very informative, thanks. Those brackets were mounted in a bus I bought, less a seat. I had no idea how it worked. Now I can fab up the missing pcs and make it work. Thanks again.
Sorry it took me so long to respond.. i've been traveling a ton and didn't realize i was being lame. For Eduardo. the way the seat has been engineered it would be very difficult if not impossible to to get the seat forward. It's a tight fit and you must lift the base up about 4 inches to get it forward.
Thanks for this video, I bought a set of Z bed hinges from VW Heritage and the included instructions were terrible, I would've been lost without your video. It didn't help too that the 'ski' sections were on backwards and it didn't come supplied with any of the fittings, which considering how much it cost was pretty poor
I greatly appreciated your video. Can you please tell me whether you can keep the middle bench seat in the T2 and be able to fold the bed out? Mine is a '64.
I have a question...if you are driving and you activate the bus breaks does the back seat move forward or it has a lock system so it wont turn into bed?
HI Phil, not sure you're still tracking this but wanted to ask. You mentioned the raising/lowering knob and yo lowered yours to be flush w/the rear engine shelf. Could you also raise it enough to build a sleep pad for the back shelf (ie Westfali)? Thanks.
Interesting product but I fear it would not be approved for use here in Australia. Correct me if I am wrong anyone but I am fairly certain that the fitment of seats requires hardened bolts.... 8.8 I think, like seatbelts. The fittings on the mount seem pretty light and do not appear to be fitted to a strengthened part of the body; another requirement here if I am not mistaken. Wouldn't fancy it standing up to much stress in the case of a crash. Having spent a number of years in the emergency services I have seen what happens when this goes bad. Not pretty. Good idea but needs to be rethought.
For the commentators slagging the price, get real. They're the only ones making it and if you need to convert to a Zbed (which is what this is, and I'll tell you why in a minute) that looks like a regular Bus back seat but folds into a bed, this is the only thing going. Unlike what DIYGermanAircooled said, this is not DelMar Retro's design: The design started with Z-Products of Wilsonville, Oregon back in the 1970s. Z-Products went belly up, the owner was not interested in doing a run of new Zbed components, nor was he interested in selling the rights. DelMar just took the idea over and ran with it: Same design. And if you look at the price comparison back in the day, not much more expensive (inflation considered) and made from better products with some of the bugs worked out. A Westy or Riviera or Devon camper all use a mechanism known as a 'Rock & Roll' bed that does the same thing, but completely replaces the rear seat and base and it really designed to integrate with the whole 'camper' interior refit. The Zbed lets you keep an otherwise stock interior...that you can convert invisibly for sleeping in.
Marshall Webber Wow thanks for the history lesson. I love it. I would like to add that despite all the free publicity we have given various parts manufacturers on this DIY series, we have not received ONE THIN DIME or ANY, repeat ANY! correspondence in support of our efforts. Nice huh?
DIYGermanAircooled Yea, a pretty sad situation. Even just a 'thanks for the props, mate' would be an improvement. Anything you could do on T2A or T2B Bus would be great for me personally. I've salivated over the ZBed for years, was thrilled when DelMar put it back in production but was also hit by a little sticker shock. Since then, I've come to my senses: Buy from DelMar, recover an original ZBed kit still in serviceable condition, or DIY. Buying DelMar's product was by far the smartest move.
I'll continue on the history lesson. You mention that this is an exact copy of the Z-Bed ...... not exactly. I was the one that had the original Z-bed re-engineered. I had purchased a Z-bed and loved the idea/general functionality yet felt the overall build quality & material gauges (among other things) could be improved. I contacted Z-bed before doing this and was given the green light as he was moving on. My engineering director greatly improved the design in multiple ways resulting in a longer lasting, more rigid design with tighter tolerances. For about 15 years now, my buddy and I (both bus owners) have been selling these around the globe .... while making next to no profit but stoking out bus owners, which feels good ....... and occasionally having enough profit to go grab a few beers together. Our passion for the VW bus community is the driving factor. At some point soon we'd love to grow the product line because I've also designed a cool magnetic side door canopy. We'll see if our real lives allow us to find the time. Until then, we hope you love the kits.
Nice vid but think you have it set up wrong, you don’t adjust it so the seat sits flush with the engine cover/floor you want it to sit proud then you buy the mattress which goes on top of the engine bay and the seat acts as the second half of the mattress and sits flush. Just think it needed to be pointed out.
