>>I'm considering making a canvas
hammock that hangs from the top of the two front seats
when they are swivelled to face the middle<<

Houston,
I used to have occasion to drive a military bus which
had been converted for use as an ambulance.  We rarely
used it as an ambulance but often camped in it.  It
was the normal bluebird-type bus with all the benches
facing forward.  In the back was a bathroom and a big
open area for carrying rucksacks and such.

Attached to the side walls were military stretchers,
on at the level of the top of the bench seats and
another a few feet higher ala bunk beds.  The
stretchers are just like the cot in the front of an
loaf westy:  two poles, a bracket contraption that
holds the deal open, and canvas on which you lay.
These things are available surplus for a song.

The cots were bolted against the outside walls with a
large bolt.  Only two as I remember and we put some
bog old hosses in these things.  The inside pole, when
the cot was opened, was supported by a thick chain
that  fastened a hook in the cot pole to a large hook
in the ceiling.  When folded, the cots only extended a
few inches from the wall.

I can't imagine that bolting a cot to the sides of a
vanagon would be possible.  Perhaps you could hang the
cot by chains from four hooks coming off the roof of
your westy.  Don't know for sure because I haven't
spent much time in a vanagon westy.  Maybe this will
get the lists creativity flowing.

Hope this helps,
Ray

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