll decide for myself from here. I just thought it'd be cool to play with a two-tone look. I like the yellow, but I think it's "too much" for the whole kennel. So I thought of this:


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Yeah do that! UofM!


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Liesje said:


> Yeah do that! UofM!


...oh crap.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Line-x 
I would go white whatever you do for practical heat reflection


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Line-X doesn't appear to be available in a spray can form. I like the idea of a spray-in bed liner though for the inside of the kennels. (Maybe even the outsides...) Great idea!


----------



## k9barco (Nov 16, 2007)

Nice job!
I didn't read through this whole post, but it reminds me of what I did with my Chevy Corsica; I removed the back seat and made a basic deck covered with plywood and installed a wire barrier and window screens that a welder friend made for 2 cases of beer.

Sure wish I had photo's cause it was a sweet setup that cost very little to do and the car was easily converted back to original when I sold it.

I also made some window coverings for some of the Wisconsin PD's that were held in place over the front and rear windows with rare earth magnets to prevent temperature buildup inside the squad from solar heat loads on hot summer days.
Those were easy and cheap to make also.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

That is awesome! I like the yellow best.


----------



## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

Yellow is nice, but I still like the orange better.

Btw, I like that sticker! Where did you get it from? I've been looking for a sticker for my Jeep for a long time!


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

TrickyShepherd said:


> Yellow is nice, but I still like the orange better.


I think I agree about the orange. In fact, I kind of like this:











TrickyShepherd said:


> Btw, I like that sticker! Where did you get it from? I've been looking for a sticker for my Jeep for a long time!


Custom Reflective Vinyl Lettering
The font is "Cruiser" which I liked the most out of all their fonts. Unfortunately, K-9s (plural) looked like "K-95" to me, so I went with singular. 4" tall, which put it at 39" long. Color is yellow with a blue outline. It's all reflective, so it should show up great at night.


----------



## Shaolin (Jun 16, 2012)

Your setup is incredible! You did a fantastic job! I like the yellow and blue two tone myself...


----------



## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

I am impressed. You are very handy. Yellow & blue is my favorite. Let us know what you go with. Thank you for sharing. I am guessing letting Fiona just lay in the backseat is a bad idea.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Cheyanna said:


> I am guessing letting Fiona just lay in the backseat is a bad idea.http://www.petguide.com/mobile


Very, very bad idea. Very dangerous and unsafe!


----------



## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

She used to wear a seatbelt harness, but she hated it. Looks like it is time to get back to it. If I think about it, I would not let a little kid ride around without being in a car seat.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Finished up the pass-thru underneath the kennels. The only thing left to do is paint, which I might never do, to be honest. Pretty happy to just be done building on this...




























For now, I have a Ready Jump and a lawn seat in stow, but I'd like to get a second (and third) Ready Jump









I'm also able to carry wings for one jump:










Overall, I'm very pleased with this project. It's taken a LONG time to wrap up, but the utility has been amazing. It is a little cramped for Pimg at the back where it's only 18" wide, but up at the front where it's much wider she has no issue at all turning around and finding a comfortable place/way to lay down. Jinks has all kinds of room. 

I do plan on installing some fans on both sides, as well as some lighting of some sort. Both fans and lighting will be controlled from the driver's seat with accessory switches that match the car.


----------



## angelas (Aug 23, 2003)

Do you have any idea how jealous I am?


----------



## Nickyb (Jul 11, 2011)

Came out awesome, great job! I wouldn't even paint it if I was you, your not selling it or anything so what's the point, plus I would have no motivation haha

I did end up buying that seat harness you and I were talking about, thing is DIESEL! Haven't tried it out yet but it seems durable.


----------



## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

I can't even begin to tell you how awesome your building and design skills are. I remember when you were posting about using the grills as doors. I though what a great idea. Now the finished product looks great. I don't think I would paint it. I love the wood grain look.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Thanks for the compliments everyone! Really nice to hear! :toasting:


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Nickyb said:


> I did end up buying that seat harness you and I were talking about, thing is DIESEL! Haven't tried it out yet but it seems durable.


Glad to hear it! I love that harness, it is a beast indeed! I felt VERY secure for Pimg having her in that harness- in fact, more so than in the kennels now.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I think it is lovely. I would paint it or otherwise finish it. It will get filthy and soak up moisture from spilled water, wet dogs etc..


