Walter, the 7x14 CTC toy hauler/camper

[Mr. Lahey]

The time has finally come to upgrade from my teardrop. As much fun as it is Cindy, and I wanted more comforts than it could provide. The must haves were a king size bed. Indoor toilet. Plus, a comfortable and heated indoor place to hang out. If the weather goes bad.

A while back I started to plan out building a new vintage style canned ham. I drew and cut out a profile pattern. I purchased a rotten pop-up camper to salvage the frame and all the accessories. Propane stove, RV furnace, sink and so forth would be reused as well. Many life changes put the project on hold. Things are now back on track. Enough where I can now build again.

During the long hiatus I was still planning the camper build. One thing that bothered me was how I would haul around our 2 eBikes. Would I hang them off a rack on back of the camper? Or use a few hitch adapters and mount the rack between the truck and camper? Both were poor solutions. It still left expensive bikes open to the elements. Tempting to thieves as well.

By chance a YouTube vid came into my feed. It was for a CTC toy hauler with an elevator bed!!! PERFECT!!! I could utilize the space under our big bed when traveling. Plus, I would only be building an interior. Not the entire camper. Being weather tight as purchased was huge as well. I could build it in my driveway. No need to get tricky to build a standee camper inside a standard height garage. I was sold!

So, I purchased an all aluminum 7x14 trailer. I bought aluminum since I tow with a 4cyl truck. Truck tow capacity is 3500lbs. Trailer weight is only 1400lbs empty. I intend to build inside as light as possible. Using think aircraft, not tank with the interior structures. I should finish out with a good margin under the trucks tow capacity.

The past few days I've got 90% of the pop up salvage done. I hope to finish that this weekend. I will then sell the frame and empty pop up hull. I've been putting the salvaged items in their intended locations in the new trailer. If find it a huge help when planning, Updates to follow.

Cindy and I name our vehicles. She saw the photo's of the new big box of a trailer. First thing she asked was what will will call it? Told her I had it figured right away. It's a white trailer. How could two Breaking Bad fan's not call it Walter? Walter White it is.

Yes this decal will find a place on the new trailer

 

[featherliteCT1]

I think I am going to enjoy watching your build. Keep going!

 

[John61CT-TNT]

Maybe don't advertise a connection to meth production?

 

[Mr. Lahey]

I forgot for a brief moment how some people can find anything offensive today. You chose to view it that way. Not me.
I view it as a connection to a very well written tv show. Nothing more. You do you. I'll do me.

 

[Staryder61]

Mr Lahey, hey there ole friend, nice to see you back on here..
Wow, I see you're stepping in now.. to a different world. From PMF to all metal.
This will be another fine build to watch on here for sure.
Gear it up, and Git 'er done.
Will be watching..

 

[Staryder61]

How could two Breaking Bad fan's not call it Walter? Walter White it is.

View attachment 1

Yes this decal will find a place on the new trailer

Read this to Linda, my better half, she got a kick out of it and lol..

 

[John61CT-TNT]

Nothing to do with offensive, you do you,greay show of course.

Just think it might make LEOs curious out there

 

[Mr. Lahey]

Just finished first rough layout for windows I will install. I am going to chop a lot of big holes in this new trailer! So be it. I had an old 1950's canned ham camper. It had 8 windows in it. Along with a screen door too. It was an amazing feeling.

I have 5 brand new jalousie windows. 2 @ 36W x24H - 2 @ 24Ww x 24H -1 @ 31W x 13H. Intent is for both sides of the near 8' length of a king bed to be lined with windows. The 31Wx13H window will go up front on the right side of the V nose. Just above my kitchen countertop and below an overhead cabinet. Need to buy some blue tape to layout the trailer walls. I'll get pic's up when done.

Tomorrow I will salvage the entire working roof lift system from the pop up. I'm pretty sure I've got it figured out how to repurpose it as my bed lift. Once I have established what the bed height will be when lowered to sleep. I will then final layout the walls for window locations.

I prefer not to electric camp. No plans for A/C. Just a fantastic vent. Plus, a 12v oscillating fan in the bed area if required. Next trip out to the trailer is to plan out my electrical layout. Going to try very hard to keep it simple.

 

[Mr. Lahey]

Mr Lahey, hey there ole friend, nice to see you back on here..
Wow, I see you're stepping in now.. to a different world. From PMF to all metal.
This will be another fine build to watch on here for sure.
Gear it up, and Git 'er done.
Will be watching..

