Back from Michigan with teardrop camper.. [Archive]

Navy Chief

July 20th, 2009, 17:38

I left for Gaylord, Michigan a week ago today to pick up a teardrop camper. The perfect size camper for me. It has a full-sized futon mattress in it! Very comfortable. Got back this past Saturday morning, around 7 AM. Long drive. About 850 miles each way. I had no problems at all pulling the camper, as it weighed in at 850 pounds. The only trouble I experienced was driving through Cincinnati. It was lunch time, the traffic was heavy, but the worst part of all was the condition of the highway. Horrible. I thought I was on a roller coaster. I was worn out by the time I got out of the city limits. If I have to go that direction again, I will extend my trip however long it takes NOT to go though Cincy again.

Now a question.

The top of the teardrop needs refinishing. The sun has dried out the finish. The wood is thin; almost a veneer. (I suppose to cut down on weight). So would a chemical stripper work ok? Any suggestions?

Thanks.

I plan to "test" out the camper on August 15th for certain, because the "Little River Band" is playing at Hiawassee, GA Fairgrounds! I got a ticket today, and reserved a campsite! Whoohoo!!!

NC

GT182

July 20th, 2009, 17:49

Pictures NC? They are neat little campers..... but kinda like sleepin in a hot sardine can.

I've seen one here at a couple of car shows this year. If I see it again soon I'll get their name and info so you can contact them..... that's if you don't get any info before I can.

Toastmaker

July 20th, 2009, 18:05

Looks great! I hope you have all kinds of fun trips! (you lucky dog. . .)

:applause:

Navy Chief

July 20th, 2009, 18:07

I know one thing, the camper gets noticed. On the way home, I stayed at a couple campgrounds, and had several people stopping to check it out...

NC

David_L6

July 20th, 2009, 18:10

I'd use a DA sander and sand off the old finish then refinish using West System as a sealer and then a good automotive clear coat.

GT182

July 20th, 2009, 18:11

Your photos didn't show when I first looked in. That's why I asked about photos. ;)

That's just like the one I've seen a couple of times NC, only theirs is black. Now I wish I had taken pictures of it so you could compare them.

AckAck

July 20th, 2009, 18:19

I take it the weight was less than 1000 pounds? It looks like a lot of the weight would be on the tongue, by the location of the axle and the distribution of mass.

Brian

Brian_Gladden

July 20th, 2009, 18:22

Teardrop looks good behind a retro ride like an HHR :applause:

Brian

n4gix

July 20th, 2009, 18:25

Navy Chief

July 20th, 2009, 18:35

I take it the weight was less than 1000 pounds? It looks like a lot of the weight would be on the tongue, by the location of the axle and the distribution of mass.

Brian

You are correct about a lot of weight being on the tongue. I suppose there isn't anything I can do about that? It pulls fine though. No sway at all either.

As for room for a flight sim computer? Laptop I guess!!!

NC

Dexdoggy

July 20th, 2009, 19:41

Very cool and very retro! So, can you sleep in this gizmo? Would love some VC shots!

Railrunner130

July 21st, 2009, 05:01

Teardrop looks good behind a retro ride like an HHR :applause:

Brian

I was thinking the same thing. You could paint/redo the HHR to match the camper and make a woodie out of it. That would be really cool! Too expensive, I know.

:guinness:

Navy Chief

July 21st, 2009, 06:10

cheezyflier

July 21st, 2009, 07:01

Is there room for a flightsim computer? :)

Nice. I'm beginning to think it might be cheaper to get a small trailer and live long term at a campground than trying to fight the mortgage company... :ernae:

there was a campground in maryland when i was last there, where several people had been doing that in some r/vs

Brian_Gladden

July 21st, 2009, 08:57

My partner at work has a 45 foot Fifth wheel trailer that is permanently parked at a campground. He pays $250 a month on the camper and $150 a month for the lot rent and water/power/sewer hookup. Tom lives in it year round.

Brian

PS: Now I want a Teardrop of my own... A small one would go nice behind my Thunderbird....

