Stealth Cargo Trailers ...

Converting Cargo Trailers into TTTs

Postby vreihen » Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:41 am

Dant wrote:The idea I keep coming back to involves building some kind of shutter for each window. Not sure how to attach them. Maybe made from the same aluminum skin as the rest of the trailer. These could have signs painted on them..


If you make up fake commercial signs out of sheet metal to cover the windows on the outside, you can use marine-grade snap buttons like this to hold the signs in place:

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=17064&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10112&subdeptNum=10676&classNum=10677

With the sign off, there would be four "male" snap buttons visible (one for each corner). The sign itself would have a "female" snap receptacle on each corner, like a pickup truck tonneau cover or boat soft top uses in their canvas. The "male" buttons on the trailer should provide adequate standoffs to compensate for the window's outside trim thickness, allowing the sign to mount flat over the window without bending.....
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Postby Dant » Sat Mar 05, 2011 12:19 pm

vreihen wrote:
If you make up fake commercial signs out of sheet metal to cover the windows on the outside, you can use marine-grade snap buttons like this to hold the signs in place:

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=17064&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10112&subdeptNum=10676&classNum=10677

With the sign off, there would be four "male" snap buttons visible (one for each corner). The sign itself would have a "female" snap receptacle on each corner, like a pickup truck tonneau cover or boat soft top uses in their canvas. The "male" buttons on the trailer should provide adequate standoffs to compensate for the window's outside trim thickness, allowing the sign to mount flat over the window without bending.....


Neat and clean solution. Thanks. Would work with canvas covers/signs as well.
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Stealth Inspiration

Postby Engineer Guy » Tue Mar 08, 2011 12:31 am

This guy is really inspiring. He's not just talking the Stealth talk, he's walking the walk:

Stealth CT Living - You Tube

I chuckled today, seeing a Trailer that would pass any Stealth muster. Construction/Builder name and local Phone Number on the ~16' White CT sides. Really dull finish. A beat up Ladder or two on top Racks. Reddish Mud 'spray' up the sides. No Windows. No Propane Tank[s]. Maybe a missing Clearance Lamp cover. NO question, this Trailer was the real Workman's deal. Problem is, I wouldn't want to be seen driving it myself!

There's an amazing number of locals here who don't use Phone Area Codes in Newspaper Ads or in other Media. Maybe no Area Code in any Phone Number on the CT makes you always look 'local' to a LEO?

The fellow linked above sure has an admirable Track Record AND his Rig looks good.

My own sense is that a Stealth CT has to look like one that's been seen before, and very often. So, I'm curious if a Canvas 'Cover' looks 'normal' to Inquiring Minds? Convenient, fo sho, and I like the sound of that solution. See how the You Tube guy does it...
~Reality proceeds with or without your consensus~
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Postby GPW » Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:53 am

Around here there are still hundreds of CTs being pulled every day . I can't go more than a couple blocks without seeing one ... All pretty much look the same ... Plain !!! Really nothing on them except a Huge padlock on the doors ... :roll: Seeming All being pulled by pickup trucks , with magnetic signs on the doors ...
Although I'm always on the alert for CT spotting , to the general public they go virtually unnoticed!!! They all look the same !!! Easy to blend in with those , there's So many !!! :o
Thinking every locality will have a different situation regarding Stealth ... Take advantage of the local conditions of CT appearances... In a place where there aren't many CTs , this could be more difficult ...

Here's an idea ... if you don't want windows but want to be able to see outside , how about a couple door peepholes ??? nearly invisible ...you can see out , but they can't see in ... :thinking:
There’s no place like Foam !
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Re: Stealth Inspiration

Postby Dant » Tue Mar 08, 2011 4:05 pm

Engineer Guy wrote:This guy is really inspiring. He's not just talking the Stealth talk, he's walking the walk:

Stealth CT Living - You Tube

....
My own sense is that a Stealth CT has to look like one that's been seen before, and very often. So, I'm curious if a Canvas 'Cover' looks 'normal' to Inquiring Minds? Convenient, fo sho, and I like the sound of that solution. See how the You Tube guy does it...


