Silver Beatle - She's now with an old friend!

[2bits]

Man that is looking good! I love how cool it is in the evenings lately! Hot as Texas in the day, but desert cool at night. I hope you can squeeze a couple of week nights in doing one small thing. That is what I try to do. "one" thing each night, and it really adds up. Let me know if you would like any help on the rolling over days (ahem the teardrop )

[kennyrayandersen]

What, no popcorn on the ceiling?

Just kiddin’ – looks better than downtown!

[Alfred]

Looks good, Tom! Keep gittin' R' done!

AL in Asheville

[aggie79]

Thanks all for your nice comments.


Progress has been slow. Before the monsoon hit this weekend, my wife helped me pull the teardrop off the trailer to flip it over. I had some work to do on the belly side and thought it would be easier to do the work "bottoms up."



First, I needed to work on the front and rear roll pans. I had thought about making them from plywood and foam, but the trailer sides only extend 2" below the floor. So I added wood filler strips and planed and sanded them to match the front and rear radius.



Next the sidewalls were notched to provide extra clearance for the axle's torsion arms. (From the way I ordered my axle, I only had about 1/4" clearance from torsion arm to the sidewall and didn't think that would be enough.) So I cut out that portion of the sidewall below the floor and rabbeted 1/2" into the 3/4" plywood "framing." The picture shows the template I cut for using my router with a pattern bit.



I plan to epoxy the sidewall extensions and edges of the plywood framing. (My floor already has 3 coats of CPES on it.) After the epoxy is cured, I'll add a coat or two of rubberized undercoating. That will finish the street side of the floor, and I can flip the teardrop right side up and put it back on the frame.

Things hopefully will then pick up. The hurricane hinge and my trim arrived from Grant (except for the roof edge trim. I still can't decide what style to use.) Most of my electrical components are purchased and ready to install. Wiring and the dreaded hatch construction are the next two dragons to slay.

Gig'em, Tom

[2bits]

Good job Tom! !! I think being able to roll it over like that is a huge testament to the strength of the structure you've created! ! ! I dunno about a quarter inch that might have been ok, Looks like your tire to side wall distance is plenty though, so that's good. Those were my two big concerns.

Your roll pan looks super nice too! You are becoming an arteeest!

[aggie79]

I think being able to roll it over like that is testament to the strength of the structure you've created!

Thanks Thomas.

I think in general that we all overbuild our teardrops. Here's another picture of it before I turned it over. The teardrop is sitting on three points - two at the back and one in the front midspan on the floor. Being curious, I put my 200# arse inside the teardrop and it didn't flex at all!



Tom

[2bits]

That is a great pic! Just what I was wanting! that is sturdy with no frame underneath! Dang!

[S. Heisley]

2bits wrote:

I think being able to roll it over like that is a huge testament to the strength of the structure you've created! ! !

I think it's a testament to Tom's strength that he can lift and flip something like that! It must weigh a few hundred pounds.

(But then, teardrop builders seem to be able to do just about anything!)

[WayneFromMo]

Look at what you can do! You should be glad that you listened to your mom, when she told you to take your vitamins.

Want to come over and help me flip mine? That dude is light. Sturdy also, nice work.

[Mike_La]

Very nice, Tom.
I like the profile.

[SIXTOTWO]

Very nice Tom!! I've read thru your entire build. I love your "ebonized" headboard! What kind of doors will you be putting on there?
Also, What are you skinning it with?

Lookin' great!

[aggie79]

Sue and Wayne,
I'm not Hercules, but I did start out trying to flip it over myself. When my wife came back from the store and saw my redneck hall-of-fame setup being used to stand the teardrop on end, she intervened and we used good ole muscle power to flip the teardrop belly side up. (By the way, I'm finished epoxying the bottom and it will be time this weekend to turn it back over again.)

Mike,
I'm happy with the profile, too but it is not original. It is "borrowed" from a few others I've seen, primarily Gern's Amarillo teardrop.

Terry,
The interior cabinets and probably the galley cabinets will be ebonized - face frames and doors. I think it provides a good contrast to the white oak walls. As far as the exterior, I will be using that mirror clear anodized aluminum. Hopefully that stuff will not be too much work to keep it shiny. Here's a picture of it waiting to be installed (still with the protective film on.)



Thanks, Tom

[Jst83]

Very nice looking tear

Love the wood on the inside walls, What is it?

[planovet]

Where did you get your aluminum Tom?

[aggie79]

Very nice looking tear

Love the wood on the inside walls, What is it?

Thanks Scott.

The wood on the inside is engineered wood flooring. The big blue box had it on sale for around $3.00 per foot, and with a 10% off coupon and a few gift certificates I had it was less than the coast of unfinished oak plywood, and I didn't have to finish it myself (which I'm not too fond of.)

Where did you get your aluminum Tom?

Hi Mark,

I purchased the aluminum from Regal Plastics, a sign materials supplier, in Fort Worth. The sheets are 4' x 10' so I won't have seams on the sides. I will have to seam the roof, and intend to use some of that 3m VHB tape.

BTW, Somehow Linda and I didn't meet Cindy at the Loyd Park last weekend. We look forward to our paths crossing in the future.

Gig'em, Tom