Building/Attempting a modified 2+2 in Denver, CO

[rxsamar]

Hi folks,

Firstly, thanks for all your posts - this site is fantastic! So much useful information, I certainly wouldn't be contemplating building a teardrop if it hadn't been for this site.

My name is Rohan and I'm an Aussie living currently lucky enough to be living in Denver, Colorado. After spending a summer camping in a tent my wife and I found we were really getting tired of the amount of time and effort it takes us to load/inload our car and setup a campsite. It certainly stopped us from just taking off into the Rockies on a Friday night at the spur of the moment. We also have two dogs (a high maintenance terrier and a silent, not-so-smart Labrador) who complicate matters when camping in the US (no squirrels in Australia,..the possums operate a bit more clandestinely!).

Most of my workmates who camp have RVs with popups being about as small as they get. I contemplated a popup for a while but the size and weight and canvas wall put me off.

Driving to work about 2 months ago after a glorious weekend camping, with the car still laden with camping gear we were too tired to unpack the night before, I saw a Lil' Guy being towed in the opposite direction.




So after looking at every manufacturer on the market and seeing all the fun many of you have had building a teardrop I pitched the 'boss' on building our own. I am my father's son - he's an engineer by trade but a frustrated carpenter/electrician/plumber/mechanic/welder by heart. I work with computers but enjoy tinkering in my spare time. My aim is to build something that meets our needs, but also is something of a family heirloom. My dad has converted a couple of vans into campers over the years and keeps selling them. I wanted something we could keep, and would use to thoroughly explore Nth America before we go home in a couple of years time. When I was a kid I spent a couple of Aussie summers/US winters with my god parents (who lived in Escondido CA) driving around Nevada, California, Mexico and Arizona in a converted Bedford van - great memories, I'm keen to make some more. I also intend to ship the teardrop back home to Oz.

So the design - I really liked the 2plus2 design but it was Wolfgang's awesome job on his 2plus2 that tipped me over the edge.

http://tnttt.com/viewto ... highlight=

I'll start a build journal and try to keep it updated.

Cheers

Rohan

[Weirdnerd]

I am in Denver too, if you need a hand, let me know, I am not very good at staying quiet.

(PS: I like Foster's beer )

[Wolfgang92025]

Rohan,

Welcome to the club................

Too bad you are not staying with your god parents. If you look up the zip code in my avatar, it's Escondido. Small world.

Good Luck with your build and I'm looking forward to seeing lot's if

[Roly Nelson]

Rohan, welcome to the best camping, teardrop and trailer forum on the net. You are on the right track. Do proceed and either build, buy or somehow, obtain a useable teardrop trailer, tents really suck. If you decide to build, there are plans available here on the forum, plus lots of info that can be obtained by simply asking questions.

Wow, building a teadrop, traveling for sometime in the US and then sending it back to OZ, what a great idea. Now, when you get it built, swing on down to So Calif, park in my covered driveway, and we'll talk teardrops, while you are telling me all about the joys of living below the equator. Good luck on our build, take pics and post em. Gday!
Roly ~~

[danlott]

Here is the 2+2 that I generated in Google SketchUp.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=37108



Dan

[rxsamar]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies -

Dan, I had found your sketchup design a while ago. It's been very useful in the planning process.

Wolfgang, I'll make sure to post some photos. My godparents have long since left Escondido - when they began to get old we managed to convince them to move closer to friends and family down under in NZ and Australia. My godfather passed away years ago but my godmother is saving to visit the US while we are here sometime in 2011. They used to live on E Washington Ave.

My fellow Denverite - thanks for the offer, Ah Fosters,.... (it's against the law for an Australian to drink that stuff ;-) I can recommend a few others.

Roly, thanks for the words of encouragement - if all goes well we might get to California at the end of an epic journey.