When we purchased our '99 37V there were two floor plans - a dinette booth and freestanding table and chairs. As a personal preference, we did not care for the styling of the OEM freestanding table and chairs, so we went with the booth with the idea that at a later date we would remove the booth and put in a table and chairs of our own design. We also were worried about giving up the storage area under the dinette seats, so before we took out the booth we traveled for ½ a year with nothing stored under the booth seats to convince ourselves that the space was truly not needed..and it wasn't, at least not for us.
After looking a many freestanding table designs in other coaches, I finally decided on a table measuring 28" wide by 38" deep with a built-in 12" extension leaf. This leaf stores inside the table using ramped slides. The tabletop lifts up so the leaf can slide into the table. I made the table from red oak stained with Minwax No. 235 Cherry stain and finished it with many coats of Minwax Polyurethane varnish. The tabletop was made up from 8" wide planks joined using a "biscuit cutter" and lots of glue and clamps. I used the OEM hardware to attach he new table to the wall.
Removal of booth was relatively straightforward. Some screw holes were left in the walls, and I covered these with a chair rail which had grooves routed in it for electric wiring and thermostat for a ceramic heater and a telephone wire.
Removing the booth raises the issue of what to do with the end of the couch. I decided to make a narrow (5 ½" wide) table with a flip up top that we use to hold oven cooking pans and plastic bag and wrap boxes. This "end cabinet" is through bolted to the couch frame as well as screwed to the slide room floor, and is very solid. It serves well as a pillow rest for watching TV or taking a nap. The two chairs were purchased from the local Montgomery Ward before they went under.
Photo 1 shows the table from aft looking forward. You can see the couch end table.
Photo 2 shows the table from forward looking aft with leaf extended.
This setup works very well for us. We can entertain 2 additional people if we choose, but normally use the table just for the two of us. The removal of the booth created a much more open feeling in the coach.
I don't have detailed plans, but will answer any questions if you care to E Mail me at [email protected].
- Submitted by: Fred White 99 37V ISB
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