The beginnings of the "Little Sport" w/pics

[Jeeper92]

I am finally set on building a tear drop. I have 2 older childern 7 and 5 that have seen this site and want to help me start building one. So away we go. I stummbled across this aristocrat trailer a few months ago. I sold a 1971 and this one is being given to me for free. I have to have it outta storage by march. So I am going to break it down at the storage place. I wish i could just have at it for an afternoon but its been too damn cold. I am going to salavage everything I can off of it. My goal is to have it stripped by the end of march and start on the "Little Guy" the day I am finished.Id like to finish it before may, as id like to take my kids fishing and camping during that time. At the latest I will have it finished by June 1!
Heres the trailer


I am not sure how wide it is going to be. I know that I want it 8 feet long and Im limited to 4 feet high. I will handle the width once i get the trailer broken down. I dont want or need a hatch. I would like to have everything i can possible fit into it. TV, lighting, fan, and ac are a few of the things. Im trying to do this as cheaply as possible, I may use the windows of the travel trailer but they are sooooo damn ugly. I also want to build it light enough to be towed by the jeep so under 1500 lbs. I am also goign to lift it and run 31's tires on it. I will see about an axel swap after the trailer is broken down. I am not going to use it in any kind of off road situation but would like for it to look like it matches the jeep. I am thinking of finishing it in herculiner and painting it white. I have seen this stuff used in jeeps and its water proof and pretty damn strong. If you have any suggestions or ideas for me please feel free to ask. Over the next few weeks ill be posting up different ideas that i have and ill sort through them. Id like to finalize the plans in two to three weeks soooo i can hit the ground running. I am drawing mostly from steve fs off road tear and this one http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showt ... 44&page=13. I dont want to build out over the tires unless the area between them is way to small. Id like it to be five feet or a little more. What do you all think jsut by looking at the trailer? how big of a trailer (space between tires) am I gonna have?
Id appreciate and input or ideas you all can give. Im on a tight budget and my skills are limited.

Heres a picture of my tow vehicle, was thinking maybe of painting the same red, itll be a smaller trailer so im not sure i itll be too gaudy with all that red



This is a great site with a great group of people I thank you in advance for all the help Ill get!

[planovet]

Heres a picture of my tow vehicle, was thinking maybe of painting the same red, itll be a smaller trailer so im not sure i itll be too gaudy with all that red

You can never have too much RED

[Endo]

I am drawing mostly from steve fs off road tear and this one http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showt ... 44&page=13.

You have picked 2 nice off-road teardrops to draw from.
I really like how this camper looks behind a Jeep!
http://s417.photobucket.com/albums/pp25 ... 0Teardrop/

Steve F's camper is another nice off-road tear.

Another one of my favorites!
http://tnttt.com/viewto ... highlight=

[Jeeper92]

Endo-Yeah they are really nice. I like the shape of the grey one. Im just afraid of getting in over my head with the shape and all the cuts. The White one is wayyy too complicated. ANY SUGGESTIONS? By the way I love your jeeps, good looking rigs. I have a year before mine is paid of and its not my daily driver, before then i have to be pretty tame with what i do

[Jeeper92]

Planovet-How was yours finished

[Jeeper92]

What size tires are they in your pic at the bottom of your post? What size tires on your jeep? How much is it lifted? I wasnt my tear to be level like that

[planovet]

Planovet-How was yours finished

I used Valspar Supreme Acyrlic Enamel, the color was Standard Red. That was what my trailer was painted with so I figured I would paint my Tear the same so they would match. I applied 3 coats of primer and 5 coats of topcoat, wet sanding between each top coat. I just used a foam roller because I didn't have a paint booth or spray equipment.

[Endo]

Endo-Yeah they are really nice. I like the shape of the grey one. Im just afraid of getting in over my head with the shape and all the cuts. The White one is wayyy too complicated. ANY SUGGESTIONS? By the way I love your jeeps, good looking rigs. I have a year before mine is paid of and its not my daily driver, before then i have to be pretty tame with what i do

The grey one looks great. That profile shouldn't be too hard to build. The only suggestions I have are take your time and enjoy the build. Be flexible.......things tend to change as the build progresses. Try not to "overbuild", the weight adds up quick. My first teardrop is built like a tank! The Jeep can tow it but I wish it was lighter. The second teardrop I built I managed to shaved 300 pounds off the weight by not overbuilding everything.

My current project is a 5x8 with a rooftop tent for my 2 boys. I am trying hard to keep the weight down but it is difficult to build an off-road camper that sleeps 4 and still keep it light. I know the Jeep can handle it but I am still trying to keep it as simple/lightweight as possible. I hope to have it done for our July 4th trip to Silver Lake sand dunes.

Thanks for the compliment on the Jeeps.

[Endo]

What size tires are they in your pic at the bottom of your post? What size tires on your jeep? How much is it lifted? I wasnt my tear to be level like that

The Jeep has a 6 inch long arm lift and 35" tires. I lifted my trailer 6 inches and the tires are 205/75/15. The trailer axle is mounted below the leaf springs as well. I would love to run 35" tires on the trailer (and no lift) but I didn't want the extra weight. It would require a much larger axle as well. I think the tires/rims I currently have on the trailer look nice with the Jeep and are tall enough to give it the look I was after but not too heavy.

[Jeeper92]

Thanks for the great response
Endo-THe size you have now is perfect, its a perfect match. Looks great!! What are you building on that trailer? A tent? Not sure I follow you on that one. As a jeep person what do you think of hercilining the entire outside of my trailer, pros cons? I havent decided what Im going to do as far the height of the jeep. A lot of my questions will answer themselves when I tear the current traile apart.

Panovet-Did you seal it with anything??????? Fiberglas? I think I may go red and deck it out in blac diamond plate and black hinges. Like the one in hte link i put in the above post

[planovet]

Planovet-Did you seal it with anything??????? Fiberglas? I think I may go red and deck it out in blac diamond plate and black hinges. Like the one in hte link i put in the above post

I sealed everything with CPES, a clear penetrating epoxy sealer. I put on two coats before my first primer coat. No glass.

[stomperxj]

Good Luck Jeeper92... I'll be watching your progress. I'll admit I have gotten a little meticulous with my build. I didn't have a ton of wood experience before I started on mine though... Just take your time and measure thrice

[Endo]

Thanks for the great response
Endo-The size you have now is perfect, its a perfect match. Looks great!! What are you building on that trailer? A tent? Not sure I follow you on that one. As a jeep person what do you think of herculining the entire outside of my trailer, pros cons?

I am building a 5x8 teardrop with a small pull out galley. I am welding up a roofrack for the teardrop.
I will be attaching a rooftop tent to the rack.
The wife and I will sleep in the tear. The kids get to sleep in the rooftop tent. The tent looks something like this:

It is not the exact unit I have but gives you an idea what it is like.
The tent will be mounted on the tear not the Jeep.

Herculiner has been discussed a few times. I have heard good and bad things about "bedliners" when used on teardrops.
Hopefully someone with first hand experience will give you some advice.

[Jeeper92]

Youll have to escuse my ignorance
Could you give me a step by step of what you did?
1.
2.
3.

thanks!! I need all the details, Im not sure if i wnat to do this or just hurclined it and be done

[Jeeper92]

Wait, so endo, you are going to be putting the tent on the roof of your tear?????? Whats one of those tents cost?