Thanks guy!

Yes it's a huge change for me. I'm just too old and stiff to do all the gymnastics it would take for a total build again. I really see this as an express route. I am sorry to sacrifice the beauty of a tear shaped canned ham. It's what I'm giving up for better function and quicker elapsed build time.

 

[Staryder61]

Mr Lahey, hey there ole friend, nice to see you back on here..
Wow, I see you're stepping in now.. to a different world. From PMF to all metal.
This will be another fine build to watch on here for sure.
Gear it up, and Git 'er done.
Will be watching..

Thanks guy!

Yes it's a huge change for me. I'm just too old and stiff to do all the gymnastics it would take for a total build again. I really see this as an express route. I am sorry to sacrifice the beauty of a tear shaped canned ham. It's what I'm giving up for better function and quicker elapsed build time.

Hey Mr. Lahey, where's the updates? I'm still interested in seeing what you do with this new trailer...
We are looking, thinking a cargo conversion maybe the next on the list..

 

[Mr. Lahey]

Updates are not too photogenic. I've been doing all the interior layout work. Have that 95% finalized. Really working hard on the KISS principle. As an example, we want a sink in the unit. After reading horrible reviews on Amazon re: foot operated pumps, hand faucet pumps I said forget it. Too many complaints of leaks. Seems quality items are things of the past. No thanks to electric pump either. A late-night hand wash after the restroom is going to buzz a pump in the camper? No thanks.

So going to go gravity fed. Shelf above the sink will hold the 5 gal water jug and spigot. Silent. No pumps, hoses and so forth. Grey water plumbing will be a chunk of old garden hose clamped to sink drain. 1 hose. 1 clamp and a second 5 gal jug I salvaged from the pop up, for the garden hose drain. That's a very functional system as simple as can be. End of plumbing.

Today I started cleaning/and rebuilding the salvaged pop up camper roof lift system. I'm going to use it to lift my bed. It was complete and functional. Just rusty/crusty. Some cable pulleys were frozen. Have new pulleys with bearings coming from China off ebay to replace damaged pulleys.

I'm also testing and cleaning the salvaged 2 burner propane stove. Again KISS theory style. Going to run it off a 1lb bottle from a short hose and regulator. Now I won't have to install a propane bottle rack on the tongue of trailer. Or plumb the underside of the trailer for propane. The stove will drop in flush to the counter in the camper for indoor use. It will also lift out, with hose and regulator for outdoor cooking. Again off a 1lb bottle.

Decided to sell the propane furnace from pop up. Going with the Chinese diesel heater that everyone raves about. Super fuel efficient. Low drain on the battery. Head and shoulders above that old propane heater. So no propane plumbing to do. The diesel heater got here the other day. Looks slick as can be. Excited to get it going.

 

[Staryder61]

Updates are not too photogenic. I've been doing all the interior layout work. Have that 95% finalized. Really working hard on the KISS principle.

See you are working on it and getting it down to what you want.
Will continue to watch. Can't wait to see how you work that raised bed.

 

[hankaye]

Mr. Lahey, Howdy;

I like the name you graced your trailer with. When I saw it the first time my brain went
without hesitation to an episode of Bonanza, featured Hoss, an old miner and Walter the dog.
Every time I see your trailer's name I think of it. So I went and found it;
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5rfyhq
Hope ya enjoy it.

hank

 

[onehoser]

Mr. Lahey, Howdy;

I like the name you graced your trailer with. When I saw it the first time my brain went
without hesitation to an episode of Bonanza, featured Hoss, an old miner and Walter the dog.
Every time I see your trailer's name I think of it. So I went and found it;
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5rfyhq
Hope ya enjoy it.

hank

and all of this time i thought it was mr lahey from the trailer park boys, lol!

 

[Mr. Lahey]

Mr. Lahey, Howdy;

I like the name you graced your trailer with. When I saw it the first time my brain went
without hesitation to an episode of Bonanza, featured Hoss, an old miner and Walter the dog.
Every time I see your trailer's name I think of it. So I went and found it;
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5rfyhq
Hope ya enjoy it.

hank

and all of this time i thought it was mr lahey from the trailer park boys, lol!

My posting ID here on TNTTT is named after the TPB tv Caracter.

I named the camper after Walt in Breaking Bad tv show.

Obvious sign I watch too much tv.

