Don & Christi's 6 x 10 Cargo Conversion

[GPW]

Don , it could be worse... could be snowing , we just get rain ... adding to the Humidity ... Just checked , the humidity is light today .... only 80% BRRRRR!!!

[d30gaijin]

No progress to report on the 6x10 CT conversion but I did get my hair cut today. And what might be the significance of that you ask? None whasoever other than I hate getting haircuts. I don't like letting someone I don't really know get that close to me... "Paranoia strikes deep, Into your life it will creep, It starts when you're always afraid, You step out of line, the man come and take you away...' CSNY

OK, so a bit of information you didn't need... but there it is none-the-less i.e., FWIW.

Again, no progress to report on the CT conversion but we are making plans for travel this spring and summer, especially this summer. We will be taking the CT to California, specifically from our home in Idaho, to Napa Valley where we were both born and raised to visit family who live there. On that trip the CT will be loaded with my Harley as well as what we need to camp along the way. Needless to say come spring and warmer weather I will need to make significant progress on the CT conversion in that we want to be independent and not impose on family for our stay other than for showers (we'll be living out of the CT while visiting).

With that said, we want to thank all here for the great advice and information passed on to us via our thread, as well as through other threads. It has made our CT conversion so much easier in that I started with no knowledge about CT conversions and by happenstance stumbled upon this forum... and for that I thank God and the originators of this forum. We are forever in your debt.

Don & Christi
Boise, Idaho

[Ageless]

Well, you can add this to your collection:

Kinks: Destroyer (paranoia)

[pete42]

If a haircut scares you then I'll bet your annual prostate exam scares the beegeebers out of you.....

Now thats just not right shame on me...............I'm sorry

[Engineer Guy]

Hi Don ~

You asked me a while back for some Interior pix, for layout ideas, of a pal's 14' Wilderness TT. I bought my own TT this week instead! My layout is pretty much a mirror image, front-to-back, of his. Not having the front slant over the Couch/Bed as I do, his has a limited-weight, fold down upper Bunk instead.

Should be fun cuz I can concentrate on upgrades and Geek Tweaks instead of ground-up building that I don't have time for just now. We sho collected 'stuff' that can be used in the Trailer. I've got spare Propane Tanks; Deep Cycles; Hoses; you name it. See the Post under 'General Discussion'.

I REALLY like starting with un-modded Factory condition because I like to 'hide' changes whenever possible. About all the Wiring and Plumbing is accessible and on the Sink Side, so that makes life much easier. Just let the 'magic' happen invisibly, be it A-V or energy-related, etc.. There's nice Luan under the 'OK' color Contact Paper, or I might someday stick on some neat, real, ultra-thin Wood made for re-skinning Doors. First, some overdue Camping fun, as you mention above, w/documenting pix to follow.

You could always listen to the CSNY Song 'Almost Cut My Hair' before you go 'under' the Scissors. There are 'Full Service' Haircut 'Salons' in Asia I was offered in Taiwan but - being 'Old School - I passed. ;-0

~ EG ~

[d30gaijin]

Well, you can add this to your collection:

Kinks: Destroyer (paranoia)

Perfect! Forgot about that one but it is nice to see someone goes as far back as I do but... but then again, Ageless you are giving up your age.

Don

[d30gaijin]

If a haircut scares you then I'll bet your annual prostate exam scares the beegeebers out of you.....

Now thats just not right shame on me...............I'm sorry

The prostrate exam I have come to accept, beats dying from lack of one. Haircuts, on the other hand, I have never adapted well to. Not sure why considering I haven't been a long hair guy in the last 30 years. I just don't like haircuts. When I retire in a few months maybe I will be a long hair guy.

Don

[d30gaijin]

Hi Don ~

You asked me a while back for some Interior pix, for layout ideas, of a pal's 14' Wilderness TT. I bought my own TT this week instead! My layout is pretty much a mirror image, front-to-back, of his. Not having the front slant over the Couch/Bed as I do, his has a limited-weight, fold down upper Bunk instead.

Should be fun cuz I can concentrate on upgrades and Geek Tweaks instead of ground-up building that I don't have time for just now. We sho collected 'stuff' that can be used in the Trailer. I've got spare Propane Tanks; Deep Cycles; Hoses; you name it. See the Post under 'General Discussion'.

I REALLY like starting with un-modded Factory condition because I like to 'hide' changes whenever possible. About all the Wiring and Plumbing is accessible and on the Sink Side, so that makes life much easier. Just let the 'magic' happen invisibly, be it A-V or energy-related, etc.. There's nice Luan under the 'OK' color Contact Paper, or I might someday stick on some neat, real, ultra-thin Wood made for re-skinning Doors. First, some overdue Camping fun, as you mention above, w/documenting pix to follow.

You could always listen to the CSNY Song 'Almost Cut My Hair' before you go 'under' the Scissors. There are 'Full Service' Haircut 'Salons' in Asia I was offered in Taiwan but - being 'Old School - I passed. ;-0

~ EG ~

EG,

Checked the "General Discussion Forum" and read your post re: the 14" Wilderness TT and hope you will post more here or on the GD forum. I hope to follow it closely. Looks like a whole lot of fun! Please also post more pics of your TT interior. In terms of a TT I am looking to go smaller than my Jayco 16.5 if possible so any thoughts, help, or info you can provide would be appreciated.

