Aussie Teardrop(ish)

[CJ_DT]

Hello,

Just recently started my teardrop build, its unconventional in terms of build materials and also its quite high because I am quite tall. Plan is to build a steel frame, fibreglass cladding on the outside and timber on the inside.
Its a bit of an odd profile, but I don't think it looks too ugly. The hatch hinging all the way to the bottom may prove to be a bit of an issue with the return on the curve, but I will see how it goes.

Some random questions, how often should I have the cross members, planning on sheeting it in 1.6mm FG sheet with no timber substrate but stuck on with VHB tape.

Cheers Chris

[dales133]

Gday chris,if your only having 1.6mm skin youll probably need to have your spars pretty close together.
How rigid is the fiberglass skin?
You may be better off rethinking the ply underneath and will save you alot of work and weight in spars.
Or composite pannel maybe.
Where in aus are you?
Vic here

[CJ_DT]

I am in the Adelaide hills. Haven't got the fibreglass skin yet was hoping someone who has used it could fill me in. Guess it's not the end of the world to have a layer of ply under it. Want to try and avoid an Ali outside layer because the few I have seen all seem yo have little dents in them which would piss me off. Still got a long way before I get yo skinning it.

[corncountry]

Welcome Chris,
Nice to see another steel frame tear being built. I can't help you with your fiberglass question. I used .040 aluminum with 1 in. insulation board between the spars and studs, no ply under the aluminum. My spars are spaced at 16 inches. The tear is now 6 years old and only has one small dent in the side and that one was picked up in the garage.

Jim

[dales133]

Only place i know of that has fiberglass skin is Rainer at aussie teardrops in brisbane but it would cost you way to much i expect to get it to SA
Im sure there are other places around.
You may even be able to find some sort of UV stabalised plastic sheet in the 4-5mm range as well.
Youll find researching parts and finding suppliers will take you as long as the build here in aussie.
My spars are around 300mm apart around the roof with a 3mm ply skin covered in painted cotton sheets then a 1.mm alloy skin.
Only to happy to help with any questions you might have.
Cheers dale

[CJ_DT]

I found the fiberglass at a local caravan maker also, but it is on a roll, so may be too flexible. I may end up going ali with the sheet of ply underneath yet. Have been collecting bits and pieces along the way, but we certainly don't have access to as many cool bits as everyone in the US.

I guess I have an ali car, and in 15 years its only got one dent, and I wont be using the teardrop to push over a fence, so perhaps the ali will stay nice.

[noseoil]

No reason not to use aluminum skins (weight, weather, etc.). I used some 1/16" (1.5mm) diamond plate on the front where it might get dents from rocks & road debris. The rest I'm not as concerned about really, as the 1mm skins are pretty tough in general for day to day running.

[CJ_DT]

Progress has been a bit intermittent but reached a milestone yesterday. The frame now rolls, hatch frame built and gas struts mounted. Few more bits to weld in and then I can start fitting out the insides.

[KCStudly]

Nice!