[GMCnet] Replacing the dinette for sleeping space in a 1976 GMC Eleganza II

[Shirley Pruitt]

Hi all;

I am the proud new owner of a 1976 Eleganza II that I am renovating with
the help of a local gentlemen RV specialist.

The dinette in the coach (behind the passenger seat) was in really pretty
bad shape, aesthetically and structurally. It is now out and on the trash
heap!

I would like to add a jack-knife sofa or something similar as a replacement
but I'm having trouble finding something I feel confident would work in the
space (Approx 65" from "hump" to entry door, and if we can go over the
"hump" that adds a good many more inches. I remember seeing a post
somewhere about a sleeper sofa that was retrofitted to accommodate the GMC
"hump" but now I can't find that anywhere.

My main goal is to maximize usable sleeping space - nobody in the family is
shorter than 5'8" and two of them have many more years of growing yet to
do! The rear of the coach has the full size mattress. The couch/bunk bed
is in great shape and was recently reupholstered. I would welcome any and
all recommendations!

Shirley
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[Mickey Space Ship Shuttle]

JimB at the co-op sells a great couch fold out that i would get if i needed one.

mickey
77 palm beach
anaheim ca.

[Mickey Space Ship Shuttle]

I think two couches with a removable table between them is better than the dinette facing each other design.

the bunk bed as couch faces the other couch both looking out the opposite window behind them with small and large fold out table

between them seems to work better to me. I do not have this but consider it an option that seats more to eat and meet, as well as

computer table for both couches. there are picture here on this somewhere.

mickey :-)

77 palm beach

anaheim ca.

here is one i like: http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/interior/p24441-dinning-table-folded-u.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/interior/p24438-another-view-of-the-interior.html

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/interior/p24444-another-view-of-the-dining-table-folded-in-half.html

On Mar 30, 2013, at 10:19 AM, Shirley Pruitt wrote:

[Keith V]

Shirley
I looked into that and decided to use a dinnette,
but I still think it's great idea.

BTW is your table useable? restorable?
I'm still looking for an origional table
--
Keith
69 Vette
29 Dodge
75 Royale GMC

[Carl Stouffer]

Shirley,

We have the factory installed dinette on the passenger side, and installed a Jim Bounds jackknife sofa on the left side. On our annual sand dune trip, my oldest son (6'-8") sleeps on the sofa, with his feet hanging off the end, and my youngest son (6'-3") sleeps on the dinette. We like having the dinette, but your proposed arrangement sounds good too. Here is a link to the album I did when I installed the sofa:

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g5576-motorhome-sofa-project-08-10.html

The sofa is very comfortable for sitting (it's primary use) and I haven't heard any complaints from my son. It was a little pricey and has to be mounted out from the wall a few inches, in order for it to fold flat. We love having it in there.
--
Carl S.
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.

[Shirley Pruitt]

Hi Keith.

The table was not original, nor were the dinette seats - they were made out
of 3/4" rough plywood and stained (badly). The table was particle board
with a laminate on top to "match" the counter (not so much!) but they
didn't do a good job on the edges and they had "jury rigged" a bracket
using a weird system of screws, etc.

I am a fairly "frugal" person (call myself a "cheap Dutch girl" - my
parents did emigrate from the Netherlands after all!) and if it weren't so
obviously homemade and "aftermarket" I would have tried to clean it up and
make do for a while.

[Shirley Pruitt]

Carl - yours is the post I remember seeing but couldn't seem to find again!
Thanks for the link to your album. I will share it with my RV guy to give
him a visual of what I've been describing. Do you happen to know the
dimensions of the sofa? I was looking around on Jim's site earlier today
for a sofa and didn't see it but I will go back and try harder now that I
know for sure that is the right source :-)

[Carl Stouffer]

Shirley,

I think this is the link you want to Jim's site:

http://www.gmccoop.com/seats.htm

The sofa's are made to order and can vary in length by several inches. IIRC, ours is either 72" or 74" long. I had to block it up to clear the lower step as you will see in the album. As I understand it, these are conversion van sofas, but the work great in the GMCs.

[Devin Wells]

Where are you located? i might be able to help out.
--
Devin Wells
Nashville, Tennessee
1974 GMC Sequoia 260 "Gilligan"

[Glenn Giere]

Shirley,

If you are handy heres a home made couch that opens to a full queen bed. Easy to build, can be tailored to any width you have available, lots of storage under.

Glenn

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/sofa-bed/p45173-dscn1159.html

[Keith V]

Oh eww ok, never mind! :)

Nothing wrong with being a cheap dutch girl, I'm married to one :)


Shirley Pruitt wrote on Sat, 30 March 2013 15:04

> Hi Keith.
>
> The table was not original, nor were the dinette seats - they were made out
> of 3/4" rough plywood and stained (badly). The table was particle board
> with a laminate on top to "match" the counter (not so much!) but they
> didn't do a good job on the edges and they had "jury rigged" a bracket
> using a weird system of screws, etc.
>
> I am a fairly "frugal" person (call myself a "cheap Dutch girl" - my
> parents did emigrate from the Netherlands after all!) and if it weren't so
> obviously homemade and "aftermarket" I would have tried to clean it up and
> make do for a while.

[Ken Henderson]

Shirley,

Our X-Birchaven has two sofa/beds which are nothing more than plywood
platforms with upholstered thick foam pads on them. For the sofa option,
there are bolsters with trapezoidal profiles that fit across the backs. At
night, when in the bed configuration the bolsters stand upright on the
engine hatch. Works great for us & very comfortable.

