Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

We recently bought a 1979 Sunlight Sunspot that is completely stripped inside. (Check out our album, we're documenting progress as we go.)

We want to build seats that fold out into a bed with a dinette table in between. I have looked high and low for plans, information, videos, etc, but am coming up empty handed. I have a basic idea in my head, but would love some input from you folks. I don't need help with the seat cushion/bed mattress - we can figure that out.

My concern is how to build seat bases that in combination with a dinette table turn magically into a full size bed. I'm interested in any an all options and ideas, including how to anchor a table to the floor, how to support the fully extended mattress frame (probably 3/4 plywood) in the middle, how to set seats up for convenient storage, that sort of stuff.

Feel free to throw me ideas, pics, drawings, videos, anything that could help me not re-invent the wheel! Thank you in advance for the assistance.

Frank

frank_a wrote:We recently bought a 1979 Sunlight Sunspot that is completely stripped inside. (Check out our album, we're documenting progress as we go.)

We want to build seats that fold out into a bed with a dinette table in between. I have looked high and low for plans, information, videos, etc, but am coming up empty handed. I have a basic idea in my head, but would love some input from you folks. I don't need help with the seat cushion/bed mattress - we can figure that out.

My concern is how to build seat bases that in combination with a dinette table turn magically into a full size bed. I'm interested in any an all options and ideas, including how to anchor a table to the floor, how to support the fully extended mattress frame (probably 3/4 plywood) in the middle, how to set seats up for convenient storage, that sort of stuff.

Feel free to throw me ideas, pics, drawings, videos, anything that could help me not re-invent the wheel! Thank you in advance for the assistance.

Frank

Shown below are photos of the dinette/bed that I installed in my van. The bed is 72" x 54". The table size is 24" x 24" - 5/8" plywood. The bench top size is 24" x 54" - 5/8" plywood. I, of course, made another table top 24" x 30" for completing the middle of the bed support.

http://www.sunlineclub.com/docs/78sun2.pdf

Doesn't really show how they are supporting it.

I kind of envision a deep drawer pulling out with a flat lid.

Would be a lot like a childs toy box lots of underseat storage just pull out the drawer and lift the lid for access.

Just another random dumb thought

Boy Terry, very nice job. That is very helpful, as it pretty much is the same as my plan. I'm at work, so can't post my hand drawn plan till I get home, but you have given me some great ideas for modifying my initial draft plan.

Tell me, it looks like your floor flange is 6 bolt and the one under the table is 8 bolt. Any reason why? I plan initially to use pipe flanges on the floor and under the table, and whatever large diameter pipe I can get to fit in them.

Thank you VERY much!

Frank

bobhenry wrote:http://www.sunlineclub.com/docs/78sun2.pdf

Doesn't really show how they are supporting it.

I kind of envision a deep drawer pulling out with a flat lid.

Would be a lot like a childs toy box lots of underseat storage just pull out the drawer and lift the lid for access.

Just another random dumb thought

Yes, I have that pdf on file, but I don't understand the dimensions or as you say how the bed is supported, that's why I posted this! I really like Terry's custom bed/dinette, and will no doubt do something very similar. I'm getting pretty excited!

Thanks!

Frank

In the 70's we had a overhead camper on our pickup. The table design was very similar. The only difference was the under bench storage had cabinet doors instead of the previously suggested drawerss. I think drawers might take up too much space. The table supports are pretty easy to find online.
The T@B trailers have a similar design but instead the table is free standing and collapses to the bed level to make part of the bed foundation and the cushions for the dinette are relocated to make the sleeping surface.

Hmm, cabinet doors, I like that idea! I'm thinking of having the table collapse for part of the bed. I have some designs I'll post (hopefully) tonight. I still think general pipe flanges like at Lowes could work for the table support.

Thanks!

Frank

Check out this link
http://www.dyersonline.com/hardware/tab ... bases.html
Table hardware is very resonable
Also you may be able to find something on craigslist, look under RV-Parts

Maybe I should spend a few extra $s and get rv stuff. I just bought a couple of these at Lowes, they were $4 each: http://www.lowes.com/pd_253232-138-4358 ... c%2Bflange

The smallest piece of 4" pvc I could buy is 15 bucks, but I could make 2 table supports out of it. I may take that stuff back and buy rv stuff. We'll see what the boss says when I get home!

