"The X-II" 5-Wide Convertible Teardrop

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Thanks guys! Kerry if you would have hung around for another 15 minutes you could have helped us start taping off lines! Somehow, we went through 3 rolls of painters tape and it took us a couple hours just to get everything taped off correctly. Definitely worth the effort though. When we started peeling the tape off it really started to get exciting! As I said, there are a few spots that need touched up, but overall I'm happier than a pig in sh**!

[Ratkity]

It looks GREAT zach!!!

Hugs,
Ratkity

[synaps3]

I just read through the whole build, looks awesome. I love your LED lighting, and the paint is wicked. I'm looking forward to the next update.

[Woodstramp]

Zach,

Admire your creativity and work ethic. That looks great. The new avatar is also cool and appropriate.

[crumbruiser]

Well, like everyone else said, it's VERY NICE!
Frank

[KCStudly]

Paint is looking good!

Your new avatar gave me a pretty hardy chuckle, too.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

KC I can't take credit for the avatar... another member, Kenny, posted that up in my build thread over on the Tearjerker's site. I was definitely laughing when I saw it!


I was supposed to go snowboarding with a friend tonight, but he had to work late so I got back to work in my parents garage.

I mounted the weatherstripping for the galley hatch seal



Attached the side clearance lights (LED of course)





Mounted the rear "bumper" and the locking latches (I'm seriously in love with these latches)





And lastly, mounted the license plate bracket/third brake light (cant wait to test it out)



Also got some more painting done in the lower galley, but thats not really all that exciting. Will probably go snowboarding tomorrow, but should be mounting the radio in its finished painted box on Wednesday.

[Martiangod]

Well at least you will be able to recycle this licence plate in 9 more builds
So its sort of an ECO friendly trailer

[ClayB]

Zach,

How did your design of the hatch work in regards to rain? Any problems with leaks? I am in the planning stages and like how you inset the roof and hatch behind the sides. Seems simpler and more forgiving. I guessing the rail where the weatherstripping is sit 1/4" below the side? I'm assuming 1/8" for both the skin and weatherstripping.

Since we are planning to paint it would be nice to get a smooth transition along the top. You paint looks awesome by the way. Did you clear coat it with anything or it is just the gloss of the paint?

Thanks,

Clay

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Well at least you will be able to recycle this licence plate in 9 more builds
So its sort of an ECO friendly trailer

Just planning ahead

Zach,

How did your design of the hatch work in regards to rain? Any problems with leaks? I am in the planning stages and like how you inset the roof and hatch behind the sides. Seems simpler and more forgiving. I guessing the rail where the weatherstripping is sit 1/4" below the side? I'm assuming 1/8" for both the skin and weatherstripping.

Since we are planning to paint it would be nice to get a smooth transition along the top. You paint looks awesome by the way. Did you clear coat it with anything or it is just the gloss of the paint?

Thanks,

Clay

There were some critics of my hatch seal design when I built my last TD. A few who said that it wouldn't work and questioned where the rain is going to go. Well, my hatch always stayed bone dry! When it rains, the water just runs that narrow "trough". The only consideration, is that the endgrain of the plywood needs to be sealed and waterproofed extremely well! The edges of my hatch skin were saturated with multiple coats of CPES, then primed with Kilz Premium, and finally top-coated with multiple layers of paint. I used 3/16" skin for the hatch, and the uncompressed weatherstrip is a hair under 3/8" tall. So I offset the rail 7/16" below the side. This allows the weatherstrip to compress slightly (about 1/8"), without becoming over-compressed. Weatherstrip that is over-compressed can lose its resiliency and effectiveness over time.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Finished installing the stereo compartment at lunch today. An hour lunch break sure is a nice thing to have, especially when everything in Hanover is 5 minutes from my office.





Just waiting on the mesh vents to get here, and then it can be checked off the to-do list.

[CHUNKYMONKEY]

Z,

Where did you find those hatch latches? I didn't see them on the Vintage site. Also, I can't see where your shore power outlet is located.
I'll look back through your posts just in case I missed something.
It looks so awesome!

Angela

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Z,

Where did you find those hatch latches? I didn't see them on the Vintage site. Also, I can't see where your shore power outlet is located.
I'll look back through your posts just in case I missed something.
It looks so awesome!

Angela

Thanks Angela! The hatch latches were the hardest part of my build to find. They are Southco V7 over-center draw latches, specifically V7-20-111-10. Everywhere I called didn't want to sell just a couple. Finally I found a place that would sell me just a pair, but they aren't cheap - about $33 each.

If you get past the sticker shock and are interested, I can look through all my receipts and emails to get you a phone number for the place I got them from. I believe the place was called DB Roberts, but I'm not absolutely positive. I called so many places and just got a run-around from a ton of people. Even got hung up on once.

Now about that power inlet. Somehow you've managed to pick out the ONLY thing that I apparently haven't posted a specific picture of

It can be seen just below and to the right of the door opening in the pic below. Its a white Marinco RV power inlet.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Doors are installed!

[parnold]

I love those doors!