Exterior Camping Table

[Stefrobrts]

The PO added this unusual feature to the Bambi -a little table that mounts on the outside behind the door. I rigged it up with string, but it's supposed to use chains. Even the PO said he kind of regretted it after he did it, but it held his camp stove nicely. Unfortunately the door can't be opened all the way with it there, and the hook closest to the door hits the jalousy window when the door opens all the way.

I'm thinking I'll drill out the rivets and just fill the holes with Olympic rivets. I'm guessing there's going to be enough rivet work on this trailer it might be worthwhile to finally get my hands on a rivet shaver (if that's the correct name for the tool that takes the stubs off the olympic rivets).

[maxandgeorgia]

Our SOB had a feature like this that we loved and miss on our AS. To the left of the door was a built in, drop down, propane connected two burner stove. We did nearly all our cooking outdoors on this stove. I miss it and wish it were a feature on the AS. I don't know if I'd feel differently cooking so close to the exterior skin of our AS; it surely didn't bother me with the SOB! This arrangement must have worked in a similar fashion.

[john hd]

steph

why not keep the table and remove the chains?

you could just fashion an adjustable leg for it. looks like a handy item!

john

[Stefrobrts]

There's a metal pocket attached below the table which I assume was intended to hold a support for the table. An adjustable leg seems like an even better idea. The main problem is that the bracket on the side of the trailer and the bracket on the end of the table slide together. As in - you start with the table in front of the door, line them up, and slide the table into the other. They don't hook onto each other like the removable table in my Caravel does. I'm afraid you might scratch the door if you did that regularly. Otherwise I wouldn't mind keeping it. I think it's a cute idea. I could see setting up the lawn chairs in front and setting the drinks on it.

[Hidalgo]

I am bringing this to the forefront because I am considering emmulating this setup for my Bambi II ('64). I can not for the love of my trailer find a spot where an original set up to eat would be located. I have searched high and low, including the airstream archives with no luck. If anyone has a pic of what an interior table for my trailer would look like, it would be highly appreciated.
Hidalgo

[malconium]

Stephanie,

Check out the following thread:

http://www.airforums.com/forum...9&page=4&pp=20
Look especially at my posts #25, 45, and 52 where I document my experinece with a $20+ solution to rivit shaving. Maybe it would work for you.

Malcolm

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

The PO added this unusual feature to the Bambi -a little table that mounts on the outside behind the door. I rigged it up with string, but it's supposed to use chains. Even the PO said he kind of regretted it after he did it, but it held his camp stove nicely. Unfortunately the door can't be opene all the way with it there, and the hook closest to the door hits the jalousy window when the door opens all the way.

I'm thinking I'll drill out the rivets and just fill the holes with Olympic rivets. I'm guessing there's going to be enough rivet work on this trailer it might be worthwhile to finally get my hands on a rivet shaver (if that's the correct name for the tool that takes the stubs off the olympic rivets).

[74Argosy24MH]

I like John's idea of the leg, if you have somewhere to store it the leg could even be solid. If you put a piece of 1/8" or 3/16" thick strip behind the hinge will it clear the door? It just looks handy for a lot of things.

John

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by Hidalgo

I am bringing this to the forefront because I am considering emmulating this setup for my Bambi II ('64). I can not for the love of my trailer find a spot where an original set up to eat would be located. I have searched high and low, including the airstream archives with no luck. If anyone has a pic of what an interior table for my trailer would look like, it would be highly appreciated. Hidalgo

Hidalgo:

I don't think the '64 Bambi II had any interior table. My '64 19' Globe Trotter is the next largest trailer that year, and it had a store away interior table that slid into a bracket mounted on the top front of the heater enclosure that doubled as a forward end table for the street side sofa. The Bambi II has no such heater enclosure and no apparent place to attach an interior table. The 1964 sales literature standard specifications is not real clear whether the Bambi II had any interior table. It states:

Formica covered drop leaf table [is standard] (except in 17' Bambi II and 19' Globe Trotter with folding table; 22' Safari with pull-out table and 30' Sovereign of the Roasd with fold-away credenza table).

I read the omission of any table description immediately after "Bambi II" to mean it had no interior table of any type. For period interior tables, find some vintage folding metal TV trays; they'd be just the ticket! Or build an exterior table similar to Stephanie's.

[zamboni]

We have an outside table located just above the right side wheel well. we "stole" the table & mounting hardware from our old "pop-up" before selling it. The bracket attached to MH is aluminum and I replaced the original particle board laminate table with 1/2" plexiglass 24"X36" which we painted to match our spare tire cover Really is handy for tailgating buffet, cocktail hour, prepping for dinner, holding the CD player a little campfire music, packing up camp, outdoor cooking on propane stove, etc.

We loved it so much on our pop-up, we had to have it on our MH!

Someday I'll get around to posting a pick...MH is in storage until Feb though.

[maxandgeorgia]

Zamboni,I'd love to see pics of your "stolen" exterior table. In an earlier post on this thread, I made mention of the one we liked on our SOB. That was a Coleman Caravan that we got following our Coleman Popup, like you mention. We still miss that feature on the exterior of the trailer. If you have found a way to adapt it to an A/S, we are interested in borrowing your idea. No rush, we'll just enjoy the photos when you can post them.

[overlander64]

Greetings Hidalgo!

Originally Posted by Hidalgo

I am bringing this to the forefront because I am considering emmulating this setup for my Bambi II ('64). I can not for the love of my trailer find a spot where an original set up to eat would be located. I have searched high and low, including the airstream archives with no luck. If anyone has a pic of what an interior table for my trailer would look like, it would be highly appreciated.
Hidalgo

It is my understanding that virtually all of the coaches that did not have dinette tables in '64 had the drop-leaf dining table that is very similar to mine - - I know that the '64 Bambi II that was on one of the Caravans that I been involved with had a table quite similar to the one in the photo below that came with my '64 Overlander. Note that it has new solid oak top and drop-leaves - - it originally had laminate to match the laminate found on the countertops.





On my table, there is a fitting that allows a bungee cord to be stretched between the table and a fitting on the floor which keeps the table from "walking" across the floor during tansit.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

P.S.: After re-reading Fred Coldwell's post, I double-checked the '64 Airstream brochure that I have, and it indicated that the Bambi II came with equipped with a "folding table" as distinguished from the "drop leaf" table included with most of the other non-dinette models. The one thing that I do remember about the table in the '64 Bambi II that I observed while on Caravan was that its table had a much smaller (almost no surface area) in the center segment of the table (I would guess that the center section of that table was less than 8" where my table has about 12" in the center section).