Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I'm just toying with ideas. I really like my Baja Benroy, but it's too heavy for the Jetta. So....

A couple days ago I built a 5x9 model (side profile) of an ultra light weight teardrop, similar to the Midget Trailer. It look kinda... well lets just say "old". Michelle didn't like it.

So then I built a model of a kwel "Rugged" with dual slideouts. The rugged was a 4x8 teardrop, but the slideouts allowed me to have a queen sized bed in there. Michelle didn't like it.

Next for a little humor I cut this profile out... It's 5' wide, long and low...



And wouldn't you know, Michelle liked it.

Problem is, I can't get my table into it.

Mike...

That last one is a bit like the Cabin Car original design. Hey can you post pics of the slideout model? How were you planning on working the actual mechanics of it? I know we have discussed this before but never really came up with a good solution.

good job I like the profile, keep up the good work, bye

Shrug53 wrote:That last one is a bit like the Cabin Car original design. Hey can you post pics of the slideout model? How were you planning on working the actual mechanics of it? I know we have discussed this before but never really came up with a good solution.

The cabin car? No, this one is a lot smaller. The cabin car is a 6x12 side profile. The one that I did is a 4x10 side profile. Long, low and sleek.

As for the slide out, I didn't develop it any further once Michelle said she didn't like it. You could develop it any number of ways, from something as simple as roller skate bearings to something as easy as heavy duty drawer slides.

Here's the pictures...



Mike...

While on the subject of slide-outs, check out these plans on my site
(warning big file!)

http://www.forgottenclassics.com/downlo ... er0558.pdf

Would a slide work and look right on a grasshopper? It would but I want it to look right.

That's a rather unique trailer. I certainly wouldn't want to be bothered setting that thing up all the time.

The slide out, ah yes, it pulls out, just like a drawer. And that was one of the options I was considering. The problem with making it work like a drawer is that you have to have "carcass sides" to attach the drawer slides to. Then to get to the table area, I would have to step over the drawer slides. Not a good situation.

Now on the other hand if you used some roller skate bearings and ran them in a track overhead, kinda like your garage door track, then it's up and out of the way.

Just more stuff to design and play with!

Mike...

Thanks mike

Your profile looks like the Cub/Modernistic/Modernaire trailer. A very pleasing profile.





Nick.

Hey Mike, what do you make your models out of? Balsa wood or something similar? How big would you say those usually are?

I myself use 3 quarters of and inch as one foot. It equals 12 of those little seperated spaces and each space equals 1 inch. Some rullers in the first couple inches have lines to seperate the little spaces into two spaces for half inches. So 3 inches on the ruler will equal 4 feet. That is just how I do it, may sound confusing but is quite easy.

Shrug53 wrote:Hey Mike, what do you make your models out of? Balsa wood or something similar? How big would you say those usually are?

My models are 2"=1' or 1/6 scale. Big enough to see and play with, but small enough that I don't need a 20 car garage!!!

I use whatever scrap I have laying around. The cub looking thing was cut out of a piece of 1/8" birch plywood that I cracked trying to install it in my first small benroy!

Mike...

FWIW, I really like that profile, Mike! Y'know, since you can't get your table inside, why not build a classic, simple teardrop instead of trying to pack all the bells & whistles of a full-size travel trailer into it? You may just fall in love with the simplicity. I know I did - you may recall our early discussions where I wanted an inside dinette and all that. No longer - I still want a canned ham, mind you, but I love my teardrop as it is!

Joseph

For this small ultra light weight teardrop I've already given up the air conditioner and the furnace. I might have to give up the table too. We'll see.

Mike...

Mike!

You DON'T have to give up your table! Put a dropped footwell in your floor, split your cushions into 4 pieces, and you can seat four people easily and comfortably within that profile. I did it with a 4x10 design 20 years ago (a bunch of 4x8s and several 4, 4-1/2, & 5x10s since), and if you'll recall, you and I discussed it at length a time or two quite a while back. Check out the photo on my CONTACT Page: http://www.teardrops.net/LilBear/contact.html

Keep those gears a turnin' ... but don't give up!

CHEERS!

Grant