DIY Feature - Mark Gadberry

Features

Jun 2

Being into old cars and hotrods, Mark has wanted to build a Teardrop ever since visiting El Mirage dry lakes and seeing the vintage teardrop trailers.

Mark built his teardrop in Flower Mound, TX using our DIY Vaga plans. Here’s some insight on his build!

What made you want to build a tiny camper?

I am VERY into old cars and hotrods and ever since visiting El Mirage dry lakes and seeing these vintage teardrop trailers I have always wanted to build one.

What was your experience level with the skills required to build a camper (wood working, electrical, metal work, etc.) when you started?

I currently work part-time at a closet shop, and have worked on many cars and build my own from scratch so I was wellprepared for a project like this.

What was the first step in your build?

The first step was making sure my wife was okay with all the money and time spent in the garage and she was probably more excited than me.

What was your favorite part of the build?

My favorite part was either building the frame or putting the aluminum on. I enjoy welding and grinding so the frame was fun, and the aluminum made me very excited to see I was so close to a finished project.

What was the most difficult part of the build?

I had a very hard time with bending and stapling the inner roof. Once I got a second set of hands and a proper 3/4 stapler rather than the 1/2 I was using, finishing it was a breeze.

How long has it taken you so far?

I spent about 4 months on it, not including time off for the holidays.

If you're comfortable sharing, what was the total cost of the build?

I never finally calculated but I would estimate between 8,500 and 9000. DIY is much cheaper and more fulfilling.

Would you do anything differently?

I would make sure every cut is as perfect as possible. I didn’t fully understand how exactly things went together so I had some “gaps” to fill. Also I would take my time a little more.

What has been the best part of owning a tiny camper?

Best part so far is not having to pay for food at a car show 😉

Any tips for someone that wants to build a tiny camper but doesn’t know where to start?

My philosophy in starting big projects is to focus on the little things. Tackle one thing at a time and ignore the project as a whole. You will start to gain momentum and before you know it, you’ll be done.

How did using Wander Tears DIY plans and having the resources provided affect your build process and time?

Buy the plans. Although I can engineer and design my own things this made the project effortless. I hardly had to think because the plans are so comprehensive.