6' x 12' CTC = Texas Sized Tackle Box

[Staryder61]

We had an appointment to look at cargo trailers at 4:30 today. Had curbside grocery run to do.
Would be 9 miles closer to the trailer company, so called and asked if we could drop in early. They said to come on in at 3:00 to look at trailers.
So we dropped by at 3, looked at a 6' by 12' rounded corner top cargo trailer for the extra headroom. Barn doors on the back, 30" wide man door, single axle.

After looking it over really good, and my better half saying "It's cute, I really like this trailer".
We talked to the manager, settled on a price.
Purchased the trailer and pick it up Tuesday afternoon, We were in the mini conversion van with no trailer hitch.
Didn't know I was buying one today. Who knew??

Here's the trailer we bought. An Interstate Victory model 6' x 12'





My better half and I sat around and thought about what to call this conversion..
Graphic was found online, designed.. and ordered.. will be one on each side of the trailer..

Everything in Texas is bigger right? One hell of a tackle box, don't ya think.. Plenty of room for tackle I'm thinking..

[hankaye]

Staryder61, Howdy;

Welcome to the place where the goofy folks hang. chucklin'

Lookin' forward to seein' what ya come up with.

hank

[Staryder61]

Staryder61, Howdy;

Welcome to the place where the goofy folks hang. chucklin'

Lookin' forward to seein' what ya come up with.

hank

Hi there hank, thought you might drop in sometime. Thank you.
Have been wandering through the postings here for awhile now, and see you post.
Feel free to add your opinion in and help me out here and there.

where the goofy folks hang. chucklin'

hank

Should fit right in then

[flboy]

Nice trailer! Best of luck with your build.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Karebru]

Lookin' good!
If I had to do it all over again, I'd go with a 6 X 12. Weight, ease of towing...
With a little creative thinking and design, I believe it might be the perfect size.

[Staryder61]

Thank you flboy, and Karebru,
for stopping in and taking a look.
I hope ya both will have time to check in on us once in awhile.
Both of your builds have been great. I've been through both several times,
with pen and pad handy, making notes..
So feel free to pipe in any time with opinions and help.

[Staryder61]

Lookin' good!
If I had to do it all over again, I'd go with a 6 X 12. Weight, ease of towing...
With a little creative thinking and design, I believe it might be the perfect size.

I'd been working on layouts for a trailer for several months.
We thought about going trailer back then. But was a factor.
Went with what was available at the time, the mini van , and with what we all ready had to go in it.
We really like the mini van, but It's just not big enough for us to get in and out of comfortably.

We don't do a lot of long distance traveling. What we want is a camper that is ready to go when we are.
Love to fish, I'll say "I want to go fishing" my wife says "Where we going? Or when?"
We'll either load up food and cooler and head out, or make a quick reservation to camp at a near by lake.

We pick up the trailer tomorrow.
Damn, wish I'd had a way to pulled it home on Saturday.. excited as hell to get started on it..
Did start an Amazon list this weekend..

[onehoser]

uhaul will rent you a tow vehicle

[Staryder61]

uhaul will rent you a tow vehicle

Thanks one, we were there too late to get anything squared away that evening.
I actually have a tow vehicle, Dodge ram. So will pick up tomorrow.

[Staryder61]

Great day today, even though it's hot as blazes outside here right now.
It's Time..
The Tackle Box is sitting in the driveway.. ready for the next adventure..
It towed the 20 miles home like it wasn't back there. And we had an 18 mph cross wind for the most part.
Found it's not the wind you really have to worry about, it's other drivers.

Bought this trailer in Killeen, Tx.
The guys at TrailersPlus were great through the whole purchase..
https://www.trailersplus.com/Texas/Kill ... YnNpdGU%3D
And they had it available, unlike other places that wanted us to order and wait 9 weeks appx. They also have some trailer parts etc.
The price was unbeatable.

[Staryder61]

Over the last several weeks we have talked over what we wanted to have in the camper.
This idea, one day, and changed the next. Well what about this? No, not there.
Can we do this here or that there? Yes and no..
Tried different sketches here and there. Saw trailer layouts in my sleep, well actually trying to go to sleep.
This forum is evil, with all these ideas. Configurations, conversions, problems and solutions. IT"S JUST GREAT

While we had been waiting to pick up the Tackle Box from the dealer today.
I worked on the following. Trying to get prospective on what we do want and how it might all come together.

