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Post by retro1 on Aug 7, 2005 12:19:09 GMT 10
A friend of mine knew that I had rebuilt an old caravan and that I was about to re-do another, and he wanted a tear drop trailer to tow behind his woody Morris. I said that I could help him in getting the main outer shell done and this is the pictures of the construction. This basic construction can be used to make a bigger one or one with a lift up back. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me. This picture is the chassis from a 5 x 3 steel trailer with the top removed, painted and a few blocks of wood and clamps to get us started.  Next we place an 8 x 4 foot old scrap sheet of board on the chassis. This will become our template.  Thin strips of ply are used to get the required shape. By moving the strips you can get the shape you like.  Cut shape and clean up the edges until smooth and put back on chassis.  Remove the template and trace the line to the sheet of 16mm marine ply. To save money you could use exterior ply. Cut with a jig saw oversized by about 5-10 mm.  This template is then clamped to marine ply and routered to size. I used a 12mm roller cutter. Repeat this on the other one to make a pair.  If your chassis is not big enough build a frame to support the sides and floor. .  Putting the sides on. Clamp everything as you go along.  The floor is place on and screwed to the frame. This has to be 100% square.  Before you screw the sides to the floor, cut any doors, vents or windows. (we just had a door)  As the outside of this will be stained and polished there will be no fixing marks in the face. The cross bracing is housed in to the ply and nailed in place. We also painted the underside with bitumen paint before placing back on the chassis.  The 4.8 mm masonite is then laid over the top. Make sure that the joining section is over one of the supports. Before placing this on make sure the floor is square to the walls.  Trim with the router and sand.  Going home behind another car not intended to tow it. No lights at this stage but he doesn’t live far away and another happy person who will use this on vintage car runs with his woody Morris. Once he has got some more pictures I’ll post them.  The materials for this project to get it to this stage was approx $400 the chassis was a freebie. It took me approximately 7 hours to get it to this stage and I estimate it will take another 15 hours to finish it (but that’s up to my mate). Please feel free to comment or ask question Cheers Retro1    |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2005 9:52:35 GMT 10
Retro
Your a bloody genius.
What you had created by the end of the day is roughly what you would have got 30 or 40 years ago as a DIY Kit.
Take it home and fit it out yourself.
When our kids where little I bought a small 7 ft long X 4ft high X 4ft wide ply van based on a box trailer chassis
The gaurds where outside of the body similar to a box trailer . The van had a hatch in the roof and two doors ar la greyhound dog trailer on the left hand side. 1 window on the right side. Just enough room for a double bed matteress inside and the kids slept in the 6' X6' annexe. All up it weighed 180Kg. and towed along the beach no trouble.
I have one photograph of it . will try and take a Jpg of it and post it.
I sold it to a bloke who was gunna tow it along the beach with 400cc quad bike for overnight fishing trips.
Your mates little Morry Woody should have no trouble towing your creation. What is he gunna seal the masonite with . Plenty of sealer undercoat and paint should do the job???
Keep us informed of your mates progress and the finished product
Regards
Reddo
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Post by retro1 on Aug 9, 2005 21:16:11 GMT 10
Thanks for that Reddo This was fairly easy to build and one of the cheapest ways to get into vintage vanning. As we were building the teardrop my mate was already thinking of bigger and better van for the future. Addictive Hey ;D |
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Post by retro1 on Oct 29, 2005 15:12:52 GMT 10
Got some pictures of the teardrop trailer that I built for a friend. He is going away this week for the first time and has decided to build another (I’ll be building it) It came up great and looks the part behind the Morris Woody. The total cost was approx $1000 for this project in materials.  |
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Post by retro1 on Oct 29, 2005 15:14:06 GMT 10
Another picture  |
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Post by cobber on Oct 29, 2005 17:56:40 GMT 10
Thanks Retro for keeping us updated on this one. It sure looks the ant’s pants behind
the little Morris.
Does your mate want the next one to be a Teardrop as well. How did he fit this one
out inside?
Cobber.
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Post by Roehm3108 on Oct 29, 2005 19:13:27 GMT 10
Hi Retro. What a great job, and so simple! Looks great behind the Morris! Why did your mate not want windows? Is this a van for carrying gear only, or does he sleep in it with the door open? He also didn't want a kitchen either by the looks.
Why did you choose masonite for the roof, rather than something else? Was there a reason for that??
I live that varnished finish!
Cheers
Ray
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Post by retro1 on Oct 31, 2005 20:35:55 GMT 10
The teardrop was built to carry camping stuff only.
