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cmgirdwood · 08-25-2003, 04:52 AM

Morning All,
This weekend 2 couples visited our Airstream Park with their vintage trailers. Of course we let them set up get relaxed and sit down before mobbing them to possibly tour their trailers.

The normal Airstream, I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

One of the couples still had the brackets in place for the bunk beds. We have always heard about them but never seen visuals.

Of course the brackets were there but nothing else.
Does anyone know where there are pictures of the buck beds?
We would love to see what they looked like.
Thanks
mareinmn

apple 1 · 08-25-2003, 06:11 AM

The photo is from my 81 Excella II which was a rear bath center twin with factory bunk bed option. The right side you can see the upper bunk in the sleeping position. When in the travel position, the upper bunk folds in half and are folded down and make the lower bunk into a sofa, as on the left side inthe photo, although you can not see it in this photo. This was a great trailer when the kids were small and they could each take a friend along.

Jim

Silvertwinky · 08-25-2003, 01:35 PM

Here are some bunks that I built in our previous camper. This picture isn't the brackets you’re asking about but maybe it can be of some help!

casarodante · 08-25-2003, 02:59 PM

I remember sleeping in one of those bunks when I was a kid. It did fold in half, the hinges were on the ends so it folded longways. The supporting fabric was a canvas, felt like a hammock. It has two brackets on the wall. The suspension of the outer edge was handled by two cables with small balls attached to each end. The went into a slot on the frame and corresponding slots on top. If memory serves me (don't rely on it), the cables were not straight up and down. There was more space between the ends near the frame than the ceiling. I used to love to 'strum' the cables like a guitar to the chagrin of my parents. Here is a description of the ceiling brackets as I remember them.

The mounts themselves were circular with a part that dimpled out from the ceiling. The lowest part of this 'dimple' had a hole to get the ball in. There was a slit (big enough for the cable but not ball) that ran from the hole to the highest part of the dimple. Highest meaning the part that protrudes the most from the bracket (away from the ceiling).

Hope that helps.

Just re-read the original message. You didn't want to know about the brackets. Well let me describe the frame.

Aluminum. Square (rectangular) tubing. Approx 1.5" high by 1" wide (the tubing). It was bent (rounded) on the corners so each half is one piece. The hinges are at either end (head and foot). The hinges were mounted so when you put weight on it, it would not fold up (DUH!). The canvas was attached in 6 areas. Both long sides between where the brackets and cables go. At the head and foot on either side of the hinge and before the corner. It was pretty comfortable and we used a foam pad also.

We slept 6 in our 25' this way. My sister was on a cot in the middle of the floor.

Roger

bswaslien@aol.com · 08-25-2003, 05:19 PM

I have the bunk bed option in my 1968 Ambassador International A/S.I am going to the Harley 100th aniv. in the morning, so no time to send pictures. It is complete with cables, cot and mounts, so should be a good example for your reconstruction. If you have not received others by the time I return, I will send pics to you.
P.J. check out my web site ---pjcarfanatic.com--- (soon to have A/S pictures as well)

greg176 · 08-25-2003, 08:09 PM

There are some great pics at www.vintageairstream.com check out archives - 1959 Overlander -cool bunks.

cmgirdwood · 08-26-2003, 04:44 AM

As ususual the forum is the best source for knowledge. Iam printing out as I key this and plan to get the information to the couple with the safari that has the brackets.
It is amazing how many newbies we meet as they find the airstream park here that don't know about the forum and the amazing resources it has because of the members.
After this week we are on the road to Ca and will have to find a way to check in as we full time. It won't be quite as easy but then again neither of us will be working. Other full timers have given us lots of ideas and we will see what works for us.
bye for now
chris/mareinmn

Chuck · 08-26-2003, 06:52 AM

Pictures? heck, I want to know where to find an actual bunk to add to my trailer. our little family expanded by 1 right after we bought the A/S.

I could just use the front pull-out couch, of course, but that's a PITA. would be easier to just have a bunk.

I saw an original installed in a '65 safari at a recent rally. The owner inherited the trailer from his parents, and he remembers sleeping on the bunk as a kid.

63flyingcloud · 08-26-2003, 09:52 AM

There's also a photo of a '63 Safari with bunks at the vintage airstream archive site mentioned above.

Looks like there must be hinges on the wall side, and wall mounted blocks at the head and foot of the bunk.

wlj1943 · 08-24-2006, 10:57 PM

Thanks to caadoptees

he told me about this thread. Just by chance I have some photos on the computer of our bunk (taken just after a guest left) up, which is the way I prefer to store it when the unit is not in use (canvas does not shrink). However they are too big (both image size and file size) to post directly and I do not have the time to manipulate them tonight and am otherwise occupied for the next many days. I have been at some vintage events, the latest was overnight at Brooks Oregon during the steam-up and have been there a number of times over the years. The bunks are OK for little folks (not too good for big folks unless they are very small). I store the foam (replacement) separately and most small people just like the bunk on the fabric anyway.

If someone wants to see close-ups I can do this easily but not until after Labor Day; just leave me a private message; if therei s a lot of requests I will shrink all the photos and save as lo-res so they can be posted. Most of my photos are about 475K.
WLJ1943

Chuck · 08-25-2006, 08:29 AM

e-mail the photos to me, if you like, and I'll post them for you. it takes more time to say it than it does to do it.

47WeeWind · 08-25-2006, 09:08 AM

Hi:
Here's a photo from the 1968 Airstream catalog of a late 1960s cable suspended bunk bed:

Unlike the earlier fold-down permanent bunk beds that replaced the overhead cabinets, these cable suspended bunk beds work in conjunction with the overhead cabinents so both can be installed in the trailer for greater functionality. The second cable is mostly hidden behind the Big Hair.

Minnie's Mate · 08-25-2006, 11:17 AM

I wish they had used this sort of spacing for our permanent mounted bunks in our 06' Safari. The top bunk is pretty close to the ceiling. It's ok for our 6 yr. old, but in a few years he'll want to start sleeping on the sofa.

wlj1943 · 08-28-2006, 10:33 AM

Hi to all,
I used this thread to relearn how to resize pics, and here they are (first 3) if I understand the posting rules correctly; probably in two more posts. Before youall on the hinges on my unit being upside down, this is the way they were when I bought the caravel. The original owner told me they had the delivering dealer change them this way because they slept below and did not want them hanging down as they would whack thier head on them or the kids would play with them; they are not too bad when the matress is on the bunk (not shown in the photos) so I am told. The tubes were I believe likely formed with a machine known as an "Ironworker" which was one brand of a universal roll forming fabrication tool; I used one when I worked in Aerospace years ago. The wall bracket are cast aluminium; the ceiling mounts are apparently plated zinc or zimac(tm) castings. The cables are standard aircraft control cable, with swaged ball ends and vinyl sleeving that could easily be replicated by any A&P shop. The original attachements on my unit did not have backer plates to stiffen them; something that I have seen in a 1972 safari made in Jackson Center. I may add them at some later time.

Fabric is original and not rotted; the key to preventing damage is to keep the bunk open to prevent shrinkage ( tip was courtesy of Salem (OR) Tent and Awing).
Warren(wlj1943)

wlj1943 · 08-28-2006, 10:37 AM

Three more attached.

wlj1943

wlj1943 · 08-28-2006, 10:48 AM

Here are the final 2 photos. Sorry about the stuff in the background; I took these just after visitors had left to send to my nephew who was interested in the details. If my memory is correct, these castings were sourced in the LA/Long Beach metropolitan area. These would not be very difficult to replicate on a tracer, just expensive for only one set.
wlj1943