The Smith's First Teardrop!!!

[greekspeedoman]

Spottersmitty,

I've been watching your build. What a great project. I love it. I look forward to more updates.

I too love moldings!

Cheers

[S. Heisley]

Paint Colors:

Congrats on your converter score, too!

[Spottersmitty]

Well, I have to apologize, because it's been forever since I gave an update on our teardrop. I have taken some pictures, but it's been crazy around here. Jennifer and I are about to move to Michigan, and so between working, packing, finishing everything up, and working on the teardrop, I haven't had too much time to post on here. So, I'll do my best to bring you up to speed.

It was time to build a door. I really didn't know what I was doing, so in the process I didn't take too many pictures. Basically, it is a 2x2 frame with 1/2 inch plywood on the outside and the same inner skin as the interior. The window that Adam gave me fit perfectly. I used a piano hinge of some sort that I got at Lowe's. With a little molding for a door jamb, and a little weather stripping to keep everything out, the door seals pretty well. I still have some touch ups to do on it, but I think it turned out pretty well for a first timer!


Here's a pic of the inside...


Then, after the door was completed, I slacked off and stressed out about the hatch. I hear that I'm not the only one the worries about it. After much reading, I started in on the project with a lot of help from my dad. He came up and spent his vacation to work with me. What a great guy!!!


He cut all the "spacers" between the bows.


And we were a little surprised at how snuggly it fit!


We skinned the hatch with some super thin plywood...


And mounted it! I ordered my hurricane hinge and molding which arrived a few days later. The hinge was a little tricky, but my wife and I were able to get it on and the hatch in place. This picture is obviously after adding the FRP, Fiberglass Reinforced Panels, and handle etc.


I used garage door rubber seals around the sides and bottom edge. It wasn't as tight as I needed it, so I installed the hatch latches on the bottom...


...and some turn buckle type contraptions, that I spent many hours dreaming about, on the top.
[img]http://www.tnttt.com/gallery/image.php?image_id=67611/[img]
It's not pulled down in this pictures, but it really keeps the top nice and tight.

While my dad was still here, our 8 inch memory foam mattress from Wal-Mart arrived. It ROCKS!!! It came in a rather small box, and it fit through the door nicely. After cutting it open, it expanded nicely and is SUPER comfortable. I've got to make some curtains, and the interior will be finished!!!


Well, I'll try and keep you updated. I've only got a couple weeks till we leave on our trip. We're going to go camping in it this Sunday night. I'll let you know how it goes!

[Spottersmitty]

Yesterday, I got out my sewing machine and made some panels to cover the windows. I want to be able to sleep when there are lights all around us or when the sun comes up too early. I was a little surprised at how well they work! I put velcro squares around the edges and they rock! They aren't very "sexy," but they'll work just fine!

I made one for the door:
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and one for the bigger window:

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[whtknight]

This is coming along great... hope you have fun camping in it..;-)

[Spottersmitty]

Thanks! We're testing it out this Sunday night. I'll let you know how it goes!

[parnold]

Wow!

Very nice, clean looking interior. Love the gray with white trim!

I love my WW memory foam too, more comfortable than my regular bed.

[Spottersmitty]

After using our super fun tear drop for a year, Jennifer and I have decided that it is time to sell it. It is time to move on to something else, or maybe it's time to just get rid of "Stuff" that has to be stored, and cleaned, and maintained...

Now before you become disappointed in me for moving on to something else besides teardrops, I must say that Jennifer and I built our tear for a special purpose, to go on a cross-country roadtrip last summer. It was amazing!!! Here area a couple pics from our journey:









It really was a fun trip, and the teardrop was AWESOME! It pulled all around the US without ANY problems. The A/C was amazing when it was hot. All that insulation that I put in there kept us cool as well as WARM when we were in the cold temps of Yellowstone. The galley was so much fun to use, and we talked to so many people that loved it!

But, although we have loved it and used it several other times, it is time to let someone else enjoy it as much as we have. It has been in storage with only a couple outings in the last year. We are moving in May, so it would be nice to not have to try and figure out how to get it from Michigan, back to the South.

As I have been getting ready to sell it, I've done quite a bit of revamping. I've completely rebuilt the galley area. The drawers were a bust. The worked "ok," but these shelves that I put in are much better. Tupperware containers fit right in there and are great to store things. I got rid of the two door deal I had going on, and went with a single. The cooler slider is rebuilt too. Anyway, it is much better and works well. Here's what it looks like now.





I'll be putting it up in the classifieds, so if you know of someone looking for a teardrop, feel free to send them to mine. Who knows, but I might build another one in the future. Thanks for all your help and knowledge in building this one!