Jimmy chose 2-inch by 2-inch pine lumber for the frame and 1/2-inch plywood for the 45-inch (at the widest) by 74-inch (at the greatest length) platform. With the two rear captain seats jettisoned, Jimmy began noodling how to make the best use of the available space into a bed.īecause of the van’s tapered interior walls, each support panel was precisely cut for the maximum use of space. Jimmy Smith constructing bed with underneath storage. However, we love the overall concept of the 20-year old Rialta and decided to covert the former backseat passenger area into a bed with a much needed storage area underneath. We had a very brief flirtation with selling the Rialta and buying a small, hard-sided A-frame pull trailer. Because we needed the dinette for day-to-day living and eating space, we could not keep it as a dedicated bed. A three-inch memory form mattress topper was not an option because of weight and storage issues. We made several unsuccessful attempts to ‘soften the bed’ with Therm-A-Rest inflatable mattresses and down pads. In addition, heat from the refrigerator vented directly into my face. Then to our dismay, after only a one-night stay at a nearby state park, we discovered the 47-inch wide converted dinette-into-bed surface was too hard and extremely uncomfortable. Temporarily, we installed five stackable drawers for storage, and a makeshift workspace for me with a folding desk and chair. Storage Space Need in Rialtaīecause Jimmy and I have a far greater need for storage space than extra passenger seats, our first modification was to remove the two rear captain chairs. The kitchen and dinette area provided a quiet get-away space for refreshment breaks and relaxation between matches. ![]() The four captain seats were perfect for the traveling card playing quartet. ![]() We understand that one of the previous owners, an active 80-something woman in tennis shoes, primarily drove the Rialta to regional bridge tournaments with several of her women friends. Both the dinette and two rear captain’s chairs convert into sleeping areas. The original 22Q model features four captain’s chairs up front and a dinette in the back. Jimmy and I purchased the Rialta for a really decent price and ever-so-slowly started making it our own. A few months back, we sold our much-loved fiberglass 2005 10.2-foot Classic Northern Lite slide-in truck camper and acquired a funky 1999 Rialta Classic 22Q class B van.
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