Citylights' Tear - SOLD! - update 08-01-16

[citylights]

Finished some more. I say about 98% complete now.

Short list of things left to do, finish skin for inside of doors, curtains for windows, connect battery, finish some galley drawers, finish underside of galley hatch...

Other than that, camp and road ready!

[citylights]

And just what you always wanted to know... The final cost!

Cost

$75 2x4 deck wood, screws, glue
$120 5000 btu air conditioner
$40 undercoat paint
$170 six sheets 3/4 plywood
$163 fantastic vent
$57 - 6' Galley Lid Hinge
$55 - one pair 1/8" Offset Door Hinges for 3/4" doors/walls
$60- two Inside/Outside Locking Door Latch/L-Handle sets, L&R
$17- one Locking Galley Lid Latch/T-Handle set, RS
$156 - two 12x18 Crank-out Windows
$50 construction adhesive, glue, electrical conduit and fittings
$100 longer trailer tongue
$25 more undercoat paint
$26 trailer hitch
$25 cast and chromed shore power receptacle
$17 under bed storage hardware, hinges and handles
$61 2x2 and 1x2 and 4x8x1/4 plywood
$43 1x2 and 4x8x1/4 plywood
$429 light fixtures, kitchen counter, drawer slides, wood siding
$273 cabinet, insulation, trailer lights, more glue
$123 wire, outlets, electrical boxes, GFCI
$235 paint, hardware, cabinet wood, more glue, laun skin
$120 battery charger and converter
$210 2 burner cook top, Coleman cooler
$23 more glue, 2 1x4x12 trim
$34 wood filler, screws, 2x2 lumber
$52 electrical plugs, clamps, outlets
$107 battery
$600 aluminum siding and angle
$200 specialty aluminum trim
$200 hardware, hinges, stainless screws, butyl tape
$500 trailer

$4266 Total

[pchast]

Nice work... and thanks for the cost breakdown.

Its real interesting to see how others have done this.

[bdosborn]

Boy that's a nice looking tear. Get ready to spend a lot of explaining how you made it every where you go.

Bruce

[drewh1]

Oh man that is awesome! AND I love the FJ cruiser, that is what I want to tow mine.

Great job, now go camping!

drew.

[citylights]

I might have blown it. It was always the plan to use the trailer ramp as a teardrop roof rack... Maybe not such a good plan. I am afraid it is kind of ugly? Maybe it will be better tomorrow in the sunlight?

[PKCSPT]

I don't think it looks ugly,,, very sturdy and it looks at if it will protect your roof from anything you put up there. Could serve many different purposes from mounting a solar panel to tying down any configuration.

Just my thoughts.

[dano]

I don't think it looks bad at all. If you want to make it less noticeable paint it grey or something.
Dan

[Ned B]

Ugly? no way! That's Utilitarian at 'worst', and there's nothing wrong with it at all! I'd say it looks like you re-used the ramp very well! Perhaps put a coat of paint on it, but it is functional, protects the roof of your trailer and should work great!

edit..

Looking at your fine finished trailer, you Might want to put a 'spoiler' in the front of the rack? Think Yakima gear roof rack style? otherwise, just enjoy having a place to put stuff on the roof!

[citylights]

Ugly? no way! That's Utilitarian at 'worst', and there's nothing wrong with it at all! I'd say it looks like you re-used the ramp very well! Perhaps put a coat of paint on it, but it is functional, protects the roof of your trailer and should work great!

edit..

Looking at your fine finished trailer, you Might want to put a 'spoiler' in the front of the rack? Think Yakima gear roof rack style? otherwise, just enjoy having a place to put stuff on the roof!

That is a great suggestion, I was thinking about maybe adding a wind deflector to the front of the roof rack. Thanks

[High Desert]

Finished some more. I say about 98% complete now.

Short list of things left to do, finish skin for inside of doors, curtains for windows, connect battery, finish some galley drawers, finish underside of galley hatch...

Other than that, camp and road ready!

she looks fantastic!

[drewh1]

I like the roof rack - and would leave it black, it contrasts with the aluminum and matches the rest of the black trim!

Awesome job, you are an inspiration!

drew.

[Martiangod]

Paint the rack to match the FJ. But be aware, if you let the rack rust at all or the angles across the roof you may get rust drip, streaking on the aluminum.
Really nasty to try and clean off
Or, you could test it for capacity and usefulness then duplicate it in aluminum.\
If its designed as a removable option, I would at least change out the angles on the TD roof to aluminum ones for the rust reason.
Bravo on an awesome Tear

[citylights]

Paint the rack to match the FJ. But be aware, if you let the rack rust at all or the angles across the roof you may get rust drip, streaking on the aluminum.
Really nasty to try and clean off
Or, you could test it for capacity and usefulness then duplicate it in aluminum.\
If its designed as a removable option, I would at least change out the angles on the TD roof to aluminum ones for the rust reason.
Bravo on an awesome Tear

Your suggestion is dead on. Can't put steel and aluminum together because of the corrosion potential. The rack is painted with black rust oleum and isolated from the aluminum with 1/4 inch thick foam tape. The steel doesn't touch the aluminum. It is bolted on through 2x2 roof spars with 8 bolts.

[KCStudly]

I think it looks fine in black and doesn't hurt the look of your tear at all.

My only thought was along the same lines as Martiangod; it would be lighter if you had purpose built it.

Not a big deal so long as it doesn't get top heavy with your load out, and all that really matters is that it works for you and your intended purpose.

Try it out and let us know how it goes, I bet you will get a lot of use out of it.

I'm already wishing that I had planned a little better for how I am going to store bag chairs and canopy tent (or tarp and poles). The pair of bag chairs I picked out, the big lounge style ones, won't fit in the space allotted for my tongue box.