We Took The First Step Today

[MtnDon]

We took the first step to our cargo trailer conversion project this afternoon. Well, okay maybe not the first step but the first irrevocable step. We shook hands, actually signed a contract, but shook hands too, with a local vendor for a cargo trailer to be built. Wrote a deposit check. Finish date is approx mid January.

The basics are 6' x 12' with 6'6" interior height and a deep V-nose. Single axle with wheels inside the body/box. RV door with screen. Electric brakes. Below is a drawing of the floorplan. The usual twin cargo doors across the back... tha'll help in making the bed The plan drawing is done the old fashioned way, paper, pencil and a scale. Cut out bits of paper with major components moved here and there until something made sense. Then taped down and run through the scanner.

The V-nose will be between 3 1/2 feet and 4 feet from the point to where the flat front wall would be if there was a flat front. The blue lines are at 3 feet, the black at 4 feet. There will be marginal fenders on the outside of the walls; sorta like what is found on the 8.5 wide trailers.



The square in the upper right corner is a TF130 truckfridge under a counter that extends to the right towards the Vee point. The intent is to use our campstove indoors if rainy or snowy. Otherwise it will be used outside on a shelf / worktable that clips to the trailer side to the left of the door. The shower 'box' will also house a porta potti. The window is one I salvaged, 49 x 29 inches, slider w/screen; plus it is an egress window. The builder will frame that but leave it skinned over. A microwave on a shelf over the counter over the fridge.

[roadinspector]

Conga-rats on the new CT! Looking forward to the transition from paper to reality.

Earnest

[MtnDon]

Thanks. I forgot to mention this is not going to be a fancy build. No oak cabinetry, etc. WEe've traveled and camped in everything from my old '68 Volvo 123 GT with the back seat removed, through assorted pickups, a 70's Boler, a Westfalia, 17' Fleetwood TT, 23 ft Class C, and back through tents again. This CT is planned to be more functional that upscale luxury. A hard side tent we can stand in and shower no matter where we are. The floor will likely be painted on the plywood for example.

There will be some solar, though not to the degree of OTTCT

[hankaye]

MtnDon, Howdy;

You look like you are getting the RV Door in the front Pax side of the wedge...?
Nice way to save a foot or 2 for movin' around inside.

hank

[piperpilot3tk]

Awesome, i hope you have as much fun building yours as I am having building mine! I like the door in the curb side of the V-nose. My friends neighbor has a 6X12 with the door located there and it works well having the full length of both walls to use how one sees fit.

[Rainier70]

Cheering section is forming up. Go time!

[Masterplumber]

I love the idea of having the wheels inboard! I always wanted a 7' wide built that way - there'd be room to run the bed sideways and it would only be the overall width of a "normal 5' wide build. Can I ask who is building your trailer? By the way, nice layout.

[Gonefishin]

Yeah, another 6x12 v-noser! Like the door idea. My v-nose isn't as deep as yours. That queen bed will take up a lot of space, but you'll sleep well. I use just one portable solar panel to keep a battery charged, so consider that. Will be watching. The anticipation builds . . .

[MtnDon]

I did a stick and cardboard mockup of a 7' wide on my utility trailer. It was frightfully huge behind the Tacoma ('06) I gave that up even though I really like the idea of being able to place the bed across the width.

Having the wheels inboard was something we really wanted. With the bed as drawn the inner wheel boxes are hidden. Sure there is some lost space, but as we are trying hard to not carry extraneous gear I don't think it will matter in the end product. The idea of the door in the deep Vnose came to me one night. I had never seen one done like that before; ramp doors yes, but not a people door.

The queen bed and sleeping well was high up the list of our wants. We've spent many a night roughing it in cramped quarters over some of the past 4 decades together. I figure we both have paid our dues and deserve the comfort if we want it. And our fuel consumption won't be anywheres as bad as the old Class C.

Not many manufacturers will do wheels inside the body on a 6 foot wide. Nor will many do a deep Vee nose like that on a 6 foot wide either. Some were too costly. So by default of our needs / wants and our budget it came down to Lark through our local dealer. He got answers to all our questions and gave us a price we are happy with plus we don't have to drive to pick it up ourselves as we would if we bought it online.

[Prem]

Here's to you and your forthcoming trailer MtnDon:



Prem

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

MtnDon

You have now become a Larker - like OTTCT 1.0 & Mark519

But OTTCT 2.0 - CarMate

BUT - you can never have too much solar , well maybe over 3000 watts

[aggie79]

Conga-rats on the new CT! Looking forward to the transition from paper to reality.

Earnest

+1 on what Earnest said!

[Hiflyer]

Congrats as well. It's a good size for two people

And having a queen bed is well worth the space

[Glenlivet]

Great project. A bare drawing board to start from, gotta like it.
If I may humbly suggest it, you can have your queen bed and still have most of the room it takes up for daytime use too! I made my bed 68 x 75 and I use two 35 x 75 foamies for a mattress. (not a typo, when the mattress halves go down they are a bit tight and need a quick massage at the non-gap to make them even) You can't feel the separation at all.
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=46134
It's as comfy as my bed at home and yet folds up to just 12" thick on one wall, leaving most of the bed's footprint as useable space. A dining room.
Just a thought. Good luck on the project.

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

MtnDon

FYI
In my old trailer I had a 12" thick mattress , it was very hard to
change the sheets , it was really a hard 2 man job.
This time we use 4" foam with Ikea wood spring base ,
Very easy to change the sheets & move the mattress around.
Also edge of mattress / sheets got moldy against the outside wall
with only 1" foam between the studs then plywood,
So you need to change sheets a lot or dry your stuff out daily !!

jerry