HOME

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Trailer Update: She's done and her name is. . .

ETA: After driving to Michigan to pick her up I realized I love her just the way she is and don't want to paint the exterior except for a graphic with her name. So, as is often the case in design, I've decided to go a different direction and will be leaving her gorgeous aluminum skin uncovered even though this post says I'm going to paint her.


The tongue box is skinned and my trailer is done! This post contains the final batch of pictures my builder Fred sent me and a big reveal. Her name is a spin on Glamping, the practice of camping in a glamorous manner, combined with a nod to her petite size . . .


Meet my tiny travel trailer "The Glampette!"


Isn's she adorable? She only weighs 554 pounds, well within my car's 1000 lb tow limit.

This is what she looks like now.

And, with the magic of Photoshop, this is what she'll look like painted. . .


Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek! She's gonna be so cute!


My plan is to hire a professional auto painting company to lay the base coats and paint the large circle on the sides. The rest, I want to paint myself in a combination of by brush, stencil, and possibly air-brush. I'm an artist by nature with lots of painting experience so wielding a brush and paint isn't new to me. I'd have the pros lay on some clear coat after to protect the hand painted graphics and then she'd be done.

The things I had to consider when coming up with her graphics was the placement of the window, porch lights, wheel, and reflectors. Because The Flirty Blog is a lifestyle, food, and travel resource I wanted to convey those themes along with a fun retro vibe. This is what I've come up with:


You can never go wrong with cake.


And because it was my introduction to Sonoma Wine Country last year that really got the ball rolling on acquiring a travel trailer, I want to pay homage to the many wine growers, makers, and tasty wines I've met there.


Here are close ups of the details.


I opted for a mini canned ham shape so I'd be able to sit up inside with (relatively speaking) plenty of overhead space above the top of my head.

Instead of the hatchback that distinguishes teardrop trailers from all other styles, Fred suggested putting a swing out door on the rear so he could make my access in and out of the trailer easier.


He also added a rain gutter above the door and just beneath it the circular shape is an awning rail in case I want to set up some shade off the back end on sunny days.


The door swings open for easy access. I'll be building some cute, retro styled cabinets for the interior galley.



Her tongue box is skinned and the only access is from the inside of the trailer. This will make it harder for battery thieves to steal my on board battery, a common problem for RV'ers.


The tongue, wiring for the trailer lights, and safety chains.


I'm still over the moon for my baby moon hubcaps.


And still thrilled we powder-coated the chassis, wheels, and fenders bright yellow.


Here's an undercarriage shot. 


And another.


She's ready and waiting for me. Soon I'll be hitting the road. Of course I'll be taking lots of pictures and blogging all about my trip! This will be my first time driving east of California so it's bound to be quite the adventure.

And here are the posts about my maiden voyage driving to pick up The Glampette in Michigan:


0 Click Here to Comment: