20 x 8 Car Trailer Conversion by GaryDee

[GaryDee]

Hello everyone! I wish we would have found this site before I started my conversion. It would have been a great help. We wanted a "toy hauler" style of camper to bring our golf cart with us. Not being able to afford a new one, this project started.

This started it's life as a 2000 - 20' Pace car trailer that I bought used and retired from my business. Lucky, this trailer has a flip open door that will work perfectly for a nice, big bay window.

I have had many campers in the last 20 years; class "A's, C's, and 5th wheels. All of our camping is done in state parks or camp grounds that have available AC power and dump stations near by. Because of this, I built this trailer around the way we use it.

I'm no professional with wood,cabinets or electricity, but your typical "shade tree" weekend tinker. Here are some pictures of the start of the project;








I will say I tried posting this build on another site with little interest. This site may be more appropriate.

[bdosborn]

Looks like you've got a good trailer to work with. Good luck and post lots of pictures of your build!

Bruce

[Curtis in Texas]

I reading 20" and thinking WOW! That's a big trailer!
Then reality hit me and I realize it's only 3 feet longer than mine......

Looking forward to the build.
Document it all with pictures.
The side drop down doors would make for a nice drop down bed for the youngun I see in the Golf Cart.

[ho-do]

I also converted a 8x20 Pace (2004) model. You can see some pictures in the Album link. Main under the thread "Recirculating Toilet". Hope al works well with your rig. This past weekend we installed an electric lift for the hitch, but it won't work!! Bought it at Camping World. Will take it back to them this weekend to find out why it won't work.

[rebapuck]

At 20', I'm thinking the youngun can have his own room.

[GaryDee]

Thanks for the reply's everyone. Your going to get a lot of pictures quick to catch you up on the build.

My original thought was to have the bunks at the door end, but it did't work out that way. I decided on bunks on the front and fold down futons toward the rear.

We (the wife and I) coated the floor with a wood/porch sealant. I figured it would be good to get at least one coat on the floor before the walls went up. It covered up the old stains perfectly.

I pulled the inside roof and side panels out to run the wiring. Lots of 115V receptacles any place I think we would need them. Also installed two outside in waterproof covers (rear and front) and one that will be switched for underneath "rope lights" that will be installed out of sight for indirect lighting. At the kids "bunks" I used receptacles with built in "nightlights" - pretty cool! All GFI.

Also run was the wiring for the low voltage lighting, switches and inverter. Again, lots of lights.

Fuse box (waterproof box), electrical hook-up and battery for the low voltage is outside in the front.

Also ran water lines for the sink, front shower and toilet. I liked the idea of these lines not hanging under the trailer.

The one thing you will notice with the pictures is the construction of a car trailer. The only wood (not particle board) is the floor and side paneling. Metal trusses on a solid metal roof (much like a semi truck trailer). Side up-risers all metal. This is one of the reasons I decided to do the conversion. After seeing many "rotted" used haulers, this would be more solid - and yes.. heavier. Still, it will be no issue for my F250.

[pete42]

Welcome and keep posting I read almost everyday.
I'm still in the waiting stage.

Pete

[GaryDee]

Here a little more catchup. The wife insisted on paneling for the walls. Lowes had panels for about $12 a sheet so it wasn't bad. Very easy to cut with a sharp razor knife. These were then stapled for the existing wall wood.



I also taped all the open seams before putting the walls up. The dove-tail in the rear was a pain. The bigger 3/4 inch wood squares on the front part ceiling is where the closet and bathroom wall studs will attach.





This is the front where the kids front bunks will be. They both have there own nite-light/receptacle and regular light for reading.



Some of the aluminum trim was on the trailer from the factory, but I had to add more. It does give it a nice finish.



Unfortunately, I will jump way ahead here - some pictures with the bathroom walls up, trim and toilet. After I did the exhaust fan setup, I saw someone else had the same idea. I did not want to put holes in the roof, so three 3.5" computer fans work perfect. The outside of the hole is a "hood-vent" with the little close-able flap. The fans push it right open and you can feel the airflow.







