Up for sale is a homemade teardrop trailer for restoration. Teardrop trailers are defined as having a sleeping area for two up front and a kitchen/galley in the rear which is accessible via a hatch on the outside. I believe the camper trailer was built originally in 1959 (has a 59 stamped on the tongue) and was redone in the 1970s with the cool green shag carpeting motif. I bought the trailer almost a year ago and had planned to restore it but have too many vintage vehicles to get to it (see my teardrop page to see what I mean). If you are unfamiliar with teardrop trailers you might want to take a look at the photos I snapped at last year's First International Teardrop Gathering or see the Teardrop Hall of Fame on the teardrop forum website. I can provide many resources on teardrop building if you plan to restore as a teardrop camper trailer. The trailer could also be restored as an enclosed or open utility trailer.
Trailer box measures 4' wide, 9' long (a foot longer than most), and 4' high (above the chassis). The tongue adds another 32" to the front, the fenders each stick out 9" and the total height from ground to top is 64". Good rolling chassis made of 2" x 3/16" (possibly 1/4") angle steel (some surface rust), has both leaf and coil springs on the dropped axle (also w/surface rust). Good aluminum siding and roofing over rotted plywood. You will need to disassemble and replace all wood using the aluminum sides as templates. Has tail lights that are not hooked up with a five pin round plug in the front. The trailer rolls around my backyard easy enough but I have not checked nor repacked the wheel bearings since I took possession. The tires are old, probably 1970s, are holding air, and the driver's side tire shows signs of age cracking.
There is a VIN number stamped into the tongue but the NM MVD has no record of it. There is no title, bill of sale only. I can discuss with you how to get the vehicle titled (as a 2006 home built trailer). The price is $250 firm, I've got more into it than that and transported it all the way from Bloomfield, NM to Albuquerque for you! If I can't sell it for this I'll likely dismantle and keep the aluminum sides/top and re-offer as a utility trailer frame. Lots of info near the pictures below. Trailer is sold as is, where is. I can deliver say as far as Santa Fe for $1.00 per loaded mile, mileage determined by the driving directions from my address to yours on Google Maps. I will deliver it on top of another trailer and will need your help rolling it down the ramps. If you decide to purchase and wish to tow it home on its own wheels I will gladly help you wire some temporary lights on it. You bring the lights and wiring, I can provide a four prong flat plug if that's what you need.
The trailer is in Albuquerque, NM near I-40 and Tramway and you are welcomed to come and view it if you like. The first person who lays $250 cash in my hand gets it, I won't hold it for you, nor will I deliver it to you unless you've paid me. With some elbow grease and a few hundred dollars (or as much as you want to spend depending how fancy you get) you should be able to rebuild this tear as new. Compare that to prices you'll find on eBay and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Note: do not buy teardrop trailer plans on eBay, you can get vintage magazine plans for free on the net (I learned the hard way).
The pictures below are separated into four sections based on the date they were taken.
The galley was completely disassembled by the guy I bought it from. All wood is rotted and will need replaced.
The hatch for the galley is non-existant save for the rounded steel outer trim and the sliding support rods.
The heavy steel fenders have quite a bit of surface rust on them, the steel six lug wheels do not. Both wheels roll well, this tire
has same age cracking.
The tongue is made from 3x1.5" channel with 2" angled steel supports welded to it. The steel is at least
3/16", possibly 1/4". The screw coupler takes a 2" ball and works correctly though there is no locking
mechanism present. Note that the nearly new folding trailer jack comes with the camper but will not fold
when attached in the position shown here or below. It is simply temporarily mounted so I could roll the trailer
around as needed. I planned to weld another piece of angle to one of the side braces to make a square box to mount
the jack on so it would fold correctly. Could also be bolted directly to one of the side angles.
Leaf and coil springs underneath. Again, the wooden floor is completely shot but the chassis looks pretty good with some surface rust. There is a bit clearer picture quite a ways down the page.
The interior was simple with a single shelf at the front and the stereo shelf in the rear. Much of the shag
carpeting has been removed, you will certainly
want to remove (and burn) the rest.
Both doors are present with good aluminum siding and edge trim. The door in front has an inside latch, the door behind has both inside and outside handle/latch. Both hinged windows are present with broken plexiglass. The slideout mechanisms are there and may be
saved. Both drip guards for above windows are present. Both
door hinges (steel) are present and can probably be reused once pounded straight. Both pieces of aluminum drip guard
for above the doors are present and usable. Both heavy steel trim pieces for the galley hatch are present (though rusted).
