...............Teardrop Home Page ................................... Sumner's Home Page
Teardrop Trailer Index Page
Construction Of My Teardrop Trailer -- When I go to Rod Runs I like to camp and I have always wanted to build a teardrop trailer,
so I did .
The following pages will show the construction details as I built the trailer. I started the trailer in April of '99 and took it to the NSRA show in Pueblo at the end of June of '99 in primer and with the inside not finished. The inside was finally finished and the outside painted to match my pickup in July of 2000.
I have looked at other trailers and plans for others, but I wanted something a little different.
My trailer is a little longer (9 feet) and a little wider (57 inches).
It is also all metal (1 X 1 thin wall square tubing for the frame covered on the outside with 20 gauge cold rolled steel and on the inside with .032 aluminum).
The top raises and lowers about 11 inches. This gives the trailer a low profile on the highway (52 inches total height), yet good head room when I am camping (63 inches high).
I have also moved the eating area inside. There is a counter in front of the bed/seat area with a sink, frig, and a place for a cook stove.
If you have any questions about the construction you can go to my Home Page and e-mail me.
A special thanks to Larry Sorensen for giving me the ideas on a long tongue (the trailer's not mine) and the leveling jack stands.
Sumner Patterson
Page One -- Cut away drawing and basic frame construction
Page Two -- Construction of floor and storage compartments.
Page Three -- Construction of Sides
Page Four -- Top in the "Up/Down Positions"
Page Five -- Lift Mechanisms
Page Six -- Inside/Outside Skin
Page Seven -- Inside/Outside Skin and Insulation
Page Eight-A -- Trailer in Primer and 90% Done
Page Eight-B -- Trailer Painted Purple with Flames to Match the GMC
Page Eight-C -- Pictures of the finished Inside
Page Nine -- Door, Rear Window, Rear Pan, and Fender Details
Page Ten -- Rear Bumper and Inside Side Shelf Supports
Page Eleven -- Details of How the Fenders Were Built.
Page Twelve-- Rock guards for trailer front and fenders.
Page Thirteen-- More information on how the top goes up and down.
Page Fourteen-- Thoughts and suggestions on Tongue/Frame Construction and Safety
Sheet Metal Brake -- Sheet metal brake I built for this project