Colorado Teardrop Build Journal (Build Complete) (kayakdlk)

[wesrmartin]

this build is looking awesome! thanks for documenting your epoxy process....I know there are plenty of people who have given their reports, but it is still nice to read more about it! also, I like your plan for the moonroof and lack of trimring.... can't wait to see it finished!

[kayakdlk]

I got a lot of work done over the last 6 days. Over the weekend I painted the door seals, door edges, galley seals, and moon roof opening satin black using the Van Sickle two part paint. I rolled on two coats using a 4" sponge roller and 1" sponge brush for corners and small areas. I think it turned out pretty good and seems to be durable.

Door seal areas painted


Galley seal areas painted



Moon roof opening.




I then spent the next two days painting the body color Yellow. I use 1 1/2 gallons Monstaliner and gave it two costs with the their texture foam roller. It went on pretty good. I have a few spots I will touch up in the spring when it is warmer out. The paint stinks bad and for at least 2 days. It was hard to keep the smell out of the house. I painted in my utility room (basically a one car garage without a garage door) , I closed the door to the house, laid wet towels along the bottom seal, blocked the heating ducts with plastic etc but the smell still permeated throughout the house. We had to open the windows when it was 30 degrees outside to get fresh air.

I thinned the paint a little bit with MEK and got a pretty nice smooth texture. Here is a close up of the texture after first coat.


Here is the galley hatch lid painted


A side view after being painted and masking paper and plastic removed.


Here is a view of the roof painted



I then started assembly so that the cabin was weather tight and then moved my teardrop out under the car port.
I had bought a roll of 1/16" black Butyl, RV, Camper, Putty Sealant Tape off eEbayt. I used it to install the windows, fan and moon roof.

Here is a picture of the door windows installed


Here is an inside view of the moon roof installed without a trim ring. I just drilled holes through the aluminum on the outside and screwed it down to the roof through a layer of the Butyl tape.



Here is a view from the top of the moon roof and Max air fan installed


I installed the galley hatch lid and lights.




I then installed the doors and buttoned up the inside. I think all I need inside is curtains and a mattress. We took measurements so my wife can make the curtains over the next few months and I will get a mattress in the spring

Ceiling view of light, moon roof and fan



Door view with door installed


Feet view of storage shelf for gear


Headboard view with storage, shelves and reading lights



I also worked on the galley hatch and gas struts. I had bought 150 lbs struts but they were way to heavy and the hatch wouldn't close. I then tried 50lb struts and it works almost but won't stay up. I order 75 and 100 lbs and will return whatever doesn't work.


I installed my hatch lid inside panel and wired up the lights. I wanted the panel removable so I could get to the wiring. So I used 1/8" Baltic birch and installed with stainless steel decorated screws washers.


Here is my paper towel holder. All it needs is nice looking weight to keep them from blowing away.


Here is the galley with baskets and coolers


I move the teardrop outside and installed my axles, wheels and tires, fenders, and tongue box. Lots of detailed left to finish but I can now leave it outside under the car port and work on it as the weather allows and be ready for spring camping.
Rear side view


Front side view


Side view


I still have to attach the side table brackets, battery box and get a battery. I also need to decide if I want any diamond plate trim on the front and along the sides. I had planned a 4" strip along the bottom and back and 4' full width piece on the front, but now with the tongue box I am not sure. The bed liner paint is suppose to be durable so I may decide to leave the diamond plate off. I can always add later. I also need to install some graphics but will wait until spring when it warms up. Now all I need to do is figure out what trips to take it on, and where I want to take my Jeep 4 wheeling.
Happy Building
Dan

[mezmo]

Such a great looking TD !

'Love the birch interior, and the bedliner finish turned
out spectacular, from the pics you showed. Your results
with that will make me consider it very closely when the
time comes for an exterior finish.

Your great workmanship and project dedication has paid
off for you in the top notch results you've achieved !

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[drewh1]

Awesome Job. The black edging with the yellow is striking. All of your cabinet work looks great. Bet you can't wait to do some winter camping!

drew.

[Martiangod]

Man, that's looking striking. The yellow and black definatly stands out and screams, " LOOK AT ME "
Your attention to detail is very very evident

[pchast]

Its looking Beautiful.

[KCStudly]

Awesome work! You should be very proud of your efforts. Again, the edge blackout treatment sure looks good.

I agree with your original image; you should definitely add the 4 inch band of diamond plate around the bottom edge. That will make a big difference in tying the fenders into the theme, will slim the profile of the tongue box a bit, and should be done before you start considering other graphics (IMO), as it will have a big impact on the overall scheme of things. IMO, once you add the diamond plate skirt, you may decide that additional graphics are not needed.