Don

[GPW]

QUOTE: " In terms of a TT I am looking to go smaller than my Jayco 16.5 if possible" ...
Don , me too .... I find the Jayco rather wasteful of space ... that and the constant maintenance it seems to require ... Soon as I can unload that POS , I'm getting a 6X12 CT ...

[d30gaijin]

QUOTE: " In terms of a TT I am looking to go smaller than my Jayco 16.5 if possible" ...
Don , me too .... I find the Jayco rather wasteful of space ... that and the constant maintenance it seems to require ... Soon as I can unload that POS , I'm getting a 6X12 CT ...

GPW,

We won't be unloading our little Jayco anytime soon, we love it too much, but we expect to spend more time in our 6x10 CT than in the Jayco. The CT is just so much easier to haul around and meets most of our needs for weekend outings. The Jayco will be the choice for extended trips to State parks and campgrounds i.e., three days in the CT but for our five plus day stays the Jaygo will be the choice. The CT for dry camping and the Jayco for hookup camping.

Don

[GPW]

Don , you know my Jayco would be fine if I didn't worry about the roof so much ... The dealer told us it was a Rubber roof ... (he lied ) Turns out it's a paper thin vinyl over 3/32" plywood ... I just can't seem to feel secure with just that ... already some (10) small finger sized branches have popped completely through the roof ... 5K for the dealer to fix (insurance) only to put the same C**P back ... grrrr!!!!

[Engineer Guy]

Hi Don, et al ~

Just now catching up and saw your Post...

As did my pal who got a nice '88 15' Wilderness, I looked at a ton of stuff on line, and some real junkers in person. One promising unit near our W. CO House had a Ceiling I couldn't stand up straight in, never mind the dropped A/C Vent. Say what??? The good/bad news is that the smaller Trailers are around, but a lil hard to come by. I wanted single axle, and a layout that worked for the 2 of us. I know that Dry Weight is fantasy, but this unit rates at 2,600 lbs.

Great Thoughts are to bag the Dinette in favor of using either some real campy old TV Trays from the Mom-in-Law. Or, having used them more than I can recall, I might make some simplified Airplane Trays. Simply putting the Table up made a huge visual impact on space. Since the Passenger-side Axle box makes it impossible to seat 4 at the Dinette anyway, I plan to flip half the Dinette 90 degrees to hug the wall just inside the Door, and remove the other half. This leaves room to convert the Gaucho Couch to a ~5'6" wide, near-full length pseudo-Queen Bed that will just clear the Oven Door. When plugged in, a Microwave and Dish Network Receiver can tuck in by the Ceiling, right of the Stovetop. They'll be a place to sit on the remaining Dinette Seat half inside if someone wants to sleep in.



I've got a handy Gaucho 'model' to kinda follow in my '31 Avion with a simple pull forward bottom on routed side rails. K.I.S.S., lightweight 1x? construction will be the rule. A 'Pro' Neighbor can do Cushions on good Sleeping Foam.



There's nice room on the Tongue for a double Battery Box, and for the 30 lb. Propane Bottle included. I've got a spare 40 lb'er around from House Construction. There's also plenty of room inside for 'toys' and necessary Gas Detectors, etc..

Quickie upgrades already include a Propane Gauge; new Safety Chains; and a Breakaway Switch. The Chains were really undersized from the Factory, and there never was a Breakaway Switch. Weird, but easily solved. The new A/C and unused 3kW Generator in the package closed me!

One RV'er speaks well of 'Henry' Roof Coatings, so I'm checking out that and other alternatives to do it once/do it right early on.

Plenty of Build/Mod pix to follow!

[GPW]

Gosh , I'm looking to replace my dinette with a nice comfortable sofa and TV trays ... Just don't think I could get one through the door ...

[Engineer Guy]

When intent on doing a CT mod prior, I looked hard at Convertible Couches at 'Big Lots' and other Outlets. Pretty nice for what they do: serve as a Couch and a Bed. Besides sometimes not fitting through our Trailer Doors, the Commercial 'stuff' is lacking, as is often the case with many of our assorted needs. That said, much of the Tubular Steel 'stuff' knocks down to ship here from China.

So, to gain insights, I'm going to 'reverse Engineer' a free Futon we got [stupidly heavy], and the Avion Couch/Bed to create what we need. First, we pick Foam, then design from there based on thicknesses. The Couch Seat Frame now in place can be left there, virtually unchanged. Also, it's a good model for building strong w/minimal Lumber. As with our Futon, I plan to make a relatively-high Couch back that slides or flips down in place in front of the Seat to make a no-compromises, comfortable lower Bed 'half'. As with the Avion Bed, there's 'Bed' and Foam Cushions behind the vertical Cushions w/o anything in the way. Commercial Hardware, as used on Bifold Closet Doors, and a little Routing should do the trick on the still-emerging Design. I'll post, of course...

Sounds like you're in the same situation of not building 'the Boat in the Basement', and having to assemble things once inside the Trailer. Japanese 'knock down' Furniture [designed to haul home on the Subway]; IKEA; Toy Hauler Trailer Couch Beds; Dorm Room Bunks; and the creative ideas here are all examples to reverse engineer. It's all been done before...

[GPW]

Futon's looking better all the time ... maybe on a small light platform ...waiting to see what you'll come up with ... Cool idea !!! ( and fits through doors )