Hello, Phil your host here... I'm available for questions, suggestions and would love to hear and/or help with your projects. I'm always looking for projects and/or finding cars for people who have the passion... have fun!
It would have to be a very old "parts westy" as the engine deck is a different height and the seats are a different width on later models. IF you can find an old one and restore it, that's what we like to see.
DIYGermanAircooled I have a 71 tin top that had a stock bench like this one. Found someone selling a “really used” Westy Bed - which was really only the brackets and awful condition upholstery. It turned out to be quite the project to figure what to do next. With a lot of thought, I made a wood cabinet similar to what the Westfalia busses have, had to think how height to make the cabinet so when the brackets are bolted to cabinet and the bed folds out....it will line up level to the top of the engine compartment. (& considering foam for the seat, etc) what a pain it was, but I’m very pleased with the end results. Anyone looking for advise or want to see pics of my build, let me know.
Fabulous video. I've been wondering how I'm gonna do that to my rear seat. Thank you!
very informative, thanks. Those brackets were mounted in a bus I bought, less a seat. I had no idea how it worked. Now I can fab up the missing pcs and make it work. Thanks again.
cool product use. excellent demonstration. besides a bed it is now a better hauler!!
The seat back has latches that secure it in place and the the seat bottom requires a lifting motion before it can move forward into the bed position.
Hi mate, great vid, was wondering if you had any resources on how to put child safety seats in older vw vans? Thanks
do you have a video on how to upholster and fit a rock n roll bed please?
Would this work if you had a middle bench? Or not enough room to pull out if there’s a bench
hello man to watching your videos here from Brazil I really liked it great DIY,
thank you for the many videos.
Thank you for the great video. That's the way I'm gonna do my 78 thanks again
Very nice Video.
Could you please, tell us, where we can buy this kit?
Do you still have this bus and zedbed seats 10 years on?
muito bom esse suporte , fica com o banco original, obrigado .
Sorry it took me so long to respond.. i've been traveling a ton and didn't realize i was being lame. For Eduardo. the way the seat has been engineered it would be very difficult if not impossible to to get the seat forward. It's a tight fit and you must lift the base up about 4 inches to get it forward.
Thanks for this video, I bought a set of Z bed hinges from VW Heritage and the included instructions were terrible, I would've been lost without your video. It didn't help too that the 'ski' sections were on backwards and it didn't come supplied with any of the fittings, which considering how much it cost was pretty poor
I greatly appreciated your video. Can you please tell me whether you can keep the middle bench seat in the T2 and be able to fold the bed out? Mine is a '64.
Will this kit work on a 1972 transporter?
what is the measurement from the front to back of the bed area?
como que eu posso entra em contato p adequeri
Did you glue down the carpet over the fender wells? Just curious.
LyleZ
I have a question...if you are driving and you activate the bus breaks does the back seat move forward or it has a lock system so it wont turn into bed?
he does actually mention seat latches at the end (10.10ish)
horace van der klinka
Buena idea aunque creo que finalmente necesitaras un colchon adicional.
So can I still use my middle seat or what? Is it the same for a bay window?
Hi can you get these brackets in the UK if not where can I order these
Hi Louis, we just slipped the name of this California company into the episode for you, check it out. Im sure they would ship overseas.
hi, where can these seat to bed brackets be bought from?
The video shows you where to get them. They won't be at your local parts store. Be sure to tell them who sent you. : )
HI Phil, not sure you're still tracking this but wanted to ask. You mentioned the raising/lowering knob and yo lowered yours to be flush w/the rear engine shelf. Could you also raise it enough to build a sleep pad for the back shelf (ie Westfali)? Thanks.
It will raise above the level of the rear "shelf" but no more than an inch or two.
Where is there a link?
Interesting product but I fear it would not be approved for use here in Australia. Correct me if I am wrong anyone but I am fairly certain that the fitment of seats requires hardened bolts.... 8.8 I think, like seatbelts. The fittings on the mount seem pretty light and do not appear to be fitted to a strengthened part of the body; another requirement here if I am not mistaken. Wouldn't fancy it standing up to much stress in the case of a crash. Having spent a number of years in the emergency services I have seen what happens when this goes bad. Not pretty. Good idea but needs to be rethought.
For the commentators slagging the price, get real. They're the only ones making it and if you need to convert to a Zbed (which is what this is, and I'll tell you why in a minute) that looks like a regular Bus back seat but folds into a bed, this is the only thing going.
