Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hello all,

I would like to use vw beetle rear fenders for my tear. Would like to know if anybody in here has done the same. This way I can have the lights on the fenders. If not my other approach would be oversized off road pvc or plastic flares. Can't seem to find these flares with at least 7" wide. Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm still working on my walls. Gonna install one door on the passenger side and a window on the driver side. Have to say this... wife wants to sleep by the door in case my electrical wiring fails and she can get out fast. Mmmm... wonder what that means? She doesn't trust my electrical knowledge?

Carlos

Unless you’re good with working sheet metal, forget it. On second, thought go study a VW fender and then make the decision.

A while back I met a fellow who did just that. As I recall he used parts of two fenders to make each of his fenders. It required a lot of cutting, welding, filling, and sanding. I kinda think it might be easier to add some wood to a pair of fenders and shape it to make em wider and get a straight edge to mount them to the trailer. Once you have what you like you could use the modified fenders to make a mold and make em out of fiberglass. When you were done you could remove the wood and you'd have your original fenders back.

You'd have to really want fenders shaped like those on VWs to go to all that work.

Cheers,

Gus

Those are beautiful. If you have the skills to make it work, go for it. Nothing is impossible. Impractical? Maybe.

Here's another picture. Notice the VW rear side windows in the doors.

Thanks guys. They look beautiful. Me being an owner of 3 bugs like the curved form of the fender. Since the bug has that egg shape like a tear, well... might as well complete the style. I'm far from working on the fenders right now. I just installed my walls yesterday. I've built a few things, all square, and these radiuses are a bit confusing but I'll get there. Again, thanks.

Carlos

Since the sides of a typical TD are flat, you would have, as has been mentioned, a great deal of bodywork to do on VW fenders to adapt them to a flat mounting surface

I can see it being done, but with a little welding. We had to do something similar to get some after market ones t fit my fathers convertible bug. The filler piece would end up looking like a piece of pie.

George Taylor wrote:I can see it being done, but with a little welding. We had to do something similar to get some after market ones t fit my fathers convertible bug. The filler piece would end up looking like a piece of pie.

It takes a lot more than just a pie shaped filler piece. The fender isn't nearly wide enough to cover a typical rim and tire. Also, as I recall the mounting flange on the fender isn't in a flat plane as the surface it mounts to on the VW body is beveled

Again, I don't think it would be that difficult to build up the fender with wood and use it as a pattern to duplicate it in fiberglass.

Cheers,

Gus

Thanks for the advise. I got a buddy that said he would build them for me. There is the $ matter but I got til spring to save up for the body work on the fenders. Now... I need to find the fenders in a junkyard since they will be cut shorter and lenghtwise too. First I need to place the axle over the springs to lower the trailer. This way the fenders will cover the wheel. I was going to lower it any way because the cabinets in the galley will be too short due to the height of the trailer. If I lower the trailer I can fit a 1.7 cu ft small fridge uner the countertop. Now I have two reasons to lower the trailer. I'll see what it looks like afterwards.

Thanks guys

Carlos

you can look on the web site thesamba.com for the fenders. it is a vw only site.

Just to let you all know I did find some 74 vw bug fenders. After I build the tear I'll start on the fenders.