History
History of The Teardrop Trailer
Teardrop trailers evolved in the 1930's and became extremely popular in the 1940’s after World War II. The Depression was over and the war had given the economy a large boost. The citizens of the US wanted to go on vacation with their families.
The United States was developing the highway system and that made travel easier. The teardrop trailer was light weight and could easily be pulled behind the family car which in the 1930’s and 1940’s had an engine under 100 horse power, or in some cases a motorcycle.
Most of the original Teardrop trailers were constructed with materials obtained from World War II surplus markets. The chassis were made of steel U channel or from round steel tubing, and in some cases the wheels came from jeeps that were salvaged and found a new life on a teardrop trailer. The exterior skins were usually made from the aluminum wings of World War II bombers which gave the Teardrop trailers their shiny exteriors. Some Teardrop trailers are called Woodys due to the wood sides.
The popularity of teardrop trailers continued through the 1950’s. This popularity was due to the do-it-yourselfer that wanted to build their own teardrop trailers with their own hands. This is also what is making the teardrop trailers comeback now. In the 1950s the “Popular Mechanics” magazine published teardrop trailer plans in their magazine which many do-it-yourselfers used to build their own teardrop trailers. These plans included a trailer made of wood. Many Teardrop trailers today are built on purchased steel trailers or custom made steel trailers.
The popularity of the teardrop trailer started to dwindle in the late 1950’s because the Americans wanted campers that were “bigger and better”. With cars getting bigger and more powerful in the 1950’s larger campers could be towed rather than the smaller teardrop trailers.
The price of gas being 10 to 20 cents per gallon, there was little concern about gas mileage while towing a camper thus the decline of
"The Teardrop Trailer".
Today there are a few production teardrop manufacturers but most of the teardrop trailers are made in small custom workshops. You will not find many RV Dealers that carry teardrop trailers.
If you are interested in a teardrop trailer, you have four options. You can buy a new Teardrop trailer, purchase a vintage (1930’s thru 1950’s) teardrop trailer that has been restored or restore it yourself or hire someone to restore it for you or build it yourself using one of our kits.
While a lot has changed since the introduction of teardrop trailers on the American highway, the reasons for owning a teardrop trailer are somewhat the same today as they were when your father or grandfather built his teardrop in the family garage. Today, Teardrop Trailers have become popular due to the small cars we drive and the high gas prices.
Teardrop trailers are sleek, aerodynamic, and practical. The Teardrop Trailer is the baby of the RV world. They are small, which makes a Teardrop Trailer great for one or two people. Teardrop trailers can be pulled by any vehicle with a hitch. The smallest of vehicles, such as the Chevy Aveo or the VW Beetle can easily tow a Teardrop trailer. Please consult your automobile manufacturer before towing any camper or trailer.
Whether you’re a weekend camper who enjoys spending time with the family, or an avid outdoorsman who hunts and fishes, or you want an economical means of travel, The teardrop trailer may be what you need.
Teardrop trailers have a teardrop shape when turned on end thus the name "Teardrop", and the reason we call it
"The Teardrop Trailer".