Vardo-a-go-go; The Gypsy Wagon Project

[Scotty Hunter]

Long windedness to follow... as is the norm with my postings it seems.


I am insane at even CONSIDERING a project like this. However, at the risk of sounding, umm, weird... I'm going to build a Vardo. A gypsy wagon. Caravan. Whatever you care to call it.

I'm leaning towards the Reading style with a mollicroft/clerestory on top.

Like this:


With the mollicroft/clearstory roof addition seen here:

(though those colors just don't float my boat)


Alright... first off, no period police. I know the vardo is nowhere near "renaissance" or "medieval" acceptable. And I probably should be whipped and/or beheaded for even bringing such a modern subject up on the ren forum. lol. But ideas and tips are what I seek and I know someone here can probably give me some tips I would never have even thought of. In fact, some of you have probably seen a vardo at a faire or some such gathering and might be able to offer info that photos just don't provide.


Second, my little autobiography, I've lived the last 5+ years full time in a vehicle of some kind, much of the time with no electricity or things that are taken for granted. So the wagon/caravan/vardo I build will double as a piece of art AND a living area for me, and against all "periodness" it will have modern goodies including a composting toilet and electricity and microwave, just to name a few of the convienences I must have. Ideally I'll have these "hidden" so if anyone were to peek inside it might still look "gypsy-ish" and won't be too high tech or anything of the sort.
Yes I could simply start making payments on a small bumper-pull camper trailer made of fiberglass and what not, but really, where is the fun in that???

In all honesty the whole living in a vehicle thing started out as my involuntary fall into homelessness after losing a well paying job and having too little savings put back. Homelessness eventually got upgraded to living in a 1978 pickup truck, sleeping in the bed under a worn out blue tarp covered-wagon style, then moving up into a 24 foot also-1978 RV with so many mechanical problems and leaks in the roof it was a joke, then a slight downgrade in size but upgrade in age to an 18 foot 1986 van, my current residence. Affectionately called the gypsy wagon even before I found this forum. Ironic, I know.


But anyhoo... I ran the idea of building a vardo past my mom (who is normally my anchor to sanity) about a week ago after seeing one listed on eBay in a small teardrop style, and she agreed it would be a fun/practical-ish project. So much for my anchor to sanity.


So, the reason for this post, is I have made my very first payment on the basis of my vardo. An 8x12 foot utility trailer. Woo for me!! So excited!! It's slightly wider than some would opt for when it comes to vardos, and maybe a smidge longer, but sue me.

My baby:


*sigh* Isn't it pretty?!?!
All black and shiny.
It's not officially mine yet... I can't take ownership until it's paid off. But hopefully that won't be too long. And then I can start building.


I'm going to start some serious eyeballing of the floorplans of smaller camper trailers or conversion vans to get an idea of where I can put things in the vardo. I've only been half-arse glancing and tossing ideas around, but now it's time for some serious decision making.
Only thing I know for sure is I want a full-size bed in the hitch-area. Under it will be storage.

And as non-gypsy as it will be, I must have a couple little spaces for my two cats, Micro and Joe. (*gasp!* unclean heathen animals, how dare they set foot in a romani abode!!) Ie: discreet area for litterbox (ideally with access from a door outside for cleaning) and a sleeping spot or two, as well as a food area for their bowls. They aren't much into playing, just sleeping and birdwatching.

Aside from that, no other clue whats going where, or whats going to be included.  Any ideas for an 8x12 living area?? If you run across any links to floorplans or just have some ideas off the top of your head you want to share which might work on space saving, Im all ears.


Ok, long windedness over.... FINALLY..

[Lady L]

I like the idea!
I found some plans to convert a cargo van into a camper type vehicle at Glen L Marine. Might give you some ideas. And then some more links to plans. I really want one!

http://www.glen-l.com/campers/glenlrv.html

http://www.enslin.com/rae/gypsy/camps.htm

http://gypsyvans.com/

http://www.enslin.com/rae/gypsy/wagon.htm

http://www.atchintan.freeserve.co.uk/

http://tinyhouseblog.com/tiny-house/gypsy-wagon-workshop/

http://www.ptwoodschool.com/gypsywagons2009.html

http://gypsywaggons.co.uk/

http://www.journeyfolki.org.uk/HistoryCulture/TheEnglishGypsyVardo/TheBasicTypes/tabid/882/language/en-US/Default.aspx

http://www.tiny-house-living.com/gypsy-caravan-plans.html

http://projectrollingfreedom.com/2010/09/04/don-vardo-plans/

[Rani Zemirah]

Been wanting to do this for several years, myself, after seeing Rachel's vardos from the enslin links...  It looks easy enough, although labor intensive, but my problem is also getting the funding.  Good luck with your project!  I hope you'll blog your progress... I'd love to see it taking shape!!!

[Scotty Hunter]

Have Tiny-House-Living, the Gypsywagons/UK(some of those are FANCY!!), and Tinyhouseblog in my bookmarks already. They should prove helpful. Will be looking over the others today. Think I know one other of them you listed... the one with rae in the url... which brings me to:

Rani.. is Rachel also the "goatwoman" with the woodcut horses standing outside her vardo at the faire grounds?? If so, her horse ideas are SO going into my book of stolen uh..borrowed ideas. Theres a guy not 10 miles down the road that makes the woodcut yard silhouettes and has some horse designs out on display; one rearing and the other pulling a sulky. He also has bears, dogs, cowboys, etc. I'm going to see if he can work a custom "Gypsy Vanner/Cob" horse pattern for me.

I'm due for new living quarters anyhow. Or at least a bit more room. The van is still mechanically sound and sturdy enough to serve as a tow vehicle, but some more living space would be extra nice. Figure I can either start payments on a boring cookie-cutter fiberglass unit, or I can make my own custom unit and have things where I want them.

Am wondering if I can modify some of the floorplans for Class B van units to work in an 8x12. Floorplans in those are hard to figure out smetimes.

And yep, once the utility trailer is moved here I'll likely be starting a blog. Probably won't be very interesting to start, but it'll be a good way to keep track of expenses and hassles. lol

[Scotty Hunter]

To answer myself up there... yep, Rachel the goatwoman. *sigh with envy* I hate her. lol

[Rani Zemirah]

I think I love her... and I've been dreaming about actually building my own vardo ever since I first saw hers, although I like her 2nd one better than her first. 


Oh, and I totally have enough of those exact types of fabrics to decorate my own vardo, in my fabric stash. 

[The Rabbi]

So what it aint period but done with spirit of the period and any nay sayers can blow it out thier arse. That being said a few hopefully helpful ideas. First if you are having cut outs created go ahead and have Wagon Wheels done to cover the rubber ones. Second run any electrical and water hook ups to the fron center of your trailer then create a hollow period correct looking hitch that you can use to hide the outside connections with as well as somewhat cover up the modern hitch. weight distribution will be the hardest part of this project everthing else can be hidden with smoke and mirrors. Need help disguising things just holler and I am sure some one on here will have an idea.

[Captain Teague]

Since when were gypsies politically correct anyway......

[Dinobabe]

I've been wanting to do this for quite some time as well.  I have my plans all drawn up, know what materials I need, and even have a budget.  My version has a canvas top (mine is just for events, not permanent living, and there are historical vardos with canvas tops) and would "fold down" so during towing it is only ~4ft tall!  I would LOVE an 8X12 trailer but I think I will go with a 5X8. 

P.S. The fold up ramps are perfect for a "deck"!

[Rani Zemirah]

I absolutely LOVE the "pop-up" versions on Rachel's site!!!  The hydraulic lifts make it perfect for set-up by one person, also... 

[Dinobabe]

I love the hydraulics, too.  And a lot of other amenities.  But you can spend a ton of money of you are not careful!   Boy could I get out of hand!!!!

[The Rabbi]

Is that possable to get out of hand on garb and accessories? If only my checkbook was bigger lol.

[Scotty Hunter]

Omg, I know how easy it is to go outside of a budget. I don't exactly have a set budget myself... I'm more or less using 50%-70% of my weekly income now on payments for the trailer and will eventually start putting that into construction supplies and tool rentals as well. As I get additional incomes from jewelry sales, ransoms or bank robbing, I'll just flop that down as added payments.

Weight distribution IS going to be the hard part. And has me a bit worried. But where theres a will there is a way, so hopefully it will eventually come together. Once I get all the paperwork on the trailer I can be 100% sure of the weight load for the hitch, wheels and axles and can start tweaking some floorplans and collective ideas. It's a 2011 so I don't expect to be doing any modifying or reinforcing there... unless I plan to go extra big, which I don't really. Just comfortable.
The heaviest thing in there is probably going to end up being the composting toilet. lol

Oh boy, if I could go with the pop-up design I would. Looking over some of their construction images and I am totally confused how it works. lol. I wouldn't know the first thing about layering the frames and wood.... wonder how much it would cost me to fly Rachel down here so she can do it for me.

Great idea about the connections at the front. I saw a photo where someone simply draped a fabric over the hitch at faires to hide the modern hitch and it worked well enough. But something more rigid and permanent would be nice. We're holed up long-term at a little campground/rv park in MO now and I've already cleared it with both owners to build the vardo in the pull-thru we are renting. The van certainly doesn't take up the entire area, so I have plenty of room for construction and electricity for tools. Woo! My only problem is I don't have an indoor workshop, so it's going to look like a little interesting with all the tarp tents up here. lol

And wagon wheels are a definite. I'm amazed at the height of some of the actual vardo's and wish I could somehow incorporate the S-stairs as they are, to me, just awesome. Around here farm-auctions are common and wooden wagon wheels are also common for yard and driveway entry decorations. I'm hoping to score a quad of those and paint them up to match so I can place them at the four corners. But if that falls through, I'll definitely be going with the cutouts. Might be easier storing those for moving anyhow.
I planned to place a sign of some sort over the utility trailer's modern wheels since they are more in the center... such as "Fortune Telling" or perhaps a wood cutout that looks like a storage chest or a sleeping animal of some sort.

And the drop down ramp gate on the utility trailer is a 2-piece drop gate, so like I can have either the left side dropped or the right side. I would have preferred to have a single-drop gate, but at the 8x12 size my gate selections were limited, and at the price for it's size and year I wasn't going to sweat the small stuff. I can still work with it. And the idea of a little porch/deck is an extra bonus! The two photos I posted in the first link are from the Baldwin Gypsy site (a way more elaborate interior than I can afford I am sure, but beautiful none the less) at http://www.baldwingypsycaravan.com and in the photos somewhere it shows his 4' porch held by chains and able to flop up for travel.

Photobucket doesn't want to work for me right now so I can't post another photo I have, but it's an "actual" vardo with two women inside and there are some features from it I'll be borrowing for my vardo. Like the curtains on the window are sleek satiney gold that looks like it would brighten up an area very well.  There is a crystal doorknob, Lowe's has a pretty nifty selection of glass and 'crystal' knobs which I might make use of. And the designs on the vardo itself, so elaborate and pretty.

*Edit* Got Photobucket to work so here is the image for the above paragraph.

Taken in 1985 (modern, ahh!) at the Appleby Horse Fair in North Yorkshire, England, UK by photographer Annie Griffiths Belt.

[Scotty Hunter]

Just ordered some sample pieces of various vinyl, wood and cork flooring as well as a few half-planks of vinyl faux wood paneling for the sides. I'm debating about going with vinyl "wood-looking" planks instead of real wood or the exterior walls to save on weight.... ideas? Some of that stuff looks really woody...

[BLAKDUKE]

Sam I Am:

I am not trying to butt into your business, but have you already bought the utility trailer and the wood to make this unit.
The reason I ask is because there is antique dealer across the river in Columbus, Ga that has an authentic Gypsy wagon right down to the wooden wheels.  I would not recommend towing this behind a car because the frame and wheels would not survive the trip.  However this wagon could go on a utility trailer and taken off to be set up.  The wagon itself would need some work but all the wood seems to be there.  Shingles for a roof would be a necessity.  There seems to be some faded Gypsy painting on it but that would have to redone as well.   I am currently working in Birmingham, Al. but I go home on Friday night.  If you like I could take some pictures of the wagon.  However the glitch to the whole thing is that he is firm on 5K for it.   

The BLAKDUKE