The aluminum siding on the trailer is mostly in good shape. I had planned to remove it, use it as a pattern to cut
new walls, then bang back into shape. Either chemical or mechanical paint stripping to get the horrid paint (and the
bad likeness of Speedy Gonzales) off of it and reuse the aluminum siding on the rebuilt trailer. One area of
concern is this tear in the aluminum on the hinge side of the driver's side door. Also, if you look at the other
pictures closely you'll see three vents in the aluminum where there are surely holes behind. My plan was to patch
to the best of my ability and to have the patches add *character* to the old camper.
Driver's side axle/springs. Again, there is a slightly better picture below.
The tongue with the folding jack mounted further back. Won't fold here either but if your hitch ball is tall
enough you could probably leave mounted here. The trailer is light enough to lift off the ball.
One (rusted) lug nut missing on each side
Good shot of one of the rusted fenders. I have used a wire brush on an angle grinder with success on most surface
rust on previous restores. Since the rust on these fenders is a bit deeper, I planned to use the electrolysis method on
these using a plastic garbage can and an automotive battery charger. Never got to it.
The galley before I cleaned it out. Note on the left side about 1/3 of the way forward (just into the brown painted
area) is a vertical bar with some fasteners. This is where the eight foot piece of plywood was joined with a one
foot piece of plywood to give the side walls their nine foot length. For the tear I'm currently working on (a 10 footer)
I used a slot cutter and an oak spline to join my plywood, see the walls page on
my teardrop site for a picture of that.
Cool wall pockets cut from blue jeans and stapled to the interior. Think I'll use this on the tear I'm working on now--NOT!
Good view of the 8-track deck and more pockets. The former owner said this deck worked. I've not tried it. There is a crusty speaker sitting on the shelf as well--NO EXTRA CHARGE!
The front of the tear chassis has two pole stands attached. Was used by the original, original owner to put up two poles with a canvas
awning that covered the entire tear (as told to me by the folks I bought it from, the second owners).
Another view of the parts shown above. The large rounded pieces at the outside are the steel hatch trim, the smaller
rounded pieces further in are the *above the door* trim. The mangled, rusted piece in the middle is the original
galley hinge which is rusted beyond repair. You can see the outside handle on the right door and kinda see the
window tilt-out mechanism on the left door.
Here's that better picture of the leaf and coil springs I promised you.
These holes were drilled in the side walls behind each of the louvered vents (picture below).
The steel bar is where the two pieces of plywood were joined described above.
Picture of one of the tail lights. Not hooked up, they may work when you wire them. Not the way I would have mounted them.
It looks like the brackets at the rear corner may have held lights at one time. Many teardrop builders use Model A taillights (reproductions)
mounted right on the fenders.
One of the three louvred vents in the tear. Not sure what the aluminum looks like behind here.
The galley before they cleaned it out. That frame was likely part of the galley hatch as well, and it didn't come with the camper. Didn't even leave me the gas can. The bar near the top of the sidewall is one of the two sliding hatch supports present in the galley. Both work but will need cleaned up.
Another shot in their yard. The piece of trim at the very top above the door did not come with the trailer but this
is the type of trim used where the roof and walls meet. At the top of the galley opening you can see another piece
of trim. This is thin aluminum channel that goes over the edge of the plywood and the aluminum siding (same as on the doors). It not only holds
the siding on but also provides the smooth surface for foam weatherstripping in the galley hatch to ride on and provide
the weatherproof seal. This piece of trim is present (and still sticking up), the one on the opposite side of the galley
is missing. Can use the first as a pattern for making a second one.
Interior shot showing the framing for one of the doors.
Another view
Interior before they cleaned it out.
What the galley hatch once looked like. Again, the only parts of the galley I have are the steel trim pieces on either side
and the inside supports that would have held it up. The MVD also ran this plate with no records found, making it easier to register as a new home built (especially after you rebuild it).
And here is the only picture I have of what the original galley looked like. Some folks have very impressive galleys, as you can see here in the Gallery of Galleys (may need to log in to Yahoo to see). This galley, not so impressive.
Close-up of Speedy. He probably looked good at one time.