Unlike what DIYGermanAircooled said, this is not DelMar Retro's design: The design started with Z-Products of Wilsonville, Oregon back in the 1970s. Z-Products went belly up, the owner was not interested in doing a run of new Zbed components, nor was he interested in selling the rights. DelMar just took the idea over and ran with it: Same design. And if you look at the price comparison back in the day, not much more expensive (inflation considered) and made from better products with some of the bugs worked out.
A Westy or Riviera or Devon camper all use a mechanism known as a 'Rock & Roll' bed that does the same thing, but completely replaces the rear seat and base and it really designed to integrate with the whole 'camper' interior refit. The Zbed lets you keep an otherwise stock interior...that you can convert invisibly for sleeping in.
Marshall Webber
Wow thanks for the history lesson. I love it. I would like to add that despite all the free publicity we have given various parts manufacturers on this DIY series, we have not received ONE THIN DIME or ANY, repeat ANY! correspondence in support of our efforts. Nice huh?
DIYGermanAircooled Yea, a pretty sad situation. Even just a 'thanks for the props, mate' would be an improvement. Anything you could do on T2A or T2B Bus would be great for me personally. I've salivated over the ZBed for years, was thrilled when DelMar put it back in production but was also hit by a little sticker shock. Since then, I've come to my senses: Buy from DelMar, recover an original ZBed kit still in serviceable condition, or DIY. Buying DelMar's product was by far the smartest move.
I'll continue on the history lesson. You mention that this is an exact copy of the Z-Bed ...... not exactly. I was the one that had the original Z-bed re-engineered. I had purchased a Z-bed and loved the idea/general functionality yet felt the overall build quality & material gauges (among other things) could be improved. I contacted Z-bed before doing this and was given the green light as he was moving on. My engineering director greatly improved the design in multiple ways resulting in a longer lasting, more rigid design with tighter tolerances. For about 15 years now, my buddy and I (both bus owners) have been selling these around the globe .... while making next to no profit but stoking out bus owners, which feels good ....... and occasionally having enough profit to go grab a few beers together. Our passion for the VW bus community is the driving factor. At some point soon we'd love to grow the product line because I've also designed a cool magnetic side door canopy. We'll see if our real lives allow us to find the time. Until then, we hope you love the kits.
donde compro las piezas para convertir el sillón en cama???
anyone know the total length of the sear once put into the bed position
Nice vid but think you have it set up wrong, you don’t adjust it so the seat sits flush with the engine cover/floor you want it to sit proud then you buy the mattress which goes on top of the engine bay and the seat acts as the second half of the mattress and sits flush.
Just think it needed to be pointed out.
Where can I buy this kit
www.delmarretro.com/
Hating the bars in the back of the seat. To bad they can’t be in the seat so you can’t see them.
your favorite word in this video is alright LOL
Hello, Phil your host here... I'm available for questions, suggestions and would love to hear and/or help with your projects. I'm always looking for projects and/or finding cars for people who have the passion... have fun!
que precio tiene ese sistema
www.delmarretro.com/ go to the "store" on this website for pricing
Thanks for watching. Gracias!
Good job. Good video..
wow... super cool...
Bom video . Muito falar voce porque amigo. Voce doido igual metralyadora kkkk
I figured this looked like a $100-150 set, but almost $400? Jeesh. Neat, but that is some Coin.
two nights in a hotel
DIYGermanAircooled heh heh.. lot nicer hotels than our $89 3 Star Priceline deals.
anyone just take a westy bed frame and make it work on transporter seats ? being a cheapskate as opposed to buying the Z bed ?
Why would you spend $380 bucks for something you can get off a parts westy in a junk yard for a fraction of the price.
It would have to be a very old "parts westy" as the engine deck is a different height and the seats are a different width on later models. IF you can find an old one and restore it, that's what we like to see.
DIYGermanAircooled
DIYGermanAircooled I have a 71 tin top that had a stock bench like this one. Found someone selling a “really used” Westy Bed - which was really only the brackets and awful condition upholstery. It turned out to be quite the project to figure what to do next. With a lot of thought, I made a wood cabinet similar to what the Westfalia busses have, had to think how height to make the cabinet so when the brackets are bolted to cabinet and the bed folds out....it will line up level to the top of the engine compartment. (& considering foam for the seat, etc) what a pain it was, but I’m very pleased with the end results. Anyone looking for advise or want to see pics of my build, let me know.
I found it....them left it when I saw the price.
"Obviously"
schweet!
Uncomfortable af
Not the best design. Two padded pieces and one hard one.