Nice Design....

[stuart_w]

I've just come across this great design for a fold out teadrop.

Does anybody have any more information or photographs?

[Classic Finn]

Now that is interesting. Great Find.

Classic Finn

[Juneaudave]

That's a new one on me!!! Where's Gage?????

[emiller]

Like a tent trailer it looks like a hassel to put up and then you have to leave it open at home to air out. Just another who took a simple design and made it complicated.

[angib]

Wow! That is impressive... and complex. I'd love to see some more pictures to work out how the front end folds.

The difficulty I see with this sort of design is making the fabric pieces - you either need a very well-equipped home sewing set-up that can handle thick material (plus some decent skills) or you will be paying a lot of money to someone like a boat canopy maker - that 'canvas' work ain't either simple or cheap.

Andrew

[asianflava]

It's kinda like the original idea behind the Lil'Demon.

[b.bodemer]

very cool indeed!

Barb

[grant whipp]

It's called the Tip-Top-Tear Drop and is the brainchild of my good friend Bill Harper (instigator of the 1947 Roswell) ... with considerable input from yours truely ... ...

It was built 'round '91-'92, and was recently rescued from open storage on an airport along I-5 north of Eugene, OR.

The bed is 54" wide by 78" long, the countertop in the "lid" holds a stove-top and fully-operable sink, and there is more-than-adaquate standing headroom between bed & counter in a 6"-or-so footwell. The "lid" is lifted with a surprisingly simple mechanism actuated by a common boat winch, and I've watched the whole thing hold up quite well in high winds and driving rain!

Yes, the tent was a bit of a challenge, but nothing Bill's wife Bonnie couldn't handle on her home machine ... however, after a couple of years, they turned it over to a real tent-maker to get more professional, watertight seams!

Somewhere in my extensive archives, I've got a bunch of photos, but I'll have to try to find 'em some other time. If you go and have a look at the photos of the early Dam Gatherings, you'll probably catch a few shots of the trailer in its natural element ...

Glad some of you like it! Bill put a lot of time, heart, & soul into that trailer, and from what I hear, it has held up quite well over all these years!

CHEERS!

Grant

[stuart_w]

Wow - thanks for all that info Grant.
It was a true 'labor of love'.
If you should find time to post more photos I for one would sure like to see them.

Stuart

[Creamcracker]

It's called the Tip-Top-Tear Drop and is the brainchild of my good friend Bill Harper (instigator of the 1947 Roswell) ... with considerable input from yours truely ... ...

It was built 'round '91-'92, and was recently rescued from open storage on an airport along I-5 north of Eugene, OR.

The bed is 54" wide by 78" long, the countertop in the "lid" holds a stove-top and fully-operable sink, and there is more-than-adaquate standing headroom between bed & counter in a 6"-or-so footwell. The "lid" is lifted with a surprisingly simple mechanism actuated by a common boat winch, and I've watched the whole thing hold up quite well in high winds and driving rain!

Yes, the tent was a bit of a challenge, but nothing Bill's wife Bonnie couldn't handle on her home machine ... however, after a couple of years, they turned it over to a real tent-maker to get more professional, watertight seams!

Somewhere in my extensive archives, I've got a bunch of photos, but I'll have to try to find 'em some other time. If you go and have a look at the photos of the early Dam Gatherings, you'll probably catch a few shots of the trailer in its natural element ...

Glad some of you like it! Bill put a lot of time, heart, & soul into that trailer, and from what I hear, it has held up quite well over all these years!

CHEERS!

Grant

Hi Grant -- just an observation--- the picture seems much older than 91-92 based on the cars around, the style of the guys hat - the bicycle -- was the pic taken at a restoration shop?
Philip

[BrwBier]

I thought it was an old picture untill I noticed that the bicycle is a recumbent. Not really around in the era the cars are from.
Brwbier

[grant whipp]

... Hi Grant -- just an observation--- the picture seems much older than 91-92 based on the cars around, the style of the guys hat - the bicycle -- was the pic taken at a restoration shop?
Philip

Bill is a street rodder ... his tow vehicle is a resto-rod 1940 Hupmobile ... the photo was probably taken at a street rod event, judging from the shirt he is wearing ... ... and that hat, well, it was just one of his "signatures" ...

CHEERS!

Grant

[Junkboy999]

Just looking for a few photo of the Lil Demon Travel Trailer and ran across this thread. Wow is right,
The Tip-Top-Tear Drop is the Tops! Wonder if Grant had more free time on his hands yet

[grant whipp]

... Wonder if Grant had more free time on his hands yet

What do you think, Terry ... ...?

[PKCSPT]

I wonder about the weight,,, I am thinking it could be towed by a small car and give a person some head room.