Authentic Vintage Teardrop or homemade?

[kublnick]

All,

I am helping a friend confirm he actually has a vintage teardrop trailer. When he bought it 25 years ago he was told it was. Problem is the title has it listed in 1986 as a Starchase. A quick search of starchase trailers leads us to believe that this needed to be titled and a homemade trailer application was sought because maybe the paperwork was not with it. If anyone could take a look at the pictures and let me know what you think. We would appreciate it. We are trying to determine the year/model if it is an actual teardrop, which we think it is. Thoughts?

http://flic.kr/ps/wPWh9

Thank you!

[Gage]

Hard to tell with the small pictures. But to me it looks like a 'home built'. I know, that's not what you wanted to hear.

[mary and bob]

Not a design that I recognize, but just because I own a vintage trailer certainly doesn't make me an expert on them. The fenders don't look that old, but the serial numbers stamped on the tongue make it look as if it could possibly be a manufactured unit, although maybe only the frame was. It may also be a vintage home made from plans that were available in magazines such as Popular Mechanics and the like. If your friend has had it for 25 years, and it supposedly was vintage at that time, then I suppose it is but just not one of the known brands. Things like fenders can get changed over the years making it hard to identify what it is. The names on registrations or titles can be confusing too, for example our Modernistic registration shows it as a "Moder" because NY shortens the name. Probably a mystery that will never be solved unless ownership can be traced back. Bob

[kublnick]

Thanks for the info. One of the things that has us confused is what appears to be a luggage rack. Did any campers ever have this? Or could have this been added post-build?

[mary and bob]

looks added later, but like Gage says, I can't enlarge the pictures to get a good look. I have seen on ebay, someone selling copies of old patents of teardrop trailers that include drawings. If you can figure out how to research that stuff you may find something relating to your trailer. I think maybe there were patent applications filed that the trailers were never actually built, or very few built, or maybe they were for plans only.

[High Desert]

Just a guess, but that may be a rack for a boat or canoe. Has the look of an after the fact add on but you never know.