TheSamba.com :: View topic - Fly Away Designs

Wed May 14, 2008 7:10 am

Mark wrote: flyawaydesigns wrote: We are discussing reproducing the Original Westy Tent with Germansupplyscott......he knows someone who has one to copy.

Hell yeah, that's what I'm talking about! =D> There's a design that's stood the test of time. There's wiggle-room there with using modern materials, but you could make not only a complete tent package, but offer reproduction parts such as poles, stuff sacks, patch kits, etc.
If it helps, I have a '69 factory Westy tent if you need any dimensions or photos of any specifc parts of the tent construction. The same one as seen below:

Whoa, hold your horses fella.....we are discussing the feasibility of replicating the Westy Rear End Tent right now, not the whole line of Westy products. Germansupplyscott says he knows someone with an original Westy Rear End Tent tyhat he may be able to get to use as a model for replicating.

One step at a time.....OK?? But if you'd like to provide us some very detailed photos and dimensions of your Westy Tent for us to do a FUTURE project, please feel free to send them to us.

To be honest, we don't have the space or equipment to tackle the large tent right now. We sew in our dining room and do the pattern layout and cutting in a spare bedroom.......we'd need to get a much larger space to work a huge tent in - not to mention a $5 - 6K sewing machine with a flippin' huge throat to do tent seams properly.......and our overhead would be more.....and....

We'd like our company to grow and make new products....but it takes having support from all of you to buy our products so we can make some profit to plow back into the company for more space and new equipment to do even more development......so if you scratch our backs, we'll do our best to scratch yours...

C and R
Fly Away Designs

Wed May 14, 2008 7:40 am

I haven't been called fella since I was about 12 or so, but ok then.
I'm not sure why it's so difficult to source these tents for so many, I've seen several of these for sale locally over the past couple years and scored one in great shape for $200.
They're still fairly easy to setup, just bulky. Maybe nowadays people want a spring-loaded tent that sets itself up, but IMHO those kind of people don't usually own or drive these machines. It's all part of the experience.
I just think the market is there especially for parts that are often missing, making the tent packages incomplete.
This rear bed extension is a cool project, so I'm interested in seeing you further develop this.

Wed May 14, 2008 9:00 am

Thanx,

Sorry for the "fella" reference.

The Rear Bed Extension is the prototype and we do have several improvements in mind that should bake it better, easier to make and and set up without sacrificing strength, durability or quality. We are looking at making it fold in the middle to make it a smaller package for storage. We also use steel tube for the main frame and would like to go to aluminum instead, but that size tubing doesn't seem to be available...we are still looking though. It will be a few weeks before we have a final design to put on the market. We want to take this unit out for some real world camping and then make the improvements we feel we need to make. So stay tuned.......

C and R
Fly Away Designs

Wed May 14, 2008 2:31 pm

Just to follow up with what mark said!

Anyone that has owned one of those original tents, myself included (have had over 5 of them) they are PITA to setup and leak and get trashed with minimal use! if they were to be remanufactured they should be made of superior materials and easy to setup at the least. I think the only market you would have for a tent that is so problematic would be for the show bus guys that want an original setup, actually in that case i think they would just go and find an oem tent like i did for around $400.00!

I like the shower idea, but the key to these products success IMHO is how well they fold up and store in the bus. Even if the design is the greatest in the world, you will limit all of your customers to those who have trailers. I know most bus campers always have there busses pretty well packed and introducing a clumsy object at a high price will make this venture unsuccessful.

I am an industrial designer by trade and am seasoned in these type of product developments.

With that being said back to the rear tent, you know you have a good product when there is very little feedback from your customers, I immediately when looking at your device found many issues that showed a good initial concept but lacked the ideas that one would develop by placing themself in many different situations with this device (most importantly climate. There seems to be alot of feedback so i would really take that in to mind and develop what the customer wants while keeping the process as simple as possible to keep costs down! You really need to think about who will be using this device. Dont design it to fit your situation only, which is obviously what has been done! Develop for the majority! I know I may come across as an A#$ but i see products fail all the time for this exact reason. I think with this forum and the foundation of what you have already done you will be able to develop a fine ending product. As for what you have developed now I think you will have a very limited customer base!

Good Luck!

I also have dabbled in product design for our campers and have a product that I hope to bring to market soon. We all need to scratch each others backs for these things to be successful. Please let me know if i can offer any advice or ideas. Again hope i am not being to much of an A#$ just pointing out what I have learned professionally!

Wed May 14, 2008 3:11 pm

Casey,

You are right. I do architectural/structural/mechanical design in the industrial field too. One thing I have learned is this - there are as many design solutions as their are people. The hard part is meeting most everyone's needs - no matter what the object is - while keeping it simple, effective, durable enough to take abuse AND have a fair price.

We aim to do all of those. This is the third year we have been making the Rear End Tent. When we first debuted our Rear End Tent and showed it here, we solicited a review of what they saw and we were deluged with comments. We sorted thru all of them and we finalized our basic design to suit the majority of the people - we did make subsequent improvements along the way that both minimized our efforts and improved the quality. Once we started going places with them, we received more comments - the Shower/Port-a-Potty Tent is one of the most asked for things when they see our original Tent and that is why I posted the sketch of our concept.