Still knowing that this may change once again. Have to start somewhere.
Will post this, let y'all look it over, looking for suggestions, opinions.

, ,

,

While we spend the next few days taking out all the plywood on the walls and floor.
The wife and I really like open grain like this plywood has. Neither of us cares much for dark stain, so thinking of being really careful taking the plywood out.
Reusing it as the walls and floor after coating it with enough spar urethane. For a great finish.
Have to wait and see how plywood comes off.

,

Will be checking for anything that shows signs of leaking, gaps here and there.
And about all the wiring I keep reading about that is not done right.

[Staryder61]

Wanted to get something done the first day we had the trailer.
So lights set up, tools ready, 8:00 pm, turning dark outside.



Kiss my wife good night, saying "You know where I'll be" as I walk out the door.
Started with pulling the small trim pieces of 1/8" luan, staples, I hate staples. oh well, found a great tool for the staples.

Trim on..





Some things are just for multi-tasking.

Trim Off..



Wall studs look good and strong.



Screws were easy to remove, phillips drive, small self tapping and can be reused.
We're thinking of reusing the 3/8" plywood on the sides. It's coming off in real good shape, light weight. Will sand and finish it.

[Grummy]

>>> We're thinking of reusing the 3/8" plywood on the sides.
You certainly can, however, as I and many others have pointed out, it gets REAL EASY to forget about, or perhaps fail to plan for the weight you eventually end up with in a 6x12. I guess what I am saying, is you might want to consider a lightweight Luan right now if you think you'll end up anywhere near a substantial build. Every lb counts !

For some reason, I can not build anything "basic" enough to stay "light".

In other posts, I have recommended that people get a good reliable scaled weight at some very well defined point of the build, then keep a self totalling spreadsheet for everything you put in. In my case, I took the build to a certain point where much of the fixed or fastened, mostly unremovable build components were in place (or difficult to get a weight on via bathroom scale), wrote down what these things included, then scaled it as a start weight. Then simply weigh every thing that goes in from then on, right down to drawer items.

I even go so far as making extra columns for "distribution", such as a column for each area: Tongue, Right Front Inside, Left Front Inside, Left Over Axle, Right Over Axle, Left Aft Axle and Right Aft Axle. You can for example split differences where for example, a water tank is 1/3 over the axle and 2/3's behind it by putting 1/3 and the 2/3 calculations in the correct column. Really helps down the road understanding what you built for yourself and where you weight totals are. I am always amazed with the little things, like 2 towels that weigh 4 lbs, or my wifes 6 pillows it seems she just gotta have along adding up to 10lbs. I ended up with a small area rug that weighs 9lbs !... The Icemaker, the Blender, 2 Iceco Fridges... Boy it adds up !

I keep a similar spread sheet for recording travel distances to where and when which helps remind me when wheel bearing and brake maintenance really should be done.

Looking forward to what you pick for a layout.

[Staryder61]

Grummy, thank you, for all your input. Everyone should take weight into consideration when building something, that travels down the highway.
Weight has always been a factor for me for years, when building something and transporting.
Worked for and owned a custom cabinet shop for years, fabricating metal, wooden and glass display cabinets, display walls and kiosks. Then loading them for transport in a variety of truck sizes, to different Northern, Southern Central states.
To my surprise the 3/8" plywood on the walls of this trailer, is light weight bendable ply. Although not as light as 1/8" luan.
Weight will be a consideration on through this conversion along with the distribution of weight.

[Staryder61]

Made a run yesterday evening into a town, with a Home Base.
Check on some prices for materials, an pick up a few things I need for the Tackle Box now.
Doing the removal of the side plywood, noticed some rust on a couple side studs of the frame.
Probably from condensation. And not all metal was painted.
So picked up a good wire brush, to clean the rust off. Some silicone caulking, for anywhere I see that might be leaking.
So far haven't found any leaks.
Also picked up some cans of rustoleum primer for the unpainted metal after prepping.
Today will just be removing the rest of the plywood on the sides. And start prep work for the primer painting.