Woody Gypsy Caravany

mAlice

mAlice

New member
Yup, I think I'm going to go for it.
This idea has been festering in my brain for a minute and I can't deny it any longer.

I want to build a traditional wooden caravan, of course update it in a few ways so that I can take it on more serious roads than what the old breed allows.

I just have one minor problem, and by that I mean major, I need a decent plan/template that (preferably) I don't have to pay for. Seeing now that it's going to cost a lot of time and whatever money I come across, any help would be fantastic.

So, ya know, if you come across this post and have some free time and think my plan is entertaining enough, could you possibly help me cruz the web for any sort of decent blue prints or whatnot?

I'll keep this updated and let ya'll know how things go, heck maybe I'll get to post where I go after I'm done.

Safe travels.
 
I used to drive horses in cart shows when I was a kid. I've entertained this idea also. for the apocalypse and all.. being as there'd be no cars and such.

this is how I broke it down in my plan.. very simple...

first step... re-learn horse care ;) considering I already have experience this shouldnt be a big deal.

second step.. get yourself a normal wagon and start building from there. train your horse! it isn't natural, they need to be taught how to pull a wagon! you'll have to invest in harness and reins and alll that jazz... not cheap shit. learn to maintain it! once the horse it trained with eh wagon, start refurbishing the wagon... get more horses if you want a big ass caravan.

third step... smack that horses ass and get moving.
 
I've had that idea come into my mind recently but haven't thought about it much. It seems like a badass idea. I'm just wondering how it would work out. I'll look into it, though.
 
Thanks! Brain storming, yay! I'll keep posting on here as I go, might be helpful for the future. At the moment I'm working on some rough sketches of what I want to do... what kind of trailer is going to be the first biggie... I hear a good utility trailer can be used as a base....
 
The modern day gypsy wagon ... (in my opinion)

House Trucking ~ Off the Grid

Housetrucker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://www.mrsharkey.com/busbarn/trucks.htm

I have a nice house trucking book with basic plans and lots of photos.:D

Someday I hope to build one ... until then I guess that's why I am the proud owner of a 77 VW bus. Another modern day gypsy wagon.. but slightly less modern and spacious.

So I guess... you can usually find a base vehicle fairly cheap and then you just need to make friends that can help you build.
 
The wheels may be the most tricky part, given that wheelwrighting was its own profession- I'd be one to use bicycle wheels. Keep the whole thing as light as you can so you don't need as much engineering, canvas roof with bamboo supports maybe?
 
Hello!
Hey I used to Live in England.
There are not that many traditional (as in born Romany folks) horse drawn folks anymore,
been forced off the road, attacked by vigiliantes, etc etc. Most live in fancy ass
shiny travel trailers on very bad traveller sites.

But as far as traditional horse drawn carts, (bow top)
I got to see one being built entirely by hand - no electric tools (yeaaah :>)
It was a work of ART !

Here are some intresting things about folks on the road in the UK.
The UK/European "New Age Travellers" : (ie crusties and road dawgs and Dead Head hippies etc, as ya'd call us in the USA)
Generally live in vehichles and squat land.
There are new traveller folks who are 'Horse Drawn' as they call themselves.
The usualy have flat bed carts (not bow tops or live in on the cart)
and carry around tarps for making benders (wigwams) or for putting over the back of the carts.
They mosty live in the south of England and Wales now.
But most have fled to France/Spain because it got so hard to be a 'traveller' in the UK.

Anyway!
Plans for carts:
You should be able to find this stuff on the internet.
Also make sure your horse is trained for the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You could always try a goat cart!
There used to be a guy in the USA called the Goat Man.
Travelled around with something like
30 goats who pulled his cart.
It's on the internet on video.

I think I would rather goats to horses.

Linda/Ziggy
 
Maybe if you could find something for Amish buggies you could do something from one of those...and then if you wanted you could live in Amish country or something
 
I used to trail ride a lot. Have gone Nth to Sth in Tx & traveled from Ok across Tx, Ak & n2 Ms all in covered wagon pulled either by horse or mule.
The closest modern horse drawn to resemble a Gypsy wagon would be the herder wagon, or sheep wagon. They are WAY COOL!
Most modern covered wagons are built on old cotton trailer bases. & the harness arn't so expensive if U get the nylon ones.
The big problem with horse drawn transportation in the US is horses are slow, cars are fast. Guess wich one rules the road. When a semi truck tops a back road hill at 65 mph & meets a horse drawn cart or wagon going 3 mph... Well, it's all over except for the harp music.
I'd thought about traveling the US in a donkey cart. But desided it's just TO DANGERUS. MY brother got rear ended by a small car, once. Destroyed the cart & almost lamed the horse. Oh! & banged my brother up pretty bad, too.
 
P.S.: Google sheep wagon. There are several web sites for them & I think a museum. I actually know where there is a really cool one for sale in Nth Way Texas. Don't know how much, though.
P.P.S.: Cotton, or gin wagons have car tires. Not wood.
Incase U can't tell, wagons, carts & buggys are sort of a hobby of mine...smilezz.
 
mAlice said:
Yup, I think I'm going to go for it.
This idea has been festering in my brain for a minute and I can't deny it any longer.

I want to build a traditional wooden caravan, of course update it in a few ways so that I can take it on more serious roads than what the old breed allows.

I just have one minor problem, and by that I mean major, I need a decent plan/template that (preferably) I don't have to pay for. Seeing now that it's going to cost a lot of time and whatever money I come across, any help would be fantastic.

So, ya know, if you come across this post and have some free time and think my plan is entertaining enough, could you possibly help me cruz the web for any sort of decent blue prints or whatnot?

I'll keep this updated and let ya'll know how things go, heck maybe I'll get to post where I go after I'm done.

Safe travels.
Click to expand...
Back in the early 60's,a family I know,packed up a covered wagon,with car wheels on it,tagged it the "Last Wagon West",and ended up going half way around the world !
 
ya looks like this thread has been lonely for a while. would love to hear some stories and see some pics myself.

also, someone made mention of people living out of wagons and such in france and spain. i'll google it, but would love to learn some more about it from folks who know.
 
this is awesome! op good luck on the project! reminds me of tiny house / small house projects. but this has more of an appeal to me from a nomadic / gypsy community standpoint.
 
Boru said:
Fairly recent video from england

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Click to expand...


I spotted a few faces I know in this video. Thanks Boru for posting it. I spent a while on a horse drawn site a few years ago in Somerset, England It was an amazing experience.
 
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