Metamorphosis

[Arne]

More Morph: here are 3 pics of the hatch and body. The hatch was built in place and cut out. I had left 4 points of attachment on each side, the rest being pre-cut, as you can see if previous photos, I think. Problem was, being a first-timer, I left the attachment points a corners, resulting in cuts that have to be filled in. If they were away from the corners, would have saved me several hours of work, just cut and sand and done.

After I cut if off, since I'm very short on time, I'm just spar-var'ing the hatch and will do the rest when I get back. I marked all the points that need attention with masking tape, sequentially numbered.... so hopefully, I can fill and sand without missing anything.......

Tomorrow, I'll put on the hinge and weatherstripping and mount hatch.....

Still have to leave on Friday..

[goldcoop]

Cracker-

I have bought styrene moldings in both white and wood grains at Lowe's.

Cheers,

Coop

[Arne]

Oh, never knew the name of it... just knew it could bend quite a bit...

[Arne]

I have one day left before lift-off. Today, moved lights back and rewired them, installed hatch hinge and draw-tite latches, and found missing padlock set (4 locks, keyed the same). Also installed hatch weatherstrip per Steve Fredericks and put on bumper with reflectors... boy, all this stuff takes time.

Inside is complete, and mattress is back in, as are curtains (almost forgot them). Galley is unfinished, as such, will be making trip with 2 40# bags of h/d decorative rock in place of microwave, food and cooking stuff.

Tomorrow, I will move the axle to balance the trailer, install fenders, and get it weighed. A local stone quarry said I could bring it over and they would weigh it for me.

[Steve Frederick]

Hey Arne!
That chop job came out great!! I like the new hatch/galley. Very cool indeed!
Will we see you at Fish Creek for the Camp ADK Tear-Down?? That is what we're calling it??? I'd love to see your "new" teardrop in person!!

[Arne]

Steve, it's a 50/50 job (not a Steve Frederick's cabinet maker job)... looks great going by 50 feet away at 50 mph. I have some refinishing next spring where I cobbled it together, but it is weather tight.

My schedule is in a flux right now. I will be at the Cape all next week, and may be headed down to VA in October.... not sure.

One thing that is quite noticeable to me, is, I can now see over it.. couldn't do that before... it is now lower than the van and, it is 123" long (wow).... My only concern now is how it will tow.... ideally, all the weight should be over the axle... I have a lot of weight in the front (a/c, tv, etc.) and a lot in the back in the galley. That weight could cause a problem if the trailer gets swaying... Tear drops tow well because the wheels are usually quite far back. That won't be the case with mine...

[Arne]

Just checked the dates for ADK... no, won't be able to get there. Will be arriving home from a week away on Oct., 7, and will have to catch up on home-stuff..... too bad, you guys will have to freeze your butts off without me (I need heat..!)...

The campground I'll be at on Cape Cod will have all the usual stuff, plus cable TV... and on the Morph job, I installed a vcr/dvd player. I record a lot of stuff at home, so I'll bring some tapes with me... at night, I like to watch a bit of tv before dropping off to sleep.....

=========================

Mike, or anyone, I got some of those marine Bell shaped reading lamps with the small bulbs with 2 pins for connectors (the pins push into small holes). Man, those things get hot (I have the burns on my fingers to prove it)...... and are they common when it comes time to replace the bulbs????.

[Arne]

Well, folks, there is good news, there is bad news, and there is ugly news. First, I painted the underhang on the galley red... looks much better.

I attempted to move the axle back and hit some resistance... my battery box. So, I took out the 80#s of rocks from the galley, and for this trip, the axle remains where it is.

This means a lot of overhang from the axle back... good news, I took it on the highway and it tracks good enough to get to cape cod and back.

I have a local hill, which the van pics up speed on when descending. With the original tear design, it did not. I attribute this to wind resistance. With the new format, I gained 10 mph going down the hill.

On the highway, the van did not downshift as often going up minor grades. good news.

I had the trailer weighed. I was hoping for 900# max.... I got 1,140#.... bummer..without the 80# of galley stuff..... I have tear no. 2 tugging at my brain.

Except for moving the battery box, fixating the galley hinge and painting the galley, and moving the axle..... I am DONE.....

I'm going to remove all the pictures in about one week.... so, take a look. I was excited about the project, and I'm excited about my good ole tear being usable again...... and, it came out just about as I had hoped....

I am going to get a name plate for the back. I had thought of "Morph".. but have pretty much decided on "Crouching Tiger"...... or maybe ""dragon license plate" (only kidding)...

[Arne]

A story: I wanted to paint the white underhang of my galley red to match the frame of the h/f trailer. I have lots of partially used spray cans, so chose a red and after masking off the area, I sprayed it........ Chinese red..... Went back and found some Rustoleum Regal Red... I know one of them matched the frame color exactly, so this must be the one....

I took cap off and the nozzle was clogged up. I rubbed the paint off, but then the button wouldn't push and nothing happened.... So, I did a bit of swearing and thought "another trip to the hardware store".

I turned it upside down on the bench and tapped it on the bench top.... it started spraying paint. Now I have Regal Red going in many different directions. I hurriedly tossed the can into my 5 gallon trash bucket... still spraying regal red.....

Then I thought, well, this thing is spraying and I want my trailer regal red, so I grabbed the trash bucket with the can spraying the interior and headed to the tear.... I took the can out, and sprayed one side.... stuck the still spraying can back into the trash bucket and ran to the other side and sprayed that also.... now, the trailer is painted the proper color, and the can is still spraying red paint..... so I went out onto the lawn and took the can out and twisted the spray knob on top and it stopped..!

I stuck it upside down in some gas to free things up, cleaned up the bench, the red pliers, my hands and a few other misc. items.....

And now, the paint on the tear is the correct color, my hands are clean, the pliers.... well, they are a bit red as is the bench cover... but: all's well that ends well................ the regal red spray can now works, also....

[SteveH]

Arne,

Funny paint can story. Glad it came out OK.

Comment: That axel really looks to be too far foward. Hope it works out OK for you on your trip.

[Arne]

Steve, after weighing it, I got on the highway and went about 10 miles. We are getting a windy and rainy day, and it towed better than I had expected.

When I get back, will move battery box and axle.... should be fine.

The paint can thing was even funnier in person... not for me, mind you, but for a fly on the wall watching me run around.

[Arne]

Steve, after weighing it, I got on the highway and went about 10 miles. We are getting a windy and rainy day, and it towed better than I had expected.

When I get back, will move battery box and axle.... should be fine.

The paint can thing was even funnier in person... not for me, mind you, but for a fly on the wall watching me run around.

[mikeschn]

Arne,

Are you sure you don't want to move that axle back a bit? I'd hate to see something happen due to swaying...

Mike...

[SteveH]

Arne,

I'm with Mike, concerned. Have you weighed the tongue weight?

[Arne]

I tried to move the axle back, but it hit the battery box which hangs under the floor. I took it for a test ride at 65 mph for 10 miles with heavy winds and had no problem.... the tongue weight is 70 pounds.....

This is not ideal, but the trailer had no bad tendencies while I towed it today.

When I get back, I will move the battery box back and then move the axle back as well. AFter working on it for about 3 weeks non-stop, the last thing I wanted to do today was start chopping things up with a morning departure tomorrow. I tested it located behind the battery box, but the tongue weight became incredibly heavy.... way too much...so the axle has to go where the battery box is now...

So, it tests fine. If I encounter a problem, I'll put some weight in the front of the tear to increase the tongue weight, but right now, none seems necessary.

What I have now is only a temporary situation.....