Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Okie Dokie,

Here goes, let's just jump in! This is a first rough draft. Tell me if it's possible, plausible, or even worthy of trying to produce.


If possible I think I may work with a boat trailer I already have, I'll post pics of it this weekend. It's a 1975 16' fiberglass bass boat, it's a galvanized trailer. I know I'll have to box in the rear and I'll have to extend the front framework to accommodate the flooring. This is a mock up of the trailer the dashed line in front will have to be added.



This is my drawing of my TD. Some of you guru's take a look and let me know. I'd like to have a full outer stainless. I realize the rear window overlaps the inner cabinet, but it will be heavy limo tint, more for outside aesthetics than inside light.

okie...it'll be a big'n for sure and will definitely have the classic airfoil look..window placements/sizes can be adjusted, the only question I have is the "galley shelf"...how high is it off the ground and what about distance to reach upper galley cabinets(2 questions I guess)...have you got a supplier for the stainless...I do...send me a phone# by PM and we can get talk/get together
madjack

I like it. It's the pointyest (sp?) teardrop I've ever seen, but it'll turn heads for sure.

I say go for it!!!

Mike...

okiekajun,
CAUTION - If you are going to weld Galvanized metal do it outside and ware a resperator. The white fumes that come off are very bad for your lungs. I like your first draft disign, but with new fabrication there might be changes.
I'm just in the begining of building a small benroy type TD.
BarryE

Welding the square on the front of the trailer frame might create a stress riser... where the tongue and crossbar meet ... We just let our TD shell overhang the V ... no problems...

GPW wrote:Welding the square on the front of the trailer frame might create a stress riser... where the tongue and crossbar meet ... We just let our TD shell overhang the V ... no problems...

I agree there are no concentrated loads up front . A torsion box floor would easily carry the front. I made mine with a 2x4 perimiter and a ply of 1/2 osb top and bottom. I added 2 center joist in the void to firm up the floor and filled it with styrofoam for insulation.

Okie, I see your door seems a little too far forward. It shows about 6 inches from the storage wall to the door. It looks like when you will be laying down the door will be very close to your head , which could be a problem when you go to swing your legs out the door. I have a situation like that in my TD. I have to get my legs pulled up to get them out the door or I have to sit all the way up then swing my legs out. Just a thought , you might try a cardboard mockup to see how it fits. Good luck !

okiekajun, that's a VERY cool design! It's a profile I'll definitely work with in my own constantly evolving yet somehow eternally elusive tear design.
With that said, my lifelong interest in aerospace comes to the forefront...that little bugger appears to be well on its way to closely mimicking an aircraft wing cross section. In other words, I just wonder if it might try to get altitude at interstate speeds!
If it doesn't, it'll look super sweet wherever you take it. If it does go airborne...
All jokes aside, can anyone offer up some past experience here with the aerodynamics of tears, good or bad? Can you see what I see: using this idea to reduce the load on the tow vehicle! I'm not talking about pulling a glider behind your '32 Deuce. Just letting the wind (which your Deuce expensively pushes aside as it rumbles down the road) relieve the weight of the trailer just enough to reduce the pulling forces needed.
Then you have to look ahead to winter when you need more traction. Adjustable airfoils, anyone? Where's that Roswell design I saw floating around here? Just the ticket!
Am I a techno-geek or what?
Maybe, but I do have a lot of fun! Paper tigers are CHEAP to build!!!! HA!
My wife says I have successfully taken the wholesome, old-time traditional fun of camping and single-handedly changed it into an audition to be on the three a.m. time slot of the NASA channel. Thanks, dear. Good luck, okiekajun.

Nice!
Just don't tow it at more than 50mph or next thing you know that baby will be requesting clearance for take off!

mallymal wrote:Nice!
Just don't tow it at more than 50mph or next thing you know that baby will be requesting clearance for take off!

Make the axle retractable!

Seriously though - I like the look of it... It would look really slick behind a hot rod or some sort. It looks fast!

Now, if you could pull that with a '69 Charger, you'd have quite a combo.
EDIT: got a photo of the floorplan/ topside? 'cause, you know, that forward contour so needs to be a 3-D feature!

...y'all do know you are replying to an almost 2year old thread from a guy who hasn't been heard from in almost that long...
madjack

madjack wrote:...y'all do know you are replying to an almost 2year old thread from a guy who hasn't been heard from in almost that long...
madjack

ahem... uhh... yeah. I knew that.

Must be something to do with the time diffrence in the UK!