how hard to reproduce something like this as a TTT?

[Laredo]

Saw a Sunrader cabover on E-Bay. It's all fiberglass, has wraparound front windows, seems sturdy ... then I saw the back.
Yep. It's a hatch.
Flat and vertical, but impressive no less:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUNRADER ... 2575be5f15

[M C Toyer]

When you say "reproduce" do you mean start from scratch and replicate the deisgn or turn this unit into a trailer?

If the latter I see lots of possibilities. And if the bids don't rise signifcantly some of the components would be worth way more than the current price to build from scratch and scrap the shell - the seller says no reserve.

There is a recent example of a truck cap that was placed over a trailer with built up sides that turned out well. This unit would be a standy - higher and longer but still workable.

As to possibilites you could simply mount it as is on a trailer - maybe not so pretty but certainly functional. If it were mine I would try to build a carriage that complimented the design. You could utilize the area under the cab-over part for storage or additional sleeping area or an outside accesible galley. If your tow vehicle is a pickup you could just use an 8 foot trailer and let the cab-over ride over your pick-up bed.

M C

[Laredo]

I like the looks of that beast, but I'm not sure how big a trailer frame would be needed under it...

[M C Toyer]

The white box at the bottom would slide into the bed of a full size pick-up so would be about 4 to 4-1/2 foot wide, the distance between the fender wells.

The length would be at least 8 foot but probably no more than 8-1/2 or 9. Where the bottom box flares out at the back would fit behind the fender wells. If it extended beyond where the tailage has been removed it would not be more than a foot.

Some of these leave the tailgate on and down to support the back end but I don't think this one does. I believe the bottom of the door would be on the same level as the bed of the pickup.

In the third photo, taken from the rear, where the body is slightly wider (about halfway between the 2nd and 3rd rungs of the ladder) it would be right at 6 to 6-1/2 foot wide. The wider part rested on the side rails of the pick-up bed which are generally 70-72 inches wide on the inside.

Height wise the door is probably 6 foot so overall the body is about 6-1/2 to 7 plus another foot or so for the roof air conditioner.

That's going to be your biggest drawback because overall you're going to be 8 foot from the floor. Now if you can get a trailer with a dropped axle and a floor height around 12-16 inches you're at 9 foot plus with the AC - a bit tall for a TTT but in the same range as stand-up cargo trailer conversions. The roof air could be relocated to the sliding window at the front which conected to the pick-up cab.

Another alternative, if you don't need a standy, would be to eliminate the bottom box entirely. The earlier truck canopy TTT was similarly sized - look through the Hall of Fame link above. Here 'tis: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=45827

I've got this in my pasture right now:
Its on my work trailer I hauled it home with - I haven't decided how to use it but likely it will be on a 5 x 8 trailer. Trying to come up with a design for that part that compliments the shape of the canopy. If I don't then I've got a dozen usable windows and a 5 foot hurricane hinge to use on something else.

I'm a big fan of boat trailers and many have bowed and/or dropped crossmembers which would enable you to keep the floor low.

It could work with a trailer 5 to 5-1/2 wide between the wheels / fenders/ If you found one that was 6 foot you could widen the bottom box or add some small storage space along each side. I find those all the time for under $300.

Having said all that if it does not fit with what you plan and the price stays under $300 or so there's easily $1000 dollars worth of parts: Air conditioner, refrigerator, cook top, oven, propane tank and hose, manual water pump and faucets, probably a freash water and a gray water tank, cabinet doors, the big rear door, one or two small doors, 3 big sliding windows, inverter, lights, cushions, table, jacks, etc., assuming they are in servicable condition. A good start if you build your own.

That unique full width and height rear hatch would be attractive to those hauling motorcycles or atvs.

I haven't checked your other posts so don't know what you were planning - this is just my humble opinion.

M C

[Laredo]

When I first joined here ... several years ago ... I had in mind something like a cabin car with fins on the back to hide away storage for utility hookups (power cord, water hose, folding table, etc.)
Time and (lack of) funds have altered those plans out ofall semblance but I should go look at 'em again, as this, mounted in the back half of a '58 Dodge Sweptline, would be darn close.

[Laredo]

and I found that post ...

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13 posts • Page 1 of 1
No CAD ability; someone help?

Postby Laredo » Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:52 pm
What would it look like with the drawing software to set the Modernistic profile at a 20-degree nose-high angle on the axle, with a steamer-trunk shaped tongue box (that has a false lid covering a solar panel for charging batteries) under the very front?

