Your thoughts? Part Deux

Originally posted by OldNeumanntapr My grandfather, who was a custom cabinet maker, built his own tent trailer in 1953 and even sewed the canvas himself. It was pretty basic, looking at old photos and from what my mom has told me. Two twin beds folded out from each side. Later, in about 1956 or ‘57. He built a cabover camper for one of the cabinet shop trucks. It had one of the first slide outs, that contained two bunks, and had a rear kitchen. That camper is slowly disintegrating now but was really special in its day. I remember camping in that camper when I was a little kid.

That sounds a lot like what my dad did. He built a tent trailer first. Then he built a cab-over truck camper. I was young enough that I don't remember much about the trailer and I remember being up in the cab-over bed. After that, it was a commercial bunkhouse trailer with four bunk beds in back and a convertible dinette in the front. Since there were seven of us total, one of the boys usually got to be outside in a pup tent. After dad had an experience where he nearly jackknifed the station wagon and trailer, he got rid of it and went to a commercial truck camper. That also allowed him to tow the aluminum boat on a trailer. Before, the boat was lifted up and placed upside-down on a roof rack on the station wagon. It was in these that I got my desire to camp. We went from tents to no camping to the R-Pod. We did not go with as many steps and I certainly did not build my own although I had looked at plans for teardrop trailers at one point.

Although I would really like to build one of my own design, unfortunately, I have neither the tools nor the shop in which to do so. I have been able to make modifications to our 179. In a few years, we may upgrade. The 195 floor plan looks interesting but since it is only a floor plan at this stage, I would want to see what it looks like when one is actually built.

It is very simple and basic.

He uses it quite a bit in the 3 seasons. There is no insulation, so heat, condensation and noise are probably issues.  He also said that it is so light that it bounces around quite a bit.  I don’t remember what /if any suspension is used.

He told me he had less than $3500 invested.  I know he did most of the work himself and a lot of the pieces were reused/scrounged from wrecks

Not our style, but he does get out and go places

Vann