My first teardrop - the Kampster, Final Posting

[DaveandDebbie]

Looking good your moving right along I cant tell from the pictures did you weld the spring support to the frame?

[bbarry]

Looking good your moving right along I cant tell from the pictures did you weld the spring support to the frame?

No, the extensions are bolted in for now. Once I'm satisfied that I have the geometry and axle location correct, I'll tack them in.

Merry Christmas, all!

Brad

[bbarry]

I'm on hold for a little while as I debate several different designs. Since posting the original design, I've drawn several more, including a "mega-tear" standy. Each has their own merits...and down sides.

Decisions, decisions!

Brad

[bbarry]

The great design debate continues...a frontrunner may be emerging?

It's not just my grandpa that's party to this madness. I now have my uncle spending work time looking up teardrops. He printed me off the 1947 Mechanix Illustrated article and I was inspired by the rustic look of Howard Warren's 4x10.



I initially rejected this type of traditional profile that narrows to a point at the aft end because I didn't want to bang my shins while leaning over to the galley and aggravating my already bad back. I've gotten around this by designing a full-width slideout that not only gets the stove, etc out where one doesn't have to lean over, but also has the effect of nearly doubling counterspace (as a permanantly mounted counter remains while the lower portion slides out) and allowing the galley to be housed in about 1/2 of the total length called for in the Mechanix Illustrated plans.

My version of the old design is 5' wide, 9' long with 78" mattress length (enough for my 5' 10" height). Here's a rough sketch that didn't scan very well.




1) Thoughts on latest design?

2) Thoughts on car undercoating to be used to seal bottom of floor and framing members? It's rubberized and flexible...I'm thinking it may be a good choice.

[aggie79]

1) Thoughts on latest design?

I think your design choice is very good.

The slideout galley is nice; however, you may want to check your interior measurements to be sure your bulkhead (assuming you are planning on having one) will leave you with the depth for the mattress.

Have you thought about a 10-foot length? The reason I ask is that Andrew already has the profile curves plotted for the trailer-for-two in the design library. Also, 4' x 10' plywood can be found fairly easily, so if you're paying for the materials, you might as well use them.

My 2 cents worth.

[bbarry]

Aggie - thanks for your two cents!

The slideout galley is nice; however, you may want to check your interior measurements to be sure your bulkhead (assuming you are planning on having one) will leave you with the depth for the mattress.

If I've done my work correctly, I should have 78" in front of the bulkhead for the mattress. This should be enough for me...I had my wife measure me laying down! That leaves me 24" of floor behind the bulkhead (minus the width of the ply for the bulkhead itself). It's hard to see in the drawing I uploaded as it didn't scan very well. Using the profile I plotted on graph paper, this should give me 18" of cabinet depth at counter height and the slideout will come out from there. I'm sure there's something I'm not calculating...but after all, that's why plans are only plans!

Have you thought about a 10-foot length? The reason I ask is that Andrew already has the profile curves plotted for the trailer-for-two in the design library. Also, 4' x 10' plywood can be found fairly easily, so if you're paying for the materials, you might as well use them.

Good to think about! I am trying to stick with a 9' overall length if possible because I'm building off a 4x8 trailer. If I keep the floor to 8'6" I only have a few inches of front/rear overhang. I am considering stretching the floor to 9' and the overall length to 9'6". That would allow me to expand the sleeping compartment to 80" and the galley to accomodate the hatch without losing counter depth. I will be using 5x10 sheets as I need more than 4 feet to skirt and cover the frame while still providing comfortable sitting height inside. I think 52" or so ought to do it. Luckily, my wife works for a large local lumber and building supply company. She's pricing the ply out for me today. Hopefully with her discount, it won't be bad.

[bbarry]

The tire and wheel selection has been a giant pain! After having decided on a profile and design direction, I went in search of an appropriate wheel/tire/hub combo. I'm starting with 4 on 4" hubs which is nearly impossible to find any wheels greater than 12" for.

I thought I hit the jackpot when I found a pair of 13" steel wheels with a 4 bolt pattern complete with original bias ply tires. They look great (or would with a little cosmetic work to the wheel). The tires aren't worn, weather checked, cracking or anything. They look brand new! The best part is, I found them in our barn...FREE! They were off my great-grandma's 1963 Chevy II. Then reality set in when I measured and found they had 4 on a 4.5" pattern. After searching the internet high and low, I've determined that you can't find 4 on 4.5" hubs (willing to be proven wrong if someone out there knows of a source).



