Hallmark-style over-dinette bunk in FWC/ATC?

mkish

Adventurer
Hi y'all!

Has anyone gotten creative and thrown up an extra bed over the dinette/couch in a FWC or ATC camper?

I think these campers would be great for my family if we could find a place for kid #2 to sleep. Hallmark has an option for a bunk that looks like it could be copied somewhat. If ATC or FWC offered such a head-banging option, families would look harder at their campers (hint hint!!). Tent camper types don't need it to be spacious but we need a spot for everyone to sleep!

Anyhoo, if anyone has successfully added an extra bed, I'd love to know how it worked out. Thanks!
 

pods8

Explorer
2 could technically share the current lower bed, but assuming you want separate beds:

Get a shell with a bed on either side if you want to use a slide in camper. I'd never want to actually use and sleep 4 in a regular floor plan camper of that nature, there just isn't the room needed to move in that galley floor plan. Or make the kids sleep outside. :p If you go to a flatbed camper then you have more versatile floor plan options.

I think hallmark uses a pullout form under the cabover bed? FWC/ATC don't have a storage compartment under their beds to accommodate that. It would require a notable framing change to thicken the cabover profile and I highly suspect it won't be embraced since it would mean sourcing the thicker cabover piece, making sure the craft constructs it right, etc. But feel free to call and discuss with the folks.

Getting away from the hallmark style a folding bunk on that wall might work and stow behind the couch but I revert back to my statement above in that I'd never want to deal with a galley camper like that with 4 in it.
 

mkish

Adventurer
Thanks for the thoughts, Pod.

I believe it is Outfitter that has the extra bed in a drawer under the cabover bed. Hallmark's seems a bit more primitive. (It also looks easier to get rid of when the kids ARE big enough to sleep outside.) Neither are local to me so I can't go check 'em out.

We are aware it'll be squishy. Very tight. But we just need a place to roll out our sleeping bags and carry our stuff. Well, a little more than that but we won't be eating our meals and playing cards and waiting out storms in there.
 

pods8

Explorer
By the way what size camper are you talking here? How small are they since you're talking about them not being big enough to be out in a tent yet? I assumed since you wanted separate beds they must be bigger, any reason they can't share the bed below or one of them share with you?

On the above thoughts: If you really want to use the lower bed as a bed and not a couch I'd look into modifying it and raising it while in bed mode so it goes up on the camper step that projects over the bed rail and you'll gain back a fair amount of isle space you'd otherwise loose (you really can't move in these campers with the lower bed down).

Or for instance I've made a long enough pullout in my hawk that it turns into a kingsized bed with us sleeping parallel to the camper. That has provided plenty of room for me/wife/ and son #1 (currently 18mo) on past trips. If we were sticking with this camper I could see moving son #1 down on the couch now and son #2 (currently 1mo old) sharing the upper bed with us for a while. [In reality I'm building a new flatbed mounted camper for a better floor plan for our needs.]
 

mkish

Adventurer
What size....good question. Something for a full size truck which we don't yet have, but I want the smallest camper we can get away with. I'd prefer a short bed truck but if I have to go with a long bed I can. I'd rather not have camper hanging off the end of the truck either way.

The kids are under 7, so the overcab bed (if queen size) will work for 3 for a long time because 3 of us are short enough to go the wrong way--a queen is wide enough (long enough) for that. On the other hand, someone has to sleep with the dog and I don't want it to be me.

I don't mind sharing the lower bed with the spouse, but it does need to fit adults. (I plan on stuffing the kids up top since they go to bed first and don't make coffee in the morning.) Northstar has the popout bed but I'm not sure I want to go that route. And I'd prefer to buy locally. :)
 

pods8

Explorer
The lower bed is the size of a twin (about 38-40" wide), I wouldn't consider it an ideal setup for 2 adults. Also keep in mind the upper bed maximum width w/o a slide out those guys make right now is only a full sized bed (~48"). The queen size bed they are offering requires a slide out extension. I know upon request that ATC has done a king sized slide out, not sure if FWC has but I can't see why not.

Where are you located? Probably not a bad idea to check out a Hawk/Panther (this is the fullsize short box version) in person so you get an idea of the sizing.
 

mkish

Adventurer
Good advice. Thanks! We aren't really far from Sacramento but every time we plan on heading out something comes up. We'll get there eventually unless there's just no way we could possibly fit. A shell would be the way to go if I thought we'd actually get around to doing it.


You probably wouldn't understand lazy procrastinating if you're building a camper while having two tiny ones! :Wow1:
 

pods8

Explorer
You probably wouldn't understand lazy procrastinating if you're building a camper while having two tiny ones! :Wow1:

Well all the work was done with only 1 in the picture, I've just been wistfully thinking about playing in the garage over the last 6 weeks. :p Back out there soon hopefully.
 

Pest

Adventurer
I don't have an ATC or FWC, but I figured I'd show you the bunks in our Pheonix. We have a couch instead of a dinette, but perhaps it might be helpful. We don't often carry the top bunk around unless we are planning on using it. It lays on top of the main bed when not in use and we can close the top with it up there.

IMG_20110622_211140.jpg

IMG_20110622_211125.jpg

You can get more details from the build thread in my signature (I'm still in the process of updating picture links, see last post)
 

mkish

Adventurer
Thanks Pest! That looks doable. I notice the lower bed goes to the wall like Pods suggested. Lots of floor space for the dog that way!
 

LuckyDan

Adventurer
What Pods says about modifying the bed to meet the wall is right on. On my Grandby with the couch turned into the bed there is literally no floor space, I end up walking on the lower bed. Mine is an older, Colorado built one. I'm told the newer models with the "flip" couch are even worse.

Something you may consider is a cot style bed for the upper bunk. I have not seen it done with a FWC or the like specifically, but my fathers Aloha camp trailer had a upper bunk cot in it we used a lot when I was a kid a long time ago. It was located above the rear bed and was literally a cot. It was canvas or nylon and hung from two pieces of round tubing, one on each side. It mounted in holders screwed to the end walls much like todays closet rod end brackets. It even had a little box framed in on the corner of the closet to store it though Dad just left it in place, rolling the thing up on one tube and tied it to the other with cotton cord when he wanted it out of the way.

For an FWC type mount one would need to put mounts on the upper cross frame below the soft top and the other mounts probably to the bed frame up front some how. This may be easier to do with the newer slide out beds as I think they have a good wood runner along the edge. Older campers like mine the front bunk flips up and has no edging, at least from the factory. The tough part may be finding the cot piece unless you or someone you know is handy at sewing heavy material. If this approach suits your fancy there are probably photos of one on one of the vintage trailer sites like Tin Can Tourists.

Good luck in your endevior.
 

homemade

Adventurer
do it yourself solution

If you are OK with using a shell this is what I did with the camper I made, sleeps 4 comfortably. I have a wave heater attached to the back wall of the camper above a bed but obviously no room for the sink/stove stuff if that is what you are interested in.

The beds fold up out of the way.

This has worked well but if you are interested in just sleeping off the ground in your tent you might consider a flippac, they already have a cot and you could easily put another cot in the truck bed. I just got a Byer easy cot which seems outstanding for that purpose.
 

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