The toilet will be rasied.


More to come.....

[vtx1029]

Looking good!

You can check out my trailer I put bunks in the front of! One of the best things we ever did!
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=36850

I would turn that flip down window into a bed too like the ones on this site!

http://www.livinlite.com/VRV-gallery.php

[GaryDee]

Nice on the bunks vtx - that was my plain for the lower one, to tilt up for more storage. The trailer with the fold-out is really neat. Just a little too much for this shade-tree tinkerer! I do like the way that one looks.

[GaryDee]

[color=green]Sorry I have not updated this in a while. But I pretty much finished it up and we even did a camping trip in it without real issues! Here are a couple of highlights.

The seating / bed for the wife and I consists of two “click-clackâ€

[GaryDee]

The window took some thought. I wanted to keep the door that closed over the opening, while still keeping the ratcheting arms that holds it open.

I used ¼ inch smoked acrylic (plexi-glass). I chose this over Lexan because it a little more ridged, plus will not scratch as easy. I was told with Plexi, if it gets scratched you have a better change of being able to rub it out than lexan, a another plus.

The Plexi was purchased in three pieces to match the seams in the window door. I figured if the trailer flexed any with the door closed, it would be on top of the brackets and protect the Plexi better.

I welded the steel strips to the metal around the opening. Using black silicone around the whole frame the Plexi fit perfectly. To hold it on the inside, I used aluminum strips and stainless steel screws tapped into the metal strips. The window was also bolted around the perimeter. All holes drilled through the Plexi were drilled larger than the bolts to allow expansion and contraction of the window.





The brain-knocker came from how to cover the door arms (that hold the flip-open door). When the window door is closed, they protrude inside the window opening. After canvassing the local Lowie’s for three of four times it hit me. What you see in the pictures is plastic gutter with end caps. It worked perfect!

[Ctcanuck]

Nice work GaryDee. Great ideas!!!

[GaryDee]

We did cheat a little when it came to the cabinets. We purchased pre-fabbed ones for the pantry and sink. A flat screen computer monitor sits on top of the fridge that hooks up to an old laptop for playing movies. There are mini speakers I picked up from Good Will (not pictured - two in the rear, one over the sink facing the couch) attached to the ceiling. A small amp powers them through the laptop.



The box that the refrigerator sits on has the 115V to 12V power inverter / charger and fuses for the 12V lighting.



Here’s is how the bunk area turned out for the kids. The brackets with the pins on the second bunk are for the ladder. I used a cheap folding ladder and cut the back legs off. It fits into the brackets and gets pinned. The neat thing, it can still fold flat for storage. The pantry to the right is the largest. The door is a single from a bi-folding door.





Here is the finished bathroom door.



Pedestal for the toilet.



My original thoughts were to attach a permanent black water tank to the underside of the trailer between the frame rails. But the frame of the trailer would make me position the toilet too far away from the wall. Plus, these trailers sit very low, not leaving much room for dump drain plumbing.

What I decided on was a low-profile portable drain tank to slide under the trailer. It works perfect! I can even pull it behind the golf cart to take it to the dump station. It's something like 14-16 gallons - we used it for all weekend without an issue.



The reason for the low profile toilet and building the pedestal to set it on was so I could have room under it to build a vent for the portable tank. I was concerned about fermenting waste odors seeping back inside the camper. The vent comes off a plumbing T to the outside of the trailer, inside of an electrical access door I installed.



Here is the hook-up under the camper. I have a short dump hose that connects between the toilet and the tank.



Well that's about it. I still have some little things to finish on it (if you study the pictures, you can pick out some unfinished odds and ends). We have another weekend jaunt coming up before Christmas... I can't wait! Have a good Holiday! - GaryDee

[Crazylegs]

Great job on the bed couch that is so simple. You Rock


I picked this up for 10$ at an RV shop and it works well but to narrow. I am working on it. I love your idea, "simple"





I just need to put my new extension on the back. I was trying to make it like th fold and tumble beds in the toy haller.