by mezmo » Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:12 am
Sounds like a doable idea. A lot would depend on what you find for one. The full-size or compact truck size caps/toppers would give you a choice as to size also. The structure would be almost half built using that as the upper half of the TD/TT.
As suggested, e-bay, craigslist, local penny savers and such could be good sources for used toppers/caps
Another idea for using a PU topper/cap would be: to hinge the whole top on one side of the base/lower trailer body – the front or highway side would seem to be the most likely – and then build a tilt-up side and tilt-up ends or tilt up end and tilt up sides, as the case may be, to enclose the sides. (You'd have to brace the PU topper/cap opening end side to side, and the bottom of the whole topper/cap with a rigid perimeter, of course. [Corner gussets could help give rigidity.].) This could give you more head room or possibly enough headroom to be considered a 'standy' if that is something you think you might want. This could then let you put the entrance door in the folding side/end and trailer base all hinged together and thus allow the PU topper/cap to just be the roof of the Tear/TT and you then wouldn't have to be concerned about cutting into/up the topper/cap. I'm sure gas struts or springs or a winching mechanism of some sorts could be made to tilt up the topper/cap to suit the situation.
--Or--
Build the base tall enough to get Teardrop doors in it and cap the base with the PU topper/cap – or – build the base as a wedge of sorts that allows doors to be installed and then cap it with the PU topper/cap.
Just a couple/three of ideas on it.
So good luck and show us all how it is done! (Documented with copious amounts of pics of course!)
If you have a house - you have a hobby.