Cross Bow / trolley / renamed little blue trolley

[S. Heisley]

I know what you mean. Just continue to make this one the best you can so it will last a lo-o-o-ng time and you will be happy with it.
Even if you aren't totally done with it when August rolls around, if it's at least water tight, you'll be good to go for the Redwood Rendezvous!

 

[Ron Dickey]

Well what ever I call it, The trailer started Jan 13, 2013 and was planned to be a 3 month build to go to the IRG. Is now about to be completed and hopefully be pulled to the new Redwood Rendezvous Aug 22-27-2024 put on in the same place as the IRG was with may of the same people. Between my mother in law's 5 year decline, the pandemic, Doug Hodder (a very gifted teardrop trailer builder) suggesting I make a trolley top which stopped me dead (needing more research) But sadly he will not see it ( although there may be a Teadrop spirit floating around the Pamplin Grove camp grounds warring fancy designed pants and smelling of waffles and offering funny jokes to any teardrop trailer owner who stays there).

Now that I am retired I have been able to finish what I started 11 years ago.

I have decided to make the trailer basic to get it on the road.
I closed off the wall hiding the wires and will not use them until later down the road.
We have battery lights for inside that work by remote control and turn colors.

I am about to put on the doors, the skin on the galley with bender board, and repaint it with more water proof paint.

I am in the process of getting it approved for road with new plates. I have applied for trailer plates since 2007.

I will try and down load new pictures soon.
I just had a birthday and my cousin gave me a solar panel for my camping. And my wife gave me new wild looking thongs for those restroom runs in the middle of the night.

Ron

 

[Ron Dickey]

the doors are on need to sand and repaint the trailer body.
I have put in Wiley windows and am about to find a glass place to cut me some windows. I am also looking at plexiglass.
Ref. to Wiley windows on forum.
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=57192

This afternoon or tomorrow I will put on the benderboard to cover the back hatch.


Hopefully I will have a license for it before we go camping
4th Annual Redwood Rendezvous in northern California this Aug. 2024
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=76165
It still needs a lot of work, but the basic trailer will be ready to go.

So if you see us there be kind a lot is unfinished. But we should be there driving a white highlander.

 

[Ron Dickey]

skin on the galley is done, fiberglass for the windows cut, bought gaskets today for galley and doors, starting taping up those areas I do not want painted.
I am going for another coat of paint to resist rain, could not find any T's in the stores (I rearly buy on line. I like supporting my community. So I will use wood and L brackets.
Pictures later Just trying to get R done.

We are going camping end of the month trailer or no trailer.

Ron

 

[S. Heisley]

It reads like you have enough done to bring it anyway, done or not. Just in case, bring a large tarp with you to cover it if it rains and you have spots that aren't made waterproof yet.

 

[bdosborn-SMB]

Dude, stop teasing us and throw some pics up!
Bruce

 

[Ron Dickey]

sorry about the pix it is rear for me not to take photo's of everything.
So close to the end I can taste it.
Have to put a second coat on the galley hatch. Screw in the door gap covers, put on the door handles, install the riser in the back, build the wedges fore the walley window so the glass stays in. Paint or stain the side ledges.
There are many more things to be done to it but this should get me a ok'ed buy the DMV.
I sat up till 11 filling paper work.
I have a few things to do to it before we leave but we are already pulling out camping things, I aired our changing tent and our screened canape, I just bought a canape to go over the trailer. I might bring the SUV tent and hook it to on of the doors.
spent the day spilling paint all over. I use plastic gloves but some how it

 

[Ron Dickey]

so far getting this thing registered is a bear.
The woman at the front desk made it seem simple They ask a lot of things like engine # etc. I find no mention of registering a trailer, In California.
in 2007 it was simple now it is all computers assuming you have a car, a dealer, a transfer...... I put a note in the general part basically saying help.

 

[Ron Dickey]

Cross bow passed California DMV 09-13-24 it only took me 11 years.

 

[Ron Dickey]

My hatch was very flimsy so a neighbor of mine Chris helped me make it stronger and put bender board on it. Thank you Chris!!

 

[Ron Dickey]

now that I am retired I felt it was time for a new puller.