----------



## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

wow that's awesome!


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

*Cooling...*


















Coming along.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Well I finally finished these kennels. Jinks is pretty happy to spill his water (even in a spill proof bowl) and that wasn't boding so well with the plywood. So I got some two part epoxy paint made for sealing/painting garage floors. It's grey paint with blue/gray/black/white color specs in it. I finished all painting yesterday and reassembled the kennels today. I wired in the fans on both sides and also wired in a 12V source for lights on both sides (I haven't found lights I like yet). Overall, it turned out pretty great and I'm really happy with them!


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Willy, I cant believe I didn't see this thread sooner! That is seriously an amazing job! Very nice!!! I like the paint job on it. Looks neat.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

KZoppa said:


> Willy, I cant believe I didn't see this thread sooner! That is seriously an amazing job! Very nice!!! I like the paint job on it. Looks neat.


Thanks! It sure was a lot of work! :crazy:


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

wildo said:


> Thanks! It sure was a lot of work! :crazy:


 
totally worth it though! And here I'm just trying to get my husband to build a couple of jumps! lol.


----------



## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

Willy, this is seriously impressive, and using the grill grates was absolutely brilliant. Well done, sir. Well done.


----------



## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

Very nicely done! I've been following the progress knowing I have to change cars eventually. They look great. Unfortunately I'm with KZoppa, can't even get my husband to fix a broken jump I have that just needs a new jump pole support.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Seem to recall someone warning you about the water 
Guards on the fans?
Looks nice
When are you going to come to SC to redo my truck platforms?   

Edit
Do you have a gel battery (Deep cycle, Optima blue top is great) to run the fans? One thing I know from personal experience is that 12 volt fans pulling on the car battery accelerates its decline. Another option is to get a car battery designed for cars with serious sound systems - they are deep cycle and have the CCA for driving. You don't want regular lead acid deep cycle inside a vehicle for safety reasons. I also have a small spare 12 volt I can carry in an ammo box that runs fans for about 8 hours.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

The fans are made for computers; they do not have a significant drain on the battery. I've forgotten the fans overnight before and have had no issues starting the car. Unlike larger 12V fans, they consume only 18W total.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Actually that is close to what two O2Kool fans pulls (16.8W) which is a 0.7 amp draw per fan. 

Battery life for a car battery not designed to deep cycle is best at no more than 5-10% parasitic draw. 

Sure you can start the car but it may shorten the overall service life of a standard car battery. That was my own personal experience. But I was doing a lot of long training weekends before I added a separate deep cycle that can also run auxiliary lights etc.


----------



## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

That is pretty freaking awesome!!


----------



## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

Consider my jaw dropped... wow! Looks amazing, if you rolled up to any dog show I was at I would oogle your vehicle for an hour. Great craftsmanship as well!


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Here's a day time shot:


----------



## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

Very impressive! Have you thought of putting limo tint on the back windows too? Might help to keep the sun rays out and keep it a little cooler.


----------



## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

That's pretty awesome Willy!


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Let us know how the garage floor stuff holds up. I did floor paint on one platform and am rebuilding my current platform though may just use rubber mat on it. I have commercial boxes. The color works well with your car.

My camper shell has limo black. Makes a big difference.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Nancy- the garage floor epoxy held up exceptionally well, and remained waterproof for the life of this kennel. I bought a new car a while back, and the Mazda has just been sitting... rusting... A buddy of mine is buying it from me and turning it into an autocross car. his requirements of sale were 1) take out the dog kennel, and 2) vacuum up the dog hair.  

Here's the last picture of the kennel installed.









It was AWESOME. So convenient. I could just pop the dogs in and go... I'm surprised how well the plywood held up, and especially the epoxy paint. I'm not sure I'd call this a "fun" project since it took COUNTLESS hours and brain power, but the results were definitely worth it.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Can you use the kennel in your new car? It looked so fine (I did like it better unpainted but that probably wasn't practical). Anyway, great project.


----------



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

New car is significantly bigger in some ways, and smaller in other ways. Ultimately, the kennel was custom made to fit the contours of the Mazda. I don't think it'll work in the new car. I'm investigating other options and currently using (and hating) wire crates.


----------

