"TrailTop" modular trailer building components

[djb_rh]

I'm interested, but only if I can get a set of CJ fenders and hood and fender liners for a TJ to go with it.

Donnie, there are circumstances in which I'd mold a set of CJ Kit parts for someone, but this isn't one of those circumstances, sorry.

In spite of possible appearances to the contrary, I don't enjoy molding fiberglass. To me it is a necessary evil - my hobby is designing things, and making fiberglass molds and parts is just a necessary step towards a proof-of-concept of my designs. I almost never mold anything more than the minimum number of parts I need to prove my designs to myself.

Can't blame a guy for trying!


--Donnie

[jscherb]

Getting back to work on the TrailTop teardrop shell... today I picked up several sheets of 1/4" plywood for the skin. The plan is to install the skin on the TrailTop framework in the workshop, and then I'll reassemble the teardrop top parts on this trailer.

[mezmo]

'Love to follow the progress on this great idea.

Just thought I'd include these Jeep based links that could
work well with this.

http://www.tflcar.com/2013/03/the-brute ... kup-truck/
http://www.aev-conversions.com/vehicles ... double-cab

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[jscherb]

'Love to follow the progress on this great idea.

Just thought I'd include these Jeep based links that could
work well with this.

http://www.tflcar.com/2013/03/the-brute ... kup-truck/
http://www.aev-conversions.com/vehicles ... double-cab

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

Thanks Norm.

I've done a bunch of TrailTop concept drawings on the original AEV Brute, but haven't done any drawings on the double cab yet. Maybe I'll do some soon.

[jscherb]

A little digital doodling on yesterday's photo to show what the next step of the project will look like - when the skin is on and the shell is sitting on the trailer...

[jscherb]

I got the front panel installed this morning, here are a few photos. I haven't had time to do the side or top panels yet.





If you look very closely, you might be able to see a vertical joint line in the panel - by joining two smaller pieces together I'll only need three sheets of 4x8 plywood to skin the entire shell.

I attached the panel with screws because I'll be disassembling the shell a few more times; it's a prototype so I try lots of things with it. Also it won't fit out of the workshop door if it's in one piece. For final assembly, the panels would be bonded in place in addition to the screws.

That's probably all I'll get done this week. Tonight I have to head to Los Angeles for a meeting and I won't get back until Friday.

[Hardryder56]

Jeff,
Looking very good can't wait to see your finished product.
Tom

[jscherb]

Back in February I picked up a hatch at an RV surplus place, it's been in many of the photos I've posted since then. The hatch is in this photo from yesterday:



Another thing I got at the surplus place was this RV sink top. It's very light weight and also a good size to be built into a pullout, here it is propped up in place like it's a pullout from the hatch opening:



If it was to be built into a pullout, you might build a box under it, maybe put some drawers or cabinet doors in it. And drawer slides, maybe something like this:



Or the sink top could be built into a traditional teardrop galley location, concept photos/drawings of that to come...

[jscherb]

Another way to use the sink top I got from the surplus place would be to build it in to a more traditional teardrop galley. Here's a photo of it setting in place:



A drop-down tailgate as shown above would make access to the sink top a little awkward, so maybe a side-swing tailgate would be a better idea:



It could be built into something like this:



Or instead of a tailgate, the teardrop hatch could be built to eliminate the Jeep-tub tailgate like the concept at right below:



This sink top fits pretty well inside a Jeep tub width TrailTop, but I was thinking it would be very easy to make a mold for a fiberglass sink top custom-fit to the TrailTop on a Jeep tub. I don't plan to make a mold for that right now, but it's something that could be part of a standard set of TrailTop kit parts if a company decided to market the TrailTop system.

[HMK]

I read the first 2 pages and then jumped to here. Are kits available?

[jscherb]

I read the first 2 pages and then jumped to here. Are kits available?

Not at present. This project is currently a personal hobby design project of mine. Two companies have contacted me and expressed interested in marketing the TrailTop design. I've had good discussions with both of them and they're both very credible companies for this product with lots of trailer and camping experience, but I haven't yet decided if I think there would be enough demand for it to make it worthwhile to work with a company to bring the TrailTop system to market.

[Hardryder56]

" I haven't yet decided if I think there would be enough demand for it to make it worthwhile to work with a company to bring the TrailTop system to market."
Jeff,
Not sure what the start up cost for this system would be but I can see a whole lot uses for the system. I just read in the news that some cities are looking to build "pods" or shelters for the homeless and I think the basic pieces of your system would work there as well as for your designed purpose: building trailer campers. I know I would be interested in using it to build a truck camper as we had talked about. Just my 2 cents but if the companies you are in talks with are willing I say go for it.
Tom

[jscherb]

This morning I took the TrailTop teardrop parts out of the workshop and did a quick test install on an actual trailer...











Since the black fiberglass Jeep-tub I have in the workshop is the same size as this trailer, everything bolted up right away. Next I'll get the side panels, roof and rear hatch installed.

[jscherb]

I'm fitting the side panels on the TrailTop framework today...

[jscherb]

Some photos of the side panels installed and the basic shell assembled on the trailer. Still have to install the roof panel and the rear hatch.











Tomorrow I'll do the roof panel and the the rear hatch, which will complete the assembly of the basic shell.