Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I'm about to convert my work trailer into a camping trailer. However, the shelving that I built for my "work" trailer can be easily removed in about an hour. I am looking to build a camper style interior that is "easily" removable. I do not need plumbing - I just want to have beds, an eating/sitting area, and a small dry bar to do food prep/coffee pot, etc.
Here is a quick drawing of my idea:


I was just wondering if anyone has done this or what your ideas are?????
My thoughts are to make queen size bunks towards the rear of the trailer. Under the first bed will be storage. When I fold the ramp door down, there will be some sort of a wall either w/ windows or screens and some sort of privacy. I may cut windows into the trailer (not yet decided). I plan to build some sort of a kitchenette in the front, but looking for any/all ideas. Thanks in advance!

There are numerous 7x14 and other sizes done. Just start reading. Warning... you'll find ideas for things you didn't know you "needed".

Good luck.

rebapuck wrote: Warning... you'll find ideas for things you didn't know you "needed".

Ain't dat da truth!

David_L6 wrote:

rebapuck wrote: Warning... you'll find ideas for things you didn't know you "needed".

Ain't dat da truth!

+1

Road Dog,

First, welcome to the forum!

See my CT conversion album:
http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/album_personal.php?user_id=11002&sort_method=pic_time&sort_order=DESC&start=0

and my conversion thread:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=38095

I am doing a smaller scale 6x10 CT conversion but my needs are similar to yours. Installation of bunk beds in my CT conversion will work equally well for your larger CT conversion. I used E-Track hardware for the bunk bed installation and I recommend it as the best alternative for your installation because the bunk beds can be removed in minutes to open the CT back up again for open space use. E-Track is inexpensive for what you get, easy to install, and very versatile. See my build thread to see what I am talking about and a link to where you can buy the E-Track hardware... and no, I have no connection to E-Track whatsoever, nor to Pegasus Racing (where I bought the E-Track hardware from). It's just good solid hardware and Pegasus Racing is an excellent company to deal with via on-line orders.

I hope that helps. Please keep us informed as to how your conversion progresses. We learn from each others experiences and our trials and errors here so it is important to share your experience as well as to glean from others experience.

Don

Thank for the welcome!

d30gaijin - thanks for the links. I'll have to get pictures of what I did w/ my CT for a work setup, and then soon start on the conversion. I've looked through all the threads on here, and I really only see two types of conversions: those who travel w/ quads or dirt bikes and once they have reached there riding destination, the bikes come out and camp is set.....very "rough" but comfortable living. The other style I have seen is a total conversion and a permanent one. Neither of these is what I want to do. I want to make a quick and easy transformation...from work to play (and when I say easy I mean a few hours). I want it to be a very cozy type atmosphere. I'm thinking of getting an indoor/outdoor carpet of some kind that I can roll on the floor, the bunks that are comfortable and easy to use, a nice sitting area and that's it. I think once it is built, and I know we like it, then I may actually cut a couple windows in.

But first thing is first.

Looking for more info/pics if anyone has something like this.

Thanks!

roaddog82 wrote:Looking for more info/pics if anyone has something like this.

In my 8.5x24 race car hauler, the only thing attached permanently inside is the fire extinguisher. Everything else is held to the walls by D-rings and ratchet straps -- folding tables, chairs, roller toolbox, portable winch, and even a 6' tall double door Gladiator gear locker cabinet (which doesn't have casters yet but will have them retrofitted). I don't use it for overnights, but set up day camp in the paddocks at events.

My design goal was to have the interior space be 100% flexible, so that I can use it during the winter as maximum floor space for storing two cars inside (don't care about the weight distribution since it isn't being towed), be usable as a work shop between race events, and be equipped to support whichever of the two cars I decide to run on any given weekend. Everything inside being on casters means that converting from one mode to the other simply involves rolling stuff in/out via the ramp door, but at an event everything stays inside except for the folding tables/chairs.

My next interior addition plan is for a portable sink. It will be mounted in either a shop cart or cabinet on casters, with the gray and fresh water tanks underneath. When I don't need it at a site with proper bathrooms, I can roll it out of the ramp door and leave it at home.

Long story short, I think that you can design a modular/flexible interior on wheels that can easily be swapped out, and if you spend a few more minutes designing the retaining system it will even look like a permanent interior and not just a bunch of stuff ratchet-strapped to the walls.....

I've only got the front cabinet in mine "permanently" mounted. Even that would only require the removal of 6 bolts and disconnecting the wiring connection to the shore inlet connector. it might be a two person job to get the cabinet Out of the trailer though.
I've done most of the electrical in a manner which can't really interfere with bringing anything within the interior of the Cargo trailer to use it as intended.
There's a certain Rustic appearance of my CT when I purchased it.. and we've ran with that theme to H3ll and gone. * chuckles*

I saw plenty of creative re-use of space in Asia, but don't have pix to share.

The one implementation I plan to use was seen in my Bro-in-Law's mega-back Apartment in Hong Kong. Standard procedure was to lease an Apt. w/o Cabinets or even a Toilet. This allowed for personalized Interior Decorating.

There were Metric, standardized Rails to mount, say, Kitchen Cabinets on invisibly. If you adapted this concept and had, say, 2 Rails, with one 1' off the Floor and another one [or 2] 5' off the Floor, you could mount to those Rails. A type of these Rails w/threaded holes is used in 19" Rack Mount sides of Equipment Cabinets. Components being mounted could have stout L Brackets on the exterior sides to enable easy mounting/demounting.

There's also 1/4 turn, quick-disconnect Hardware that would enable mounting components to Rails in short order.

As is done in modular Manufacturing environments, I plan to bring down surface-mount Electrical at spaced intervals. Then, wiring can branch left or right to feed Lights and other accessories. Some wiring must be fixed; other wiring I plan to keep flexible at both ends.