Tim Smith contacted me and shared with me his Vardo project that he completed recently. Here is what he had to say. For more details be sure and click on the link at the end of the story.
I built a teardrop trailer a while back after seeing a Vistabule camper at the Minneapolis RV show and falling in love. In doing my research, I came across Big Woody Campers website. They offer plans and a manual for how to build a teardrop. I bought their plans, modified them, and built a teardrop on a 4×8 Harbor Freight trailer. The teardrop turned out great except for two things:
- Four feet wide is too narrow for two people to comfortably sleep together. I should have made it on a 5×8 trailer.
- Changing clothes while lying down is not fun and doesn’t get easier with age.
My wife and I stayed in an 1890s sheepherder’s wagon at a bed and breakfast in Cody, Wyoming, and loved the efficient floor plan of the wagon. More internet research revealed the vardo, a hardtop camper with a similar floor plan that looked relatively easy to build.
I found several great websites and YouTubers from whom I borrowed ideas and started building late last winter. It came together in about 2 1/2 months for around $4000 and was really fun to build. We use it as an extra bedroom at our cabin in Wisconsin and as a playhouse for our grandchildren (and me). I slept in it almost every night last summer. I have tested it at 60 mph on the highway, so it is road-worthy but not particularly aerodynamic. It is probably better for stationary use or short trips.
Check out all the details at Tim’s Projects website.
Vardo bed layout and construction
Vardo bed and table and seating area
Front of Vardo out camping