Greg's "Decotear" update August 10 2009

[Greg M]

Thank god for long weekends. If it weren't for them I'd be in real trouble. However, I've made significant progress since I last checked in. The roof skin is on and two coats of epoxy have been applied. This would all go so much faster if I didn't have to wait for epoxy to cure
I've framed up the rear door opening. I made a design change there. Rather than making the whole back flat and inset into the curved sides, I decided to curve the rear and only inset the door. Like so:

I didn't take any pictures but the door is built too, though it still needs to be skinned with aluminum. When I decided to change the rear end I also decided to lose the shelf at the rear, and have it come straight down instead. It just wasn't looking right. So now the floor and trailer are about eight inches shorter.
I also put the aluminum on the sides and back, and even laid down the underlayment for the vinyl roof. The vinyl is waiting at the post office for pickup tomorrow. Here's how the shell looks now:

I picked up a couple of lengths of insert corner trim, but all anybody in town had was polar white, no mill finish, so I've been using an eighty grit sanding wheel in my dremel to remove the paint, then hand sanding to 150 and polishing with 0000 steel wool. It's slow, but it looks pretty good.
I'm down to ten days before the maiden voyage so keep your fingers crossed that the busy time at work is over for now.

-Greg

[halfdome, Danny]

W0W Greg your smokin'. Lookin' good . That's a lot of progress for such a short time. Will that eight inches change your tongue weight much? I'm sure you'll make your deadline. Danny

[Greg M]

If anything I think removing the rear section is going to improve the balance. The axle was placed almost exactly at the centre of the frame, presumably because it was a lightweight popup trailer, and there was very little weight at the tongue.

-Greg

[Greg M]

I picked up and installed the roof today. Genuine Naugahyde, although I understand that it's from farm raised Naugas, not wild ones. The corner molding is roughed out, and now it's time to make the big push to get the trim all done. I sure hope my new fenders show up soon. It's almost to the point where I'm going to need the trailer frame

Look it's blue:

Dang, gotta remember to clean the dust off the camera lens
-Greg

[starleen2]

Now THAT is COOL!

[wlivesey]

I picked up and installed the roof today. Genuine Naugahyde, although I understand that it's from farm raised Naugas, not wild ones.

I hear that farm raised Naugas are considered superior to the wild variety. I can't say that I know why. I like that you've chosen the rare, and much sought after, blue Naugahyde.

[High Desert]

I picked up and installed the roof today. Genuine Naugahyde, although I understand that it's from farm raised Naugas, not wild ones.

I hear that farm raised Naugas are considered superior to the wild variety. I can't say that I know why. I like that you've chosen the rare, and much sought after, blue Naugahyde.

I think it has something to do with a special feed the farmers are giving them


the build is looking great Greg

[regis101]

Nice design. It's going to look good when finished.

Did you use 3 or 5 ply? I saw some 5 ply 1/2" material at work today. Had some nice strength to it. And you fastened the sides to the floor with L-metal on the inside and pointer screws? L-metal on the outside also?

Thanks,

[Greg M]

Nice design. It's going to look good when finished.

Did you use 3 or 5 ply? I saw some 5 ply 1/2" material at work today. Had some nice strength to it. And you fastened the sides to the floor with L-metal on the inside and pointer screws? L-metal on the outside also?

Thanks,

Hi Regis,

Yes, it's 5 ply. Surprisingly nice stuff for good one side plywood. There don't seem to be any voids in the inner layers at all. The sides are epoxied as well as screwed to the angle aluminum, so I don't think I need extra support on the outside as well. With the roof skin on and the back wall skinned there's no wracking so I don't see that joint moving at all.

Thanks

-Greg

[regis101]

I'm gonna guess that it'll come in around ~230 lbs?

[Greg M]

Hi folks,

Well, it's coming down to the wire, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (insert train whistle here). The body is now complete!
I've been madly making and modifying trim and the last pieces just went on. These are the inside door weatherstrips:

Most of my time Friday and Saturday was spent working on and around the rear door, but I'm very happy with the results and, amazingly, the deadbolt and door strike actually lined up perfectly
A last minute addition was the tail-lights in the back wall. What do you think?


The forecast was for rain Monday, so I spent Sunday getting the frame ready to mate up with the body. I flipped the axle to lower the height about four inches, bolted on the rear frame member from when I shortened it, added stabilizers, and repacked the bearings. Then I took the wire wheel to it and sprayed on a new coat of flat black. Busy day.
Tomorrow, is supposed to be back to mostly dry, so the plan is to mate the frame and body, wire up the lights, and take it for a test spin. Wednesday night I'll be loading up before heading out.
For some reason I keep hearing the Jeopardy music in my head

-Greg

[regis101]

I think it looks great. I now know that my weight guesstimate is low.

[Greg M]

Hey Regis,

I'm guessing at an overall weight of 600 lbs. I was able to manhandle the body up onto the frame by myself, so I doubt it weighs more than 400. If I get the chance I'll run by the scale tomorrow, and find out for sure.

-Greg

[Greg M]

Well,
I've got a couple of more hours of build time left, and all I need to do is put my temporary fenders on. The shop seems to have lost my order dangnabbit

I put the body on the frame, and wired up the lights. Then I put a platform on the frame of the tongue because it just looked too bare with nothing there. After I'm back I'll work on building a proper tongue box for it.

Here's how things look now. Sorry for the darkness, that sun just doesn't seem to stay up as late as it used to.

Oooh, Shiny!




-Greg

[Prem]

Greg,

How did the first camp-out go in the rig???



Prem