The next trailer will be built with a full kitchen in the rear with the room to sleep inside.
The reason I used tempered masonite (the same stuff external weather-board cladding) was it was cheaper and stronger. It may weigh more but this trailer is only 8 feet long. It is 6mm thick and once bent will hold the weight of an adult. He is looking ( we) for a porthole but as I already have promised someone else first he'll have to wait.
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Post by retro1 on Nov 22, 2005 22:08:30 GMT 10
In Adelaide every year we have an event called "The Bay to Birdwood" every second year it is classic then the alternate year is vintage. My friend that I helped build the teardrop which he finished of ( very well I must add) went in it. As a result he was photographed for the latest edition of "Unique Cars" a magazine for the car enthusist salesman in the feature section. Here is a picture from the mag. It goes to show that when ever we can promote vintage vanning who needs help because everyone already wants to know.  |
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Post by paulc1952 on Jan 5, 2006 7:19:56 GMT 10
Great idea as a sealed trailer. If anyone has any need for the old articles from mechanics illustrated(freebie's) e-mail me and I will send them on. From 1936 thru to the 60's, covering TD's, rooftops, folding cabins etc.
Paul
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veedubnut
Full Member
The Compact Camper
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Post by veedubnut on Jan 12, 2006 9:37:03 GMT 10
Retro... That really is awesome!!! I hope to get my teardrop finished over the next few months... And yes it is addictive  I'm already making plans and gathering ideas to build a vintage style van in the not too distant future! That and the fact it would appear you or your mate is a fellow Vee Dub Nut makes it all the better ;D Cheers Greg |
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Post by retro1 on Jan 12, 2006 21:53:20 GMT 10
I too also plan to build a teardrop trailer for my PT Cruiser but I also have a Splitscreen Kombi 1964 and a Bay window Campermobile 1975 that i will tow the tailer behind.I suppose that makes me "a veedubnut"also Here is a great site for teardrops www.tinytears.cc/links.htmland this one is good for plans (purchase only USA) www.teardropplans.com/Cheers retro1 |
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Post by scootman on Jan 12, 2006 23:10:15 GMT 10
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Post by paulc1952 on Jan 13, 2006 7:49:03 GMT 10
May I suggest to anyone that is planning on building a teardrop, not to spend your hard earned on a set of plans out of the US. I went down this track and the plans are sitting somewhere gathering dust. All the info you require is available on the www. www.campingclassics.com has a cdrom available that details every stage of building your TD regardless of style. Cost=$45.00 USD angib(Andrew Gibbens) site has every design imaginable on view and downloadable free. The American Forum has heaps of info available on every aspect of TD building www.mikenchell.com/forums/Some of you may not like the way it runs but the ideas and experience available is priceless in my opinion. There is also an Australian forum at autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/teardropcampers/Hope this helps some of you. If I can help please contact me by e-mail Cheers Paul |
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veedubnut
Full Member
The Compact Camper
Posts: 272
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Post by veedubnut on Jan 13, 2006 12:31:27 GMT 10
I agree with Paul, its not worth spending alot of money on plans... There is a wealth of information on building a teardrop on the net... This particular site in the U.S. Paul has mentioned is one of the best... Very friendly advice there as well mostly U.S. members but, there is a number of Australians there as well www.mikenchell.com/forums/Paul also has some excellent detailed plans from an old Mechanics Illustrated Magazine from the 40's. I already have a copy (thanks Paul ;D) Email him for a copy Cheers Greg |
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Jim
New Member
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Post by Jim on Jan 13, 2006 13:34:47 GMT 10
Perpetuating poor design..
The concern I have with the few old teardrop plans I've seen is the poor designs of the chassis.
Teardrop chassis, as built 50-70 years ago often had little engineering thought or design in them.
Often they were just put together by someone who happened to have a welder.
More often than not they are either way too heavy and have too much steel in them to compensate for the poor design, or there's not enough steel or the sections are too light.
Most of the drawbars are a very poor design.
We have better materials today, and much better equipment available to put it all together, so why not take advantage of it.
Ironically the suspensions on old teardrops were often better than today’s cheap, very short slipper springs that have little or no compliance.
Build a faithful reproduction of a vintage teardrop by all means but just as you would use modern construction methods, materials, paint etc, put it on a well designed chassis as well.
If the chassis is significantly heavier than neccessary it's extra weight you're carting around all the time.
If it's too light the whole structure is doomed to fail anyway.
No structure can ever be sound in the long term if it’s built on a poor foundation.
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I'm already making plans and gathering ideas to build a vintage style van in the not too distant future! 
