Build of a Teardop in Glasgow, Scotland.

[grizz]

As mentioned these things do bring out the best in people.

I find the neighbours and other people asking, and rubber necking.

My colleagues find it hard to believe that a guy who operates in a suit and tie all day would be building a teardrop.

Great progress again Al.

[BigAl]

Summer has arrived! Or at least is briefly visiting before passing on through to warmer parts. :D

This weekend I have added the wheelarches...


... and finished the battery box...


I am hoping to be camp ready soon. My camp ready target date was the second bank holiday weekend in May, next weekend. I might be ready for next weekend, but realistically it looks like the first weekend in June will see our maiden voyage.

[Rigsby]

I cant believe how quick it has all come together Al. It looks off the shelf

[grizz]

Just great !!!

[S. Heisley]

It looks really good!

[H-Balm]

Cool tongue box!
Does that flap flip up?
What will go in there?

[BigAl]

Thanks Guys!

The tongue box door flips up and will be secured at the bottom with some kind of hasp, latch or lock.

Right now it does not contain anything.

The floor of the trailer projects forward of the trailer below the tongue box giving two bolted anchor points further forward than they otherwise might have been. The idea is that this shortens the tongue even further.

The second immediate benefit is that it gives me a container to add tongue weight if required.

The longer term plan is that it will house a leisure battery, a charge controller and maybe some equipment to allow solar and wind charging.

[BigAl]

This weekend we took the trailer out for it's maiden voyage, and the weld holding on the stub axle parted company with the trailer whilst I was doing 50mph...



Other than almost ending in disaster, the trailer towed beautifully, being a credit to the designer.

You can read a bit more about the excitement in a separate thread here.

[Rigsby]

That a shame Al. Did you manage to get it fixed or get it carried home?
I hope you get the money back from the welder

[YuGun]

What is this? A crash?
I am sorry for it.
Bu there is ok there are no more damage
Or car damage or human health problems.
Sincelery,

[BigAl]

Thanks guys, I got the trailer home thanks to being a member of Autoaid, else the bill would have been 200 quid.

The trailer is going to be off the road until I get a repair plan figured out.

As odd as it seems, I regard that I was exceptionally lucky.

[grizz]

AAAAAaaaarrrghh !!!

Sorry to hear that Al.

I think you should post a thread on recovery and insurance etc on the TCGB site, for all to be warned and fore armed.

Nicola did ask what do we do if we broke down badly with the bus or trailer.

[es009d7705]

Hi Al, have not been on the forum for a bit, busy trying to get mine finished. I was shocked to see your photo of your mishap. I am glad that no one was hurt and that you managed to get it home. Hopefully you havent been put of teardrops for life. How did your girlfriend take it? Will you be able to get it fixed? It didnt look to bad in the photo apart from the wheel and bumper lying in the ditch. Hope to hear from you soon, Evan

[BigAl]

Well I am almost back on the road. I jacked the trailer up, dropped the chassis, and had every weld redone and added some extra strengthening.

More detail in this tread.

Getting the chassis aligned and bolted back on was the difficult part.

The trailer cabin, was surprisingly undamaged, with some trim lifted at the corner. The only real cost apart from the rewelding was buying two new light clusters.

My better half took it pretty well. So hopefully she will feel happy for us to tow the trailer again.

All I need to do is wire up those lights and we are all set.

[BigAl]

The refitting work has been done, myself and 'missus Big Al' took the trailer up to the West Highlands this weekend, on the exact same trip where last time the stub axle came off.

I am happy to report all is well. I did check the welds every time we stopped due to welding paranoia. Here is a picture of me giving the all clear having just checked the welds as we stopped on Rannoch Moor Summit (1142 feet)



and another without my big baw face ruining the shot.



We brought with us an inflatable tender and a 2.5hp Outboard. I did a bit of fishing from the tender and the Pollock were biting.