Again, you have done a great job!

[S. Heisley]

Very clean and neat. Nice Job! Congratulations on a job well done.

[Steve 70]

As my son Jordan would say......sweeeeet!! Looks great. Now the fun part...... camping!! Congratulations and enjoy.

[crumbruiser]

Like everyone else says, it looks great!
Frank

[Junkboy999]

Started back at page one tonight and read your entire build again. Superb. The year planing turned out great. Nice looking.


Hop I can see it in person one day at a gathering.

[AlgoDan]

Wow looking fantastic Dan, you have done a wonderful job. Great build and you can smell the campfire now...Also post a pic of your trailer and Jeep together.

[kayakdlk]

Thanks everyone for the compliments.

It came together like I wanted. A big thanks to everyone whom posted picture of the builds and their finished teardrops on the forum. I used ideas from everyone else's build journals and pictures and I took the ideas I liked best and put together my trailer. I decided I wanted to go with tried and proven build methods and learn from everyone else's trial and errors. I can't wait to try it out and will finish it up by spring, take it to the DVM and get it licensed and then take it for a few test ride to see how it pulls in the mountains behind the Jeep.

I am going to relook at the diamond plate maybe get a test piece and see what it looks likes. I am going to take a break through the Holidays/and cold (Jan/Feb) and then finish up (mattress, battery, diamond plate, etc.) by early spring (Mar/April).

I will post updates as they occur and also some final finished pictures of the teardrop and my Jeep. I hope to get to one of the teardrop gathering and meet some of you at future gatherings as I plan my trips for the next few years.

Dan

[PKCSPT]

Another piece of art, beautiful.

[kayakdlk]

Since Thanksgiving and since the teardrop now sits outside under the carport as weather allowed I have worked on some of the finish details.

I bought and installed an aluminum battery box on the left side fender. I sanded the aluminum box with my orbital sander, coated it with Bull Dog adhesion promoter primer and then use Duplicolor high performance wheel clear coat. I built a wood spacer plate to allow the box to sit on the fender and bolt to the side of the teardrop. I epoxy coated and bed lined the spacer plate.


My original battery disconnect switch was to go inside the battery box but it was too big so I decided to use it on the Jeep and bought another disconnect switch and mounted it outside on the box. I ran 10 gauge wires to the junction box under the trailer.


I found and bought an aluminum 11 lb propane tank mount from POWERTANK and decided to mount it on the right fender. I can leave the tank where it is run the hose to my stove on the side table and only need to remove the tank for refills. This frees up space in the lower galley and prevents the tank from rolling around.


I had been looking for an idea for a paper towel weight to keep them from unrolling and found on eBay a stainless steel Jeep emblem. It should work great.


I installed my Tongue box clasps


and galley hatch clasps. The both close up nice and tight. I will need to wait until spring to test for leakage.


I installed my plastic curtain tracks that I got from Sailrite. I wanted tracks instead of rods so the wind wouldn't blow the curtains off the rods. Originally I was going to have a track on top and bottom of each window on the doors. I decided I didn't really have enough room on the doors for the tracks and to be able to open the curtain full window width so I installed one 4' track above the doors. This allows you to push the curtains forward or to the rear. I used a 4' track on both sides of the moonroof.


After Christmas my wife sewed the curtains and we installed them. This is a view with the curtain pushed to the rear.


This view is with the curtain pushed forward. This is probably the normal storage direction as it is out of the way and when the curtain is pushed to the rear (above) it covers the light switch.


Here is a view from the inside with the curtain closed


Here is a view from the outside with curtain closed


Here is a view through the door window


For the moonroof we used two panels. and you can slide them to each side for a full view of the window. Here is a view of the moon roof curtains closed


Here is a view of the moon roof curtains open


My wife also made matching pillow cases. Here is a picture of them


I have just a few things left to do.

I have ordered some Olive Super K-Kote ripstop awning material from Seattle Fabrics and we will be making 6'x5' awning over each door using two poles. I have installed a 6' piece of awning rail on the flat part of the roof over each door.

I am looking into buying or making an awning over the hatch area. Still undecided. I need to buy the mattress and battery and install them. I have some graphics to install when it gets warm out.
I can't wait to finish it up by late spring (battery, mattress and graphics), take it to the DVM and get it licensed and then take it for a few test ride to see how it pulls in the mountains behind the Jeep.

I am calling this build done and I will post some final finished pictures of the teardrop and my Jeep on it first outing in (probably not until in May depending on the kids sports schedules and weather in Colorado)

Dan