Front gaucho or dinette?

[bobfowler]

OK, so Liz and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary Friday night by having dinner out... out in the driveway in our Argosy!

During dinner, we got to talking about other "changes" that might be nice and the subject of getting rid of the front gaucho and building a dinette was high on the list. Has anyone here made this conversion in a similar trailer (1972 20' Argosy)? If so, do you have any hints on the process?

[flitzwhopper]

My Argosy came with the dinette. The seating near the front of the camper is cramped at the foot because of the fresh water tank. If I were industrious, i would make the seating run along the front on top of the tank and shorten the seating front to back. Same seating/sleeping capacity just a bit more comfortable in the seating.

[HiHoAgRV]

If your Argosy is similar to my '77 Ambassador, you'll be surprised by-
- The univolt cover is HUGE (i reduced the size of mine)
- there is no support under the center forward section of the floor. This is where the spare tire goes and the floor is really springy

We just pulled our gaucho(s) and put in 2 recliners and a real bed. Photos are posted in 'has anyone tried this flooring?'

We are not what you would call big fans of the Gaucho design

[Moonshot]

Hi Bob,

I pulled out our gaucho and replaced it with a dinette. I have pics somewhere. I'll try to upload them tonight.

There were several reasons for the change.

1. The gaucho was getting crowded for sleeping the 8 yo boy and 10 yo girl and they needed more room. I built up an enclosure over my fresh water tank and have a cushion over that to provide extra sleeping area. Total sleeping area is around 72" X 52"
2. I hated the fact that I have these great big windows in the front and the gaucho faces the rear bathroom. It's much nicer to sit at the dinette and enjoy the view.
3. I had to unfold a chair for a fourth person to sit at the supper table.

All of these are resolved with the dinette.

Scott

[ArtStream]

Is there a Gaucho in your Airstream?

Gaucho can refer to:

• Gaucho (Gaúcho in Portuguese, Cowboy in English), a word for a South American cattle herder.

Now depending on your gender and marital status this might be a welcome find, of course I would prefer a Goucha or Cowgirl, but neither was found in my Airstream.
I do keep looking though!

• Gauchos are a style of very flowing and loose fitting, flared pants with an elastic waistband, commonly worm by young dancers, but also worn casually.

Again, a young female dancer would be been a nice find. And while some old loose fitting garments were left behind by the previous owners, I think they fell into the category of bloomers.

• Gaucho, a trade name for the insecticide Imidacloprid.

There was this Ammonia aroma one night, but that turned out to be the refrigerator failing. I did find some cleaners under the sink like Ajax and bleach, but thankfully no Gaucho.

• Gaucho, an album by Steely Dan.

While I like Steely Dan, I'm not familiar with this particular album. It has not turned up in the rig.

• The UCSB Gauchos, name of sports teams of the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Clearly this would be pushing the GVW of my 28 foot Excella.
Just the mention of finding a sports team packed into your Airstream, would undoubtedly, start the Airstream community on a heated and passionate debate on axel replacement, loading and pre-loading, drum brakes vs disk, beefed up frames, tire pressure, and the 70's.
Of course an astute owner, just by looking at the angle of the torsion arm suspension, would know that a sports team was lurking in the coach.
Therefore, even if the University of California, Santa Barbara, Gauchos sports team were living in my 28 foot Excella, I'd PM someone first.

GMC Gaucho a mid 70's full-sized van model produced by General Motors
Nope, no 70's full size van was found in or around my rig.

• Gaúcho, a person born in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul
  • Gaúcho, a Brazilian football player.
  • Renato Gaúcho
  • Ronaldinho Gaúcho

No Portuguese speaking natives of Rio Grande do Sul, popped out of the under bed bins.

No football players fumbled with the wheel chocks.

Renato or Ronaldinho were not found, but a VCR tape of "Nothing but trouble" staring Chevy Chase was discovered wedged between the empty space next to the water heater.


Now, despite my best efforts, a Gaucho has not shown up in my Airstream? What I do have is a sofa that folds out into a bed, and after sleeping on it for one night I did wake up a little Gracho?

Michael


Definitions courtesy of Wikipedia


Michael is a fulltime "Artist at Large" living, working and traveling 40,000 mi a year, out of his 1995 28 ft. Excella.
MICHAEL JOSEPH DEPRAIDA, An artist at large

[bobfowler]

Michael, Have you considered professional help?

[DrPlay]

Bob:

I had a 2005 22'Safari with a front bed and I converted it to a gaucho sofa. Ron at South Jersey RV did the job and it was extremly professional in quality. You might want to look him up at SouthJerseyRV.com. Just picked up my 2006 25'International yesterday. Good luck.

Brian
Freehold

[Gkiesel]

Hi Bob, I've got my Argosy front torn apart replacing the floor, and have been wanting to do a dinette up there ever since i bought it 12 yrs ago. Maybe we can get something going with this thread.

[Blu_Hwy_Lady]

They are uncomfortable to sit on and sleep on. They try to be two things and end up being nothing worthwhile. There...now that I've said that. Here's what I did with my '72. Ripped out front and side gauchos. NO easy task. Replaced the front one with a bed. My son welded a frame and I had a custom mattress made that is longer but not quite as wide as a queen. Queen sheets fit on it fine. I put a dinette where the back gaucho was. It has fold out leaves to make into a bed. Plus it folds up for storage. There is a special hole for the cat box in one of the benches. Also useless are the bulkheads. I ripped them out and it really opened up the trailer. I think Airstream FINALLY got it right with the FB models. You got great windows around the dinette and a more private sleeping area facing the butt of your truck. But until I win the lottery, I made my '72 much more useable.
Here are some pics:

[Phil/Edee]

Just happened onto this thread... Michael, you definitely have a career in comedy!!

