Newbie From UK thinking about it

[Vindi_andy]

Hi guys,

Been toying with the idea of a TD for a while now.

I have a kit car and go to shows quite often staying overnight. Have convince the wife to camp but after just over a year of camping and several cold and wet shows she has decided a caravan would be better as it has a few more creature comforts.

Saw a couple of TDs last year towed by kits cars and thought it was a great idea.

Now comes my minor dilema, I have 2 kids and a four seat kit car, and am wondering what sort of gross weight the 2+2 design comes in at as I am a little concerned about the weight ratios of the towing vehicle. There is no issue with power as the engine is a 2.0 l out of a sierra. I have worked out what the kerb weight of the kit car is (750 KG or 1653lb for our friends across the pond) and im wondering if the 2+2 will be too heavy. Obviously looking at a braked TD.

Hello again and thanks in advance

[doris s.]

Welcome! We built a 4 x 8 teardrop and it weighs about 700lbs. We have two kids. The kids don't mind the tent, they are teenagers. It's really nice to have a kitchen with everything I need to cook in one place.

Doris

[jackdaw]

Hi Andy , Welcome to the forum,

You've come to the right place to ask , thats for sure.

We're having a teardrop gathering nr Coventry this comming weekend, You could always pop along and see whats be done this side of the pond.

It should be a good mix of custom made, and comercial teardrops.

Our first Grumman is 3m long x 1.7m wide, It weighed in at 760kg, but the new build should be alot lighter.

Cheers, Dave

[BigAl]

Hi Andy, Welcome to the forum and greetings from Scotland. I hope you find something to build that will meet all your requirements.

As a start, I would recommend having a look at the design library and/or starting a new post titled something like "What trailer should I build?" You will soon be served with suggestions.

As well as weight, width seems to attract a lot of debate. I avoided the temptation of being limited by an 8'x4' sheet so that my trailer could take a UK double mattress.

I'd like to finish by saying that the cost in the UK is *much* more expensive than you might think. I've totalled up what I have spent below, not to put you off, but so you go into this with your eyes (and pockets) open. Compiling this list brought me out in a cold sweat. My before starting gu-estimate was 600 quid. haha!

My fairly accurate, actual spend in pounds:

400.00 for Chassis: Steel, wheels, lights, hitch, etc,.
60.00 for PU Glue. (sixty quid on flippin glue!)
40.00 Epoxy.
100.00 Wood, Ply.
300.00 Aluminium coil, sheet and mouldings.
100.00 Screws, Bolts, Hinges, Wheel-arches, odds and sods.
100.00 Caravan Door Locks, Roof vent, latches.

1100.00 Total.....gulp! Pass me the smelling salts.

This does not include the cost of interior finishing or kitchen.

You might want to consider that you could buy a used teardrop from eBay for not much more.

Have a look at Dave's (Jackdaw's) trailers for inspiration. They are particularly fine examples.

If I haven't put you off, I recommend you go for it. It's been one of the most rewarding things I have done in years. :D

[Vindi_andy]

bigal thanks for the heads up however I know how easily things can escalate having built a kit car.

The whole idea of building this is so we can have a 4 berth and i dont think there are too many 4 berth TDs coming up on ebay. Also we want to paint it Orange to match the car.

[parnold]

How old are your children.. that will help to determine how big you need to go.

[Vindi_andy]

they are 8 and 10 and still enjoy coming camping

ETA there is a pic of the tow car in my album

[jackdaw]

Whilst Al is right to show how the expense can run away ... it doesn't have to be that way.....
Steve's Yarkshire Scavenger came in at under £300....total but then he's a Yorkshire bloke.....

I'm pleased with the current build..... We scored the donor caravan for £30.00.... sold unwanted stuff.... cassette toilet , water heater, oven, and a few other bits that netted us £230.00 since birthing the trailer last weekend, we weighed in the aluminium , and added another £30 to the pot.
All the trim has been saved, and will be re-used. The battery charger, and zig unit, all the wireing, interior lights, cushions, three way fridge.. the list of stuff we've re used goes on and on.
On top of all that, it's provided me with a workshop to use over the worst months, and a braked chassis that's now been altered, and is extremely light .... this time.


What you want in your trailer, will be the main thing that decides if it's feasible or not. Lot's of cupboard space, a well equipped galley and two bunks, is going to be challenging in a 10x5.

Thypod is 1.7m wide, and if your not looking for a lot of cupboard space, could easily take bunks across the width of the trailer.

It's a great journey your about to embark on. Enjoy the ride

You should also know these trailers are highly addictive, and should come with a health warning

Cheers Dave

[Vindi_andy]

Thanks for that Jackdaw.

Hoping to get across to the meet this weekend which days will you all be there.

Regarding the addiction itll be just another one to add to the list (see my album for my first)

[Vindi_andy]

Well as per my rambling post in the stiff upperlip2 post it looks like we are going to go for it sooner rather than later.

The wife is hooked after just one meet and we only went for the morning.

Just need to wait to see if "Tango" (see left) will take a towbar

[jackdaw]

Andy, Where there's a will , there's a way. I hope it's going to be fairly straight forward.
Keep us posted fella

[Vindi_andy]

Weel the trailer already has a name and were still not sure we can fit a towbar. Got a mechanic mate coming round to have a look some time this week.

and the name for the trailer (drumroll) Tangerine Dreamer (cymbal crash)

Bit of a play on words wanted something to go with the nickname for the car (Tango) and Ive heard somewhere the phrase tangerine dream, not sure where, and because in a TD you sleep, perchance to dream, i just stretched it a bit to dreamer.

What do you think? Oh by the way the trailer will be ornage and black to mathc the car colour scheme.

[BigAl]

Ive heard somewhere the phrase tangerine dream, not sure where, and because in a TD you sleep, perchance to dream, i just stretched it a bit to dreamer.

Tangerine Dream is a 70s/80s electronica music performer (a bit like Vangelis, IMHO), could it be from there?

I like the sound of the orange and black scheme.

[Vindi_andy]

Could well be from there big al I am a child of the 70's

OK well nearly a week after the meet the enthusiasm is still there however we have go throught several construction techniques. the ply and insulation sandwich, the ply frame insulation sandwich, both with paint over then i had concerns regarding my woodworking skill in terms of the panel meet at the walls and roof so thought about fibreglassing over and gelcoating so the colour was an exact match. Having spoken to a kitcar friend who works with fibreglass everyday and reckons this would be heavy.

She suggested fibreglass over a PU core sandwich construction which would be light and strong. Reasearching the materials it could be more expensive than ply and paint but it would never rot (well the shell wouldnt) plus i like the idea and the challenge.

[jackdaw]

I'm glad we didn't put you off
Keep us posted , and don't forget the photos..... we need photos