From Gaucho to Groucho

[Billdidly]

I have a new 71 International with a couple of gaucho beds with only the sliders and a piece of plywood 20" x 74" that makes the seat part. I can tell from the holes where it went, but what I'm having trouble figuring out is what fills in the other 28" when the bed is deployed.is there one or two pieces I have never seen a gaucho bed, so if you have diagrams or a picture or seven, I would like to see them.
This is my second Airstream, the first one had the same thing, but I scored a perfect couch, and built a sideways Murphy Bed, I would do this here but the oven intrudes into the bedroom space.
Thank You for any knowledge you can send my way.....Bill

[Safari64]

My ’64 has a second piece of plywood, about 18” wide, with rounded corners, that fills in the space when bed is slid out and back cushion is lowered to bed. When you slide bed in, second piece simply rides up and over main piece. No idea how they were originally. Perhaps second piece somehow hinged to wall and supported the back cushion, eh?

[exthemius]

My wife has a whole blog post on it (but basically there's wood INSIDE of the other two cushions). The large cushion doesn't have anything other than foam, but the slightly smaller one (i.e. the "seat back") has a piece of plywood embedded in it. The third piece (aka the bolster) has one as well.

Here's the actual boards (that I painted/sealed):

Air Streaming Dreaming: More Guacho Coucho

Here's the actual construction of the cushions(in all of the gory details):
Air Streaming Dreaming: My Pattern For Gaucho Coucho - Use At Own Risk

[Safari64]

The Ol' slip the wood inside the cover trick...That's why they got the big bucks.
I get the wood in the back cushion. Where does the third piece go?

[exthemius]

Originally Posted by Safari64

The Ol' slip the wood inside the cover trick...That's why they got the big bucks.
I get the wood in the back cushion. Where does the third piece go?

In the bolster -- if you look at my photo, you'll notice the smaller ones (one is normal and one is curved) those slip into the bolster cushions (i.e. the cushion that isn't connected to the bottom cushion, and "supports" the back cushion when its in the upright position).

I should note that we have a similar set up as Billdidly...meaning we have the double double not the double twin configuration in our A/S...so you're looking at the pieces for 2 Gauchos.

I've attached a side view:

[rebelstand]

Here is a link that has all (i think) posts on the gaucho.. as well as a few things.

Air Streaming Dreaming: upholstery

[Safari64]

AH HAH!!!

Thanks, By George I think I get it. I'm missing a few pieces!

First, I have a side gaucho (and front dinettte).
Second, NOW I know what that "shelf" looking piece the previous owner tossed out was for!

Any one have photos/drawings of side gaucho? Is there a bolster piece to them too?

Thanks

[exthemius]

On ours, the front and side are the same (except the front bolster is rounded and the side/rear one is straight). On the front, the rounded shelf supports the upper section, but on the side our curtain rail supports it.

[ArtStream]

Is that really a Gaucho in your Airstream?

A 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 have 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 an 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 squatting in your Airstream, would undoubtedly, start the Airstream community on a heated and passionate debate on axle 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 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, Gaucho has not shown up in my Airstream? What I have found 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

[rebelstand]

Michael,
I have noticed that you often post this. You have made me curious. I am not sure, but I think I got the name from the forums. Your post got me to wondering where/who started calling the couch/futon/bed this. Was it official lingo?
Anyone know?

[Billdidly]

Thanks everyone it's all the information I needed, especially the picture of the pieces laying out in the driveway, and I will check out the rest of the links. There are lots of really great folks in "The Airstream Collective" , and we're a lot more fun than the Borg( you remember them from Star Trek the Next Generation ,,,) , but if they had just rounded off the corners and used more aluminum they would have been ok.
This is my second "Alumitube" the previous was a 66 Sovereign, this one is a 71 International( I can't say I'm a restorer, more of a reviver) and I'm a little dismayed at all the brittle plastic and formica, I hope if that trend continued they started using better plastic.
Thanks again ,,, You folks rock....Bill Didly

[TooMuchTin]

Although I have an Airstream, I come here for my Silver Streak questions, as this is the best source for info. I always assume Silver Streak copied as much as possible, so I hope what I learn here can be copied. This info really hit the spot.