The next thing we get asked is "Do you make those for Vanagons?" We have to answer no, because someone else already makes one that looks exactly like one of our Vanagon conceptual sketches I made 2 years ago and it is for way less than we could make it for.

As for the big Westy Tent being reproduced, we agree with your take.....if we copied it exactly then the purists would like it.....but we would probably have to sell it for more than the $400 you can buy an original version for though....so for now it seems unfeasible to tackle it. If we improved it and used different materials, we may lose the purists, but appeal to the rest if they were OK with not having a real "Westy" design....but it seems there is already other aftermarket tents that offer a more modern tent that is easy to set up and has the price advantage over us getting into making them.

There may be a small market for replacement parts for the original Westy Tent though as Marks is referencing.....we just don't know how many of them are still surviving after all these years so that maket may be limited.

Thanks so much for your note though....and stay tuned, we are always looking for opportunities.

C and R
Fly Away Designs

Wed May 14, 2008 3:38 pm

I currently am a designer for an architecture firm! Sounds like we have many things in common. I knew after seeing your shower sketch that you were in the industry, nice detailed sketch. I look forward to future updates!

Fri May 16, 2008 10:09 am

Just posted 4 more photos of the Rear Bed Extension Platform in the gallery- showing the foam mattress section in place (before grey vinyl upholstery - that will come this weekend) and the Buna-N Bumper that protects the body/paint at the Platform's bearing against the rear of the bus above the rear engine hatch hinges.

C and R
Fly Away Designs
Canby, OR

Tue May 20, 2008 4:54 pm

We went camping this weekend and tested our new Bed Extension Platform. We had a late start from home and arrived in the dark at about 10:30 PM. Setup was a breeze - it took less than 7 minutes for us to set up both the Bed Extension Platform and our Rear End Tent - even in the dark. The bed was a full 2 feet longer and allowed the Z-Bed seating to be used without having to undo the bedding. The extended portion of the bed is also 10" plus wider than the original bed is at the rear of the bus so the Bed Extension relieved some of the claustrophobic feeling when sleeping head to the rear. During the day we left, it was 95 degrees here, so it was still very warm at night when we got up onto the mountain, but the Model 1 Screened Tent let the cool night breezes in as the temperatures dropped into the 60s by early morning - so sleeping was very comfortable and we weren't eaten alive by the mosquitos and no-seeums. The moonroof above let is see the full moon in all it's glory as we layed in bed. The platform was stable and stayed exactly where we put it. We even moved the bus a short distance the following morning without taking the unit off so we could have better access to water - still no movement. We did find a lower cost way of making the foam mattress section that involved gluing (2) 1/2" thick layers of foam to a 3" thick piece to make a full 4" thick section that matched the original bus mattress - the old and new sections even matched in density. Sleeping was very comfortable. We now just need to do some vinyl upholstery on the new mattress section to make it look finished.

We also used our new Traeger (Smith and Wesson) 22 Magnum pellet BBQ to cook dinner and breakfast.....it worked great too - we even baked brownies. All in all it was an awesome weekend in the sun and the Bed Extension Platform test was very enjoyable and successful.

We posted a photo of us camping in our Gallery.

C and R
Fly Away Designs
Canby, OR

Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:40 am

I think that this model of extension tent should be marketed more towards transporter owners who need sleeping space......I personally have a transporter 76', i am 5' 11'' and 175lbs allthough i can sleep anywhere in any position, so i usually just curl up into a ball and pass out.... But if i desired more space to sleep and had several hundred dollars to spend....I would totally want to buy this extension apparatus.....

Sun Sep 06, 2009 11:02 pm

I saw your tent in another post a while back, was intrigued, but did not pursue further.
Now I've found the source while looking for bed foam ideas. Good idea, design and implementation. I'd like to be able to carry that option, extra space is always good, and when I saw the vid of you putting your full weight on that sucker I was convinced, if not surprised, nothing moved. I'd like to see the folding extension option, if that is available. Seems like that would make storing easier.
BTW ..had been looking for new bed foam ideas and found your tent. Overstock has these: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Memory-Foam/M...6&fp=f
I envision using one to use for new bed and seat foam
... mmm.... tempurpedic....aahhh

Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:44 pm

jasonious wrote: You guys want one of these:

http://secure.mycart.net/catalogs/catalog.asp?prodid=4939958&showprevnext=1

Me, I'd like a copy of the original Westfalia rear tent.

States product isn't available anymore :(

Desertbusman wrote:

How the hell? Moar info.

Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:01 pm

Soviet1942 wrote: Moar info.

Moar? What's that?

It's my rear extended sleeper. My design and manufacture. It has nothing to do with the other ones.

Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:45 pm

At this stage in the thread, it's already been said. I see the OG Wesfalia tents listed in the classifieds all the time, but usually carry a $500+ price tag and.......let them stay there.
So I differ from some who say reproduce the original style tent(s), use modern tough/light weight materials yet keep it reasonable enough that we can afford it. Privacty curtains and ventable widows/screens are almost a most on whatever you build. Be the ONE who breaks away from the pack and offers a quality alternative and gain market share through volume not mark-up.

We'll pay for quality, but your niche is for a luxary item, not an essentail replacement part, so it's harder to pry open the stiff jaws of our wallets or ignore the peircing glares of our spouses :shock: Get it down in the $300 +/- range and you'll be in the "sweet spot"