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who's built a teardrop trailer from scratch..??

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Kustom7777, Apr 6, 2008.

  1. Kustom7777
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 5,184

    Kustom7777
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    in the next year or so, id like to build my own teardrop trailer,,ive seen plans for sale on ebay, but was just wondering what others have done,,,i dont like to go strictly from a plan,,i know id have to modify it somehow to make it "mine",,,i have some ideas for a few deco touches id like to do,,,,so lets see some pics for inspiration,,,also, how difficult was it to build, where did you buy materials, how much did it cost for materials, and how much did you deviate from your original plans?
     
  2. 383 240z
    Joined: Oct 28, 2007
    Posts: 429

    383 240z
    Member

    I haven't started on mine just yet but I've planning it out in my head for about a year now. I'll post a few good links when I get back to my PC. Keith
     
  3. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Google teardrop trailers. You will have to wade through the usual junk but there are several great sites. somewhere I have a cd I bought on ebay that has the plans coppied from a way back when Popular mechanics or Mechanics illustrated.
    http://www.teardrops.net/ Has a lot of info.

    I have a frame that was made out of T rails with a later ford axle and the Big pattern Ford wheels that was under a teardrop and will be again by next year.
     
  4. buffaloracer
    Joined: Aug 22, 2004
    Posts: 816

    buffaloracer
    Member
    from kansas


  5. low budget
    Joined: Nov 15, 2006
    Posts: 5,566

    low budget
    Member
    from Central Ky

    Are these worth big bucks or? I saw one sitting in a field the other day,It didnt look to bad from what I could see from the road. It was just sittin there with weeds growing up around it.
     
  6. dusty
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 176

    dusty
    Member

    Kustom,
    I built one some time ago. Didn't use any plans. I had a trailer bed hangin around so I got some large cardboard and started laying out the profile I wanted. The only requirement I had was that the kitchen rolled to the back of the trailer to keep from leaning way in to cook, etc. I did the framework first out of some old fir I had laying around. 1 1/2" sq. I think. Then paneled the inside first, layed in foam insulation and glued to the paneling and framing, then glued on the exterior after wiring. To finish it off, I put strips on to give it the "woodie" look. Cant find any pics off the finished product but i will keep looking.
    Google teardrops. There are a million images out there you can pick ideas from.
     

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  7. Kustom7777
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 5,184

    Kustom7777
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    NICE,,,how did you bend that wood,,,steam?
     
  8. brewsir
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 3,278

    brewsir
    Member

    I dig that moving kitchen idea....should make it easy on the back!
     
  9. dusty
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 176

    dusty
    Member

    Here was the inspiration!
     

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  10. dusty
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 176

    dusty
    Member

    The wood wasn't bent. It was cut from 12" pieces on the curve and glued to the next piece. I used the full size pattern to do the layout of the curves.
    The kitchen was held in place by bearclaw latches.
     
  11. Bilko-1949
    Joined: Feb 24, 2007
    Posts: 124

    Bilko-1949
    Member
    1. GMB

    I plan on building one in the future and here is the site I check out every so often! There seems to be allot of great people over there, and some really nice designs hope this helps you http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/
     
  12. unclescooby
    Joined: Jul 5, 2004
    Posts: 4,993

    unclescooby
    Member
    from indy

    Check GMC Bubba out...he's got a whole shop called Bubba's Garage and he makes a dandy trailer. He's awesome.
     
  13. jaco
    Joined: Oct 31, 2006
    Posts: 275

    jaco
    Member

    Here's one that I built 2 years ago. I wanted one I could haul my bike in and then setup to camp in. I didn't have any plans but went on the internet and looked around. Got different ideals and then built to suit what I needed. Materials cost around $4,000 to build including a 5'X10" trailor. You can build for less as I over built mine. I use it often and have a lot of fun with it. But be prepared, people will ask about it more often than my hot rod.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  14. Alienbaby17
    Joined: Sep 13, 2005
    Posts: 924

    Alienbaby17
    Member

    I believe it is Kuffel Creek that offers the best plans I've seen for a D.I.Y teardrop. You can Google them for their website.

    I bought some plans off of Ebay. The guy is probabaly still selling them but they were fairly useless. The guy's ad claims you can build it for around $500 bucks in about a week. If you followed that guy's plans you'd end up with an unsafe disaster. My soon-to-be father-in-law is a proffesional cabinet and furniture maker. He has his own wood-shop and was helping us with the project. He said the plans wouldn't work out right built according to the directions. I would strongly avoid those plans.