Thanks for the link, very helpful.

Frank

Yep. Boss says to take those ugly flanges back to Lowes and get the right stuff!

Ordered correct stop/tail/turn lights yesterday along with slanted bases so they mount straight up and down. Once I get my old speedboat deck painted Saturday a.m., attention turns to Spot! Plenty to do. Hubs are clean and treated with NAPA Rust Treatment, paint tonight or 1st thing in the a.m., get them loaded and back on Spot so she can move.

Frank

frank_a wrote:Boy Terry, very nice job. That is very helpful, as it pretty much is the same as my plan. I'm at work, so can't post my hand drawn plan till I get home, but you have given me some great ideas for modifying my initial draft plan.

Tell me, it looks like your floor flange is 6 bolt and the one under the table is 8 bolt. Any reason why? I plan initially to use pipe flanges on the floor and under the table, and whatever large diameter pipe I can get to fit in them.

Thank you VERY much!

Frank

The bottom flange is near flush with the floor. The under table flange is a different flange. It sticks out from the underside of table. I do not know why the manufacturer used two different hole patterns.

With pipe flanges, you would have to screw & unscrew the table to lower to make a bed. Probably very strong, but, a pain to deal with!

terryjones1 wrote:The bottom flange is near flush with the floor. The under table flange is a different flange. It sticks out from the underside of table. I do not know why the manufacturer used two different hole patterns.

With pipe flanges, you would have to screw & unscrew the table to lower to make a bed. Probably very strong, but, a pain to deal with!

Terry, I took those pipe flanges back this morning. We're gonna get stuff like you have. The flanges I picked up were for pvc, no screwing around, so to speak! They would have worked fine, but the boss found them aesthetically unpleasing!

Thanks again for the pics. The boss likes it as mush as I do. Enjoy your day sir!

Frank

Hi frank a,

I don't know if you'll have enough room or not, but check out
this murphy style bed on this TTT. Quite a nifty idea that allows
the bed to kept 'made up' or to be dedicated to only sleeping.
It doesn't look to be very difficult to open and close either.

It gives you a "real" mattress to sleep on - i.e. no 'joints' from
dinette cushions to hit you in the wrong place or that pull apart
when you turn over etc..

The dinette seating then uses thinner permanent cushioning,
more like a padded kitchen chair or bench with fixed cushioning.
So you don't have one set of cushions doing two things sorta ok for you.

Finally here's the link:

http://littlegemrenovate.blogspot.com/

Scroll down to "New Bedding" to see the murphy style bed flipped down,
and then further down to "Finished Interior" to see the murphy style bed
flipped up against the back wall and the dining table mounted on its'
bottom, between the permanent cushioned dinette seats. The bed base to
me looks to be just a 3/4 inch plywood sheet or such. The "mechanism"
that lets it pivot looks to be a couple of large stout regular house door
hinges mounted on the back edge of the dinette-seat/wheel-well-covering
cabinet on each side, that stop short enough from the rear wall to allow
the bed to flip up. I'm sure there must be some kind of hook or slide-bolt
set up to keep the bed in the upright stowed position also.

Read through the whole reno blog, as it's interesting to see how they
brought the Little Gem back from all the wood rot. They did an
outstanding job and saved a unique TTT. I believe they are T&TTT
forum members also, but I lost my page place where I came across their
link.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

That is a very cool idea Norm, thanks. Our Sunspot is only 60" wide and 54" high, so I don't think the math works for us unless we were able to curve the mattress up onto the ceiling! But boy oh boy, they did a beautiful job on that ttt. I hope to do some work on ours today, just have too many things going on.

Frank

Now here is the table leg system I used on my boat... a little pricey, but I found mine on ebay, another place to look is marine consignment shop's most of them have websites, email them with what your looking for... and I made a table top out of teak but this would work in a tight confines of a trailer because the leg is curved and can be mounted on a wall and easily slid out to remove it to drop the top down to form a bed.
http://www.garelick.com/product.php?pnumber=75400

best of luck
deryk