Compact 3

[Deryk the Pirate]

So has anyone built one? I want a standie but want fuel economy lol...so a pop top looks like a winner. I like the look of the 78" wide model for sleepin across the width...would fold up into a couch....also thinkin 12 feet long with a roof about 4x10'ish...


Any opinipn

[mikeschn]

That was the size of my giant teardrop. I've never seen a Compact that is 78" wide by 12' long though...

How about a pop-up vardo like Rae did... http://www.enslin.com/rae/gypsy/vardo01.html

Mike...

[bdosborn]

The Boxcar was inspired by the Compact and is 78" wide and has a 132" long:

Boxcar

Bruce

[wagondude]

Also, look up Sharon's "My Away" and the "Where or When Jr. " builds for variations on the Compact 3.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=27313&p=419480&hilit=My+away+myaway#p419480

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=40459

[droid_ca]

What no Vardo????

[pete42]

I like the idea of a two part solid trailer using an old pop-up's lifting Mechanism sorta like a HI-LO
the top could be any shape you want be it vardo or standy shaped.

pete

[Deryk the Pirate]

Yeah my biggest concern is fuel economy and comfort, style is taking a 2nd...now I could do a compact 3 with the roof only slightly curved, overhung on the back and leave the tv side with no overhang. I have been considering the idea of stripping a popup that would fit my size parameter but thats big wall sections. My main interests are obviously a place to sleep, a porta pottie, a sink to wash dishes in and hands/shave etc and a little room to entertain or room for someone else to sleep on the floor. There is a plan for a 78" Compact 3, I just want to stretch it. I use my trailer some weekends as a 2nd home when I go and stay at a friends house so a little bit of comfort is important, the idea 3 or 4 ppl could sit inside if its raining works for me. My current vardo is 75" wide or so, 3 more inches isnt so much, a little more width for my bed.

I do like Rae's hi-lo vardo but I dont want to guess what that cost her to have made. I guess I need to look into about the pop up mechanism, I know its pulley's and cables just never looked at it before.

deryk

[S. Heisley]

Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers • View topic - TTT's with Lifting Roofs
Jun 21, 2012 ... To help those who might be thinking of building a lifting roof, here is a list of all the TTT's with lifting roofs which I could find. (These camping ...
www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=50969

[droid_ca]

Yeah my biggest concern is fuel economy
deryk

That is one of my main concerns as well so what I was thinking inorder to fight the drag of the slipstream I wanted to do'
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a Bay window trailer, it would help increase the aerodynamics of the trailer as well as giving you a n extra amount of space inside of the trailer, sure you would still have some drag due to the flat spot on the front of the window but it wont be the whole trailer wall fighting the wind. This was what I was thinking and on the up side since or sinks are smaller then home you could have your sin built into the window are and use beneath it for storage....

[Deryk the Pirate]

Thanks Sharon, lotsa links.... did see this that looks interesting hmmm could make it look alike a little cottage. The only thing I dont like about it, for example its rainin hard outside today, everyything inside would probably get wet setting it up... a pop top, hopefully it wouldnt get as wet. Sharon what was your decideing factor for the hinged roof vs non hinged?

deryk

[pete42]

Thanks Sharon, lotsa links.... did see this that looks interesting hmmm could make it look alike a little cottage. The only thing I dont like about it, for example its rainin hard outside today, everyything inside would probably get wet setting it up... a pop top, hopefully it wouldnt get as wet. Sharon what was your decideing factor for the hinged roof vs non hinged?

deryk

deryk
the chalet or the Aliner pop-up sets up in les than a minuit more like 30 seconds.
only in a pouring rain would one get very wet.
I have set one up takes me a little longer breaking it down but not much.

pete

[S. Heisley]

Deryk asked:

Sharon what was your deciding factor for the hinged roof vs non hinged?

There are a couple factors.

1- It's attached; so, if a wind catches it, I only have to worry about holding down one end; and, if my hands should slip for some reason, causing it to fall, I know where it will land. (I have hold-down straps that I can hook on, to control/protect the loose end in heavy wind; and, while I have used them, I have never found that I really needed them.) Recognize that there is a way to hinge a flat, full lifting roof but you'd have to be willing and able to wrestle the weight.

2- If it is hinged on the one end, you are lifting less weight. (MyAway's roof is not a foamie, not light weight. It weighs 70 pounds. By lifting it from one end, I'm only lifting 35 pounds.) When someone has an operation and has stitches, the doctors often tell them not to lift more than 35 pounds, a good reason to limit your lifting roof weight...just in case.

3. You don't need to stand in the area where the bed is; so, that's where I put the hinge. (Being short, I can stand almost all the way to the hinged area and slouch the rest of the way. A 5'9"<ish> person can stand all the way to the bench sitting area, without slouching.)

[droid_ca]

so you don't think that a bay window would help cut down on the drag??
I have been thinking of doing that with my build...maybe I should check into it some more

[Deryk the Pirate]

So many ideas lol. Ive got 2 totally different ideas running through my head, 1 for a pop top and the 2nd for that chalet/aliner style little house. The poptop could be camped in not setup like say a highway rest stop, the chalet, well that might be awkward lol

deryk

[pete42]

I like the one mike posted about
If I were 30 years younger I might try building one sorta like that
pete