Flat pack trailer kit. pop top works, and we have a tent

[twisted lines]

Really nice

[saltydawg]

Really nice

Thanks Twisted.

I know I am flooding the thread with pics, but I dont really have a build thread. And while building the box part has been covered here and other places many times, the stuff like the roof is not real common, nor the things like the little 120 volt fan is not commonly done either.

After feeling how warm my charger gets and knowing how much heat an inverter can put out the 20 bucks or so for the little fan makes sense, esp sense my trailer is basically solid foam and well insulated heat build up can be a real thing.

Besides, I feel showing all the little stuff may help someone else who is thinking about building one have a better idea of what they are getting in to and less likely to get discouraged. Granted in 3 months I have come from nothing to where I am now so I make it seem fast. My real trick to getting it done, is I will make sure I do an hour a day, even if it just measuring out the kitchen slide out.

[saltydawg]

Okay kitchen drawer all built just need to wrap it in aluminum and cut the sink out, which I have not ordered yet.

And I did a quick clean up on the inside for an over all pic of the inside.

[Greg M]

You’ve just got to ask yourself “If I do the aluminum, will I feel like I cheaped out later?” If you don’t think so, then go for it.

[saltydawg]

You’ve just got to ask yourself “If I do the aluminum, will I feel like I cheaped out later?” If you don’t think so, then go for it.

I CANT HEAR YOU...MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

I already did aluminum around the rear hatch sense it lifts as well and I wanted to protect it, and doing the edge of a 1 inch thick panel was a lot harder than just a corner.

[saywhatthat]

Think of using a flat panel like you have used . When you glued them together and faired out the joints . Dose it stand out much? When ever I did joints like you have. I have ground out a tapper . But doing it your way would save a bit of time and mess.
Just finish a full rebuild of a kit trailer. So used the kit sidewalls with a lot of rot to make a Temple.
So if I did not have grind out a taper that be great . just thinking about looks . What are your feeling on the look.

[saltydawg]

Think of using a flat panel like you have used . When you glued them together and faired out the joints . Dose it stand out much? When ever I did joints like you have. I have ground out a tapper . But doing it your way would save a bit of time and mess.
Just finish a full rebuild of a kit trailer. So used the kit sidewalls with a lot of rot to make a Temple.
So if I did not have grind out a taper that be great . just thinking about looks . What are your feeling on the look.

i sanded the corners with 60 grit sand paper on a da sander. I think I went about half way thru the gel coat.

The tape was only about a 1 inch overlap on each side, and i faired it out about 3 inches or so. You really cant tell it built up at all. And i love the "seamless" look.

[saltydawg]

Okay only very minor updates.

Sink, faucet, water tank, water heater ( went with instant ), and water pump ordered. I installed the track for the led tape light inside so no more looking like xmas lights. I also wired in the shore power plug, wired the inside 120 volt plugs, and cut in and wired the external speakers. The placement of the speakers is not the greatest, they are right in front and behind the wheel wells, not really far enough apart. But there was not anywhere I could put them that worked with whats inside and would look balanced outside, but I am not going for concert quality sound outside. The speakers are cheap pyle weather proof 4 inch speakers, so nothing fancy, the interior are much nicer 4" jbl speakers. Turns out the radio I bought has the ability to bridge out the rear speaker channel and an internal crossover to make the rear a subwoofer output. I might install an 8 inch sub for a little more bass

I have decent weather on friday and the day off so I am hoping for the first coat of paint. I will finish sanding and touching up anything I need to with filler on thursday.

[twisted lines]

Phone dims the light's ? Nice

[twisted lines]

I do appreciate the time you spend sharing!

[saltydawg]

We have some paint,first coat of white up high, and gray down low. I will will need to make the sticker that covers the joint between the white and gray, it will be black and varied in width to give some 3d look.

The gray goes on much better, I will have to sand the white and am buying a spray gun to do the second coat.

Oh and we have water, 25 gallons of it, probably be running the water lines this week. I have the fill and vent line done and the water pump mounted. I need to buy a weather proof box for the water heater since I went to an instant. I also put the water tank under the front of the bed, because I am going to put a small gray water tank under the trailer and that will allow the tongue weight not to change a whole lot. I can also use the water tank to adjust the tongue weight for driving on highways, and just fill when I get to the area of the final destination.

[saltydawg]

OMG I Love it when a plan comes together. The rear hatch lifts by power. The rear hatch forms an awing for the rear door.

1 min video

https://youtu.be/gG6G40E57Uc

[Greg M]

Well, that’s just plain cool

[saltydawg]

Okay minor updates, the tail lights are wired and installed on the hatch face. Both the lifts and tail light wiring is in run in a steel tube built into the rear hatch ( for support and race way ) as well as the lifts are attached to the steel tube so its not pushing/pulling on just the foam panel. The same steel tube is welded to a cross tube at the top of the hatch and thats what the hinge is attached to, so all the stress on the hatch is on steel tube.



But because I want the ability to remove the rear hatch it ever needed I used water proof connectors on the wires so they can easily be disconnected. Might take me an hour to remove the hatch, but i can unplug it in seconds.

[saltydawg]

better pic of the rear, and the kitchen is sheeted in aluminum just need to finish trimming it, sink and faucet cut in but plumbing is not done yet.