Cooooooo-WEEEEE from Tasmania, Australia

[Plainsgirl]

Hi all. I am pretty nervous and pretty excited at the same time.
I have been studying the world of little campers for months now and after seeing so many inspiring builds on this site..well..holy moly I AM DOING IT.
I want to build a longer teardrop..more like a Modernaire size & shape, to tow behind my new (2009..new for me!) Holden ute.
What finally convinced me was last weekend I found a former caravan chassis on Gumtree for $350. Surface rust only and it checked out great.
It's 12' long from rear to the hitch coupler and 7' wide. It has brakes. Needs new wheels and a temp lights set-up to transport from one end of the state to the other but here it is in all it's glory (Drumrolllllll)l: MY NEW CAMPER!

ps Reckon it matches my ute??

[48Rob]

Plains girl,

Nice car! or is it a truck?

I like it, has some style!

The camper frame looks very well built. The tongue running all the way to the axle area is uncommon here, but makes for a good setup.

Welcome to the forum!

Rob

[bc toys]

Nice car and as for that trailer you can cut it down and add fenders that will make it not so wide and as far as length you can make lots of storage space other then that welcome to the site

[Redneck Teepee]

Welcome to the forum Plainsgirl, you will never be short of info on this site. Nice score on the trailer! If you are going to shorten it and put a galley in your build, I would cut it off at the "arse" end, as you "Down Under" say, to compensate for the added weight behind the axle. A general rule of thumb is 60% in front of the axle and 40% behind, and you... do not.... include the tongue into this equation, just the square or rectangle future cargo area, doing so will properly load the tongue weight for proper pulling aptitude. IMHO.
Love the "Ute" or Utility Holden (GM) we no longer have the "El Camino" here in the states, but if we did it would be very similar and I would own one. Good luck on the build and keep us posted........Larry

[Plainsgirl]

Thanks all,
Yes, the ute is beautiful. A proper girl-car. I'm a farmer's daughter..it's only right!

After 20 years of driving classic cars, (including a Triumph that dare not speaketh its name), I can tell you I am loving the quiet in the cabin and the air-con. We ladies-of-a-certain-age enjoy a blast of cool air in summer. I do miss my 70s Aussie V8s but.....

Agreed about the rear end of the trailer so it will go when I nut out my floor plan; Than will give me a snick more room in my shed, too. Like Rob I was impressed by the tongue design. I don't know what the springs are like because I haven't seen this chassis in person but my 'inspectors' tow boats all over Tassie so they have an eye for these things.

Can't wait to get it home and clean it up.

[Vedette]

Hello Plainsgirl from Canada
I have a friend who imports Pre 52 Utes to Canada for Street Rods.
Thus I have a few friends with Utes .....mostly Pre 48 Fords.
Even had a 35 Chev Sloper stored here at the farm for a few years.
Good Luck with your build!
And start a build journal with pictures to keep us all posted on what is going on down under while we suffer thru winter up here.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[dales133]

Welcome from a Victorian btw pains girl, love your state spent a week or so there recently
I've owned a couple or holden ute and even more holden sedans, Wagon. .72 hq ute and a 97 vs ute.ht Wagon was awsum too

[Plainsgirl]

Thanks all. It's very exciting.

Dales123, I am actually a Victorian. I like to say I was born in Bethlehem (hosptial lol) in Melbourne, but was raised on a farm in central Vic. I've been in Tasmania for just over 20 years. I am more used to it now, but for the first decade I was very homesick. I still am..but man! I do NOT miss that mainland heat. I DO miss the straight roads (which taught us how to drive really fast lol). I just sold my beautiful 72 HQ Statesman. I'm afraid climate change has demanded better heating and demisting for winter and better air-con for summer lol.

Which part of Vic are you from?

[dales133]

I'm from NZ originally and sometimes get home sick myself.
I live in dirty old geelong[SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES].
It's not all bad but I've lived better places.my Mrs familys from here so I'm hostage here for the for sea be future.i did a ground up rebuild on an HQ sedan in my early 20 it was an awsum car

[Sheddie]

Hi Plainsgirl,
Welcome from NZ
I hope you enjoy the building/using of your TD as we did/do of ours.

I've been in Tasmania for just over 20 years. I do NOT miss that mainland heat. I DO miss the straight roads (which taught us how to drive really fast lol).

The mainland roads may have taught you to drive really fast, but I bet the Tasi roads, if they are anything like NZ, taught you how to drive.
Keep us posted on your progress.
Frank.

[Plainsgirl]

Thanks Frank. Yes..I do love the Tas roads for other reasons
I have studied your build log and I believe I will read it a few more times over the next few weeks. I really like your aluminium sides. I'm going for a modern twist on a traditional cabin car and hope to get some vivid green (to match my ute) aluminium for the sides..a product such as you used. Are you happy with it? Do you think it's resilient enough? I'm nervous as hell about fitting the hatch but I guess by the time I get to that point I'll have developed a bit of solid bloody-mindedness and a I WANT THIS THING FINISHED NOW!!! attitude Tell me about your car. What is it? Thanks. Kerry

[Sheddie]

Hi Kerry
The ACL (aluminium composite laminate) is excellent to use and after two years and over 10,000kms it is still looking good. It was getting a few minor stone marks down low on the front so we have made a vinyl stone guard. The paint on the guards have had more of a hammering, I have repainted them once and they need doing again.
You are right about the hatch, it was the one thing that had me worried. I was quite sure that when we headed off on our first trip that it would come open and empty the galley all down the road. But it has never been a problem.
Re the car. I put a reply on your comment on the photo with a brief outline. It is a 1962 Ford Consul Capri.
Frank

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Welcome aboard Plainsgirl,
Love the car and the trailer frame will give you a great base to build on!!

I can see the color scheme of your trailer already ... good luck and keep us posted ...
I can't wait to see your plans and the build book ... Don't forget to add lots of pics

[Plainsgirl]

Thanks Mr.Rat.
Yes..it's a bit exciting. I pick my chassis up next week. I'm worried it's a too big but hey! I've got a grinder

I'm pretty much a visual-spatial person so once it's hooked up to the ute I'll be able to check how the length etc 'looks' and go from there. My challenge is that the vehicle is way modern compared to the TD world so making it contemporary AND maintaining that TD quirkiness..well that will take some doing.

This forum is, and will continue to be, an excellent source of idea and considerations.
Interestingly, I've learned from so much reading not to 'overthink' everything because that delays the first move. So true!

Kerry

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Kerry,
Great to have you aboard and I am hoping to get back down to Australia one of these days for a several-week trip to the outback! I have read about the prospecting and camping there and would sure like to give it a try!!!