Navy Chief

July 21st, 2009, 10:33

there was a campground in maryland when i was last there, where several people had been doing that in some r/vs

Of course it's easy to figure out what will happen. The more people that choose to live in campgrounds, etc...., the more the fees will increase, and availability will decrease. So will also the enjoyment of RVing.

NC

Boomer

July 21st, 2009, 11:32

Nice camper Chief! I also like the retro look.

You shoulda stopped in & said hey when you passed through Cinncy. You passed within a 1/4 mi of my office. And yup you nailed it, the traffic & roads both suck.

kilo delta

July 21st, 2009, 11:56

Gaylord, Michigan

It's childish, I know,....but I had to LOL at that!:icon_lol:

Best of look with the camper,NC. What is the towing vehicle?, ...very retro/cool looking :ernae:

Navy Chief

July 21st, 2009, 12:03

It's childish, I know,....but I had to LOL at that!:icon_lol:

Best of look with the camper,NC. What is the towing vehicle?, ...very retro/cool looking :ernae:

It's a 2008 Chevy HHR (stands for Heritage High Roof).

I know, I know, what a stupid name. Hey, not my idea!!! The same guy designed the PT Cruiser, I think.

Sorry I didn't stop to visit Boomer. It was a case of I wasn't stopping, even for a restroom stop! I felt like I was being "pushed" through the city! It was my first time towing a camper. Even though a small one, when the lanes narrowed due to construction, so did my patience!!!

NC

kilo delta

July 21st, 2009, 13:09

Ah right, I've seen loads of PT Cruiser's over here and thought it looked very similar. Sweet ride! :)

Willy

July 21st, 2009, 13:20

I was at the local Tag office this morning to register the trailer in Tennessee, but that was a waste of time. I KNEW I should have gotten the Bill of Sale notorized in Michigan, but didn't. Although the State of Michigan provided me with one that is from their office, stamped, and signed; Tennessee will NOT accept it. So I emailed the seller, asking him to please write or type up another Bill of Sale, get it notarized, and mail it to me.

GRRRRRRRRRRRR......... Oh, and since it is a homemade trailer with no serial or VIN number, Tennessee will charge me an additional $10 to register it. That figures. Taxes and fees. It's going to kill this country.

NC

Is that something just for camper trailers or just an East Tennessee thing? Around here, trailers aren't registered and have no license plates. They are considered carried under the tow vehicle's registration. I've got a little single axle trailer to haul a ATV on and a small double axle trailer for two horses and neither one of those are tagged and they're legal around here.

BTW, how does the HHR do pulling it?

Navy Chief

July 21st, 2009, 14:01

Is that something just for camper trailers or just an East Tennessee thing? Around here, trailers aren't registered and have no license plates. They are considered carried under the tow vehicle's registration. I've got a little single axle trailer to haul a ATV on and a small double axle trailer for two horses and neither one of those are tagged and they're legal around here.

BTW, how does the HHR do pulling it?

Not sure about that. I thought it was statewide. All I know is I have to get a tag. But if I have any problems getting the notarized Bill of Sale, I think I can figure out a way to get the trailer registered in GA, and then transfer it here. Don't want to go through the hassle, but I need to get a tag. My HHR pulls it just fine; no problems. Gas mileage suffers a little, but no complaints.

NC

AckAck

July 21st, 2009, 18:54

In Tennessee, utility trailers (smaller ones not used for commercial activities), horse trailers, farm trailers, and boat trailers do not need tags. Neither do pop-up/fold-down camper trailers. However, permanent top and fifth wheel trailers DO need Trailer E tags, which is what NavyChief is running into.

Even worse - if the trailer is homemade, he has to contact the County Clerk for his county to see if there are any additional taxes. I guess where he is has another $10 fee. It may have to be inspected too - http://www.tennessee.gov/safety/forms/homemadetrailerapplication.pdf. Of course there is another fee for that... On the good side, I think it is a permanent license and doesn't have to be renewed annually.