I have a picture in my head of a 5' wide x 9' long x 52'' high cabin (this would have a 9'' dropped floor running between the wheel wells from end to end to accomodate dinette use; and when the dinette is down it locks into interior wall rails to serve as the deck for a 2nd bunk) and there would be a 6'' wide x 3'' high raised 'railed' skylight -- a detail very similar to the top of the big Jim Dandy design on the one-page leaflet illustration -- centered along the hatch lid, which would only be half as long as usual so that you could have the swing-apart lower half with cabinets built into the doors) and would have fold-down props to brace it open, sitting on a salvage-yard axle assembly (with wheels that include brakes and a matching spare) to allow for integral exterior fenders (wide, deep, fin-shaped fenders pattened after those on the Glen-L.com site boat, L Dorado) that conceal an extra foot of interior width, and the street side one has the 'scoop' at the upper corner that helps hold the spare in place like a '50s pickup) that 'flare' from flush against the bottom of the entry/exit hatches (yes, hatches on both sides; hatches that are oval shaped and interior hinged and swing up gullwing like a DeLorean, but are set at an angle about 15 degrees off straight-up-and-down of their long axes leaning the opposite way from the front edge of the cabin, and each hatch has 'porthole' windows) out to the full 6'' at the fin-ends which are actually flush with the back edge of the closed galley doors. The front wall features aircraft-style triangular windows (all the windows would be Lexan panes in weatherstripped openings with aluminum flashing). In the fins of the fenders would be the stop/turn lights. In the tongue box would be the two batteries. The freshwater reservoirs would be lengths of 4''OD PVC water supply line mounted above the galley countertop in tight S curves to allow gravity-feeding at the laundry-faucet fitting on the deep wet-bar style sink. The stove would be a Harbor Freight gas model with grill and broiler. There would be a coffeepot and a mini microwave on one GFCI outlet in the galley, another GFCI outlet in the cabin, and a rollout slide under the sink for a big cooler. One of the hatches would have an integrated rim for a privacy curtain. Inside the galley would have a large pass through in case of horrible weather (the coffeepot and electric microwave are for such times!) and an overhead fold-down DVD/TV with an FM/WB/CD stereo, and aircraft-style reading lights for the queen size bed and the bunk bed (s) plus a galley light. I would put computer-case ventilation fans in the galley wall and the ceiling vent (and maybe solar power the ceiling vent), and add a bedwarmer. I think I would frame everything with 2''x2'' salvaged from shipping pallets, and use 1/4'' fir ply for the interior skins with clear polyurethane, then a pink foam board insulation layer, another 1/4'' ply wall and, I think, a .040'' metal exterior.

can it be drawn? should it be built?

[jeffmutch]

Funny, I saw this one on Craigslist for $1000 bucks last week. I would have snatched it right up if I had a full size bed on my truck. Looks like this lucky guy will make a bit of a profit flipping it.

[bc toys]

This is to cool I was on my way to town this Sunday and there was a cabover on a trailer trailer had enuff in front to haul a quad or bikes. He had a nice setup meaning it was placed right and looked like it belonged on that trailer.

[M C Toyer]

and I found that post ...

can it be drawn? should it be built?

[/quote]

Laredo -

Wow! You've got a lot of imigination and ideas. I don't know anything about CAD or sketchup. Most of my desings are sketched and not that pretty, but a least it serves to establish some size limits. Have you considered trying to make a model or mock-up of some of the basic components?

M C

[M C Toyer]

Funny, I saw this one on Craigslist for $1000 bucks last week.

Jeff -

Even though the seller says no reserve I wonder if he cancalled the previous ad at the last minue because he's looking for more, probably way more, than $1000. Kinda shoots down all my theories about super cheap parts. I guess I'll have to watch how this plays out. It's at $113 now and I'll be kicking myself it it stays in that range.

M X

[jeffmutch]

Funny, I saw this one on Craigslist for $1000 bucks last week.

Jeff -

Even though the seller says no reserve I wonder if he cancalled the previous ad at the last minue because he's looking for more, probably way more, than $1000. Kinda shoots down all my theories about super cheap parts. I guess I'll have to watch how this plays out. It's at $113 now and I'll be kicking myself it it stays in that range.

M X

I'm fairly new to the Ebay experience; but so far I've gotten my hopes up a few times bidding on what I thought to be extremely good deals. I keep the highest bid for several days and then during the last hour of the auction, other bidders swoop in to snatch it out from under me. (usually coming much closer to the value of the item.)

I've been much luckier to find deals on craigslist and deal with people face to face.

I guess my point is: Don't be surprised if it stays at $113 for most of the auction. Theres no way it's selling that cheap. Call me a pesimist...

The ad I saw on craigs for it was much less descriptive, fewer and completely different pictures, and wasn't active for very long. My guess is the previous owner didn't know what they had and this new seller does. It'll be interesting to see it play out but we'll have to watch the last few minutes of the auction.

[rowerwet]

the last min. bidding is called sniping, works good if you have high speed internet, I've been known to get up at odd hours of the night to catch a good deal that way... I believe there are programs that will do the sniping for you now...