I did find some 13" 4 on 4 steel hubs in a wagon wheel design (not very vintage looking) at a local trailer store.



Perhaps I could paint them black and mount a baby moon on them? Not really the look I was going for. My best find at the trailer store: they make steel fenders right there at the store for $14 each.

Options now:

1) Use the new wagon wheels I found on my existing hubs. Cost: wheels ($60) plus whatever the cost is for new tires (passenger radials would be cheap, reproduction bias ply tires...not so much).

2) Find a 13" wheel with a 4 on 4" bolt pattern that is 5.5" wide. That would have the advantage of using my existing bias ply tires and existing hubs. Cost: 2 wheels (if I can find them)

3) Replace wheels and hubs to go with a 5 on 4.5" wheel and hub, using existing bias ply tires. Cost: 2 wheels, 2 hubs

[planovet]

Perhaps I could paint them black and mount a baby moon on them?

That would work. Or, you could do what surveytech did with his wheels:

[bbarry]

Or, you could do what surveytech did with his wheels:

I like that, it looks almost like a white whitewall. It's not quite what I had envisioned at first and I'd have to find a different center cap (4 bolt hub). The picture of the white wagon wheel I posted was a 5 bolt pattern, but the wheels I found are 4 bolt to match my hubs.

Thanks for the suggestion...it's a good option to keep in the back of my mind if I can't figure out how to do what I originally wanted.

[grant whipp]

If my memory serves me right (no real guarantees, there ... ...), Ford Pinto and Ford Maverick and Ford Falcons all had 4 on 4" bolt patterns (well, not the ones with V-8s in 'em!), and I'm pretty sure Falcons and some of the Mavericks had 14" wheels. Check those guys out, if you can.

Good Luck, and ...

CHEERS!

Grant

[bbarry]

If my memory serves me right (no real guarantees, there ... ...), Ford Pinto and Ford Maverick and Ford Falcons all had 4 on 4" bolt patterns (well, not the ones with V-8s in 'em!), and I'm pretty sure Falcons and some of the Mavericks had 14" wheels. Check those guys out, if you can.

Thanks for the idea! While I found out that the Pinto is 4 on 4.25" and the Maverick and Falcon are 4 on 4.5", my research led me to a website that listed cars based on bolt pattern.

http://www.mrt-wheels.com/boltpatternref.html

According to this site, the following cars have the 4 on 4" pattern:

4 on 4 (101.6 mm)
Austin-Healey Sprite
Crosley - all '39-'52
MG Midget
Jensen Healey
Opel Manta, Kadette, GT
GM L-body
Buick Skyhawk '75-'81
Chevrolet Vega, Monza '71-'81
Pontiac Sunbird, Astre '76-'81
Oldsmobile Starfire '75-'81

[doug hodder]

Mavericks did! and don't diss the original design on the Trailer 4 Two profile. Bandages on the shins are in keeping with the authentic vintage appearance! I've built 3 on that basic profile and in all honestly...haven't drawn blood on them! A slider on the stove and the cooler is a big +. Doug

[grant whipp]

Vega!

That's what the wheels for Li'l Bear #1 came off of ...


(C'mon ... gimme a break! It's been almost 25 years ... ...)

Anybody remember the cool 4-spoke Crager SS type wheels available for both the Vega and the Pinto ...?

CHEERS!

Grant

[bbarry]

don't diss the original design on the Trailer 4 Two profile. Bandages on the shins are in keeping with the authentic vintage appearance! I've built 3 on that basic profile and in all honestly...haven't drawn blood on them! A slider on the stove and the cooler is a big +. Doug

I really like that basic traditional profile...that's why I'm going with it! I just had to find a way not to kill my back leaning over to the counter, etc. I had back surgery a number of years ago, and while it's better, I try to limit being stooped over as that really gets to me after a while. The full-length slide should help give me the best of both worlds. One of the things I like about tears is that, just like people, no two are exactly alike. There are about 50 million design and construction choices along the way and we're all going to take a different road!

Brad

[doug hodder]

Grant that statement you made makes me have to do some thinking. I've just never heard a sentence with the word "cool" and "Pinto" in it.

Brad, there are plans out there for that profile. What I've found is that you don't necessarily need to do a flat area on the roof for a ceiling fan. I've made all mine radiused and fit a Fantastic Fan into it with no problem. They have enough flex in the base to fit the slight curve where it would install. Doug