From Clearwater, FL-- Thanks tnttt

[cheri832]

Hi. I’m Cheri from Clearwater, FL. Being a confirmed reader more than a writer, I have been in the background for months. There is so much to learn from all of you and with almost a million posts, I don’t think I’ll ever catch up. I must admit: I have never seen a teardrop trailer in person, but like so many, saw the show on TV and have to have one. I’m facing a few challenges:
1. My TV …. I drive a Miata… rated to tow zip.
2. No RV parking allowed where I live. and
3. I’ll be 62 this summer. What if I’ve left this too late to accomplish.

BUT on the plus side I have things going for me –besides a misguided belief that if it’s in a Time-Life Book, I can do it….
1. They make a hitch for a Miata so poo on Mazda. I can take their label as “suggested.”
2. I have a 7x7 garden shed in the backyard. If I build small enough (and light enough for 1. above) ( Roly has so I know it can be done) what the neighborhood can’t see won’t hurt me.
3. I’ve done Community Theatre for decades so I’m handy, have power tools, and don’t know how to think inside the box.

So, I’ve started to build an “Andrew inspired Superleggera with a foot chopped out of the middle slight Benroy squaring of the bottom corners 40” x 7' Solo” (I’ll work on the name. It doesn’t quite roll off the tongue yet). … and I will get a build thread started with pictures. Sharing your adventures online made me stop walking around the Harbor Freight boxes and find a wrench… maybe I can help pass that feeling on to someone else who’s scared but really wants a teardrop trailer. In the meantime, some of the most interesting people hang out here. What I read makes me want to know you and be a part of this community.
Cheri

[Junkboy999]

Welcome aboard.


Light weight are about 250 - 650 lbs. You should be able to get one in your shed even if you need to cut
the door so the tongue can stick out. Maybe a removable, or folding tongue.

See if there any gathering in your area and go check out a TD in person. I think you will enjoy one.

[George Taylor]

Check out the Tearjerkers.net site. I used to live in Dunedin and I checked just to see if anyone lived near my old home. There are a few in the Pinelas area.

[cheri832]

Terry,
I did that. i offset the doors and bolted each thru a 2x4 so the tongue has clearance and I have an extra 1.5 inches inside. I followed Bob Henry's advice and lenghtened the tongue so it's a heavier gauge, bolted to all 3 cross members, and still gives me 3 ft past the end of the tear to tow more easily.
George,
That's a great idea...I'll follow up on Tearjerkers this weekend. I went to the website once but you have to join to read...and I'm overwhelmed trying to read everything here so I've been lax and haven't followed thru.
I hope to be productive this weekend, though. My 1/2" floor is framed (1x3 poplar) and a pattern made for drilling the elevator bolt holes. Then it's on to black asphalt paint time. First, I'm donating blood platelets in the morning.... going to be a busy weekend.
Hope you guys have a great Memorial Day weekend.
Cheri

[mezmo]

Hi cheri832,

Welcome to the forum ! Your "can do" attitude will get
your build completed as you want.

One question/suggestion - Are you committed to 40 inches wide ?
That seems quite narrow. Everyone has their own preferences, and
I usually come down on the side of "Build It As You Want It", but if
you go 4ft wide you would save a bit of work by not having to cut a
standard 4ftx8ft down to 40 inches - and - if your needs or desires change
in the future, you would really have an easier time selling it if it was
4ft wide. Recouping at least some part of your investment in materials
[We all seem resigned to not recovering the full value of our time and
labor - Ha !] can help you with the next build or other future endeavors.

Just something to consider if it would apply or not to your situation.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[cheri832]

Norm,
Thanks for the welcome. I would have loved a 4x8 but I don't have that much door clearance or depth in the garden shed and it will have to be kept in there....Neighborhood Association rules. Commercial storage is expensive and part of the appeal is the sponteneity of being able to go at the drop of a hat... so a twin bed sized trailer is doable. I'm starting with the 40" X 48" 1080 lb capacity trailer so it's a case of cantilevering 1 ft in the back, 2 ft in the front...(but that improves the axle location). I've tried to put thought into what can I make work with what I have.
One thing about it.. at that small...It's bound to be cute.....
Cheri