A good start/newbie question

[willy1959]

Hi ya’ll

I’ve been obsessed, with this trailer idea since it finally hit me.. I chased up to HF yesterday and bought the 90154 got it for 183.99.

Started at 830 this ayem and just finished it up. My shop is so full of my “real Job” that it was a bit of a struggle. (in the midst of laminating about 35 doors and drawer fronts for an office job)

830- 300 with an hour out to get some lunch, and the poor dog some food lol 5 ½ hours. I don’t think is too bad.

I have some real newbie questions I’m sure

First, since I’m really not trying to build a camper per se, the question wont apply to many of what you all have done.

I LIKE the modernistic cub, so that’s what I am going to shoot for. I want to have the rear hatch, for the car and a door on each side, for tool access.

My needs do not include the galley area. But i think I will add a suspended cabinet, over the rear area I think that will give some side rigidity back there.

With the elliptic front and back, cantilevering the frame. I don’t think I need my frame to be so big (4x8) The car that needs to fit in side is Max 7’ It actually fits in my Dodge PU's 6’ 5” bed very tight.

What I’m thinking about doing, is cutting the rear part of the trailer off enough so that my cab is only 8’. I will have to do some measuring and mock up etc, but I’m guessing that will cut about 10” off the rear?

Is there any reason that I shouldn’t do this?

I will be camping in this trailer “solo” with an air mattress when I go to track days with the Miata, and will be hauling Autox stuff as well when its not being used for Teddy’s soap box car, This little Puppy will get a LOT of use!

There was a new post that I can’t find now, with the sides cut out that hung down to cover the frame of the trailer. Can some one point that out, if you know where it is easily, I will bookmark it this time..

[Gerdo]

Forget about the Teardrop. Tell me about the pair of British Racing Green.

Also Welcome to the insane life of building a Teardrop. I think it is an obesssion.

[madjack]

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=5839
Willy, if you scroll down towards the bottom of that thread you will see that I was talking about how we had dropped the sides down over the frame and how we used al angle to mount them to the floor.
As far as cutting the trailer, there should be no problem as long as you do your mockup/design figuring correctly to begin with...it may end up being more than 10"s on a cub/mod profile. The only thing is, if it is more than 10"s, you may have to move your axle forward to get proper balance
madjack

[TonyCooper]

My guess are Austin Healeys! A BRG pair of them... I suspect the one on the right is mid 60's model... BJ8 perhaps?? The one on the right may be a late 50's early 60's Bugeye Sprite....

Great cars with a wonderful tradition...

[willy1959]

The bigger one is a 66 bj8, She has been sold I just could never motivate to finish her, I dont know why? And just thought a pity to let her sit. Right now Im just waiting for funds to clear, and the fella to pick it up. after that.

The other was a ground up I did on a 59 bugeye. I put a larger motor in her with a Datsun 5 speed. up graded the brakes in front to discs, and changed the rear axel ratio. She really sccots.. and is a blast to drive.

I think the kiss of death on the big healey was the miata. My intent was never really to have two show cars. (showing cars isnt my idea of fun) I restored the little one to show, and slowly added go fast mods, and then started racing the miata at autox, and track days. I think the year after next i will be going full fledge wheel to wheel, or maybe the year after that. It will really depend on the my lil girls interest in HER racing. I dont have the time to commit to both, and at present, she is more important than me.

[asianflava]

The one on the left is the frog! errrr I mean the Sprite.

Here's the pic from the other thread:

[TonyCooper]

That Bugeye looks like it is running through Deals Gap! I know the dragon!


Will1959:

What year Miata?

EDITED...
Yep I see the Dragon (Deals Gap) sticker on the glass!

[willy1959]

That Bugeye looks like it is running through Deals Gap! I know the dragon!


Will1959:

What year Miata?

EDITED...
Yep I see the Dragon (Deals Gap) sticker on the glass!

I have had Buglite to the dragon 2 times, one year I drove her from Wis there with another friend of mine in his miata, and another in a midget. 3 breakdowns later,, and LOTS of improvison we had a blast
http://thompsoncarpentry.com/personalgallery/album21 "kllboy pics"

The miata is a 94 http://thompsoncarpentry.com/personalgallery/album05?page=1
her name is "stormy" She also is a Dragon Veteran

Tony, how does your Miata Handle the Tear?

This May we are taking a midget on a 3500 mile trip with a 1500 mile rally, only rules of the rally? you must not spend more than $250.00 on your cars aquisitionhttp://www.baberally.com/index.esp

[asianflava]

That BABE Rally sounds like a lot of fun. Talk about a contest of nerves! We did the One Lap of Florida a long time ago, we literally made a lap around Florida: West Palm, Naples, Clearwater, Spring Hill, Ocala, Ormond Beach, Melbourne, back to West Palm. We had an "Off Course Excursion" not 40 miles from my house. The route came within 3 miles of my house and we were VERY close to calling it quits. We continued on maxing out most of the checkpoints.

I'll have to keep the BABE rally a secret, or my wife will want to run it. I didn't see a date for the event though, just sign up deadlines.

