Just finished building a Teardrop Caravan. Lights 16 July.

[grizz]

I know a few of you know about the trailer I built for Nicola and I.

 

Thread link.

 

http://www.retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=othrmod&action=display&thread=67389

 

 

There is a long story to it.....

 

 

 

Started with this from Essex for £20 after it had stood in a hedge for 6 years.

 

 

 

Drew a plan based on measurements, and built it till it looked right.

 

 

First road test.

 

 

 

Cutting the roof for the vent.

 

 

 

 

At Santa Pod raceway after its maiden run.

 

 

 

Nicola got some fabric from the USA and made these.

 

 

 

 

A lot of this did hamper progress at one point.

 

 

 

Rear galley....

 

 

Interior cabinets.

 

 

 

Put in perspective with a "See through" pic.

 

 

A good mate in Nevada sent me the number plate for the rear, but decided to mount it inside as scrotes will tear it off.

 

 

 

Read the tread, or look at the pics to see the rest of the build from the ground up.

 

Most of it single handedly, with the camera set on 10 second timer.

 

I used 4mm ply on the interior, 6mm ply on the roof sheets, and the outer walls were 12mm 5x10 foot marine ply.

The plan was to paint the sides, but we have fallen in love with the wood look, but next year may see paint.

 

99% of what I built was made up as I went along. Nicola can vouch for that, she kept on asking me where the plans were..... told her they were in my head.

 

Frame of Hatch was another bastard to skin in 6mm ply, as it does not like bending lengthways.

 

The front curve of the body took 5 days with wet sheets and increasing pressure with a primitive bender, made up of spare wheels, wooden stumps and offcuts from the build. Again, look in the thread.

 

 

 

 

There were days I wondered and there were days when Nicola wanted to set fire to it with me on the inside.

 

However when it got to certain point where she could see it in 3D and understand the weeks of preperation, she fell in love with it and started doing things for it.

 

 

She imported this fabric from the USA and made the cushions for us.

 

 

Got these off Ebay.

 

 

She even tried it for size.....

 

 

 

Lastly, just before we left for Santa Pod, she said I was mad, she loved me, and that she was proud of what I had gotten right.

Then she slipped this sticker into my hand..... Man, did that melt my heart ??

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you guys and girls like, just thought I would post up what I did while my bikes MOT and battery expired.

 

No plans for production :aidan

[grizz]

Of course the tow vehicle is almost back on the road, has MOT, tax etc, the Zetec just getting final fettling.

 

This is why I built the trailer, so that we do not need to sleep in the van anymore on a blow up mattress.

 

Back to my Transit.....

 

Engine fits well.

 

 

Edd and Nicola in the same pic.... ?

 

 

Stuyizz's beauty, on fresh Banded steels.

 

[Pipster007]

Thats a great bit of work there, Grizz

 

When do you start on the next one

[lotusless]

lovely job mate i made a bedside table once.... didn't quite turn out so good

[Mk2Jo]

Oh My God .... that is just SUPERB !!! Well done, you are a real craftsman

[Mrs O/H/C]

That is incredibly impressive

[KJ 1320]

Very excellent work there m8

[Boreham]

i allways loved them teardop caravans..

 

but that's a beauty...

 

nice Carpentry....

[stuartp]

you are indeed THE man!

that looks amazing

and will look even better behind the transit

[MrsSmokeEm]

I saw you in the corner of our campsite and couldnt stop looking at it, an absolute work of art and you are the master

[bomber1]

amazin work and will look right at home behind the transit

[grizz]

Thanks everyone.

 

It was a great feeling once I got the galley hatch skinned and fitted.

 

I did not realise how big the job was till I finished and looked back.

 

And I did and continue to appologise to Nicola for the time I made her a "Teardrop Widow"

 

The outcome did exceed my expectations....

 

 

Pipster, the next biggie is the body and paint on the Transit, another make it up as you go along type job.

[grizz]

Thought, I would post one of my fave photos, taken when the traffic came to a standstill on the Dartford bridge, I looked in the rear view mirror to see if the traffic was slowing down and saw this..... grabbed the camera while stationary , pointed with no focus and got lucky.

 

Kinda nice pic to get on the way home.

 

 

[caprinerd]

boys got skill thats for sure

awsome job grizz whats next

[CapperTom]

Nice

Your a real talented man, rare too see.

[steve dray]

That is well cool!! I could see one of them hangin off the back of my Anglia You should be proud,, VERY nice

[GT_lenny]

its a caravan but its cool, -theres something i never thought i'd say,in fact now that i have i felel dirty

[over_head_cam]

Very nice m8. Top work

[Kieran]

Very nice

[Skoty]

dude, that is well cool!!! an amazing bit of craftsmanship.

[BaileyMex]

very impressed, that looks the business

[grizz]

Thanks guys and ladies.

 

I am pleased it worked out for me, before Nicola could fire me up in it.

 

We hope to be at the retro Show at Santa Pod with the Transit and trailer in a couple of weeks.

[marky4]

that is brilliant hats off to you

[Trevmk3]

I do like it mate, saw it in the campsite at CF, top work and all has paid off

[grizz]

Intersting how one gets addicted to things.

 

The build of this trailer had it's ups and downs.

 

Now I find that with extra time on my hands, I am looking for stuff to do.

 

Today we found two identical Dino's at the bootfair. 20p each...... bargain.

 

I have been looking for ways to camouflage the base into which the poles fit for the galley, from ally Budweiser ber bottles to bits of wood etc.

 

When I saw the first one of these, it was going to be a mascot.

 

Then I found the 2nd one, and just knew it would be made to cover the base, with the pole going throigh the back ofit.

 

I also varnished the exterior another coat, about no 5 I think. and did the floor of the galley and sealed it around the bottom edge with some silicone both for water and gas entry into the cabin section.

 

Last thing I did was to open a tin of thinners and use some of it to get the glue from the Sellotape I had used along the edges where the Sikaflex went off the ally. Actually an easy job.

 

Dino in place.