Calling All Leisurdrive Owners....

[fodtommo]

Hi

I need advice from other owners of Leisuredrives...

The back seat is as we know not a true RnR unit, like everything leisuredrive it is the easiest solution achievable with plywood and houshold ironmongery!

When I bought the van it had just one bathroom type door bolt to hold the seat in the upright positio, in order to be inkeeping with the rest of the van I quickly modified this to include one on the other side, a rubber door stop and a a bit of wood.

However this was temporary and done to stop the plwood back twisting - it needs changing for something more substantial especially with the kids on the back seat.

What has every one done??? I cant be the only one that thinks this is rubbish and slightly unsafe!

[Cruz]

I have recently changed to a Bluebird customs bed. Just need to make a engine platform and foam it up.

[fodtommo]

Sounds lovely, but probably a bit out of my price range! im thinking a second hand RnR bed, but in the meantime I will have to apply some engineering skills to a solution!

[Cruz]

cheap 2nd hand beds are usually wood on hinges and therefore just as flimsy imo. Whereas a metal bed bolted to the engine bulkhead is far sturdier and cheaper than a back seat passenger hurtling past you with a couple of kilo's of mdf/plywood in an accident

£220 is cheap in the whole T25 scheme of things.

[fodtommo]

I didnt realise they were only £220 - so had a lok and the found a table leg stand so you can use the van table outside - brilliant!!!!, so rnr bed and table leg stand on the list now! this is why things always seem to be more expensive than they should be!

[Mocki]

dunno what version of leisuredrive you have, but my bed is easily as strong as any RnR bed, and is self supporting.
You sure you havent got a autosleeper?

[uniB]

My Leisuredrive was the same I think - it just had a bolt that went into a hole drilled into the cupboard, it had two box section steel bars that pulled out somehow to support it - can't quite remember how. As I remember it was quite solid but it looked like someone's grandad had made it! These Leisuredrive conversions are pretty rubbish, but I guess mine lasted 20 years so can't be that bad. Now all stripped out and a Bluebird RnR fitted, much better set up - well recommended

[Cruz]

Mine was the same UniB. All held on with about 8 self tappers. Wasn't long enough either and i'm only 5'11

[fodtommo]

My Leisuredrive was the same I think - it just had a bolt that went into a hole drilled into the cupboard, it had two box section steel bars that pulled out somehow to support it - can't quite remember how. As I remember it was quite solid but it looked like someone's grandad had made it! These Leisuredrive conversions are pretty rubbish, but I guess mine lasted 20 years so can't be that bad. Now all stripped out and a Bluebird RnR fitted, much better set up - well recommended

AAAHHHH this is all starting to make sense - there are 2 broken hinges on the bottom of the seat back - I guess these had some 1 x 1 wood or steel legs that then fold back and slide into the to box tubes.

Forums are wonderful!

PS the van is definately a leisuredrive it says oso on the pop top and is fitted out as only an LD can be!! ("pooh"!) but its a long project... and one day it will be beautiful

[eatcustard]

When mine was a full width it had bolts on both sides, and not your bathroom ones, but more substantial bolts.

[boatbuilder]

The build quality of my Leisuredrive is nothing short of shocking. Anywhere that Leisuredrive touched the original van, they bodged it in some way. I wonder how many children's fingers got crushed in the leisuredrive collapsible bed over the years.
Mine was so bad that I decided to strip all the Leisuredrive components off the van and start again diy style.

The most shocking discovery so far is that (on the poptop vans), there are LOTS of sharp self tapper screws sticking down through the roof in the cab area, projecting out about an inch. Right above your head in the driver's seat.
Its all hidden under the headlining, but if you stood up quickly, or raised from your seat in a minor accident, you'd impale your head on a screw.

[Cruz]

The leisuredrive T5's I saw at Busfreeze were the nuts

[boatbuilder]

The leisuredrive T5's I saw at Busfreeze were the nuts

I suppose back in the 80s, people were looking for functional campers without frills.

[fodtommo]

Indeed, people had lower expectations in 1986 - I remember my old man getting a new company Cavalier SRi 130 - at 10 years old I thought it was about as awsome as motoring got, mainly because it had an oval tail pipe trim and 130 in foot high letters down the side....

(I think the 130 was the BHP, presumably measured at the flywheel with all ancilliaries removed)

[nicktennear]

Got a bluebird for sale. Brand new. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :MESELX:IT