Matthewp's MuTTT (Multiple Terrain Tactical Teardrop).

[matthewp]

The walls are complete! Minus a couple inches on the back for the rear hatch, here is the final shape.

[Johnysteam]

Nice shape. Looking forwards to seeing more.

[matthewp]

Today, I undid all the bolts mounting the sides to the frame and gooped the crap out of them. I put a 1/4" bead of 3M 5200 about midway down in the "trench" between the wall and the side of the frame. I ensured that, when the bolts were tightened, the sealant encompassed the bolt entry into the frame & wood in addition to leaving a bead at the top of the frame section.

After that, I started on the insulation for the under-bed storage area. The 3/4" is easy to work with using a sharp knife. The 2"? Well, the mess made by the hand router and circular saw was bad! There was so much "fluff" from the green hard insulation all over the garage, it looked like someone dropped a frag grenade in Oscar the grouch's trash can!

[Junkboy999]

Man that is going together well.
The front shape is nice. The big window up front is fantastic. Are you going to make a hard cover for it for traveling. If you off road it might get bushed whacked and brake.

[glenpinpat]

Really like this build! This is the second camper that is using the under bed storage. This is almost the same design as my new build. Looks like you have borrowed ideas from the same builds as I have. Great work!

[matthewp]

Looks like you have borrowed ideas from the same builds as I have. Great work!

That sounds like it means there are two of us who will owe Elizabeth C. And her husband a bottle of wine!

Thank you for the compliments!

[Elizabeth C.]

Did someone say wine? We prefer red wines. We will all need to get together and toast each other on building our TDs with basements. Maybe someday someone will build one with an attic.....hmmmm...

I love your design, the hubby and I have been following it with great interest. Great job, can't wait to see more.

Respectfully,
Dr CDawg

[matthewp]

:) Did someone say wine? We prefer red wines. We will all need to get together and toast each other on building our TDs with basements. Maybe someday someone will build one with an attic.....hmmmm...

I love your design, the hubby and I have been following it with great interest. Great job, can't wait to see more.

Respectfully,
Dr CDawg

Red wine it is! It seems to be there are some gorgeous areas for camping down there, we will have to get together once our trailers are done.

The belly storage and wall insulation is complete (excuse the bad pictures, the trailer is under a tarp in the rain).

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[matthewp]

Today, the woodwork (and some remedial electrical work) was completed in the basement storage.





The rough wood for the sleeping platform is also done (I will also finish it with 5mm maple ply), and I have started with the layout of the control hatch area.

Clockwise from top left: battery capacity & charge meter, switches for the battery meter and water gauge, water gauge, 120v shoreline, water fill.

[matthewp]

The last couple days involved work on the control box and the dividing wall between the kitchen and sleeping area. This wall involves a 2" gap for water and electrical lines. Here is a top view:



From the sleeping bay side, there will be a removable panel:



The kitchen side is open behind the area that will be behind the drawers:



The concept of this will to be to maximize the access area in the void.

[matthewp]

The box behind the control panel will be about 4" deep. Access will be through the control panel being removable by four bolts:

[RandyG]

Posting just to keep up with your build, very cool design.

[matthewp]

Posting just to keep up with your build, very cool design.

thank you!

[matthewp]

I decided to seal my rear hatch using a similar design to my Jeep. It therefore involved finding the right seal and figuring out how to work more metal magic.

Here's the aluminum (more reasonably malleable than steel, but still plenty strong for the use).



The seal base is screwed every 6". I worked the metal around the opening one screw at a time, using a rubber mallet to push it into the corners.



All finished with the rubber seal (found on grainger.com) in place.



When I go to finish the bodywork, I will remove the trim, then seal it to the wood with 3M 5200 before reinstalling the screws.

[matthewp]

To get around the vertical angles (30*), I cut a series of gaps in the trim, about 3/4 of the way through, with my Dremel and a grinding disk.



After carefully bending with a hammer, then installing, the finished product looks pretty good.



The open areas in the metal around the curve will be sealed with JB Weld and sanded down before installing and sealing.