My teardrop build

[noseoil]

Really nice build, can't wait to see it all put together and rolling down the road. Looks like it should forever and tow well. How do you like the panels you found to work with (the white is such a nice clean look & plenty durable). I'm still kicking that one around on my build, but weight remains a concern for me with this stuff. Did you use their 3mm stock?

Any idea about rolling weight & tongue weight yet (projected or actual)? Again, nice job.

[Josh J]

I used the 3mm panels, but I've found that the coating is easy to scratch, so you just need to be fairly careful around the camper. I would probably use these panels again in another build, as they have been very easy to bend and they do look very nice. I am going to put a white vinyl guard on the front of the fenders, and the front of the teardrop to help guard against rock chips. I think that the panels would get beat up pretty fast from road debris. The vinyl will be sort of like a 3M clear bra that people put on the fronts of cars.

I found the panels to be very light weight as well, I didn't compare side by side with plywood but they were very easy to lift into place. The entire side panels were easily lifted and held against the side with one person, while the other person started clamping it on. The complete hatch with the skin in place can be lifted and slid onto the hurricane hinge with one person.

The weight of the whole camper will probably be more than I was expecting, since I tend to overbuild things.. I am thinking it should be around 1400lb loaded with gear, and the tongue weight will depend on how it's loaded, but empty right now the weight is around 100lb on the hitch. That is without a bed, or any gear. I am aiming for around 125lb of tongue weight with it loaded up. I will do some highway testing with different tongue weights to see how the trailer reacts, and choose a good balance.

[Josh J]

Got a ton of things installed today, and took it for a shakedown run!

I finished installing the vinyl that will seal the panels where they meet on the top of the camper. I made some fancy prop-rods to hold the hatch up. The hatch was installed, and the taillights were installed and wired up. All of the interior lighting has been installed and wired up. I ran all of the lights and the fantastic vent on high today for a couple of hours just to shake all that stuff down. I installed the fenders and threw the wheels on it, put my license sticker on the tongue and took her out for a little cruise.

I estimate there is around 100lbs of tongue weight right now empty, and that seemed to be just fine. It pulled straight as an arrow at highway speeds.

The front dash has been stained, but the picture didn't turn out so I'll post another once we get more 'moved in'

For now, we've just got to put some pictures on the walls, throw the mattress in, and we'll be ready for our first trip. This weekend we are going 200 miles north to Grand Marais for a 3 day weekend with some friends. I hope to put 50 miles on it this week to shake it down a bit more.

pics:

[noseoil]

Josh, really nice finished look! How does the EVO like towing with the extra weight, happy? Really like the white, super clean & great job on the build, congrats.

[StockCube]

^ +1 on that, looks great, you must be very proud. Hope you have a lot of fun using it.

[teddy]

very nice!
What's the thickness of the roof panneling and did you need to cut grooves in it to flex?

[Josh J]

The car pulls it really well, there is plenty of power and plenty of brakes to slow it all down

The panels are 3mm, and they did not require any kerfs to flex.. it was actually very easy to bend it around the curves by hand. The sharper curves at the bottom of the front and rear required some ratchet straps and boards to keep it straight, but it was fairly straightforward.

I would use these panels in another build, although they are very easy to dent and scratch, so you have to be pretty careful

[BuildingForFun]

Hey Sweet Build.
I did want to ask you, I saw in the photo you used a router on the side wall aluminum. Was this a special metal bit? or just a regular carbide wood bit? I have looked at Home Depot and didnt see any metal router bits. Thanks

[Josh J]

I used a flush trim carbide bit, the thin aluminum on the panels is very soft. The bit cuts right through just like with wood.

[Josh J]

Here are a few pics of our first trip, and some more interior shots. We put a little over 500 miles on this weekend on a trip to the North Shore of Lake Superior.

There are still some little things here and there that need to be addressed, but all great projects are never really finished.

[lthomas987]

Ooh. Very nice. I would love to finish mine and get up to the north shore. Probably it will be freezing up there when I get done.

[NightCap]

Yes. Very nice.

[Josh J]

We've gone on a couple more trips and we are loving the little camper.

Here are some better interior shots.. and a couple shots from a big driving event that took place at Brainerd International Raceway.

























Meat!

[rebapuck]

That looks great. I, personally, like the white. But you could always jazz it up with graphics. Maybe match the one on the car.

[S. Heisley]

It looks good and, paired with your tow vehicle, looks even better. I like the little touches of turquoise with the white.

Thanks for sharing your build and your maiden voyage with us! Glad you had a good time and that it was all worth it.