Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

Have a 1984 35 ft. FC with side bath, the dinette forward seat is very
narrow between the seat back and table, (not enough belly room) also the
dinette seats protrude into the isle. Considering modifying the table to
create more room from the back of the seat to the table and reducing the
seat width so they do not protrude into the isle. Any suggestions?

Dale Cooper
Painesville, Oh. 44077

84 FC 35SB

Dale, I had the same complaints about my FC. Just too large a piece
of furniture for my bus. Here is what I did. I took the entire
dinette out of my 1973 FC. I was left with a couple boxes the back
one over the rear wheel arch and the front one over the heater. I
covered those boxes with carpet and made two wide chairs to sit on
top of the boxes. The legs on the chairs are very short (maybe 4
inches). These chairs are not really wide enough to sit two adults
but for my purposes that doesn't matter. You could make or have them
made to what ever dimension you would like and out of whatever
material you prefer. I made angle brackets and fixed the chairs tight
to the boxes. The table was also greatly reduced in size. The only
thing I saved from the original system was the mounting attachment
which connected the table to the wall. There would be a bunch of ways
to do this. If the "belly room" was the only issue maybe all that
would need to be done is to remake the table top. I objected to the
overall size of the dinette and the fact that there was almost no
walk room between the dinette and the kitchen counter. I only need
space for two. The next guy may not like my idea but that's the
beauty of an older coach. Not having to worry about hurting
something. Make it the way you like it. I made the chairs using two
wooden chairs that I all ready had. I took the back and seats off of
them and just replace the sections (seat and back) and other supports
with wider pieces and cut the legs off. I covered the seat and seat
back with upholstery padding and then vinyl. Not especially
difficult.
John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC
>
> Have a 1984 35 ft. FC with side bath, the dinette forward seat is
very
> narrow between the seat back and table, (not enough belly room)
also the
> dinette seats protrude into the isle. Considering modifying the
table to
> create more room from the back of the seat to the table and
reducing the
> seat width so they do not protrude into the isle. Any suggestions?
>
> Dale Cooper
> Painesville, Oh. 44077
>
> 84 FC 35SB
>

I forgot to mention that there are pictures of my dinette in the
photo section. John Heckman's Big Napper. I am working on the
kitchen and will post more pictures when that is finished. Hopefully
anytime now.
John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC
>
> Dale, I had the same complaints about my FC. Just too large a
piece
> of furniture for my bus. Here is what I did. I took the entire
> dinette out of my 1973 FC. I was left with a couple boxes the back
> one over the rear wheel arch and the front one over the heater. I
> covered those boxes with carpet and made two wide chairs to sit on
> top of the boxes. The legs on the chairs are very short (maybe 4
> inches). These chairs are not really wide enough to sit two adults
> but for my purposes that doesn't matter. You could make or have
them
> made to what ever dimension you would like and out of whatever
> material you prefer. I made angle brackets and fixed the chairs
tight
> to the boxes. The table was also greatly reduced in size. The
only
> thing I saved from the original system was the mounting attachment
> which connected the table to the wall. There would be a bunch of
ways
> to do this. If the "belly room" was the only issue maybe all that
> would need to be done is to remake the table top. I objected to
the
> overall size of the dinette and the fact that there was almost no
> walk room between the dinette and the kitchen counter. I only need
> space for two. The next guy may not like my idea but that's the
> beauty of an older coach. Not having to worry about hurting
> something. Make it the way you like it. I made the chairs using
two
> wooden chairs that I all ready had. I took the back and seats off
of
> them and just replace the sections (seat and back) and other
supports
> with wider pieces and cut the legs off. I covered the seat and
seat
> back with upholstery padding and then vinyl. Not especially
> difficult.
> John Heckman
> central Pa
> 1973 FC
> >
> > Have a 1984 35 ft. FC with side bath, the dinette forward seat is
> very
> > narrow between the seat back and table, (not enough belly room)
> also the
> > dinette seats protrude into the isle. Considering modifying the
> table to
> > create more room from the back of the seat to the table and
> reducing the
> > seat width so they do not protrude into the isle. Any suggestions?
> >
> > Dale Cooper
> > Painesville, Oh. 44077
> >
> > 84 FC 35SB
> >
>

As I see it, you have stumbled onto a little known fact about FC's.
That is, as the years pass, the distance between the edge of the
dinette table and the seat back shrinks and decreases.
(my wife didnt buy it either)
What I did was simply remove the seatbacks, and unstaple the fabric..
Next remove all of the old padding and replace with some 2" thick
foam. Then, replace and restaple the fabric cover.. Job Done...
Jack Smith
1973FC31
SoCal


