Bluebird Rock and Roll Bed Measurments

[melvin]

Hi All,
Is there anyone here with a Bluebird Customs R&R Bed that could kindly measure the length of the bed from the rear door?
It states on their website that they are approx 6ft long but I have just installed mine only to find that it is 6ft 7" long when in the bed position, wouldn't normally matter but I have a unit that is now going to be in the way! I've email'd them but haven't had a reply as yet.
Just wondering if maybe I have the wrong legs or something silly.

Cheers

M

[Cruz]

IF I remember I will measure ours on friday

[Cruz]

Just checked Melvin and our is 6ft 7 from the tailgate panel when in the bed position

Sadly most people don't realise that bluebird beds were designed for bay and splits that have a shorter and higher raised engine platform. That's why T25 owners need to build a rear bed base and a support for the seat back when in the bed postion.

6ft in length will be the measurements taken in a bay. Someone needs to contact bluebird and tell them to change their T25 page measurement.

I'm glad it's 6ft 7 as my feet are now nowhere near the end of the bed and stay toasty

[melvin]

Ah thanks Cruz,
I contacted RIchard at bluebird customs yesterday and said to him about the length, he said he'd recheck the measurements and update the site.
I couldn't believe that I'm the only person to query it,
I said to him I reckon I could re-drill the holes and set the bed 2" back which would hopefully sort out my problem, to which he said to try it and if I doesn't sort it out just return it. I wanted to check with him first as I didn't want to drill holes in it and come find out that it still doesn't fit still and I'd need to return it with extra holes drilled in it!

Cheers for confirming the length for us , after receiving the bed I thought that it was an adaption of the bay R&R Bed as the instructions were from a bay, he could do with updating them really as it was still for the old style bed plus I have had to drill 2 sets of holes in the engine bulkhead because it didn't say where to drill them, as the angle in which the arms sit are not 90deg to the kickboard (which is where the arms seemed to sit nicely), but very near to the top of the bulkhead.

Anyway hopefully over the weekend I'll get around to shoehorning it all back in.

-M-


-M-

[kevinbeever]

Hi All

I'm glad someone has pointed out these issues with the Bluebird bed. I must admit i was a little disappointed with the instructions as it wouldn't take a great deal of effort to change them for the T25 and add a few dimensions on, after all they arent cheap!. I have only put mine in place so far just to check for size and fit etc and noticed even in the seat position it sticks out well forward of the sliding door pillar. This is mainly due to the wide seat base causing a large overhang, too wide in my opinion. I'm considering chopping 100mm off the seat section and welding the front bar back on giving me a bit more room in the van and still leaving the bed over 6ft long. Ok this will ruin the "sexy italian silver" powder coating but you only live once!

I think the Bluebird website should have provided a few more technical details and less of "ISO-9001" standards and "EZBAK" mechanism claims. It was pretty clear to me that the ISO-9001 laser cut brackets presumeably made for a VW T2 had been cut and welded back together. The re-work wasnt great and certainly not powder coated like the rest, just sprayed with silver paint. I havent had chance to use the "EZBAK" mechanism yet but it looks to me like a simple lever which isnt really worthy of a trade mark. Has anyone had experience using this lever? I cant imagine how it would help put the seat back in "one easy operation" as they claim, i'm sure i read somewhere that you have first got to lift the seat section up in order to engage the mechanism so thats at least two!

Am i being a bit picky or does anyone else think the bed isnt as good as Bluebird make out?

Good luck with your fitting Melvin

Cheers

Kevin

[Ian Hulley]

They must have changed then because our's is coated in brown plastic and is a smidgin over 6' end to end. That's supposed to have been out of a Devon Moonraker (which dates it to ~1979 if they played on the Bond movie publicity)

Ian

[Cruz]

Am i being a bit picky or does anyone else think the bed isnt as good as Bluebird make out?

Good luck with your fitting Melvin

Cheers

Kevin

After 2 weeks away I have found ours to be very comfy, especially the expertly made DIY engine bay platform The ezbak system is just a lever but it's a damn site easier than trying to put the bed back to a seat without it. I must admit though I cheated and got Steve Shaw to fit it in a jiffy whilst it was in his premises

The only thing I can fault it on is that the under seat storage is not as wide (front to back) as my old leisuredrive bed, and when down in the bed position the two U shape brackets underneath only just sit on the kickboard bracket. To me the two arms that bolt to the van bulhead could do with being made about 6" longer. Overall though I like it and it has even taken my weight standing on it to reach things in the hightop, in both postitions.

At last years buzfreeze I compare it with it's nearest competitor, the Volkswares bed, and the blue bird bed was vastly superior in quality and sturdiness.