[willy1959]

That BABE Rally sounds like a lot of fun. Talk about a contest of nerves! .

I'll have to keep the BABE rally a secret, or my wife will want to run it. I didn't see a date for the event though, just sign up deadlines.

COME ON IN! lol the more the merrier!

This page shows the route, and proposed dates


http://www.baberally.com/babe.esp?PG=route

[TonyCooper]

I have had Buglite to the dragon 2 times, one year I drove her from Wis there with another friend of mine in his miata, and another in a midget. 3 breakdowns later,, and LOTS of improvison we had a blast
http://thompsoncarpentry.com/personalgallery/album21 "kllboy pics"

The miata is a 94 http://thompsoncarpentry.com/personalgallery/album05?page=1
her name is "stormy" She also is a Dragon Veteran

Tony, how does your Miata Handle the Tear?

This May we are taking a midget on a 3500 mile trip with a 1500 mile rally, only rules of the rally? you must not spend more than $250.00 on your cars aquisitionhttp://www.baberally.com/index.esp

I have a 93 ... 1.6 litre and have not actually towed with it yet. I do have upgraded disc brakes, an a ACT Xtreme clutch, and an intercooled SC running an FM Link MkII ECU.

I have a friend with a basically stock 94 Miata (1.8l) who pulls his bike up to the Gap from here in Raleigh and the trailer/bike combo weighs in at 1100 lbs. He has had no trouble yet. He did experience a little brake fade once coming down Black Mountain pass, but he is pushes his car pretty hard at times. I followed him up once and he was running 75 mph.

Your 94 is not a stock color ... looks to be an A or B package.

Regarding Babe Ralley, Taking a midget in great conditon that distance is a risky propostion

What if it rains! You'll be sitting on the side of the road....

And a taking a $250 (or less) midget that distance is... well... certainly bold and within the spirit of the rally... It sounds like fun!

[willy1959]

hehe
the midget was free!

A group of brit car enthusiasts are gonna help make her "roadworthy" the 2 days following Thanksgiving

ya know, minor things, like floors, fuel tank, fuel pump, oh yeah brakes, there has to be brakes

The guy that is running SOS "save our spridgets" this year actually is named William thompson as well hehe, he is setting up "floundervision" for live coverage of the event, if any of my new friends her would like to tune in, all are welcome. here is Fly-in midget
http://thompsoncarpentry.com/personalgallery/album15?page=1



The instructions to get on board for Floundervision are cut and pasted below, for anyone that wants to join


Wm. Severin Thompson to team-thicko, spridgets, bugeye, midgetsprite
More options Oct 24

OK youse guys.



For those of you driving or flying in to SOS '05 and needing a place to stay
overnight.. We can sleep 3 or 4 folks in the house (without a lubricant, a
shoehorn, or breaking any laws in the Bible belt). We have a pop up camper
that can sleep 2 or 3. There are going to be 2 couches in the shop, but you
might have to fight the dogs for one of those.. We can sleep 4 or 5 over at
the lake house, which is about 25 minutes from the Dream Farm. If you
insist, there are a number of the typical hotel chains about 10 minutes in
either direction from the farm, either in Oshkosh or Fond du Lac.



I'd like to remind you that spouses and well behaved children are encouraged
to attend. (those children that are not well behaved will be dipped in
turkey leftovers and fed to Hoss, the Wonder Dog (as in I wonder how much he
weighs? I wonder how he got such a big head? I wonder what his towing
capacity is?)



Also, remember that The <http://www.eaa.org/> Experimental Aircraft
Association (EAA) is just about 6 miles north of our place. so you can
combine a trip here with a visit there, if that trips your trigger.



It is not necessary to drive your Spridget to SOS '05. you only need to
bring it if you're looking to get something accomplished on it as part of
the group effort. I'm not going to discourage anyone from driving a
Spridget.. just be safe, and have fun if you choose to drive one. (Rumor has
if Frank is preparing a Spridget monster truck.)



For those of you wishing to participate from afar. get yourself a (free)
Yahoo ID and download Yahoo Messenger at http://messenger.yahoo.com/ . Add
<floundervision> to your buddy list. If you have a microphone and speakers,
in addition to viewing us, you'll be able to hear the audio, and ask
questions in real time. (Of course, a broadband connection will greatly
improve your viewing experience.)



WST




Wholey Topic Drift Batman

[Green Hornet]

WOW..you guys got it goin on in WI!
If the deal falls thru on the BJ8 would you sell it to me so I could run it in the BABE I can get ahold of $250!
I agree with you about the "show car" thing. Mine is a daily driver with a few upgrades for reliability. I took it to a show in Melboure, Fl Sept 24. Just to spectate, at the gate the guy says "yer the only Sprite ya outta enter" So I did and got 1st place and a cool trophy. I had more fun driving there and taking to like minded folks that I did "showing"it. It was only 200 mile round trip and I was biting my nails all the time. Can't imagine a 1500 mile trip...bring earplugs!
We are about the same place trailer wise.. my HF trailer is done and my cabin car will look sortta like the modernistic cub. Keep up the good work!