    Here is a picture of mine (in progress).
    [​IMG]

    You should check out the Teardrops and Tiny Travel Trailers Forum. It will be VERY helpful to you.

    Jay
     
  15. GlenC
    Joined: Mar 21, 2007
    Posts: 757

    GlenC
    Member

  16. etxhfeg
    Joined: Mar 2, 2006
    Posts: 11

    etxhfeg
    Member
    from Sweden

    Some inspiration:

    http://hem.bredband.net/heavy1/dreamliner/page_01.htm

    This swedish guy, "Heavy", has used an old camping trailer and totally rebuilt it. Really nice work!

    Note: the page is in swedish but the pictures is worth looking at!

    I wish that I had the skill, time, knowledge etc to be able to build something like that...

    [​IMG]
     
    LeoH and Donut Dave like this.
  17. 49toad
    Joined: Jun 12, 2005
    Posts: 322

    49toad
    Member

    Speedway Motors sells a set of plans. You can build this trailer- Tear Drop Trailer Plans. Item # 910-85117 Catalog#250
     
  18. GMC BUBBA
    Joined: Jun 15, 2006
    Posts: 3,420

    GMC BUBBA
    Member Emeritus

    I restored a orginal Kit Tear Drop in 1999 and have used it a ton every since. We have since then built 23 units and have copied the "Kit" tear as close as possible. We have every part to build a trailer and can provide the entire unit in pieces.
    OR we can just help you make your own with all the free/NC advise you would ever want.
    Our motto is " We want you to have a teardrop " !
    As far as plans i have a picture of any process you would ever need , just ask...
    Check out our site at www.bubbastrailerpark.com

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Glad to help in any way we can !!!
     
  19. we have built several tear drop trailers , hauled them all around the good old U.S.A. behind our rods. going to start a new one on friday


    johnny
     
  20. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,092

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    wasnt junkyardog selling these?
     
  21. Stickbilly
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 26

    Stickbilly
    Member
    from Liberty,KS

    How do they bend the plywood?
     
  22. lorodz
    Joined: Jul 26, 2009
    Posts: 3,727

    lorodz
    Member

    after my model A is done im going to attempt to build one...
     
  23. 41 C28
    Joined: Dec 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,772

    41 C28
    Member

    I did.
    Bend plywood by scoring and wetting it down.
     

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  24. hotrod35
    Joined: Oct 8, 2005
    Posts: 440

    hotrod35
    Member
    from IL

    I was going to start the teardrop project. I was told the guy on ebay with all the old pics, is a fraud. What you get will not get a teardrop completed. That's what a couple sites said. I did hear that Harbor Freight has a trailer frame that people are using as a base. And it comes with a title. Just my 2 cents.
     
  25. This is an awesome site full of every idea possible!! Here is a pic of mine that is nearly completed. 4' wide 8' long, perfect for the 2 of us to crash in at the shows.

    [​IMG]
     
  26. Eight433
    Joined: Mar 16, 2008
    Posts: 257

    Eight433
    Member

    slv63 likes this.
  27. built one year ago, to take to the rust revival.

    craigslist 001 (2).jpg

    craigslist 003 (2).jpg



    johnny
     
    slv63 likes this.
  28. mj40's
    Joined: Dec 11, 2008
    Posts: 3,303

    mj40's
    Member

    Here is mine. It was a homemade from mid 30's. It even had a wood frame and the tong was also wood and a true 4"x4". All that changed with a new frame built to fit the body. The sleeping area is 6'2" long.
     

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    Last edited: May 14, 2010
    LeoH likes this.
  29. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    If you guys are looking for another, cooler, approach then try here. These puppies are Canadian and not yet imported into the us. They are also about 14K - yikes! But I like their designs a lot. Gary

    http://www.safaricondo.com/alto/indexeng.php?page=2
     
  30. BobF
    Joined: Dec 30, 2004
    Posts: 232

    BobF
    Member
    from Poway, CA

    Built one back in late 90's based on the old Mechanix Illustrated plans and a local trailer I measured. Have a few pix of the build at http://Bobsplayce.net click left panel.
    We just sold it last fall for $4K since we rarely used it anymore.
     

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