Thread: Has anyone ever built a caravan?

I see the benefits of converting buses etc but I'd prefer a trailer, I don't want another vehicle that won't get used much.

I see a lot of caravans are made out of composite panels now rather than framing and lining, sounds easy.

Ask those gypos that just came through NZ they might have some pointers


Joking aside there must be a few websites on this type of thing. It will still need to pass a wof test if you want it road legal.

Originally Posted by Savage1

I see the benefits of converting buses etc but I'd prefer a trailer, I don't want another vehicle that won't get used much.

I see a lot of caravans are made out of composite panels now rather than framing and lining, sounds easy.

Carbon fiber it is then, should be some cheap on ali express...

Frame out of laminated wood with aluminium outer skin. You can buy very good epoxy to bond the skin to the frame and chassis. Don forget the insulation. Urethane is the way to go.

You can solder join aluminium.

Don't go for aluminium alloys as they rust, pure aluminium is corrosion resistant.

@Happy has just done a small one,

You know I thought about it and my kids bought one between them! Shelved that plan and got a licence to borrow!! Cheap and no storage worries!!

Originally Posted by rewa

I've helped build a house-truck, and later built an RV, out of polystyrene sandwiched between sheet-alloy and colour-steel. If i did it again, I'd convert a medium box-truck and keep it as simple as possible. All the steel-buses I,ve seen and lived-in, RUST..too much condensation from bodies and cooking, the seams and roofs, dont cope too well.I believe you can use fixed-shutters over glass, o/wise it all has to be up to spec and labelled such...all fun, but can be a drama. Some kind of simple, ply, wood-framed"Camper" (with its own floor), on a light truck could be the go, you can still use the truck (take it off)then its only a Load..a little double-cab maybe. You could build something light and strong ,wood&ply Using boat-building techniques, and put it on a good tandem-trailer. Spare-bedroom at home, trailer to use, and camper when needed. Probably heaps of stuff on the net. You can make anything work if you really want, or have to

rewa is onto it. Buy an insulated truck box body from a truck wreaker ( one that has been a chiller truck ) and mount that on a trailer. Easy to buy a big galv trailer and mount the box on that.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

rewa is onto it. Buy an insulated truck box body from a truck wreaker ( one that has been a chiller truck ) and mount that on a trailer. Easy to buy a big galv trailer and mount the box on that.

Can you also do that with an insulated shipping container?

Originally Posted by Cordite

Can you also do that with an insulated shipping container?

be a bit heavy, and I hear the insulation can take on water increasing the weight too...

Originally Posted by 40mm

be a bit heavy, and I hear the insulation can take on water increasing the weight too...

Agreed Heavy, but if the insulation is Poly Urethane it wont absorb water. polystyrene does and it happens with freezer containers ( and any type of freezer room) because as the air is frozen and looses the water it contains( humidity), a vacuum is created drawing air from outside through any cracks and as that air gets to a cold level in the insulation the moisture condenses (dew point) and gets left behind.
https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/tra...fcdfe52cb28606 This trademe listing is an example of a trailer mounted box body. The concept could be scaled up to what ever size would work.

Cheers for all the input, I’m going to do this with a completion date around Christmas.

So far I’m leaning towards building a train let and having it hot dipped then build the walls out steel and line with ply on inside and fibreglass on outside with aluminium trims on the corners. Might use wood for some of the framing.

The galv bath up here couldn’t take the frame whole so probably only the chassis will be dipped.

6mx2.3 seems like a good size.

Originally Posted by Savage1

6mx2.3 seems like a good size.

Max width of 2.55m for loads on a trailer... Was looking it up earlier today

So I can book it for a month, say Jan 2020?

Originally Posted by Maca49

So I can book it for a month, say Jan 2020?

Absolutely, I’ll even leave the wife and kids in it for you.