DIY Teardrop Camper Kit
All-Aluminum. Bolt-Together. Zero Welding.
Describe your image
How will you make it yours?
Your vision. Our structure. A blank canvas for your journey.
Build Your Dream Teardrop Trailer. Join the Team.
Our first round of production is filling up fast. Before we launch our national Kickstarter campaign, we are offering everyone who gets in on the ground floor about 50% off production price, and the unique opportunity to build a product set to change the DIY trailer industry. Once we go live on Kickstarter, prices will go way up.
When you receive your kit, you can share your progress on our "Smyth Teardrops" Facebook group, fueling the excitement for the Kickstarter campaign beginning in early September. The 4'x8' Model 480 kits are shipping now through late September, so don't miss your chance.
On Sept 15th, we begin shipping the sold out pre-production run of the larger 5'x10' Model 510. There are a few openings in this group and as our biggest seller we do not plan a Kickstarter for the 510.
Ready to get started? Lock in your spot below.
Have questions? Shoot us an email: smythperformance@gmail.com or give Mark, the engineer behind the product, a call at 508-801-5871
What's included in the kit?
- Full aluminum .090 shell
- Welded and bonded 1x1" .125 aluminum inner frame
- Full rear hatch (60"x42")
- Hinged lower rear wall (for ramp access)
- Hurricane hinge for rear hatch
- Gas struts for rear hatch
- Custom aluminum fenders
- Aluminum corner trim with vinyl insert to fortify and double-seal the edges
- Hardware: Rivets, screws, latch and handle for rear door, weather stripping.
The Magic Formula...
1
Pick up a new or used 4x8 or 5x10 flat utility trailer. Harbor Freight, Tractor Supply or Northern tool do a terrific job of keeping these in stock for 500 to 1100 bucks. Used trailers on FB marketplace are everywhere by the way...but we are partial to the well-made and packaged Harbor freight bargains that don't charge shipping.
2
Assemble the trailer or fix it up after driving it home and register it before picking up your 300 lb. Smyth crate at a shipping terminal near you.
3
Bolt together your Smyth all-aluminum teardrop on your trailer and go nuts with all the possibilities.
The Smyth Teardrop Story
The King of Kit Cars steps into the teardrop market with a splash
For the past ten years, Smyth Performance has been all about enabling the DIY crowd to create an amazing car-to-truck conversion that doesn't break the bank, yet can roll away with best in show at any local cars and coffee. The winning formula has always been quality materials and great engineering that can easily compete with the most expensive cars out there. Thousands of ‘Smyth Utes’ roam the streets today, doing everything from daily commutes, farm hauling, car shows, and open track racing.
A few months ago, Mark (the owner of Smyth and father of Factory Five Racing) was playing around with a teardrop camper that he could use to haul his cafe racer Honda 750 motorcycle, and could also do camping/open track events with family and friends. His son Coop (who helps run the company) saw the designs come to life and wanted to build one himself – he saw this as the perfect pod to haul surfboards and beach camp. Some bigger tires and a battery/inverter and this thing would go off grid anywhere in total style.
As the design was becoming finalized, EVERYONE who came by the shop wanted one. Producing these trailers as IKEA- style flat packed kits would be significantly simpler than Smyth’s normal kit car production process, and the team figured that the final results would have just as much of an impact on the DIY teardrop market. A teardrop camper with an all-aluminum, race car-based structure. No plywood. A hole in the market the size of Texas, ready to be filled. Mark's view of "no plywood road-going vehicles" resonated big time.
Not only can you pick up a boxed 4x8 or new 5x10 trailer at Harbor Freight or Tractor Supply, we also pack this kit into a large but compact crate that you pick up at a local shipping terminal...with the trailer base that you just bought! The roof panels, sides and large rear access hatch are pre-welded and bonded, simply bolting together onto your frame. This easy shipping and build convenience, built on a trailer that is already titled, is a huge part of why this project is so fast and instantly rewarding. Since you get free shipping for your 4x8 platform package as you pick up at Harbor Freight, the total shipping goes down from over a grand for the other trailer manufacturers to only a few hundred bucks in the Smyth system.
Whatever you decide to do with this Smyth Teardrop, have a good time with it. We specialize in kit cars, one of the most complex consumer products in existence, and we’ve sold thousands of them to amazing customers over the last 30 years. Mark Smith made the Smyth and Factory Five Racing brands the leaders that they are in the custom car market, and now it’s time to offer ultra high-quality aluminum teardrop camper kits under the same philosophy we’ve always had: create well-designed and engineered kits which enable customers to create something strong, lasting and beautiful. Making the most with your free time every day..
Product Specifications
Two different sized all-aluminum teardrops fit on top of your 4x8 or 5x10 flat trailer:
- 480: 9.6 ft. length x 48.5 in. width x 46 in. height
- 510: 11.5 ft. length x 60 in. width x 58 in. height
Bolt-on concept: Each size pod fits on top of any flat-top 4x8 or 5x10 trailer. All-aluminum configuration significantly decreases weight and offers a sleek, aerodynamic style. I am using bed liner in black to make the Harbor Freight 4x8 1720lb capacity unit a rust resistant, outdoor, low maintenance teardrop that is ready to go when I am.
Outer shell: 5052 .100" thick heavy all aluminum structural formed skin(no plywood)
Inner wall frames: Welded and bonded 1" square 1/8" wall 6063 aluminum tubing offers support for side walls and a location structural add-ons to the interior or exterior.
Rear hatch: Same 5052 aluminum as the outer shell. Includes hinges and struts and 1" 6063 inner framework
Flooring: Up to the customer. We're going with some high-quality 3/4" plywood as the base floor in our in house builds. The floor can easily be installed once the pod is assembled onto the trailer. Snap together wood pieces or carpet for the win on top of the plywood.
Window/door configurations: Two screen entry doors 26x32(4x8) or 30x36(5x10), two 14"x16" rear quarter windows, and a 12"x33" tilt-out ultra seal window crank out for the front.
Hardware: Hurricane hinge, latch for rear hatch, weather stripping for rear hatch, RV butyl rubber sealant tape (40 ft.), aluminum corner extrusion cover trim (approx. 20ft.) with vinyl insert
Fasteners: Stainless 8 mm bolts and nuts, aluminum flush mount rivets (3/16"), #8-24 bolts and 8-24 nylock nuts for the roof/corner trim mounting. 8mm ss lower flange bolts/nuts.
Buzz Around The Smyth Teardrop Trailer
Check out what The Autopian digs about our newest project.
