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03-19-2017, 09:01 PM
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#1
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New Member
1990 32' Excella
Montgomery
, Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3
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Gaucho and dinette solution
Ok. I have been a member of the Airstream Forums since 2009 and have gotten many great ideas but I haven’t posted anything. So, this is my first post. When we first got our Airstream from my parents, who had been Airstreams for over 25 years, I replaced the gaucho with a trifold queen size futon that folded out lengthwise front to back. It worked ok, but it was too heavy and cumbersome. Here is my next solution. Our Airstream is a 1990 Excella 1000 rear twins – gaucho front –bi-fold table that folds down on driver’s side – and a small table that also folds down on the curb side. The futon, which replaced the gaucho and the tables, were replaced with a modular multifunctional/multiconfigurable couch/bed/table solution.
The futon is the couch and the other two parts of the futon became two bench seats on either side of the couch to form a U-shaped couch. The two bench seats are not attached to the floor and have a “slide out” expansion ability, so, they can be moved to make a big chaise lounge, an extra twin bed by themselves, or, with the couch, a queen size bed.
I built a double drop leaf table which, when down, is positioned to the side of the cabinet next to the refrigerator and when the beds are up, the table fits in front of the cabinet. We can use the table with only one leaf up for three people, and with both leaves up we can seat up to 8 people. We have only had six at the table so far and it worked nicely.
Here are the pictures:
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03-19-2017, 10:51 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1978 25' Tradewind
Metro Phoenix
, Arizona
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,524
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Dude! That is smooooth!
__________________
"Between what matters and what seems to matter, how should the world we know judge wisely?" - E.C. Bentley, Trent's Last Case
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03-20-2017, 01:00 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2012 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Vintage Kin Owner
Virginia Beach
, Virginia
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,801
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slicker than a greased eel in a barrel full of snot!
__________________
Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present.
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03-20-2017, 05:08 AM
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#4
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Airstream Driver
1994 30' Excella
1992 35' Airstream 350
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,224
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best conversion I have seen!! Love the slide out extender. Solves the I want single, I want double, I want dinette
Thumbs up!
__________________
1994 30' Excella Front Kitchen Trailer
1990 25' Excella Travel trailer
1992 350LE Classic Touring Coach
AIR #13
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03-20-2017, 08:31 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1962 28' Ambassador
1961 19' Globetrotter
1962 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,996
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CMC, that is one great post and a fantastic solution for many variations. When thinking about our dinette/sleeping/lounging area all those "what ifs" come up and I think you answered them all.
VERY well done, will be saving those pictures for sure.
Also big kudos to being a forum member for SO long and not feeling the need to post.
Clearly a person of great patience.
__________________
Hittenstiehl
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03-20-2017, 10:40 AM
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#6
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jkwoodrow
1987 34.5' Airstream 345
Springfield
, Ohio
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 155
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Foiled Again
slicker than a greased eel in a barrel full of snot!
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That is the ultimate compliment!
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03-20-2017, 12:52 PM
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#7
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4 Rivet Member
2019 25' Flying Cloud
Greeneville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 436
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I really like what you have done. Great job.
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03-20-2017, 12:52 PM
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#8
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2 Rivet Member
2017 27' Flying Cloud
2017 30' Classic
Sulphur
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 54
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Looks awesome. What are the tables called that the cushions are sitting on.
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03-20-2017, 01:03 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1962 28' Ambassador
1961 19' Globetrotter
1962 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,996
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Benches, 😚, sorry Dennis, aren't they cool.
__________________
Hittenstiehl
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03-20-2017, 01:34 PM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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So does this AS ever go on the road, and how do you stabilize the furniture so it can't slide around and destroy itself and the floor?
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03-20-2017, 01:45 PM
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#11
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1 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
Las Vegas
, Nevada
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 11
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Clearly, you need to post more often.
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03-20-2017, 04:12 PM
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#12
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Camping Through My Eyes
2016 25' Flying Cloud
Detroit
, Michigan
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 27
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Great job.
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03-20-2017, 04:47 PM
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#13
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2 Rivet Member
2015 23' FB Flying Cloud
Sacramento
, California
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 54
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Well thought out!!
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03-20-2017, 05:37 PM
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#14
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4 Rivet Member
1988 32.5' Airstream 325
WhereIam
, Left Coast Proud
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 437
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Wow!! Very Impressive!! But like OTRA15, I want to know how you stabilize it on the road. Chris and I have a couple of teak deck chairs and we have to bungie them to something when we are driving.
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03-20-2017, 05:58 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
1967 17' Caravel
Oak Creek
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,556
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Very cool. Looks comfy.
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03-20-2017, 07:57 PM
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#16
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New Member
1990 32' Excella
Montgomery
, Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3
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Sorry for delayed response. As far as trips, we have only been out once since the modification -- have another trip planned in April. School, work, and my daughters softball eats away the time.
I put felt pads on all of the legs of the benches and table so they won't damage the floor and the felt allows them to slide to the different positions easily. Right now, when traveling, I put the two benches with the table in the middle and a cushion on all sides of the table in front of the couch and use a tie-down strap to hold it snug against the couch. It works for now until I can come up with a better solution.
Thank you for all of the nice replies --
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03-21-2017, 04:35 AM
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#17
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1 Rivet Member
1984 31' Excella
Fort Walton Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 5
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This looks awesome! Could you share more details like dementions and table pattern.. We would really like to do this. It solves so many issues and offers great seating options.
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03-21-2017, 09:50 PM
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#18
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New Member
1990 32' Excella
Montgomery
, Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3
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I did not have any plans drawn up -- it sort of evolved. I had looked at MANY of the great ideas posted by others who had created U-shaped couches that converted into beds and dinettes. Some which are beautifully crafted and were lightyears beyond my capabilities.
The couch uses the existing frame – which makes it 16¾” high X 26” depth (with the back and 34” with the back removed) X 72” long. It uses 4 - 1”x4”x6’ and 2 – 1x6x6’ for the base (the last 1x6 is taper cut to fit the curves of the AS. The back is made from 1 – 1x4x6 and 3 – 2x2x6 attached to 6 – 1x2x18” vertical pieces that fit into the groove between the two 1x6x6 of the base. The back is cut into two sections so that it is easily removed and stored under the base when the couch is converted to a bed. I am still working on the back – I would like to have it so that it expands to form the back of the couch and then collapses into itself to form the bed – without having to remove it. But it works for now.
The benches are 16¾ high x 23” depth x 36” length. I used 2x2 for the legs and 1x2 for the slats. There are 19 - 23” slats total which alternate as 10 fixed slats and 9 slats that slide out. I put a shelf at the bottom 3” from the ground with four slats spaced 5” – for storage.
The table is 28” high x 24 ” depth x 7¼” (fully collapsed) – 28x24x29½ (with one leaf up) – 28x24x53½ (with both leaves up). I used a 1x6 for the top and base which the swing out table leaf support legs are attached. The legs of the table are 2x2 and the swings out legs are made from 1x2. The leaves are from a 24”x48” board cut into 2 - 24”x24” pieces. A piano hinge attaches the leaves to the top.
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10-05-2018, 01:07 PM
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#19
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2 Rivet Member
1963 22' Safari
mcallen
, Texas
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 40
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Wow, I love the idea.
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08-22-2022, 01:41 PM
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#20
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2 Rivet Member
1965 26' Overlander
Ludington
, Michigan
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 22
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Gaucho
If I read this correctly you used the original Gaucho as the base piece ? may I call you on this ? my phone is 517294 7809 which is Michigan. you can text me or message me your number privately.
Thanks
Tim 65 Overlander
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