If you have an old car sitting in your driveway that you’re dying to turn into a pickup truck, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of Smyth Performance. For over three decades, Mark Smith has been the mastermind behind many beloved kit cars and utes. Now, his Smyth company is getting into the RV business with a cheap teardrop kit that you build yourself and place on a Harbor Freight trailer. Here’s what you’ll get for roughly $2,800.
Every so often or so, I find myself visiting Smyth Performance’s website to stare at custom utes. I don’t know, there’s this part of me who wants to take a reciprocating saw to a Volkswagen New Beetle and make it into one of Smyth’s custom creations. This month, I was surprised by news I wasn’t expecting. Smyth has just announced a new kit, but it’s not a ute. Instead, Smyth has gotten into the camper business.
The teardrop camper has been one of the most accessible types of campers since their invention near the dawn of RV history. Teardrops can be built by almost anyone, and they’re lightweight, aerodynamic, and perhaps most importantly, cheap! I firmly believe that camping is for everyone, and teardrops help make that a reality. A spin-off of Smyth Performance, Smyth Teardrops, is making a teardrop kit with Smyth flair.
From A Famed Name In Kit Cars
If you’re like me and you spend too much time on Facebook Marketplace, there’s a really good chance you’ve seen some car hacked up and turned into a ute. In my case, I often run into Volkswagen Jetta utes and the occasional Dodge Charger ute. Most of these cars were built using the kits from Smyth Performance.
The Rhode Island-based company’s portfolio is huge, and it offers kits for Volkswagen Beetles, Golfs, and Jettas, Dodge Chargers, Subaru Imprezas, Audi A4s, and even Jeep Grand Cherokees.
Here’s some cool history from the founder, Mark Smith:
[Mark] started Factory Five Racing in a small garage in Framingham, Massachusetts in 1993 by designing a cobra replica as a solo mad scientist (he actually was a chemist) while working on his MBA and day job in R&D at Avery-Dennison corp. He invited his brother Dave out to the south coast of Massachusetts a few years later and officially incorporated Factory Five Racing, Inc. As CEO of FFR he led the company from zero to 12 million in sales in an amazing 7 years. FFR became the largest component car manufacturer in the world and shipped over 10,000 kits to home car builders and professional shops over the next 25 years. Mark left the day-to-day management of FFR to Dave in 2002 after successfully defending FFR from the $10 million federal trademark case filed by Carroll Shelby and Ford. He later sold all of Factory Five to his younger brother, Dave, in 2012. While the sale was progressing, he joined forces with Harvard MBA and Marine Jay Rogers and co-founded Local Motors, Inc., which created a worldwide network of vehicle micro-factories and was based in Chandler, AZ. LM developed vehicles as outrageous as the “Transformers” featured Rally Fighter, the world’s first 3d printed car, and an amazing autonomous shuttle.
With the sale of his beloved FFR to his brother Dave as the backdrop, Smyth Performance was launched as Mark’s third car company and the result of a four-year effort after the Factory Five Sale. This time, Mark knew that he wanted to focus on easier-to-build kits based on existing vehicle platforms and systems that customers could build and drive every day.Â
Mark would go on to create a wicked mid-engine kit sports car based on the Volkswagen Jetta MkIV. Part of the reason for focusing on the MkIV platform was the fact that it opened the door for mid-engine sports cars with VW TDI engines or VR6 engines. Later, Mark shifted to a laser focus on utes.
The Smyth Teardrop
What has really captivated me lately is Smyth’s latest development, which has nothing to do with utes at all.
On April 3, Cooper, one of Mark Smith’s sons, published an interesting video. His dad was working on something new. Smith wanted to make a camper for himself and carved a teardrop trailer out of the same aluminum that his company uses to make ute kits. Then, he plopped that camper down onto a basic 4 x 8 Harbor Freight utility trailer. Coop saw the drawings for the trailer and decided that he wanted to make one of his own. Mark’s other son, Will, also wanted one, too. Cooper figured if they wanted to build their own Smyth camper, maybe other people would, too.