P & E

[ArtStream]

Susan, GREAT fotos! Thanks.

Michael

[Happycampers]

Hello.. We have taken out our gaucho in the front and put in to flexsteel sofas different measurements and did the dinette... used the same idea for the table as was in the other way for the gaucho... check out our thread Costalotta start to finish ..... it is there

[DreamStreamr]

Bob,
Our '79 Minuet has dinette in front. We're both slim yet the dinette seems a little slimmer. The PO suggested he was considering reducing the table length and leaving the benches. This allows easier lounging and still sufficient table top size. Seemed a cool idea, we're considering it now.

We weren't likely to try and seat four at the dinette anyway . . .

[bobfowler]

Originally Posted by DreamStreamr

Bob,
Our '79 Minuet has dinette in front. We're both slim yet the dinette seems a little slimmer. The PO suggested he was considering reducing the table length and leaving the benches. This allows easier lounging and still sufficient table top size. Seemed a cool idea, we're considering it now.

We weren't likely to try and seat four at the dinette anyway . . .

Those of us who are over 6 foot and pushing 250 pounds like to call that "the diet section"... Happens ALL the time in diners around here...

[Jim Foster]

I cut up the front goucho and used the material to make a front dinette in our 1965 Caravel. We love it.

[sequoiacoast]

We replaced our gaucho with a dinette and have mixed feelings. Since we have a family of five we made a wrap-around and had a big table that can be used for the making of a bed. This table proved too big and cumbersome so we have decided to just use our "coffee/cocktail table" all the time. When it comes time to make it into a bed, we grab plywood pieces out of the truck and our big bed-roll... and wallah (with a lot of effort) you have a nice comfy bed.

The switch from the table to plywood pieces is good because we can ditch the plywood under the trailer for the day and not worry about it. (we really only liked the coffee table anyway because it allows more room)

I don't care much for the constant assembly and disassembly though... I guess I'd really like to find a bigger trailer to make into a rear bedroom... ((must be vintage (of course)) because five in a 24' is a mighty bit tight!

Here's a link to my pics: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f116...n-26932-5.html

So the pros for us are: The dinette can seat all of us comfortably and the bed is large (big queen). We don't have to store a table - instead we eat outside... or carefully on a small table.

The cons: The space up front seems small... there is no floor area, it looks like there is with a gaucho. (Floor area would be handy for our kids, in the rain, when they need to get out of my way to make up the beds- as it is they have to stand in the bathroom ) The bed conversion is probably just as time consuming as a gaucho- so that is just a con all the way around (IMO).

[tin sista]

We also changed from a front gaucho to a a wrap around dinette. First photo on left is before, on right is after.
Like Sequoia Coast, we found our table to be cumbersome. We're modifying the big table with hinges to see if it will stash better. I have to say overall we are pleased with the dinette.

We kept the gaucho, moved it sideways, and then hubby built benches over the battery and a dinette stand across from the gaucho. Our son sleeps on the pulled out gaucho and we stash the table at night.

[Ike T]

Our Argosy has the front gaucho. It makes a great dog bed for our oldest pup.

Eventually, we'll do something about the gaucho. We just eat meals outside under the awning since the inside doesn't quite work for us.

[wheel interested]

Originally Posted by sequoiacoast

We replaced our gaucho with a dinette and have mixed feelings. Since we have a family of five we made a wrap-around and had a big table that can be used for the making of a bed. This table proved too big and cumbersome so we have decided to just use our "coffee/cocktail table" all the time. When it comes time to make it into a bed, we grab plywood pieces out of the truck and our big bed-roll... and wallah (with a lot of effort) you have a nice comfy bed.

The switch from the table to plywood pieces is good because we can ditch the plywood under the trailer for the day and not worry about it. (we really only liked the coffee table anyway because it allows more room)

I don't care much for the constant assembly and disassembly though... I guess I'd really like to find a bigger trailer to make into a rear bedroom... ((must be vintage (of course)) because five in a 24' is a mighty bit tight!

Here's a link to my pics: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f116...n-26932-5.html

So the pros for us are: The dinette can seat all of us comfortably and the bed is large (big queen). We don't have to store a table - instead we eat outside... or carefully on a small table.

The cons: The space up front seems small... there is no floor area, it looks like there is with a gaucho. (Floor area would be handy for our kids, in the rain, when they need to get out of my way to make up the beds- as it is they have to stand in the bathroom ) The bed conversion is probably just as time consuming as a gaucho- so that is just a con all the way around (IMO).

Tanya I really like the style and look of your round dinette and your cocktail table is very cool. Could you slip a piece of plywood with two front legs attached that butt up against the base when not needed under both sides of the dinette under the cushions and then merely pull them towards each other at night to make the bed?

I also agree with you that the tradeoff with additional permanent seating replaces walk around room.

[Fyrzowt]

For more photos, check Pizzachop's photos. He did that conversion and may also have dimensions there, I'm not sure if it was his or someone elses.
Dave

Here it is...
http://www.airforums.com/photos/show...imageuser=4331