Beneath the one which has space, I've installed my "gas powered dining
table" so we do have an eating surface:
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g3329-gas-powered-dining-table.html
or
http://goo.gl/sGJow

Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
www.gmcwipersetc.com

On Sat, Mar 30, 2013 at 1:19 PM, Shirley Pruitt wrote:

> Hi all;

> ...

>
> My main goal is to maximize usable sleeping space - nobody in the family is
> shorter than 5'8" and two of them have many more years of growing yet to
> do! The rear of the coach has the full size mattress. The couch/bunk bed
> is in great shape and was recently reupholstered. I would welcome any and
> all recommendations!

...

[Mickey Space Ship Shuttle]

gas powered wine table, that is a great design, i envy little designs like this that get'er done with class.

love your design. good work.

mickey

77 palm beach

anaheim ca.

[Shirley Pruitt]

North Carolina. You?


On Sat, Mar 30, 2013 at 5:10 PM, Devin Wells
<de...@classictvcollector.com>wrote:

[george beck]

Carl sofa lookin good, where is it from and how pricey 
73 Sequoia 26'
George Beck


________________________________
From: Carl Stouffer <carl...@yahoo.com>
To: gmc...@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Saturday, March 30, 2013 3:26 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Replacing the dinette for sleeping space in a 1976 GMC Eleganza II

[Shirley Pruitt]

Glenn - this is ingenious! Permission to print the pictures of your hinge
design to show to my RV guy?

[Carl Stouffer]

george beck wrote on Sun, 31 March 2013 21:03

George,

Thanks, the sofa is from Jim Bounds at the Co-op:

http://www.gmccoop.com/seats.htm

The above link has the info and pricing on it.

[Devin Wells]

You might try Craigslist to find one that will work especially since you will need to modify it anyway. Some have taken two flexstell dinette ends and placed them together to make a jack-knife sofa.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/dwayne-s-ramp/p47155-dinette-kingsley2012-004-medium.html

--
Devin Wells
Nashville, Tennessee
1974 GMC Sequoia 260 "Gilligan"

[Devin Wells]

Hi Shirley,

I have a jack-knife sofa but it is only 60" wide. You could use the metal frame and make a sofa 72" by using a couple of boards and upholstery. It would easily clear the hump. It would save you several hundred dollars. Call me at 615-478-2214 if you would like to discuss.

Thanks,

Devin

[Charley Harris]

Too bad you are not closer as I am just outside of Houston and have an orginal dinette out of an Edgemont I would love to get out of the garage. I probably will be heading to NC this summer June/July time frame but sure you will have what you need by then. If not just let me know.
--
Charley Harris
Magnolia Texas
1976 Edgemont

[brian]

Shirley,
Where in nc are you located?
PO removed the top bunk portion of my bunk bed set up and put in foam cuchions as a back rest to this. Seating area was good, and it did sleep fair, but I hated the looks of it. That is what started my trading which ended up with me taking a flexsteel sofa and making it into a couch. For drivers side due to kitchenette, it had to be shortened, but if it had been on passenger side it would have been an easy mode for step. Maybe someone has an flex steel dinette to get rid of.
My original bottom bunk seat part is available, it would need legs put on it, but that would be easy, the foam back rest would have been much better if they had been recoverd to match seat, but i have them to if you thought you would use them.
--
brian
asheboro, nc
75 eleganza 2 74 build
118k miles and counting,
DOG HOUSE

[Johnny Bridges]

Hay Charlie -
 
Can I have it? I can make arrangements to get it.
 
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach


________________________________
From: Charley Harris <charley...@bakerhughes.com>
To: gmc...@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2013 4:23 PM

Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Replacing the dinette for sleeping space in a 1976 GMC Eleganza II

[Shirley Pruitt]

How big is the dinette when in the sleeping position? Would it sleep an
adult? Two adults?

Work obligations stopped my progress on looking for options and I'm already
resigned to our first shakedown cruise being with a big empty spot where
dinette was and couch and/or other would go so could wait a bit longer for
something that would fit well. Would you happen to have a picture?

[Shirley Pruitt]

Whoops, just saw Johnny's post. He should get dibs. I probably need to
stick with my plan to aim for a sofa anyway. Thanks for suggestion though.

[James Thompson]

I used the benches from my dinet to make L shaped seating and sleeping area. Pictures are on photo site under docsdad. If I had to do over, I would use new lumber and build from scratch to get longer sleeping space. Could make 5 or 6 more inches in length by doing it all new.
James

[Don Adams]

"" used the benches from my dinet to make L shaped seating and sleeping area""

I like the L seating area. Could you add a picture with the smaller table? and one with the seats down for the bed? Does the foorward one still fold down?

Thanks
--
Don Adams Dallas, TX
'76 26' Glenbrook, '90 Sidekick
rebuilt by R Archer, powered by J Bounds, Koba

[James Thompson]

See picture site again. I have added pics of bed and table layout.

[Don Adams]

Thanks, very nice

docsdad wrote on Tue, 23 April 2013 07:52

> See picture site again. I have added pics of bed and table layout.

--
Don Adams Dallas, TX
'76 26' Glenbrook, '90 Sidekick
rebuilt by R Archer, powered by J Bounds, Koba

[mr.er...@gmail.com]

What site??

FREE WIFI @ Mickey D

[A.]

Mr ERFisher wrote on Tue, 23 April 2013 10:26

> What site??
>
> FREE WIFI @ Mickey D

Probably means this one

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/member-galleries/p48733-new-smaller-table.html
--
'73 23' Sequoia For Camping
'73 23' CanyonLands For Sale
UA (Upper Alabama)
"Time is money. If you use YOUR time, you get to keep YOUR money."

[Glenn Giere]

Shirley, permission granted. Glenn