I bought a 2005 Highlander with close to 200,000 miles on it from a company that referbishes old Toyotas. This makes my 4 vehical. Only one was bought new 2992 Prius and it has the lowest milage. The rest were bought for under $10,000. The Highlander looks new. And when pulling the teardrop I forget it is back there until I go over a speed bump.

 

[Ron Dickey]

Now that the outside of the trailer is up to par.
I can start working on the inside. I have a cupboard over head in the front.
I need to finish the wall between the galley and cabin, work on making the door lock more secure, I have battery lights until I redo the wiring inside the walls to accommodate the battery being put in a tung box with circuit breaker and two batteries. improve on theft barriers, the Galley is just a shelf, I have plans for it however I found our new cooler is taller and I need to fix that.
Wth willey windows are only half fixed. I cut some plexiglass for the windows but right now they are not removable, but we have a plan.
many of the parts I am using in this trailer came from my old one. Struts, wiring parts, and other vanities. the galley has a plan but with the new cooler being so big, some needs to be redesigned.
I had one problem with the plug for the trailer lights it is a little short when I turn right it pulls out of the plug. So I am moving the plug more to the center.

I will take more better pictures as I can slow down and get the inside done too.

In a week we go on our first camping trip sense 2014!! A 505 mile trip one way.We belong to KOA so we will be stopping along the way.

 

[Ron Dickey]

I was in REI and in their returned section I found this SUV tent. It had a part that needed to be shortened.
Now I have a SUV tent for the Highlander or I can use it over the Galley hatch or on the side of the trailer as a changing room or where we can sit out of the rain.

 

[S. Heisley]

Looking good! Congrats on your find!

 

[bdosborn-SMB]

Looks great, I'm sure it will be a good little camper.
Bruce

 

[The Teardrop Nanny]

Tada! We got to see Ron & Lucia, and their teardrop at the RR. Great to visit with them and view the camp set up they are developing. Ron is a fine photographer and I expect he'll be sharing some of the event photos here soon..... Joanie
The Teardrop Nanny

 

[Ron Dickey]

After pulling my trailer over 1000 miles to and from The Redwoods in northern CA. It took me a week to get back to being my old self.

I am editing photo's of the trip etc.

We stayed at 2 KOA's in those travels and when we got there saw old and new friends. spent $394 in gas and being a KOA member sense 2008 saved alot on our stays. We stayed at Pamplin Grove in Humbolt county with about 50 other teardrop trailers and the like.
We had a great time. I am retired now and if we make that drive again we will need to take more breaks and stay places longer to rest and absorb the areas we stay at longer. The trailer responded to the travel quite well.

I was odd because as a photographer I did not take that many pictures probably do to trying to get the trailer approved by the state of California. And each stop we had to unload the trailer. True we did pull it with the Highlander but my wife likes to take more like 2 kitchen sinks. And I brought more big stuff because the galley is not a galley yet. So I brought the Screened canopy the Colman folding kitchen, and 3 folding tables. the stove we used only had one burner working (we bought a new one this week at the ERI Labor day sale) and enough pots and pans to fill a chuck wagon. My wife cooked several cakes with our Cast Iron pot. We have a large one and small one but, left the small one at home. We saw Dean and Joanie who put on the IRG for so long, we went to 3 of there gatherings.
They were enjoying the fact that they could just relax and meet with the folks there. they said it is better to offer openings for 50 trailer then 100 so you can meet and sit and talk with each family.

Now it is time for fase 2 of my build the inside and the galley. And I am designing a tung box to hold the batteries etc.

Should offer pictures soon.
Ron

 

[Ron Dickey]

Starting to build tung box to hold 2 12v batteries so i can have 12v electricity.
My wife needs to have time to study galleys for her to cook out of.
Every time she comes to an event she is cooking, she does not use a computer. So I have to print out the ones I like.
We have a Chef stove oven, and many collapsible sinks and containers.

Hope you all had a fun TG day and have a best ever Christmas 20224!!

 

[Ron Dickey]

In the past I said
I also have Steve (Esteban)'s trailer
I and a neighbor plan to have it finished in a year. I plan to call it "the Esteban " I have most of the parts making the build faster.

But this is not happening the neighbor is getting a divorce and moving away. So if I can find time after I get my other projects done. I will try. I have most of the parts just have to find time.