Truck Canopy Trailer - Updates... Solar Panel, Jack, etc.

[Facemeltingly Epic]

Having to do all your cooking outdoors isn't necessarily bad. You don't have to sleep with food odors, for one.

[Prem]

ohbugger,

Nice thinking outside the.....err......the teardrop. Good clean job and really nice photos.

Thanks!

Prem

[PcHistorian]

very nice ttt (tiny travel trailer) the blade top front will probably cut the wind cleaner off of your car roof top. What is that you have on the inner, upper surface of the cap? Looks like a felt material. I was just wondering if it was a spray on coating or a glue on thick felt for insulation. Looks pretty damn cozy. Nice work! Hope to meet in on the road some time. :-)

[ohbugger]

very nice ttt (tiny travel trailer) the blade top front will probably cut the wind cleaner off of your car roof top. What is that you have on the inner, upper surface of the cap? Looks like a felt material. I was just wondering if it was a spray on coating or a glue on thick felt for insulation. Looks pretty damn cozy. Nice work! Hope to meet in on the road some time. :-)

The carpeting or felt or whatever was already there. I think it's a common upgrade for camper tops. A friend said that the main selling point is that if you sleep in the back of your truck and the topper isn't carpeted, the condensation will drip on you all night.
It looks and feels just like trunk liner or speaker box carpet, but I am guessing it was sprayed on as I haven't seen any seams.

[Aligator944]

Where did you camp? It looks like Twin Harbors, one of our favorite places, except that we go in August!

[ohbugger]

Where did you camp? It looks like Twin Harbors, one of our favorite places, except that we go in August!

Grayland Beach
http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Grayland%20Beach&subject=all

And I wouldn't recommend going in January unless you are really itching to try out your new toy!

[PcHistorian]

I was just wondering on the coating because if it is moisture only, you could be a lot more cozy with some insulation. I got mine coated with 1/2 in R=3 (styrofoam) on the inside. And once I got the floor and ceiling done, I was cozy with just light bulbs. (and the halogen work light sent it up over 80F when the trailer is sitting out in 30F windy conditions.) Not that your heater won't cut it, but if you ever have to switch to battery or lose power, (or do without power) that little bit of insulation might be just the thing. Just saying for future considerations. You don't seem air conditioned and that works for cooling insulation as well. Let me get my water system in though first. I plan to wrap (cover) the outer shell surfaces, by zone, with small clear rubber hoses, and pump water through there to HEAT it (and keep ME cooler) with the order, shell, hoses, insulation, inner surface. You could do it too, and if you sprayed in the insulation it could hold the hose in place and insulate the interior for the heat of the sun. (just a thought.)

I'll let you know when I get that far. I don't even have water yet. (I don't even have 12v DC yet. LOL)

[ohbugger]

Yes insulation would be nice. I cut corners everywhere I could on this build and still spent a lot more than I planned. In hindsight I would have insulated the floor and lower part of the walls. However, I would have still been left with an uninsulated top making up most of the surface area. Generally we camp in summer and only up here in the NW where summer nights are still pretty cold.

All that to say, our main problem with camping is not heat or cold, but RAIN, and this excels at keeping us dry!

If there's a next time, now that I have a better idea of what I am getting myself in to, I'll insulate.

[pat g]

She came out nice Erik! I was watching this from the start. A great way to do a roomy trailer.

Pat G

[txcamper]

Great build - and the tool box for the electrical was a great idea! I saw those LED strips on amazon and really wish I had found your build before I made my purchase since I ended up going a different route. Incredible job and finish out!

[ohbugger]

Thanks for the compliments, may be adding a solar panel and adding some updates now that things are starting to warm up!

[PcHistorian]

I would think that you could go with a contact cement and some HEAVY felt type cloth to insulate the upper. use the sheet insulation for the lower walls inside cabinets and such. I'll be putting the foam sheet insulation under my flooring, between the cross braces of my under-trailer frame, from the bottom. Because you didn't actually use a truck bed, there is not the metal truck bed to conduct the cold into the inside, so you should be fine with putting the foam sheet insulation underneath too. More contact cement. (just be careful, cochroches eat some contact cements. so seal it tight.) I was coazy with one 5/8th's layer with 20F outside and windy, it was 80F inside with just one halogen work light (heating the walls & reflecting back in.) I had to go to t-shirt to work inside of there, which was a pain to re-jacket to go outside for supplies or other tools. (no garage)

[crazytrain]

Super Cool build! When i first saw it I was not sure about how it would turn out but you ROCKED it and made it look FANTASTIC. Great job, you have every right to be proud of it.

[MarineVet32935]

Just joined this forum and must say, you've really created something there. I've been toying with the idea of building a teardrop, but now I've changed my mind. Five years ago, my long bed F-150 finally died and I bought a newer short bed 4x4. The topper on the long bed obviously wouldn't fit, so I stored it under the deck to keep the weather off the lawnmower. Now, I have a better use for it.

Oh yeah, my wife's car is a 2010 Scion xB, white with dark tinted windows.

[ohbugger]

Just joined this forum and must say, you've really created something there. I've been toying with the idea of building a teardrop, but now I've changed my mind. Five years ago, my long bed F-150 finally died and I bought a newer short bed 4x4. The topper on the long bed obviously wouldn't fit, so I stored it under the deck to keep the weather off the lawnmower. Now, I have a better use for it.

Oh yeah, my wife's car is a 2010 Scion xB, white with dark tinted windows.

I wish my xB was white on black. Best look for the car, if I had bought mine new I would have definitely gone that way.

I appreciate all the compliments everyone!