Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I have read here somewhere that pop rivets are used to put the trim on the hatch. Do you use pop rivets to put the angle aluminum on the body also? If so, will the pop rivets hold in the wood under the skin? When you put the rivets in the hatch trim is there something under the 1/8 plywood to hold the rivets?

Another question, where is a good place to check out some neat looking tail lights? I almost got ahead of myself again closing everything in before I have all my blocking in place for my tail lights, hatch latch etc. I would like to have the clasp type hatch locks but can't find them either.

Jim, screw the trim down on the body...on the hatch(this is not done yet so no pics) we are going to use the same insert molding as the body...it has a short leg onit and we are going to take a piece on 1" angle, cut one leg down to 1/2" and sandwich these two together with the hatch and pop rivet the whole mess together...it may be a couple of weeks before we actually get to this point
madjack

..oh yeah, lights...Del City has some nice lights...we got some surface mount 2x6 ovals from RedNeck both have a pretty good selection
madjack

It's not recomended that you use pop rivets. Use soft squize rivets with a thin backup washer. Be sure to do a test piece first. Also do it with a pop rivet and then decide.

I didn't use either on mine because I didn't apply alum to my hatch. Just glue and alum twist nails that look like rivets.



Have a good day.

Jack, thanks a bunch buddy for the information and the links. I will be doing some experimenting on some scrap before I get to the actual project.

Thanks Gage, I really do appreciate your input. By the way where did you get your fenders, if you don't mind me asking?

Got those at Superior Glass Works in Mulino, Oregon (they have a web site). They are '37 Chevy Truck fenders. They are 12" deep from inside flange to outside bead. Just under $200 each (3 years ago). That reminds me. I still owe him a picture.

Have a good day.

P.S. The owner also had a teardrop many years ago so they knew what I was talking about when I told them what I wanted them for.

Gage, Love your teardrop, it really looks classy. What is the size of it?

Jim,

Jim Marshall - Here's a close up of the hatch showing the alum twist nails. My tail lights came from J.C. Whitney and the brackets from a Model A parts house.


Jim (rooster) - Mine is 5 wide x 10 long (13 feet total). It's 4 high but lays over the frame 5". 12 inch ground clearence and 5 feet total height from ground to top.

Have a good day.

P.S. Look at the hatch close and you'll see a Desert scene. Dry lake, mountains and clouds in the sky.

Did you ever cover your hatch in aluminum, or did you leave it that way to show off your desert scene? If it's the later, you should add some color to it!

Mike...

mikeschn wrote:Did you ever cover your hatch in aluminum, or did you leave it that way to show off your desert scene? If it's the later, you should add some color to it!
Mike...

Nope, never had any alum on it. I didn't even notice the hatch until I was editing the pictures after my Minden trip. Put that skin on just for that trip. Before then I had a temp piece on the hatch that was on it for two years. It's got 5 coats of Minwax spar urethane on it now, don't need no more paint.

Have a good day.

Gage wrote:It's not recomended that you use pop rivets. Use soft squize rivets with a thin backup washer.

Gage,

What's a soft squize rivet?

Gage, you for sure built one beautiful tear. I did see the scene in the wood, that is neat. Thanks for telling me where you bought your fenders and tail lights. The fenders are really sharp but they are just a little beyond our reach. I was a little concerned about the twist nails working back out, but on your tear they can't because the urethane has them locked in place. I am wondering if they would work back out where there is no urethane. Maybe I could spot them with some type of glue when nailing them or do you think spotting them would be even necessary? I am just a little overly cautious from my years of building. When I built stairs, I used F26 construction adhesive on them and to tear them out without tearing them up was not possible. Thanks again for your help, I do appreciate it.

[/url]http://www.hansonrivet.com/w08.htm[url]
Here is a link to Squeeze rivets or as we call them in the aircraft industry solid rivets. Hope this helps.[/url]

Gage, it looks like JC Whitney discontinued the tail lights like you have. I did a search online and can't find anything close to what you have. I will keep on looking.

Try this, Danny
http://www.teardroptrailers.net/parts/l ... ghting.htm