SIERRA NOMAD 1/31/11 did the mag. rack

[doug hodder]

Thanks everyone...

The "wild" ends on some of the sub frame are recycled materials, I don't know exactly where I'm going to cut them and at what angle since I haven't really made up a template for that yet. I'm going to screw up a piece of scrap ply and take the saber saw and keep cutting away at the wheel well till I get the "look" I want and can get the wheel out of it. I'd like to make it a pretty tight fit.

Mark...the decking is called "import birch"....has a lot of plies like baltic, but comes 4x8 and is much cheaper and the moisture content was way low. I think it is a poor mans cabinet grade ply, must be meant for me. The sub frame is recycled redwood from my above ground pool deck from some ripped down 4x4's. I sealed all the edges with epoxy and it gets a "mopping" with oil based primer and paint.

2 bits...Yup....I'm single...got tons of trailer parts in the house as well as the GPAM...Gas Pressure Appliance Museum...that pretty much fills up the living room. I was married once, however. I got my camping recliner which is my main chair. Also have a coil of formica in there as well.

Shaun...the plan is to have it come in under 1500#. Steve E's was 1400 and I'm basically modeling his. I'd like to stay under 1500 so I don't need to get the brakes on it.

Kevin....neighbors, what a joke...you should see the crowd that is in there now. Funny part is...no one over there complained when I shot the paint...golly, I wonder why...

Patty....I need to come by and check out some other dimensions. Thanks for the inspiration! Doug

[Chip]

Doug,,, you do good work at 5am,,, looking real good,, What kind of wheel well covers are ya gonna use,, metal or build wood covers,,,?? on mine, I am gonna reuse the original metal tubs,,, I realized the originals were installed before the floor was installed,, OOPS! now I gotta rethink the fastening and sealing process around the tubs,,, also are you putting a goucho in the back or just a bed??

keep up the good work,,,

chipper

[doug hodder]

Since I've gotta make the wheel tubs, thinking of 1/4" ply with a layer of glass on the inside then some undercoating. I was thinking about buying some tubs from Jegs racing but they were all too big.

I stretched the body some so that I could fit in a wider bed. A gaucho means lots of upholstery to get the cushions made up. May make it so that it will fold to a gaucho, but just leave it as a bed. Doug

[satch]

Ever have one of those nights that you just can't sleep? I figured I might as well get up and go to work. Built a fire in the garage and was going by 4:30 AM. Got the sub frame and the deck built. It fits too snugly to plop it all in assembled, so I'm going to put in the drop floor, then attach the upper decking on afterwards. I just gotta remember not to coat out the places where I need to epoxy. Now to pull it apart and coat out the bottom. Then a nap in front of the TV...Right now the roll of Marmoleum is "flattening" out in the living room, will be nice to get that out of the house. Doug

4:30? Man you are obsessed!

[jhb]

4:30? Man you are obsessed!

What else is one to do if one has build fever?
Go for it Doug, we all want to see it at IRG!

[teardrop_focus]

satch

4:30? Man you are obsessed!

Hey now.

I say work when you feel like it and rest when ya want. At least the man had gone to bed first.





Looking good, there, Mr. Douglas H. Coddintpwn.

And since the Jeg's tubs are more than likely made for 28+-inch race tires (which is why you didn't want to use them) why not grab a pair of aluminum boat trailer fenders and sheet the inside with more alum.

[cdfnchico]

Man! I've been gone too long! Awesome start to another awesome build!

[satch]

satch

4:30? Man you are obsessed!

Hey now.

I say work when you feel like it and rest when ya want. At least the man had gone to bed first.

True!

[Mark72]

I thought that must be redwood for the sub floor. Good choice for rot resistance! You mean Dean isn't going to knock out a set of galvanized wheel wells for the nomad? A good tin man should be able to whip those up in just a few minutes!

Mark

[doug hodder]

Well Mark...Dean has gone above and beyond what I should expect from a friend, Mike A and Steve E as well. He's been working out of town, is nearly 300 miles away from me and has his own build to do. I've got all the stuff laying around here to do it, so I figure that's the way I'll go. Doug

[jdarkoregon]

I stretched the body some so that I could fit in a wider bed.

Really, Why, is there something you aren't telling us?

John

[doug hodder]

No John....it's well known that I'm FAT! Fat jokes aside...Scotties of this era only had 4' wide beds made out of the gaucho at least the one I'm patterning is. I have been building 4'6" in my tears and now am accustomed to them. It's also a little shorter on the bed than what I can do in a tear so I need to sleep at an angle in it. I've punched out the width an extra 2" to help take care of that issue. Doug

[Chip]

Doug,,, what are you planning for finished interior width?? Mine is 6'3" inside and 9'10" long,, measured at the top of the bed frame,,, and yep,, definately a 4'6" wide bed,,,

chipper

[doug hodder]

Here's this weekends work...doesn't look like much but a lot of this stuff takes time especially when I don't have any specific plans and cook it up as I go. I gotta think a couple of steps ahead so I don't end up boxing myself into a situation I can't get out of.

I met with Grant and Lisa on Sat. AM, had a good visit and a breakfast with them...and picked up my windows from him...there's gonna be 8 total, 2 in front for 15 x 48" of glass, 2 in rear for 12 x 36" and each side gets 2. It's gonna have a lot of light in it.

It took a while to get the 3 main pieces of the floor all situated, drilled, and bolted to the frame with epoxy at all the joints. I then filled the countersunk spots for the carriage bolts/screws with some thickened epoxy and fairing filler, the flooring needs that. I also used some strips of 3M VHB foam tape under the drop floor prior to bolting. It will keep the floor from creaking and it's stuck down way good once it was all bolted up.

I got all the Marmoleum cut and fit up so it's ready to install, (only partially shown), got all the aluminum trim and cove molding for the drop floor cut and fit up. This type of flooring isn't inexpensive, but it's not uncommon to find it in original trailers and in good shape after more than 50+ years. It's almost 3/32" thick and won't tend to tear the top like a typical vinyl flooring as the color goes completely through. So I got the flooring out of the living room, and replaced it with a couple of boxes of windows....

I also got the wheel tubs made up. I left plenty of room in the top so that I can adjust the axle for the correct ride height when it's all said and done. I'll put some glass cloth/epoxy in them and then top coat it with some undercoating for road debris protection. I'm thinking that wood was a great choice as I can use them to attach cleats for the cabinetry. Doug

[nevadatear]

Good timing, I was just going to post a "where's douggy" question for the update. Keep up the good work!