Step 1: Planning the design.
Here's the way this is going to work... For each of the Steps, 1 through whatever, I am going to submit a brief description of that step.
You guys will have to tell me what I am missing, if I am all wet or whatever... then I'll rework the description of that step until I feel we have captured the best of the best from you guys.
So here we go with step 1...
The plan is to come up with a design that anyone with a reasonable amount of skill and a reasonable amount of tools can build.
After conducting a poll of users here, it seems the two most popular profiles are the Benroy and the Kenskill. While the Benroy profile seems to fit well behind Jeep Wranglers and other sport utilities, the Kenskill seems to fit better behind a more vintage looking vehicle.
So lets review all the options before we make a final decision...
Here's what the teardrop should have...
A 48" height. 48" is a common size at all the orange box type stores
A length long enough for a true queen sized bed... 80"
A width comfortable enough to sleep in, including rolling over without rolling over your partner. As a minimum I would like to suggest a queen sized bed 60" wide.
A robust trailer design that is easy to procure, whether you are a welder or not. A 5x8 bolt together red trailer seems to fit that category.
A door that is easy to make and use. Easy to trim, whether it's a woodie or a clad/skinned design. (The door center should be about 40" from the head of the mattress to the center of your body when you sit up and swing your legs over the side of the mattress.
A door that is tall enough to not hit your head on it when climbing in or out.
A cabin that gives you adaquate storage without making you feel claustraphobic.
A generic design that lets you adjust the profile from Kenskill to Benroy to your own custom design, and still use the same basic directions.
A choice of skinning... either aluminum, filon, or Uniflex 255.
A galley design that doesn't bruise your shins... per Amy
A basic galley that consists of stove, and fridge/icebox or cooler and storage.
A tongue that lets you have a propane tank and a battery.
A roof vent to keep you cool
An easily accessable raceway for electrical wiring
Easily obtainable parts
A shoreline connection for campground campers
A solar panel for rustic campers
Gas struts to make it easy to open the hatch
A total dry weight of less than 1000# which allows almost any car to tow it.
A tongue weight of less that 150# which most car hitches can handle
The basic teardrop should be affordable... (it's the options that add cost)
An optional heat source will be the 12000 BTU forced air furnace
An optional cooling source will be a 5000 BTW window air conditioner
An optional roof rack
Here's what we are ruling out right from the get go...
4' trailers... A 4' teardrop, which seems to be a bargain, is not bargain if you find it's too small for you. Who wants to sell it and start over again? Not me.
A shitty looking design. No one wants to be seen with something that looks shitty. We want classic and classy designs only, something you'll be proud to be seen in. While there are many classy designs, we will only focus on one or two of them.
Okay guys...
This is my starting point. Tell me what I am missing.
Mike...
P.S. Step 2 is building the chassis (the trailer)