Murphy Bed/ Door as sleep setup in Expo camper?

[Coachgeo]

So sat in the Ambulance box I purchased for my Expo Truck project today. Some brainstorming ensued. Here is what some clouds brought to my mind..... the door from box to cab will not be used in its present configuration. I might try moving it to passenger side. More on that later. So thought is... seal it up on inside then do below

. Put toilet in the space where that cab/box doorway was. Originally figured a pullout toilet in a cabinet somewhere.... but dedicating this particular space just for this seems to fit. Shower/bathing will NOT be traditional anyway so it is OK to be by electrical cabinet for this use. Again more on bathing later

. Murphy Bed / Toiletry door - Install a door in area marked in solid red in schematic below. Door to open like normal to reach toilet area. But.... standing up on one side of door a Muphy bed of some form. One idea is door will have to have hinges that can be unlatched and latched. Lowest hinges latched allows bed to be lowered. After the Z's are done... stand up bed then latch the typical door hinges for daily open close of toiletry door then Unlatch bottom hinges and whala... you're set for the day's use.

. Bed will be about 6" to 12" short so it will need small extension for feet or head. Would rather hang bed from roof after lowered with adjustable length straps. This will allow bed to be level no matter how unlevel the truck is.

What do ya'll think?



See red below. dashed red is bed lowered.

 

[Ozrockrat]

You could use a rotary type door handle so that the pins are in the top/bottom when twisted one way and on the sides when twisted the other way. It would need to be down low and over the side where the door will hinge. Something like this http://www.trimarkcorp.com/en/zPlatFormList.aspx?intcategoryid=26&topcategoryid=3&scategoryid=20

 

[The Artisan]

My murphy bed folds over my couch
Kevin

 

[Coachgeo]

My murphy bed folds over my couch
KEVIN

looked for that in your build report. Did not see it. Do you have pic or drawing of that yet? BTW love your build.

 

[The Artisan]

looked for that in your build report. Did not see it. Do you have pic or drawing of that yet? BTW love your build.

Thanks I will finish it in June. Still need the poly coating on the exterior, finish door and interior. Next one will use all outbound products, so much easier.
The bed is basically like this but I am custom building it, in my design you remove the back cushions and the bed folds over the base. Behind it is hanging storage.
http://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/u...unit-with-horizontally-folding-double-bed.jpg
Kevin

 

[Coachgeo]

...The bed is basically like this but I am custom building it, in my design you remove the back cushions and the bed folds over the base. Behind it is hanging storage.
http://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/u...unit-with-horizontally-folding-double-bed.jpg Kevin

Ahh makes since. Especially since in your case you are doing your own interior. I'm going to make my goals fit with what is already there as much as possible.

 

[The Artisan]

Ahh makes since. Especially since in your case you are doing your own interior. I'm going to make my goals fit with what is already there as much as possible.

Are you starting with a built camper?
Kevin

 

[Coachgeo]

Are you starting with a built camper?
Kevin

yes starting with sorta a built camper lol. It's a 14.5 foot Ambulance box. Rewrote some of my first post to make that more clear. Sorry for the confusion. I do not intend to strip the Ambulance box insides. Just add sink, fridge, cook items and bed. The pictured schematics is for the yellow ambulance box also pictured which I will be using

 

[The Artisan]

Ok got ya, I thought you were stripping it first. Makes sense for a quick build. From your plan, the space to the left of the door is that seating? If so can you make the bed fold over that space?
Kevin

 

[Coachgeo]

Yes that is an option and often the way a bed is added in Ambo's. Myself, would like to keep the potential for safe "legal as possible" seating in the box when in motion since it is designed for that. That way in the future .. be it me or a person who purchases it from me, will not have to legally limit passengers to what will fit in the cab. Passengers could actually ride in the box since it is certified for that already. Besides in reality; it is safter to ride in this box than in the cab.

 

[The Artisan]

Makes sense. Do you have enough clearance height to do a toyhauler bed?
Kevin

 

[Coachgeo]

Makes sense. Do you have enough clearance height to do a toyhauler bed?
Kevin

Floor of this box will be somewhere between 4.5 to 5 feet off the ground. Not so good for toy hauler inside the back of the ambo if that is what you are asking. Base truck this Ambo box will sit on is an LMTV M1078. In normal configuration its bed is 5 feet off the ground. The box will be small amount longer than the chassis and will require some trimming/fabrication to keep OEM departure angles. Since wheelwells have to be moved to nearly the back corners of box as well, all that fabrication will get done at same time.

oh..... might help to understand that this box will NOT sit on a bed but drop down over the Chassis. Floor of Ambo box will be around chassis height. (4.5 to 5') Everything between outer edge of box and chassis that is below height of wheelwells, falls below the chassis. See first image at the opening on the front wall. This is another reason why I chose and Ambo. Box. Don't like the TALL Expo rigs. Shooting for as close to 11' or lower in overall height as I can get yet be STRONG so box can acts as a Roll over Protection since these Cab forward trucks just love to CRUSH in roll overs. .

As too a platform beyond the end of box to hold a Motorcycle orr? That is possible, but again for not loosing the good departure clearance of the truck it should be another foot up or so above Floor of box on the backend. Winch or hydraulic lift will be required.

 

[The Artisan]

Sorry, I think there is confusion. I meant what is the height of the box and width? Can you do a bed like this?
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...OAn9_cWNj_V0fyRV_56GYuzDCWq6j6dmaijlUbmzHIo1Q
Kevin

 

[Coachgeo]

Sorry, I think there is confusion. I meant what is the height of the box and width? Can you do a bed like this?
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...OAn9_cWNj_V0fyRV_56GYuzDCWq6j6dmaijlUbmzHIo1Q
Kevin

I could with the rear swing out Ambo doors. Not sure I like the idea of removing the motorcycle I'll be carrying at most every camp spot though. Nor trying to get around it when I don't remove it. But hey... could change my mind lol

Another reason I like Ambo is all the cabinets etc. already exist. Creative thinking along with preinstalled Interior makes it need little to make it usable once box is mounted.

 

[The Artisan]

I can see that, was trying to see if I come up with a simple solution for you...
Most just use a slide out couch bed correct?
Kevin