I got the CT conversion idea from Randy Vining, same guy/trailer at the CheapLiving website a couple years ago. http://cheaprvliving.com/StealthCargoTrailer.html
Randy and I have corresponded and I look forward to meeting him. He keeps up an interesting blog on his travels.

You make good points on the 'stealth' issues. I may end up doing nothing. First I have to see the trailer. If I can find a mirror finish reflective film in a bronze that resembles the champagne metallic color of my trailer, I may not go beyond that.

One of the reasons I opted for windows is that I don't plan on much parking (and no camping) where stealth will be much of an issue. Things may change and it's fun to think out the possibilities ahead of time.
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Postby Bikerman » Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:57 pm

[size=18][/size] SMITHSTON FUNERAL SERVICES

[size=12][/size]Delivery & Transpot Services


:( :lol:
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Postby Dant » Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:31 am

Bikerman wrote: SMITHSTON FUNERAL SERVICES

Delivery & Transpot Services


:( :lol:


I like it. :)

I suppose "Arnold Funeral Home
Mobile Embalming Unit #3"

Would be a bit over the top
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Postby GPW » Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:27 pm

Dant, that might attract the "weirdos" ... :shock:

Thinking "plain" goes unnoticed ... Nothing to attract the eye , just another Cargo trailer ... :roll:
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Postby Dant » Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:07 am

Not to mention the 'lazy' factor. It's amazing how many times doing nothing is the best choice. :D
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Postby GPW » Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:45 am

Something to be said for that .... :lol: Around here are literally thousands of CTs (many contractors still working /re-building ) Most look "plain" ... The few ones with any writing on it really stand out ... :o
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Postby GPW » Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:45 pm

Not 5 minutes away from the house today , I saw a big Bright red Cargo trailer , with big Circus letters spelling out Mighty Mowers... from the looks of it , I expected lions, tigers and bears :o .... certainly NOT Stealth ...
Saw another plain one , looked OK , but a roof AC and vent on the top , and the pickup towing it was spotless Clean (dead giveaway ) ... :roll:

Saw several more after that, but the ones I really looked at all had writing on the sides ...indicating what resided within .. :o Must be human curiosity that makes us want to read things passing by @ 60mph ... :D
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Postby 8ball_99 » Thu Apr 07, 2011 2:07 pm

Honestly I never really understood why some people don't want others to know their trailer is a camper. I guess they camp in places they aren't suppose to. We go to OHV parks and plenty of people sleep in plain cargo trailers simply cause they don't have the money or no how to fix them up. So even if you see a plain trailer its a pretty safe guess they are using it like a tent.
I would think it would be very easy to tell if someone was camping weither the trailer showed it or not. Lights on at night.. Sounds from inside the trailer. Either the trailer moving or having stabilzer jacks down.
Our trailer is super easy to tell.. Because its has holding tanks awning, AC ect, ect.. I wasn't worried about stealth just wanted a good inexpensive camper to serve our needs!
As far as theft goes. Your probably better off people knowing its a camper VS them thinking you use it for storage or construction.. Most campers don't have many things that intrest would be theives.. But if they think you have tools or maybe your using it to move cross country.. Then they will want it...
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Postby GPW » Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:35 am

8B , many of us are introverts and would just rather "blend in "... go unnoticed in our quest ... Some folks want to be "seen" ... some don't ... Nothing "not supposed to " about it ...

Not really Stealth , just don't want to be a Target for the many Predators/opportunists out there... :roll:
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Postby lonerider » Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:48 pm

Big Red Letters......."DANGER EXPLOSIVES"
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Postby vreihen » Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:27 pm

lonerider wrote:Big Red Letters......."DANGER EXPLOSIVES"


Flashing red and blue lights. No explosives permits. Can't go over bridges or through tunnels. Terrorist theft target. Handcuffs in your future.....
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