Grizz-Pod Teardrop Trailer - New tow truck - 66 Chevy

[grizz]

Just a quick mid-day update, I have not done much today, except make the ply bending tool..... (wood in place to push it down) which is "adjustable" by pushing more offcuts into the space, moving it forward. Now have to wait for the ply to dry a bit before working with it.




Today was Bootfair day.... Woohoo.
However, we left more than an hour later than the usual 06.45 getting there just after 8am.
Not expecting to find much, as pro-bootfairers tend to hit early, and grab all the treasures, but then we were not there for treasures, it is actually relaxing for the two of us just to amble about looking for something nice at a silly price.


Well, we were surprised, it must have been our biggest and best haul this year, with a few items being stuff we have been looking to pick up cheap for some time, and a few bits just falling into our hands.

Items are a mad eclectic mix, but all with function and a future.

Lets start with the solid Oak coffee table. Old and worn, not sure what it would cost in a shop, seller wanted £20, Nicola commented that she did not really want to take it home, and walked off, I asked if she would take £10, and she helped me carry it to the car. BARGAIN - if you do not have a coffee table.
Fire guard - £2, Selection of small pots - 20p each, 12v, 6v battery charger - £2, Sunflower papertowel holder - 50p, Cat water fountain Usual £35 on Ebay - £1, Wooden mask (we have a collection) - £2, Pair of bears for Mum in Law - £1, Lazy Susan for teardrop - £2, 2 steel Marvel comic plaques - £5/pair.

Madness I know...... but so much fun.







Two of the 3 cats approved of the table, even before it was propperly in use. Nicola texted me the pic.
I am sure there are enough cat lovers on here to approve.
"StPatrón" - Gary ..... so as not to flood your thread with cats

Interestingly, the 3rd one was already playing in the water fountain, as she did with the previous one.

[grizz]

Pulled out early today, 18.30 and I had had enough.

Was speaking a whole lot in my mother tongue again !!

Skinning the hatch was a seriously challenging job, singlehandedly just does not work fast or well.

I made a major cock-up, but hope to be able to camouflage it.

Started on the "flat" side of the curve, glueing, screwing etc, then cut off what I needed from the 10 foot length.



Bit of monkey business to get all the bits together.
Hands , feet, chin and head at times.



more than 2hrs later, trust me, if I could , it would have been quicker. Not having a zillion large clamps does not help either.



Galley hatch in place.

Shut.



Hatch open, with high tech opening lever.




I wanted to start screwing down the roof outer ply as well, but decided to call it a day, and to rather wet it again over the front acute curve, will pour another bucket of water over it when I get home later tonight.

My work week this week is hectic, so no late night play, I guess next update is next weekend,

3 DAY LONG WEEKEND !!

[steve smoot]

Rian, wish I had a little of your patience. You are doing a beautiful job. Can't wait till next weekend.

Steve

[grizz]

Rian, wish I had a little of your patience. You are doing a beautiful job. Can't wait till next weekend.

Steve

Thanks Steve, you just don't get to hear me speaking in my mother tongue.

I am quite fortunate that I am very patient, but stuff like the weather and skinning the galley does test my patience at times.

[grizz]

Well, just back from a London business meeting.

There is a wind and rain forecast, so I took the cover off the gazzebo as the wind lifts and moves it around, even in just a breeze.

This will probably be the only pic of the trailer with hatch in place, and also the front ply, which still needs to be fixed down.




Nicola popped over to come show me her contribution to the trailer.

She has a thing for the 50's and 60's.... so has been on Ebay internationally, and bought a few bits of fabric which will become pillow cases, and also cushions.

Lets see if you can guess who gets which fabric for their cushion, and I will give you the pillow cases for free.... its the "Route 66" fabric.
Her sister in law is a seamstress, so tomorrow after work she is off to Whitstable to get the covers made up.




Also in the post today was another envelope from the USA, from Zach this time, he had sourced me a 1963 road map from Sinclair Oil corporation, as well as a small oil bottle keychain. This will fit into the theme of the bus, which will be Sinclair Oil Corporation colours.

Thanks Zach !!


All of this will go together to make this little trailer a real "Retro " gem.

[grizz]

Just a quick update.

Nicola went to Whitstable to get the cushions and pillowcases made up yesterday after work.

There are also a couple of curtains being made for the portholes at night. Simple, flat, with a dowel in the top and bottom, hung onto small cup hooks.




There were also a couple of metal signs for the galley that she had got off good old E-bay.




I have taken the day off work for tomorrow, to get more work done, as this weekend is the deadline for completion, before going to Santa Pod for Classic Ford next weekend.

Fingers crossed I can get the whole thing roadworthy by Sunday afternoon.......

[grizz]

Was looking back and found this pic.

Thank goodness all grim weather ends .

[grizz]

Right, I had not planned any update today. But then it never goes to plan, does it.

I had taken the day off, but actually only opened the garage by 10am.

Did some bits about the trailer.

