Kamp King last pics, journal is complete.

[doug hodder]

Doug, This camper looks awesome! Did you actually spray the top of the roof in your shop? seems like only about 2 feet of clearance!

Only the front and rear portions of the roof were sprayed while on the trailer in about 18" at it's narrowest. I still need to do the center piece, which will be leaned against the garage door and sprayed, then install it after I drop the trailer down on the frame on the floor. Doug

[2bits]

I was just reviewing your posts and I see that you dropped the tongue to the ground to do the front and raised it high to do the back! Creative! I would have never thought painting would be illegal!

[doug hodder]

Thomas..painting isn't illegal...what I spray potentially is. A regular oil based enamel is fine to spray, but I'm spraying acrylic urethanes and those are a no no in this part of Calif as the VOC's are higher, unless you have an approved spray booth. I don't, but only do it about every 2 years or so. It's the only way I could get the metallics that I wanted. I did however only do it in a single stage paint so that I didn't have the extra effort and "carbon footprint" of a 2 stage paint. The advantage is a much wider variety of colors as I can do any automotive color available + metallic, and a great gloss on it. It's a very "tough" paint. It's a wash and wax type of paint...tree pitch, road grime, grease etc...cleans right off, solvents won't eat it up unless they are really "hot". It's kind of a gray area here as it's available for me to purchase legally, with no proof that I have the necessary air filtration systems to spray it. I'm sure that will end in the near future. Doug

[doug hodder]

I got the rear of the trailer pretty much finished up this weekend. Sprayed the yellow, lights installed, plate light, graphics, drip cap. Then I installed the rock guard on the front window. It was in pretty rough shape as it was 41 years old and was just fiberglass with no coating on it. All the glass had fibers sticking out of it and was really starting to deteriorate from the UV. I scuffed it down with a scotchbrite to remove the fibers, drilled a number of loose rivets and replaced them with bolts and nuts, fabbed up some new adjuster nuts for the end caps, used some yellow that was extra from the sides and sprayed it as an undercoat. Then top coated it with the silver. The yellow and silver on it still allow some light to penetrate. A primer would have cut that out completely.

I also had to make up some 10 degree wedges to fit behind the mount full width. The original trailer had a complete vertical front, and this one has a radius that begins right above the window. So the rock guard stuck out 10 degrees on the bottom. I didn't realize that this was an issue until I mounted up the bracket with over 6' of butyl tape. In 95 degree heat, it was a real mess to remove all of that. At least it's got some good UV protection on it now so should last a long time.

I also got the last piece of the roof scuffed and ready to spray which I'll probably do late tonight or very early tomorrow morning, depending on how the heat is. I've gone through like 3 rolls of masking tape and who knows how many sheets of cheap plastic to tent this project as I paint. I still have the tongue to paint. I don't spray them till the build is almost over as I end up standing on them and marking up the paint. Thanks for watching. Doug

[Phooey]

That is a flaming work of art! Almost makes me want to go the "standy" side. You are a true artist.

[S. Heisley]

I'm really going out on a limb here on this one, to actually post in the build journals. However, I've always said what I'm gonna do and then done it...hope I can do it now...If I fail, please give me a break!

...While I know it may sound stupid....but if you can make more people believe in your visions, the more likely you are to accomplish them... Doug



All the parts, just thrown it...I'll sort it all out...hope it's got all the hardware...if not...I'll punt!

From that (above) to this:

... Thanks for watching. Doug

No, Doug, THANK YOU!

[halfdome, Danny]

Very nice Doug
Thanks for sharing.
Danny

[KCStudly]

Thank you Doug. You are an inspiration for so many with your talent for taking something old and crusty and turning it into a piece of awesomeness!

Sharon said it so well that I honestly got a little choked up.

I know that you have inspired me to do better on my build, and I am sure that you have inspired many others, too. Thank you again.

It's like the chicken and the egg. Which came first, your eye for color and deco themes, or the love of old things? After seeing my sister and mom do quilt work, with the colors and shapes, I am convinced that there is a connection between that talent that you have. Not sure which way it goes, but there is a talent none the less!

[doug hodder]

Thank you all for your kind compliments, I really appreciate them, really! It's a very enjoyable thing for me to do, I love visualizing something that I can potentially build and then going for it. I always get an opportunity to learn something new, and hone those abilities that I don't use all that often, and many times, learn how to cover my screw ups!

In the end, I get a project that I love to use and the satisfaction of knowing that I created it, while camping and meeting a great group of people. While my tooling and skills are more than some may have, the thing is...it just doesn't matter. All potential tear or TTT builders should just go for it and create something that suits their needs or dreams based on their abilities. The worst thing you can do is down the road be sitting there thinking..."I wish I would have built a trailer". Life is too short to not find all your creative outlets and enjoy the out of doors with a great crowd of people. Doug

[KCStudly]

Well said!

[wagondude]

I just love watching your trailers come together. It is a beautiful sight.

[TENNJIM]

Doug, that is one beautiful build-really enjoyed seeing it come together.

Jim B / Utah

[doug hodder]

I've been doing a fair amount of camping so haven't really pushed on this project in a while (10 days in the last month whoopee!). I decided that this trailer wasn't going to go out this season, so will spend a good part of the winter in the garage and that will give me plenty of time to play around and do a bit of interior details that I haven't done on it. I haven't really touched it in a month.

Yesterday, I jacked it up, crawled under it and welded on 4 casters to the frame at the spring mount area. I also made another strip of 1/4" steel plate with 4 more casters for the front portion that just slips under the front. I pulled the springs and axle, then lowered the whole thing down on the ground. It's sitting at 80 1/4" and the door header is 81, so it will fit out the door now. Not a lot of extra room, and I must have measured this thing 20 times thinking about how to get it out the door during it's build. Now I need to insulate, and skin the roof center portion. Once lowered...I found some tools up there that I forgot about! Doug

[cherokeegeorge]

Um, maybe i'm wrong but it seems your not going to get many miles on those wheels. and wont there be problems clearing driveways and speed bumps. Great looking trailer but those wheels seem under size.

[Wolfgang92025]

George,

Doug is setting a new trend again, "Low Rider Trailers" to go with your Low Rider TV.