Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

When I first started about building a camper, I was thinking of simplicity, and with my truck, I started with building a sort of cabover camper type camper. However once I discovered Teardrop Trailers my cabover camper idea went quickly out the window. Now a couple years later, I am thinking about combining the designs.

The camper would sit on the side rails just like a cabover camper does, and the low sides are simply a facade that hangs over to make it have the teardrop shape.



A crude rendering I know, but it gets the idea across. It would be 10 foot long riding on the open tailgate, and would look cool because it would completely hide the tailgate and have a full rounded rear shape.

I was thinking a rear hatch with a super deep hinge similar to the Goose with a standup door and ladder down since the entry will need to be in the rear. This would eliminate the crawling into the back of a truck feeling.





the mattress would need to be from front to back, unless the entire profile was enlarged, then it could be raised on top of the truck bed sides and then could be placed sideways like the goose, but then you are getting pretty tall.. might not be terrible... Lets see... Something like this.



Am I insane?

2bits wrote:Am I insane?

...well, yes you are...that doesn't preclude the idea however...somewhere, way back when, I had seen a similar setup on an old Chevy(or Ford)...the only thing I would question is bringing the sides down for a faux facade look...leave that part off and do all the rest and it will still look like a TD inna truck
madjack
p.s. another plus is YOU would not have to backup a trailer ......................mj

hey Thomas, pull the pickup bed and build it full width right on the bare frame. Bring the sides down even with the bottom of the cab and then swept upward behind the rear wheels. Viola, a Class C teardrop

I kinda like the idea, can you tell I've thought about it? Maybe we're both insane

Picture it using the idea of a Winter Warrior...

LOL Yeah I am with ya all the way about backing up the trailer haha, I am a a great backer except when you strap somethin on the hitch!

Shaun,
Pulling the bed off of the truck totally would defeat the purpose in my mind. While visually I am with ya, I use my truck all the time and if I made it a full time RV, then that takes my truck out of commission!

Thomas, I like the idea a lot! I like Shaun's idea of removing the truck bed and building on the frame. You could then put doors on the sides like a typical teardrop, and not have to enter the camper from the rear. Put a galley back there. Just food for thought.

Sam I am wrote:Thomas, I like the idea a lot! I like Shaun's idea of removing the truck bed and building on the frame. You could then put doors on the sides like a typical teardrop, and not have to enter the camper from the rear. Put a galley back there. Just food for thought.

Well, I gotta give that the same reply, that if you remove the bed of the truck, then it is no longer my frequently used truck, it is a full fledged RV that gets used 6-10 times a year but must be maintained, tagged, inspected and insured all year long. That is a waste of space and a loss of a perfectly good truck in my humble opinion. I live on a budget and don't have the desire to maintain such a little utilized expense. Plus I need my truck! LOL

Thomas, I do think a slide in with a teardrop profile would be cool. And a wild goose/winter warrior rear entry would make it really practical. Could be a very fun project, lots of possible ideas within the design. I do understand keeping the pickup fully useable when not camping, I have to do the same with mine. Everything has to be detachable. Given any thought to the loading/unloading mechanisms?

Thomas, I also like this idea .....I have a small sailboat that I'd like to take along camping which is kinda out of the question when pulling the TT. This slide in TD/camper would work real slick

I've also been thinking about some kind of foldup/popup camper (not as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as the more sensual shape of the teardrop, but would be quite practical and functional)

Anyway, interesting thread this

Thank guys, just tossing ideas around. as far as loading and unloading old tricks are the best tricks, I was thinking of using some cabover camper lifts. The height of the camper may be an issue since the profile would be much lower.. Good question!

Insetting the door, so that you don't have to make a big, possibly leaky, hatch is another idea. Admittedly, this is a canned-ham-in-a-truck, not a teardrop:

I came across this exact thing a few days ago on Craigslist, but I can no longer find it. The gentleman listing it had built it himself and said it had the option of being fit directly to a trailer chassis.

If I recall correctly, he had a link to a website of his containing pics of a Sprinter Van that had an Airstream trailer grafted to the rear, and pics of a few other vehicles he had built.

Sorry I can no longer find it, but knowing it is out there, someone may find it.

Thomas, not sure if I missed a post. Did you sell your teardrop as you had said in earlier posts? Are you gonna have something for LCG? Inquiring water balloons want to know.

Woa Thomas,

I don't cruise by this section often, and just came across your latest creation! Looks really cool!

Now you've got me thinking...and I'm definitely not in my right mind. Maybe offsetting the door to one side would allow you to keep the shower in place while camping. Perhaps you could make a flip down step.

As Angib mentioned, keeping the hinge water tight maybe a bear. Maybe a living hinge would work or even a SS piano hinge covered by a rubber strip.

Take care and keep those creative juices flowing.

Tom

Interesting idea, I do like the teardrop shape though, but I wouldn't be opposed to a ham style. I think the hatch worries could be addresses, I mean most of us here have hatches, so it can be done.

That would be cool to see that craigslist find!

Sandy, Nope I haven't sold my teardrop, that is still a plan B, but not there yet. I was just playing in my mind for the future possibilities hehe You can't just build one yanno haha

Thanks Tom! I really like that offset door idea for the shower! If/when I build another, it will have a shower unless it is just a temporary camper to tide me over.

Hey Thomas,
Here is a thread from a few years ago, discusing the same idea...

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=21223&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=truck+bed&start=0

Towards the bottom of page 1 Rich (Nitetimes) starts his build. I don't know if it's what you're thinking of...but it's something to look at.