240 General: XC240 Picnic Table

[leftfootleashed]

Let's get this straight: I have no desire whatsoever to own an XC70/90. Maybe you do, but what you get up to in your own time is your own business matey.

But I did see those picnic tables that unfold from the boot floor and think 'ooh, I want one of them.' So being a 240 owner I got the MiG welder out of the supplied toolkit (they came with that as standard right?), and retrieved the complimentary sheet of ply from its resting place under the handbook, and made my own.

I'd like to think I haven't really added to the car with this, it just a bit of Swedish self-assembly that most people don't get round to doing. I've done the Volvo equivalent of peeling the banana of the front of the Velvet Underground & Nico.

(Disclaimer: I made this last summer and have been meaning to tidy this up a bit and paint it, but like most things I make, it hasn't made it past the 'it'll do for now' stage.)









For when you need more shelter, or for use from inside with the tailgate shut:




And in all its animated glory:

[VOLVO GHILLIE]

Very unusual and appears to work very well. How about some circular holes to take drinks containers? A nice plasticote spray paint will do the trick to finish it off.

[mylittletony]

I really like this, any chance of some drawings to replicate??

or a simple, which bit bolts to which bit, hinges, catches etc...

[Stephen Edwin]

That is kewl. Nice one.

But to picnic in a 245, sit with one's mistress of the time, backs to the back of the rear seat, legs stretched out, tailgate open, to shelter from rain, looking over a lovely place of choice, and eat whatever delicacies one has carefully arranged to have available .... Mmmmmm ....

Oops sorry, memories .......

[leftfootleashed]

Originally Posted by mylittletony

I really like this, any chance of some drawings to replicate??

or a simple, which bit bolts to which bit, hinges, catches etc...

Cheers, sure, will try and take some close-ups of the business bits soon. It took me at least six months to get round to taking these, but I will do it!

[leftfootleashed]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

That is kewl. Nice one.

But to picnic in a 245, sit with one's mistress of the time, backs to the back of the rear seat, legs stretched out, tailgate open, to shelter from rain, looking over a lovely place of choice, and eat whatever delicacies one has carefully arranged to have available .... Mmmmmm ....

Oops sorry, memories .......

Well the idea is the two of you can sit on the edge of the boot with the table in between. Having gorged yourselves on said delicacies, it would take minimal effort to move backwards and recline into the back of the back seat in a post-picnic daze. However, I imagine nothing spoils the romance like booting the picnic table and knocking the wine everywhere at this juncture.

[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by leftfootleashed

Well the idea is the two of you can sit on the edge of the boot with the table in between. Having gorged yourselves on said delicacies, it would take minimal effort to move backwards and recline into the back of the back seat in a post-picnic daze. However, I imagine nothing spoils the romance like booting the picnic table and knocking the wine everywhere at this juncture.

Your picnic table sounds good to share with one's own wife.




Especially as the table is a separation in between the two persons ....

[volvo always]

Like it

The thing I would like on my 240 estate is a sliding floor on runners that brings all the crap in the boot outside so that you can get to the compartments underneath without having to empty the boot first

James

[V8brick]

Liking that having never seen the xc one.
I've had plans to do something completely different
but let's get the piggin thing running right first!

[leftfootleashed]

Took some more detailed pics for anyone wanting to emulate this.


The tube along the bottom (which I've just realised doesn't appear in any of the photos) acts as a hinge. It's attached to brackets at each end which are bolted through the inside of the floor compartment, close to tailgate end. They're made from a short section of the tube (an old towel rail I believe) slit open and spread out so that the original tube fits inside, then welded to plates. The idea was that the gaps would be large enough and in the right orientation so that the tube (and everything else) can be removed quickly.


In fact I made one of them a bit loose so it needs a cable tie to keep it in, which can be slipped off to remove it:


The two upright bars are welded to this tube, wide enough to give the table lateral stability, but close enough to allow space to sit either side of them. (Need to take a picture of this.)

The tops of the bars are rounded so the table top (3/4" ply) can pivot across them, and attached with simple brackets (bits of angle with holes drilled in them) with threaded bar (individual bolts would work), which apparently I haven't put nuts on - well it hasn't fallen off!



It was at this point that I offered everything up and measured it to get the support arm in the right place. This has got to be long enough to give enough support and short enough to fit in when it folds up. It's a bit of trial and error really.

I hope this is mostly obvious from the pictures since I'm not sure this description makes much sense. Here's some more just in case.











I cut two slots to allow the lid to be closed while the table's up - cut fabric with knife, peel back, saw wood underneath, break off, fold fabric back under and staple:



When the table's up, the weight is supported by the upright bars leaning on the inside edge of the floor compartment. It's pretty solid. You couldn't sit on it, but it's strong and stable enough for everything I've wanted to use it for. This arrangement does put a little bit of stress of the tube, which flexes a little (it's roughly 25mm diameter, 2mm wall. I might get round to strengthening this one day (maybe by cutting the tube in the middle and welding a plate in in cross section, or adding reinforcement in the appropriate dimension on the outside of the tube. Or spreading the load along the bar more with bracing).

Any questions, shout.