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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Werner Strama built a teardrop camper after a windy tent-camping trip exposed how poorly a tent met his family’s needs—and because their four-cylinder car had limited towing capacity. He wanted a compact, sturdy place to sleep and rest, with room for three, a small rear kitchen, and enough insulation for year-round use. In a 2013 interview with Make:, Strama describes the inspiration, design trade-offs, and roughly six-month build as a personal maker story, not a construction manual or towing guide.
Why Strama decided to build a camper
The idea took shape after a 2009 trip to Lake McConaughy in Nebraska. Wind buffeted the tent, while blowing sand and insects made camping less pleasant and cooking difficult. Strama’s wife also found sleeping on the ground uncomfortable after several surgeries; she needed a more comfortable place to rest and a shaded spot during the day.
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Building a Teardrop Trailer: Plans and Methods for Crafting an Heirloom Camper | $18.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Teardrop Trailer Plans - Lightweight Camper for Motorcycle/Small Car Build | $20.95 | Buy on Amazon |
A pop-up camper was one possibility, but Strama felt it could preserve some of a tent’s problems while adding fabric maintenance. Their car’s limited towing capacity was another constraint. He saw the teardrop’s small size, low weight, and sturdy shape as a more suitable combination for their household. That was his judgment for their circumstances, not a general ranking of camper types.
What he wanted the trailer to do
Strama’s design goals reflected both comfort and practical limits. He wanted the trailer to sleep three, include a small kitchen at the rear, and potentially be self-powered. Strong insulation mattered because he hoped to use it throughout the year. Keeping the project affordable was also part of the plan; he did not want the build to strain the family’s finances.
He started with a trailer chassis, calculated dimensions and average weights, and aimed for 12–15% of the total trailer weight on the hitch, according to his interview account. That figure documents his own design target only. The interview does not establish that it is appropriate for another trailer, vehicle, or load, nor does it provide a verified engineering specification or tested towing match.
How he developed the design
Strama gathered hundreds of reference images before choosing features around the family’s intended use. A neighbor helped by finding a free old pop-up camper and a stove with an oven. The interview describes this as an evolving, practical design process rather than a complete set of plans: it does not give the finished trailer’s dimensions or a full bill of materials.
How long the build took—and what proved difficult
Strama says the build took roughly six months, working on weekends and days off. He set milestones and aimed to finish by the weekend before Memorial Day 2010. The hardest part was assembling the walls, particularly routing channels into 2×4 framing. He named a router and a saber saw among the tools he used, but did not identify specific models.
Once he grew comfortable with the router, he could make flush cuts and shapes more quickly. He also made jigs for cabinet work. His account suggests that learning the routing work was a central part of the build, but it does not supply step-by-step instructions or enough measurements to reproduce the trailer from the interview alone.
The Tool Desk
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Strama valued the trailer’s maneuverability on Colorado trips, including narrow dirt mountain trails where he could turn around. He also praised its insulation and ceiling fan. He reported staying warm inside during several winter weeks when outside temperatures were −10°F; that is his personal account, with no measurement method or independent verification described in the interview.
Rank #2
- Lightweight Design: Tailored for motorcycles and small cars, ensuring easy towing.
- Cozy Comfort: Compact yet spacious interior for a comfortable camping experience.
- DIY Adventure: Personalize your teardrop trailer with detailed, easy-to-follow plans.
- Aerodynamic Excellence: Enhances fuel efficiency and reduces wind resistance.
- Weekend Warrior: Ideal for camping enthusiasts looking for a unique, homemade camper.
He listed trips to Colorado destinations including the sand dunes, Buena Vista, Grand Junction, the Grand Mesa, campgrounds in Rocky Mountain National Park, and Colorado National Monument. He also used the camper as temporary living quarters while contracting away from home. These examples show how he used his own build, rather than establishing how another homemade trailer will perform.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What he planned to change
By the time of the interview, hail had damaged the trailer’s top, and Strama said he had repaired it. He was considering covering the top with fiberglass and possibly replacing the propane stove with an old-style Coleman-fuel cabin stove. He said propane had not worked well for him at altitude or in very cold conditions. The interview records those as possible future changes, not completed modifications or formal stove guidance.
What the interview does—and does not—establish
Goli Mohammadi’s Make: interview, published June 11, 2013, offers a useful account of one builder’s motivation, priorities, challenges, and use of a teardrop camper. It is not a verified build specification: it does not establish complete dimensions, a full materials list, engineering validation, or compatibility with a particular tow vehicle. Readers seeking a reproducible construction plan should not treat Strama’s personal account as a substitute for one. The interview says the build had received roughly 400,000 views at the time of publication; that is a historical figure, not a current view count.
Read Goli Mohammadi’s 2013 Make: interview with Werner Strama.
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