I'm from Portland Oregon and have traveled for years towing a 35 ft 12,000 lbs pig of a trailer that just was a nightmare to drive through small towns during rush hour. I've stopped hauling that big thing and have gone to a Toyota Yaris... no I don't sleep in it.
For years and years I've seen people go about getting started in RVing with pop up tent campers as their first RV. When I was a kid the family went about camping in tents and at state park tent sites. After traveling to hundreds of RV campgrounds I just can't get myself to go out back to cook the bacon and eggs, too much like tent camping. So...
Here is my idea that I've been thinking about for at least ten years. I thought that getting the tent-camping camper off the ground and on to a supported wood floor, and that that would be a missing step between tent camping and the pop-up tent trailer/camper.
After discovering this website and this world of TDs & TTT I decided to build a teardrop that had a lift top with fold up upper walls and one slide out. I was making plans to build the whole thing as aluminum on top of a Harbor Freight 1,800 lbs 4' X 8' trailer ($299 on sale right now.)
Then it hit me... I have the HF trailer and the tow package installed on my Yaris, as of today. I finish the wiring next. anyway... why not the old idea but with the HF trailer with a utility box trailer style with a lid as the bases for a transformer type of a contraption. The automation part to be done by me when I first arrive at any new campsite.
So the top lifts up to seven feet six inches above the deck of the trailer while each side folds out to set on their own leg supports. Then metal walls go around the edges of each floor sectioned alcove created by the trailer sides becoming flooring. I then have a living demention of 11 feet by 14 feet with solid walls. All I've done is take the original idea of a tent with a floor and put it on wheels, add solid insolated walls and perhaps add a few self contained features.
So next week I will begin building the utility box with a lid. It's in seeing all these really cool looking teardrops that I am inspired and want to make my TTT a reality and not just an old idea rehashed.
Mark Brownell
to the playground Mark. Your plan is a bit ambitious for me but I would love to see it done. I am not sure you will get the weight low doing that many fold outs.
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