Newbie with high aspirations.....

[Michael Honeycutt]

Hello from New Mexico! My wife and I are buying an old, beat up 23 ft. trailer that has seen better days. The guy we're buying from has already stripped out some of the innards but then realized that the trailer was not what he was wanting. So we're getting it for $400.00. Our plan is to strip it down and build in the teardrop style. Yes it'll be quite a bit bigger than a regular tear-drop but, my wife and I both being disabled vets, we need a few accommodations to stay comfortable as we drive and camp. Tents are okay for kids but aging, arthritic bodies need a real bed and room to move. I've already checked out most of the plans on this site and feel fairly confident that I can build a somewhat larger and lighter teardrop than what is currently riding on the frame of that trailer.

Wish us well, we've never done anything like this before but I'm looking forward to the effort. There are a lot of things already in that trailer that can be moved/removed and a lot that can and will be re-used. We plan on documenting the destruction and reconstruction effort in pics and video. Mike and Barb

[scaramoche]

Hello fello New mexican! sounds like you have your hands full hehe, currently im on my 4th build, granted im still building4x8, but this winter im going to give my go at a larger build. like yourself, bolth me and my fiance are on disability, so if you need some local pointers im more than willing to help. What i have learned is that every build i get better, and the number one thing to learn is "take your time" hehe. btw im in albuquerque.

[Michael Honeycutt]

Hey there! Didn't think Id get a reply so soon. Yeah looks like we've got a full plate on our hands. I was hoping to get to work on the thing next month. Get that disability pension once a month so this will take some creative financing to pull off. But I just got word from my son that he is planning to move from Portland, Ore. back down here to get a job. He'll probably be taking up residence in that trailer for the first month or so when he gets here, until he can get himself set up with a job and apartment. That speeds up some parts of the build, in the deconstruction part. But it also slows further progress on the rebuild. That's okay though because I will have to do a lot of planning before I build. I went to the guys house this afternoon to get some measurements and I think the trailer is more like 18 feet counting tongue. Still has a heater, fridge,and what appears to be a hot water heater but parts of it, especially the bathroom, are in bad enough shape that I think it might eventually come down to stripping the thing to the frame and starting from scratch. I'm ok with that but I'm not so sure my wife is. I found evidence of frozen/broken pipes in it so I'm glad I've got a bit of history in construction work.
Thanks for getting in touch with me. I may very likely get in touch with you on some parts of the build. It's good to know a tear-jerker type in the area. My Dad belongs to Good Sams and says he know some too, but never was able to get in touch with any of them. I'd like to check out some functions to see what is being built and just to get to know some folks. Sounds like a fun group of people to get to know.