 

[Mr. Lahey]

Mr. Lahey, Howdy;

I like the name you graced your trailer with. When I saw it the first time my brain went
without hesitation to an episode of Bonanza, featured Hoss, an old miner and Walter the dog.
Every time I see your trailer's name I think of it. So I went and found it;
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5rfyhq
Hope ya enjoy it.

hank

Thank you Hank. I will check it out.

 

[Staryder61]

Mr Lahey,
dropped in looking for updates. We were building our teardrops at the same time.
Now starting on CTC's..
Will drop back in later on ya. Have a great weekend.

 

[Mr. Lahey]

Thanks for poking me awake there! Kind of took a nap from posting I guess.

I do have my interior layout finalized. Since I do it with the actual items I want to locate. I had to drag all that stuff out of the trailer and put it away. So the trailer is empty again. Part of the final layout was setting the sleeping height position for the bed. I wanted the large windows a tad above the bed. So needed that height to locate window cutouts.

Just today Cindy painted the first coat of porch paint on the floor. Very happy with the Terra Cotta color. Accents some of the wood chips in the OSB walls. Both of us like the random look to the OSB walls. The walls will get a couple coats of honey tint polyurethane. For their final finish. I painted the first coat now to seal the floor. I'm working on a gravel/grass driveway. You can't help tracking in dirt on the raw floor. So this will seal up the floor during construction. Floor will get cleaned and final paint coat when interior construction is finished.

Also mounted 2 @ 2500lb tongue jacks to rear of trailer. They are bolted into frame with 3/8" thread cutting bolts. I will be able to use these to level up the trailer in all but severe cases. If it's too bad I'll pick another spot to camp.

So now I'm ready to take off wall panels. Insulate and install windows. Just going to do 1 wall at a time. Store removed panels on opposite wall. Finish a wall and move to the next. Or so is the plan anyhow.

 

[Staryder61]

Thanks for poking me awake there! Kind of took a nap from posting I guess.

I do have my interior layout finalized. Since I do it with the actual items I want to locate. I had to drag all that stuff out of the trailer and put it away. So the trailer is empty again. Part of the final layout was setting the sleeping height position for the bed. I wanted the large windows a tad above the bed. So needed that height to locate window cutouts.

View attachment 2

Just today Cindy painted the first coat of porch paint on the floor. Very happy with the Terra Cotta color. Accents some of the wood chips in the OSB walls. Both of us like the random look to the OSB walls. The walls will get a couple coats of honey tint polyurethane. For their final finish. I painted the first coat now to seal the floor. I'm working on a gravel/grass driveway. You can't help tracking in dirt on the raw floor. So this will seal up the floor during construction. Floor will get cleaned and final paint coat when interior construction is finished.

View attachment 1

Also mounted 2 @ 2500lb tongue jacks to rear of trailer. They are bolted into frame with 3/8" thread cutting bolts. I will be able to use these to level up the trailer in all but severe cases. If it's too bad I'll pick another spot to camp.



So now I'm ready to take off wall panels. Insulate and install windows. Just going to do 1 wall at a time. Store removed panels on opposite wall. Finish a wall and move to the next. Or so is the plan anyhow.

Well, I figured it was time to wake you up, so we could get these things rolling.
I'm just a little ahead of you.
With the wall material down. I caulked all the places I could see daylight from inside the closed trailer.
Even after that, I found several places that leaked when I did the water test from every directions..
We too, are working on gravel grass. Not to worried about the gravel, it'll give the plywood some character when we seal it clear.. May add just a little Danish Oil to the polyurethane.
Foam is going in now.

 

[Mr. Lahey]

I forgot to say. My teardrop sold quickly. I found it much harder to part with than I thought. Only thing that helped was I felt that it sold to the right person. He was very happy to get it. He had some things happen that reminded him that life can be short. He really wanted to build his own. Yet he decided to take the express route. By purchasing a finished unit, he could camp right away. So he was happy to go have fun now rather than later.

As I unpacked the teardrop. I could not believe what I had squirreled away inside it. We were at the point where we had our gear pretty well sorted. At least for the way we camp. Had it down to what we really want and use. Were not hauling too much useless stuff. So I have a real good idea of how much storage/cabinet space I'll want in this new conversion.

Seeing this view of my teardrop. Attached to someone else's tow vehicle. Was realy weird. I was blue for a few days. The cure seems to be coming from the excitement of this new build.