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Dale Cooper"
wrote:
>
> Have a 1984 35 ft. FC with side bath, the dinette forward seat is very
> narrow between the seat back and table, (not enough belly room) also
the
> dinette seats protrude into the isle. Considering modifying the
table to
> create more room from the back of the seat to the table and reducing
the
> seat width so they do not protrude into the isle. Any suggestions?
>
> Dale Cooper
> Painesville, Oh. 44077
>
> 84 FC 35SB
>

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Jack & Donna Smith"
wrote:
>
> As I see it, you have stumbled onto a little known fact about FC's.
> That is, as the years pass, the distance between the edge of the
> dinette table and the seat back shrinks and decreases.
> (my wife didnt buy it either)
> What I did was simply remove the seatbacks, and unstaple the
fabric..
> Next remove all of the old padding and replace with some 2" thick
> foam. Then, replace and restaple the fabric cover.. Job Done...
> Jack Smith
> 1973FC31
> SoCal
>

Jack I just lost about 30 lbs and lucky me my wife never gained any
weight in 39 years of marriage still hanging in at around 100 lbs.
But I like your idea and will check to see what that looks like this
afternoon. Jon
Jon
Rebel bird North
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Dale Cooper"
> wrote:
> >
> > Have a 1984 35 ft. FC with side bath, the dinette forward seat is
very
> > narrow between the seat back and table, (not enough belly room)
also
> the
> > dinette seats protrude into the isle. Considering modifying the
> table to
> > create more room from the back of the seat to the table and
reducing
> the
> > seat width so they do not protrude into the isle. Any suggestions?
> >
> > Dale Cooper
> > Painesville, Oh. 44077
> >
> > 84 FC 35SB
> >
>

I saw photos of one 'bird where a previous owner had cut a partial
circular hole in one side of the dining table. I've seen a couple
'birds where the dinette seats and table have been shortened a few
inches.

In my own coach, I have a table anchored to the wall, but
freestanding chairs. When I replaced the floor and remodeled the
forward salon (to be an office), I was able to move the table a few
inches forward (toward the front of the coach) to give more space on
the side of the table that backs up to a bulkhead and the file
cabinets I installed in place of the sofa and a near-useless cabinet
ended up about a foot shorter overall, so there's more room on the
other side as well. Note that moving the table only about 3 or 4
inches is plenty (well, it was plenty for my slender wife, who lifts
weights to keep in shape).

I suppose you can modify the existing table, or replace it with
another one, that's simply 4 or 5 inches less wide. without having to
move the booth -- which might be a problem as in some 'birds the
booth has stuff under them.

Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
El Sobrante CA
aeonix1@...



On Jan 28, 2008, at 12:02 PM, Dale Cooper wrote:

> Have a 1984 35 ft. FC with side bath, the dinette forward seat is very
> narrow between the seat back and table, (not enough belly room)
> also the
> dinette seats protrude into the isle. Considering modifying the
> table to
> create more room from the back of the seat to the table and
> reducing the
> seat width so they do not protrude into the isle. Any suggestions?

----- Original Message -----

From: "jehdds@hotmail.com"

To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"

Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 2:11 PM

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Dinette mod

Dale, I had the same complaints about my FC. Just too large a piece
of furniture for my bus. Here is what I did. I took the entire
dinette out of my 1973 FC. I was left with a couple boxes the back
one over the rear wheel arch and the front one over the heater. I
covered those boxes with carpet and made two wide chairs to sit on
top of the boxes. The legs on the chairs are very short (maybe 4
inches). These chairs are not really wide enough to sit two adults
but for my purposes that doesn't matter. You could make or have them
made to what ever dimension you would like and out of whatever
material you prefer. I made angle brackets and fixed the chairs tight
to the boxes. The table was also greatly reduced in size. The only
thing I saved from the original system was the mounting attachment
which connected the table to the wall. There would be a bunch of ways
to do this. If the "belly room" was the only issue maybe all that
would need to be done is to remake the table top. I objected to the
overall size of the dinette and the fact that there was almost no
walk room between the dinette and the kitchen counter. I only need
space for two. The next guy may not like my idea but that's the
beauty of an older coach. Not having to worry about hurting
something. Make it the way you like it. I made the chairs using two
wooden chairs that I all ready had. I took the back and seats off of
them and just replace the sections (seat and back) and other supports
with wider pieces and cut the legs off. I covered the seat and seat
back with upholstery padding and then vinyl. Not especially
difficult.
John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC
>
> Have a 1984 35 ft. FC with side bath, the dinette forward seat is
very
> narrow between the seat back and table, (not enough belly room)
also the
> dinette seats protrude into the isle. Considering modifying the
table to
> create more room from the back of the seat to the table and
reducing the
> seat width so they do not protrude into the isle. Any suggestions?
>
> Dale Cooper
> Painesville, Oh. 44077
>
> 84 FC 35SB
>