New guy from sunny california

[CaliforniaKid]

Hi all what a great site, been reading and learning alot. I have loved these teardrops since i camped in my grampa's. He had a really old one ( not sure of yr) which i loved. I have lots free time and a trailer i was given which has sat all summer cuz i didnt have a use for it, then it hit me, i want to build my own teardrop for my wife and me. I dont have any knowledge of building one, but i see there is alot of good stuff here. I got some plans drawn up and gonna start progress here shortly. Other then that I love camping, mountain biking and am really interested in building a trd. My goal is to have it up and going by spring. I live around some gorgoues area's to camp and am ecited, well ty Brian

[alffink]

Brian

Welcome to the madness, just keep reading the posts
get an idea what you want in your trailer, what you want it, to look like
Then start asking questions, remember change can be good and the design of your TD will probably change many times before you start making sawdust, maybe after also
Take lots of pictures, helps when your asking questions, also helps with those details that end up hidden in the construction......now where is that wire exactly???

Now to work and keep us posted on your progress

[emiller]

Hello Cal Kid good for you to join. I have the movie of the same name. What part of Cali are you from?

[CaliforniaKid]

Thanks all, I am from Redding, ca. Right in the heart of northren ca. I am thrilled to see so many cool designs here. After i tore down my utility trailer, which i thought was gonna be my frame I immediatly knew what i wanted to do with it. But not sure if its big enough now for me and the misses and a beagle. I can get a pic but the trailer is 4x7 . It can be made longer, it was a hand made trailer, that in itself sparks a question if its good enough for a td.

Ty for the warm welcome

[doug hodder]

Welcome aboard Kid! If you're in Redding, go see Grant over at Lil' Bear....great guy, wonderful resource for parts, plans etc...also makes a mean pancake! Doug

[CaliforniaKid]

Will do Doug, i am sure i can locate him. Redding isnt to big! And boy do i love pancakes....lol

[Chris D]

Welcome Cal Kid. Yeah Grant's the guy to talk to allright he'll shoot ya strait on anything ya need.

Chris D

[Russ in California]

And Grant will be at the C5 weekend after this. Me too.
I say that because one of the best ways to study and find out what you want in a TD is to smooze. Even if you don't have a tear yet(like me), you're more than welcome and what a great way to see the TD's up close and personal. You can 'handle the merchandise" and take a massive amount of pics. It helps.
Hey, you could even caravan with Grant down to Jenner.
And welcome to the forum.

[CaliforniaKid]

Well been awhile for a post and progress and well i am gonna have to track down a bear .....we had a wind storm that knocked down a tree which fell on my trailer and my garage, so last month or so i was rebuilding that. My favorite project car got smashed to (which i havent finished) and is totalled. I tell ya when one them huge old oaks fall they take everything with them. I think instead of building i will buy a td. After having to rebuild my garage, i just wanna go camp

So im gonna be lurking for a new/ older td

[Gage]

I think instead of building i will buy a td. After having to rebuild my garage, i just wanna go camp

So im gonna be lurking for a new/ older td

Sorry to hear about your troubles. So if your now thinking about buying, you might check into a Lil Bear. They are right there in Redding. And Grant is a great guy and will work with you at getting you what you want.

[CaliforniaKid]

I cant find any info on him, the links on the site here arent working for me. I pass a shop almost everyday where i see a few td being made, im not sure if its him or not , it doent look like a business, but could be. I should stop see if thats him or if these td being made are for sale they are nice.



I would like to craft my own i have a trailer, the time and it would be fun. Being winter its perfect time to. I been reading posts and looking at td since about 5 am this morning and there are some amazing little rigs here. I am motivated to build but so many designs i dont honestly know where to begin.

[CaliforniaKid]

i actually stumbled upon him i belive and its not the gentleman i was referring to but i see what ya all mean about lil bears work

http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net/trailers.html[/img]

Ok so i have a trailer but it was once used to haul atv's , wood trash you name it. It was giving to me and its sturdy i hauled a 69 camero on it just the body from la to redding twice. Anyways i have some concerns after reading for hrs and hrs here. So heres the pics. I want to know if i should use it. The chassis welds worry me. And the size of the tubing, but i can dismantle and just use axle or start over but im looking for opinions. Be kind im a teardrop virgin


it used to have a differant floor and it had sides but rotted and so i just threw something down so i could haul my quad.


















I can get more if needed

[Gage]

Well Brian, it looks like you could probable use the axle, springs and wheels. Once cleaned up and painted, the wheels would look good on a teardrop. Grant's shop is on Buenaventura Blvd. It more or less looks like a warehouse from the outside. He may have a couple of 'KIT KAMPER's out front that need to be restored. They belong to a customer. For the most part, it's a one man operation. Stop by and say hi to him. He'll be very helpful.


Lil' Bear Tag-alongs

P.S. I'm rebuilding a KIT now. You can see it HERE

[CaliforniaKid]

Grant is the guy i was thinking of i live real close to him actually and pass him daily and now i see he is the one we where both referring to great. If you look to the very lower right hand corner youll see a pathway i walk it daily with my pooch...well almost daily.

I have seen various projects out there and cpl for sale wish id stopped in...

Looks like i may have to drop in and say hi....