Brian

airfighterjohn

July 22nd, 2009, 02:59

Be advised also that Tennessee will make you pay the difference in sales tax if you have not owned it for more than 6 months before you brought it into the state. THAT's the real reason they want the other bill of sale. I don't know about your county, NC, but up here in Putnam County that amounts to a whopping 9-3/4%. I ran into a similar problem when we moved here from Washington State.:icon29:

GT182

July 22nd, 2009, 12:59

up here in Putnam County that amounts to a whopping 9-3/4%. I ran into a similar problem when we moved here from Washington State.:icon29:

That rate would make me want to move back. I still say once you've owned a vehicle for over a year and move to another state, you shouldn't have to pay any tax on it... again.... anywhere.

Just think if they did that to anything you owned... Like Virgina used to with their Luxury Tax on everything you owned. Horse Hockey.... I'm movin on out.

Willy

July 22nd, 2009, 14:21

Thanks for clearing up the TN trailer tag thing for me Brian. As a "immigrant" from Arkansas several years back, there's a few things I haven't got up to speed on yet. My little utility trailer still has the Arkansas permanent tag on it as we've made several trips to Texarkana with it since having moved up here and I didn't want to have to try to convince the cops in Arkansas about Tennessee not requiring a tag on it. They can be pretty hard headed about not having a tag at times.

I'm betting on them wanting the bill of sale from Navy Chief for tax purposes too.

Navy Chief

July 22nd, 2009, 16:31

Am sure you are right, Willy. That's one reason why I never registered my pontoon boat when I bought it three years ago in NC. The boat was always on a lake in NC, and never paid TN taxes on it, which would have amounted to about $1100 bucks. I sold the boat a few weeks ago, so no more hassles with that.

I finally heard back from the guy I bought my teardrop camper from. He will get another copy of the Bill of Sale notarized for me this Friday, and mail it. With any luck, I will get this done by Thurs. of next week. The local tag office is only open Tues/Thurs. If I need it done sooner, I have to drive an hour to Benton, TN to do it.

NC

AckAck

July 22nd, 2009, 18:38

Thanks for clearing up the TN trailer tag thing for me Brian. As a "immigrant" from Arkansas several years back, there's a few things I haven't got up to speed on yet. My little utility trailer still has the Arkansas permanent tag on it as we've made several trips to Texarkana with it since having moved up here and I didn't want to have to try to convince the cops in Arkansas about Tennessee not requiring a tag on it. They can be pretty hard headed about not having a tag at times.

Willy - leave the tags on it, because you DO have to have it registered if you take it out of state...

Brian

Panther_99FS

July 22nd, 2009, 19:51

Chief,
The more I see that thing, the more I like it! :applause:

Navy Chief

July 23rd, 2009, 03:51

Besides being lightweight for towing, it's aerodynamic too! If I can add more reliable sealing on the hatch, I will be ready to go camping. Still not sure how to proceed on the refinishing of the top yet though.

NC

Lionheart

July 23rd, 2009, 03:56

NC,

You might find a book on refinishing wooden boats at the library. That would have some good advice in there on restoring the wood finish.

Congrats on your Teardrop. They are cool looking...

Bill

Navy Chief

July 23rd, 2009, 06:03

Thanks for the tip. I am in contact through a "teardrop" forum with folks. Plus, there's a couple guys who live close by who do a lot of woodworking, and I will ask them!

NC

Navy Chief

July 28th, 2009, 08:51

Even worse - if the trailer is homemade, he has to contact the County Clerk for his county to see if there are any additional taxes. I guess where he is has another $10 fee. It may have to be inspected too - http://www.tennessee.gov/safety/forms/homemadetrailerapplication.pdf.

Brian is most definitely correct about the inspection requirement. $25 additional charge, PLUS the $10 for not having a VIN/Serial number, PLUS the tax TN will charge me for sales tax when I bought it. Just another reason why I will move from this state if the housing market improves to the point where I won't lose my a.... when I sell my house.

At any rate, I STILL don't have a tag for my camper. There's no telling how many weeks it will take for the TN Dept. of Safety to process my Inspection request, or how far I will have to tow the camper for them to give their blessing for me to get a tag.

Either way, I WILL take my camper to Hiawassee campgrounds on the weekend of August 15th to see Little River Band in concert. I guess I'll just have to risk getting a ticket.

NC