[tuswm]

I am going to start this thread to share my Ideas, get feed back, and to record my process. I am not finished yet, I am just starting the build process.

Let you me tell you about my old set up ...

 

[tuswm]

My Old set up my old cars.

This is just a quote form another thread.

I have spent well over 100 nights sleeping in the back of one of my subies (even my sti)

best mattress ever that works in and out of car. memory foam!
Kamp-Rite Double Self Inflating Pad on amazon

dark tinted windows for privacy and lets you sleep longer after the sun comes up.

Sun Visor for windshield, same reason, also keeps frost off windshield in winter.

Ventilation: weather guards for windows will let you crack all windows and not worry about rain or people being able to see in the cracks. I also noticed the ventilation was way better when you can crack the sun roof. Because of the convection currents in the air, ventilation will be way better if you can crack the sun roof. I love having my cargo box on top just to keep the rain out.

clean windows: better ventilation keeps your windows cleaner especially in winter when frost forms.

Summer ventilation: get some screen like from a screen door or order some to patch a tent. use blue painters tape and crack back windows. Also Rayobi makes great battery powered fans that will work on HIGH for 10 hours on a single charge of the larger batteries. 2 zip ties mount them to O sh!t bars.

Where: when traveling Walmart encourages campers to park in their lots to keep them safe. They have 24 hour camera surveillance. Just in case.

If you are in bear country do NOT keep any food in the car. I am a backpacker so I use a bear can.

Cargo Boxes help keep your car clean so you can just keep your bed set up for road trips, keep the sun off the room keeping your car much cooler in the summer, helps ventilation.

Flat Bed: Consider removing the bottom of the seats on some years. This can add a lot of room and flatten the bed area. Its a 2 minute job in most cars. You can use towels to fine adjust the flatness of the seat back while laid down, take in to account your body weight.

On 2000 outback I had the seat bottoms off, head rest off and would move the seats forward. I had 2 Rubbermaid containers that were the perfect height so when in the foot wells they extended the bed perfectly. I did a six week camping/ hiking/ National parks tour that summer.

 

[tuswm]

Considerations for building a new platform……

*currently build cost and material $22
1 sheet of plywood

*Its an Outback I want to use it for adventures.

*I want it to be able to work with either seat or both seats folded down. I have a 1 person and 2 person bed that fir in the back.

*I want to re use as much of my old set up as possible.

*Many of the places I go there are no hotels (like the Eclipe)

* I want to be able to site up, so I do not want a traditional platform that will take away from head room. If I need more cargo room I can use either my roof rack or hitch cargo carried.

*I do not want the sleeping platform to take up lots of room in the car when being not in use.

*preferable when parking the car I would like to have everything including luggage in the trunk with the privacy cover in place.

* I want set up to be super quick and easy. I would prefer to be able to do it completely from in the car if its raining.

* $ vs $$$$$

* I want to get my upper body forward of the wheel well. The wheel well is 42” where as the space between the Doors (above the arm rest) is 60” that’s the same width as a queen bed.

*just folding the seats down has a platform of 63” in length with only 18” in front to the wheel wells. Vs adding 23” by moving the front seats all the way up. That makes the platform 86” in length (6 inches longer than a queen bed) but more importantly where your upper body is now has an area 55-60” wide and 40”long.

*that is a surface area of 3024 square inches vs 4350 square inches. An increase of 43%

 

[tuswm]

Here are a few picture or measuring, making a cardboard template, and test fitting the first wood prototype.

In the last picture, the picture of the prototype the seat back are not flat. when the have weight on them, they are flat. If you want the sleeping space real flat you have to take out the trunk mat and seat back protectors. But most importantly you can see the massive increase in usable bed space.

The funny cut in the middle of the board allows you to use either side of the bed independently. The cut goes from the center of the arm rest to where the rear seats separate and fold down separately. The other added benefit is that it fits on the floor of the trunk much easier in two pieces.

Back to work for now.

 

[tuswm]

I would put something on the edges of the plywood, and or sand it down so there are no sharp edges.

maybe pipe insulation held on with tape.

just something to stop the plywood from getting into contact with hard plastic,...or leather,
or the glass when moving it around or storing it in the car.

The pipe insulation is a great idea. I have been thinking about way to make sure it does not injure my new car. This is my first new car since 04. This is the first new car I have ever bought my self. I love her.

I do plan to use a belt sander on the plywood to really smooth it out especially the edges. It does come in to contact with the fake leather in places but it lays flat. I was thinking about applying a fabric type surface to the bottom like felt. Possibly just where it comes in to contact with the arm rest and center console.

 

[tuswm]

I dont know why the forum keeps posting that picture upside down, guh. Finished sanding and shaping.

 

[tuswm]

vinyl would probably be better the fake felt..... easier to keep clean/ no linting.

very true.

 

[tuswm]

So 3 of these blue 18 gallon been fit in the trunk on top of the wood bed platform. I even have room to close the trunk.

I put a stain on the boards. I am not sure if I should seal it or with what. I don't want it to be sticky and get stuck to anything over night while I am sleeping on it .

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[tuswm]

polyurethane the boards.

newly stained boards can leak back out when it gets damp. (maybe put a brown stain on your cloths, car interior, or stuff,....insert joke here about brown stains and underwear)

well I actually have half a gallon of that sitting around from when I made my dinning room set. Here in Maryland where it is super humid in the summer it take forever to fully dry. Good thing I do not have any trips planned anytime soon.

I also want to test out a spacer on the underside of the board to see if it is more comfortable. But I really think that when I put my bed on it that I will not be able to feel any difference in flatness. Both my 1 person and 2 person mattresses are about 4 inches think.

 

[tuswm]

well I actually have half a gallon of that sitting around from when I made my dinning room set. Here in Maryland where it is super humid in the summer it take forever to fully dry. Good thing I do not have any trips planned anytime soon.

I also want to test out a spacer on the underside of the board to see if it is more comfortable. But I really think that when I put my bed on it that I will not be able to feel any difference in flatness. Both my 1 person and 2 person mattresses are about 4 inches think.

Sanded again .... sealed

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[tuswm]

Question

I would be interested in a real cooler that fits well in the foot well. Especially if it plugs in to the car. I am currently just using a 18 gallon rubber maid L16 x W24 x H16. But a height of 20 would fit.



So everything fits. Can wait to use it all. This is 1 of my best investment. This pad fits well and has memory foam in it I leave the valves open when I sleep. I only close then to roll the pad up. The coating around the pad allows you to hose it off if it gets muddy. My wife and I also use it car camping. Or visiting places..its better than a pull out sofa or a traditional air mattress.

The other thing I really like about it in the car is that it is a little longer than some other inflatable mattresses. It doesn't matter if you pop it. It rolls up small...ish. it's 4 inches thick so it's thinner than a traditional air mateess but feel all most as good as my real memory foam bed. Especially with a decent sheet on it. Easier to clean than a traditional topper. More multi use and durable than a topper or air mattress. But as you can see it's not cheep. But if you don't stay in a hotel it pays for it self fast.

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[tuswm]

What does the platform rest on?

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the wood rest on the top of the rear seats in the rear. In the front the outside rest of the arm rest on the front doors and the center consol.