Then started screwwing the ply down from the galley side.

Eventually pulled my "bending tool" out of the way, and was greeted with this.... ply memory, almost gone, it took 4 days of watering twice a day, and also keeping a double winter sheet on it.

Nicola came home at about 10.30, and my mate Scott "Jabbo" popped over shortly after that.

Between the two of them, they helped me hugely with things I would normally have done myself, but having a spare set of hands makes all the difference

I ended up putting a cross brace right at the bottom of the front of the profile, recessing it for the handbrake rod. Also added o a hardwood strip behind the ply, for the ally to screw into.

Then silconed and screwed down all the ply, and also cut and shaped the rest of the ply that passes the front of the chassis.

Ply memory.



After all was said and done.

The curve and ply to the lower end of the profile.
Silicone smeared over the cracks from when I bent the ply.



Later the afternoon the UPS guy popped in to deliver the mouldings I had ordered from Woolies.

Mouldings were marked out, drilled and countersunk both sides, top to take the stainless screws I picked up on Thursday afternoon.





Also in the delivery, some high density foam strip to add to the galley for insulation.



Last pic shows ally out and on top of the roof....... hopefully get it down tomorrow.




Thanks for looking in, I hope you liked what you saw.

[Lookfar]

Rian;
I've been watching your build for quite a while, and have enjoyed it thoroughly. When I get started I hope I can find as much stuff as you come up with.
I do have a question, though. Didn't you have a bronze port earlier in the build? Are you still going to use it?

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Those pillows are great!! Can't believe your already putting aluminum on the roof! Its all coming together real nice!

[grizz]

Rian;
I've been watching your build for quite a while, and have enjoyed it thoroughly. When I get started I hope I can find as much stuff as you come up with.
I do have a question, though. Didn't you have a bronze port earlier in the build? Are you still going to use it?

Morning Butch,

Thanks for commenting.

Nicola was just saying yesterday evening when we carried the ally sheets out (first time since they came here 8 months ago ) we should have bought the vintage 50's 2 berth caravan I wanted to buy last year.
I could easily have bought a caravan, but the fun and therapy of building, and feeling good about freebies, and cheap bits to add would not be there. (I am not an "Eco Warrior" ) But the job I do is way too clean, predictable and accademic, so the trailer build has been incredibly good for my mind, putting me in touch again with a part of me that had been choked to death by 3 piece suits and ties.

I did not have a bronze port originally, may have been looking for one, or mentioned it in a posting, if not too heavy and thick, it could look great on the right trailer though.

Good luck when you start your build, if you have a parner in crime, you will find it even more rewarding.

[grizz]

Those pillows are great!! Can't believe your already putting aluminum on the roof! Its all coming together real nice!

Hi Zach,

Thanks, I will show Nicola your entry later, she has quietly been beavering away in the background.
She found a nice plain green duvet set last night to go with the Route 66 fabric, but it is at John Lewis, so she has an excuse to go 20 miles down the road today to Bluewater shopping centre...... we were there in about October last year, so should give you an idea how she feels about these large shopping centres.

I am hoping the weather holds out today that I can get on with the roof sheeting.

[teardrop_focus]

grizz

Today was Bootfair day.... Woohoo. However, we left more than an hour later than the usual 06.45 getting there just after 8am.

Not expecting to find much, as pro-bootfairers tend to hit early, and grab all the treasures, but then we were not there for treasures, it is actually relaxing for the two of us just to amble about looking for something nice at a silly price.

Well, we were surprised, it must have been our biggest and best haul this year, with a few items being stuff we have been looking to pick up cheap for some time, and a few bits just falling into our hands.





Two of the 3 cats approved of the table, even before it was properly in use.

Love the stash-O-goodies! ...and your cats look happy.

grizz

Bit of monkey business to get all the bits together.
Hands , feet, chin and head at times.

Been there! ...although I have yet to build a teardrop hatch. Soon, though! Very soon indeed...

Perfection!

It's extremely difficult to bend ply along it's exterior surface grain. It's much easier bending across the grain, but that orientation would not do for the appearance of a woody tear.

grizz

The "pin up girl" print is great! All four of those patterns are fun. Nicola sure knows what she's doing. You two make a great team!

Zach, I've purchased petrol several times at the corner Sinclair, in Denver, that looked exactly like the station on the front of that map. but the station was 50 years old and a little worn-looking. (I've family that lived in Denver for years. Now half of them are back in southern Ca.)

grizz

Good luck when you start your build, if you have a parner in crime, you will find it even more rewarding.

Wonderful stuff. Love your thread.

Good luck this week!

[emiller]

That trailer is coming out great looking.

[StPatron]

I hadn't checked your thread for a few days, Rian,,, wow! Ally on top, way to go.

You're several steps ahead of me so I get to study your approach, that hatch looks awesome. What a fun fabric selection. That self-pic of you and Nicola together is super, you two make a wonderful couple. Great pic of the kitties too.