The Urabus Scuttlebutt from PA *Update 10/11/2011 PAGE 23*

[sagebrush]

Looking REAL GOOD there Zach!
Better get Jessica pulling the trailer. She won't learn any younger, and then you can enjoy the scenery!
Will

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Looking really awesome Zach! But I think you forgot to leave your jack down for the pic.

The white vinyl goes great with the paint scheme. Now hurry up and get the doors on!

Hopefully I learned my lesson! HAHA Thanks Paul!

Zach
Trailer is looking great. I like the fold down shelf and the vinyl top is unique. The way you have it designed it shouldn't leak. I have a vinyl topper on my pickup and it stays dry, I don't believe it is as well designed as yours. The screen roof is cool. just have to watch the overnight weather reports.

Sorry for the earlier Aztek concept drive by. Sauza and Grapefruit might have had something to do with it. I can remove them if you like. At a minimum I can downsize the pictures. On the other hand I am proud that I had an influence in naming your tear the Scuttlebutt.

Jim

Thanks Jim! I hope it stays dry! I want to rain-test it this weekend after the doors are on. We'll see how well it works!

No need to apologize for the posts! Its all part of the forum experience!

Looking REAL GOOD there Zach!
Better get Jessica pulling the trailer. She won't learn any younger, and then you can enjoy the scenery!
Will

HAHA Very true Will! Maybe I'll let her drive once I get a feel for it and know it won't fall apart going down the road

[High Desert]

Zach, you're doing great looking work. And I admire your 'pushing the envelope' designing. You've got a winner on your hands!

[Ageless]

The vinyl looks great, but in hindsight; that flag on it would have been cool.

[grizz]

Somehow missed the vinyl top update Zach.

Looks great, and I do approve of out the box thinking.

Thanks for the PM earlier..... you made my year to date.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Zach, you're doing great looking work. And I admire your 'pushing the envelope' designing. You've got a winner on your hands!

Thanks Shaun! I still have a bit of work on the interior to do, but so far its coming out better than I imagined!

The vinyl looks great, but in hindsight; that flag on it would have been cool.

Thanks! But I still see a flag

Somehow missed the vinyl top update Zach.

Looks great, and I do approve of out the box thinking.

Thanks for the PM earlier..... you made my year to date.

No problem Rian! As soon as the stuff gets here I'll send it your way! Thanks again for the flag! I'll be sure to post up a picture as soon as it gets here!

[goldcoop]

Sweet Zach!

Can't wait to see it!

Cheers,

Coop

[CliffinGA]

Zach it looks great and really been enjoying your thread. Now looking at your white vinyl top made me ponder the fact that you could get some of the newer type of vinyl cloth paint and make the whole vinyl piece into the flag!! Just a thought!!

Cliff

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Thanks Coop! Really looking forward to Tearstock!

Zach it looks great and really been enjoying your thread. Now looking at your white vinyl top made me ponder the fact that you could get some of the newer type of vinyl cloth paint and make the whole vinyl piece into the flag!! Just a thought!!

Cliff

I might have to look into that! Thanks Cliff!

There will be a fan protruding through the roof in the middle, so I dont know about doing one big flag, but maybe down the road I'll do some other design.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

I'M CAMPABLE!!!!

Last night I got the doors installed! So in theory, I wouldn't get wet if I were to go camping tonight, and it happened to rain!!

The camera on my cell phone took a very very dark mysterious picture, but maybe you get the idea! If its nice out when I get home this evening I'll drag the trailer out and take some nice pictures with my good camera.



I still have a way to go before I can even begin to call it done:

1. Install roof fan through vinyl roof, but keep roof easily removable AND waterproof

2. Install interior/exterior lights

3. Install door/screen to close off the galley pass-through

4. Install finished floor

5. Build/buy tongue box for battery/charger

There will certainly be other tweaks down the road, but I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel... looks like it might be a large campfire!

[parnold]

Zach:

That roof vent and hole in the vinyl would make me nervous about leaks. If the vent is all the way at the front of the vinyl, perhaps having a system where you roll the vinyl up to the vent and tying it off might be prudent. That way the roof vent could seal the vinyl to the roof for a no leak option.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

The door looks good (at least in the dark)

You're still ahead of me!

[S. Heisley]

I'm with Parnold on that roof vent. With your roof removable, I'm questioning why you even need a roof vent. I can't tell if your door's window opens;, (You took a picture of yourself there!) but, if it does, you could just clip a battery operated O2Cool fan there, if you find you need it.

Congratulations on getting your 'drop campable! That's a big milestone!

[goldcoop]

I'm with Paul & Sharon.

Why not mount the fan up high on a side wall?

I dunno sounds like a leak waiting to happen?

Cheers,

Coop

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Everyone keeps trying to deter me from putting the fan in the roof. This should be a good indication that I shouldn't.

Ideally, we wouldn't ever need the fan, since it is a convertible. BUT, if its raining, then the top has to be on. And some ventilation on those hot summer nights is a good idea... especially after a good pot of chili!



The doors do have sliding windows in them and we could get a cross breeze, but one thing Kerry brought up is the that crazy side-ways rain! In that case, the windows on my doors will have to stay closed. A small fan out the side would certainly work, but I'm trying to keep the exterior as simple and visually clean looking as possible.


So I keep coming back to the fan in the roof.

Heres my idea:



Remove a square section of the vinyl roof where the fan resides. Using more vinyl material, I will create a tent-like pocket that will be attached to the vinyl roof and fit over the fan assembly. It will be permanently attached on the leading edge using silicone adhesive. The two side edges and the rear edge of the "tent" will be attached using velcro. Just inside of the velcro, there will be a narrow strip of weatherstripping in case water would creep through the velcro.

Thoughts?

[absolutsnwbrdr]

If the vent is all the way at the front of the vinyl, perhaps having a system where you roll the vinyl up to the vent and tying it off might be prudent. That way the roof vent could seal the vinyl to the roof for a no leak option.

Paul I got home from work today and tried what you suggested. I rolled the roof in from both ends, right up to where the framing for the fan is.... so I'd had 2 rolls, and it certainly doesnt look bad! But I dont know if I want to take the "easy" way out, or if I want to go for my original design and have the full convertible (except for the fan). Its a tough decision!!

The black foam that is on the side of the trailer is door-seal weatherstripping that I ordered from Grant @ Lil' Bear Tag-Alongs. It serves 2 purposes - help seal out water when the top is on, and it also hides the plywood-to-molding transition.

Anyway, here are some high-quality pictures from this afternoon....

Screen roof and weatherstripping:



My galley hatch seal:



A view of the inside with the roof partially rolled back:



Galley view (still work to be done)



The screen/vinyl roof!



And here she is....