Cooper figured he’d build 10 beta copies of Mark’s trailer, and maybe adjust production numbers based on how fans reacted. As it turns out, he was right! Fans of Smyth Performance say that they want to buy the camper. Now, the beta run has been increased to 25 units, and it looks like Cooper will be turning the teardrop camper project into the Smyth Teardrops spinoff of Smyth Performance.
Now, I want to stress that this project is in its early stages. Smyth hasn’t done any press photography yet, and a full, detailed description hasn’t been published yet, either. But Cooper and Mark did publish a neat behind-the-scenes video on Facebook.
Cooper says that, for now, here’s what you can expect:
This ain’t no plywood box on wheels for $5,000. This is an all-aluminum teardrop pod that can universally bolt on to any 4×8 or 5×10 flat trailer. Mark engineered this with the same care it took to design and ship 15,000 component kit cars over a 30 year span (Factory 5 and Smyth Performance). You guys know the deal: when we launch something amazing like this, we want those early hot-ticket builders (Smyth/FFR customers) to pave the way, and you all never disappoint. We’re basically selling these trailers at cost; we’re buying your feedback all summer long. As for the betas, you guys already know you scored (you can’t even buy the bare aluminum sheeting for the price we’re selling it for).
[…]
The goal for the betas is a production DIY bolt-together all-aluminum, welded, dual purpose (camping and motorcycle) teardrop. Finished on a 4×8 or 5×10 flat trailer with door(s), windows and 5 foot long rear hatch for under $3000. I can’t wait to see what the talented Smyth community builds. The promo shots for the ad campaign late summer will be amazing. Stay tuned or join the fun as our beta builders put the existing $10,000-$15,000 teardrops on the market to shame.
Part of the difficulty thus far is sourcing materials. The windows of the prototype came from China, which means that their pricing cannot be relied on due to tariffs. The underlying trailer from Harbor Freight suffers from the same issue. In recent times, Smyth customers have reported that Harbor Freight has raised the price of the 4 x 8 trailer that Smyth is using from $549 to $699. Meanwhile, the 5 x 8 that Smyth sees buyers using has gone from $999 to $1,399. Unfortunately, due to the fluidity of the tariff situation, the final price of your finished camper may vary.
Thankfully, Cooper notes that the company was able to secure a domestic supplier for windows and doors, so he believes they should be able to hit a price target of about $2,800 or $2,900 when the trailer enters full production in July.
The great thing here is that you’re not married to Harbor Freight. So, if you already have a trailer sitting around or find one for cheap online, you’re already good to go.
As you can probably expect, these trailers aren’t expected to have any fancy features. Really, what Smyth is doing here is making the hard part easier so you can have fun building out the rest of the camper. I like the fact that these will be built out of aluminum. Many kit-built teardrop campers are made out of plywood.
The Kind Of Beta I Can Get Behind
As of right now, Smyth is still selling the beta trailers. Smyth Teardrops says this is what you’ll get when you order a beta trailer:
Bare aluminum 1″ x 1″ .125 wall tubing support extra thick .100 outer aluminum sheet.
Stock window openings: Door 26×32, Small window behind door 16×16, front crank-out window is 33×10. Windows include screens.
Hurricane hinges for rear hatch.
Aluminum corner trim with vinyl insert to fortify the edges.
Hardware: Rivets, screws, latch and handle for rear door, weather stripping.Email us at smythperformance@gmail.com if you want one of the 25 pre-fab Beta packages or simply use this link to be in the beta build group. The total Beta price looks like $2300 for the kit including a window and a door for access. The interior is unfinished with 1×1 square tubing so that you can run wiring and insulation before trimming the inside walls with your favorite surface material. Shipping the first 10 in May and the last 15 in June ’25.
Smyth notes that these trailers are built at the Smyth Performance shop on the weekends. The beta trailers are expected to be flat-packed and shipped beginning in May. Then, once the beta run is over, Smyth Teardrops will begin making the production kit around July. Smyth says that once production kicks off, expect lead times to increase as the shop has only so much capacity.
If Smyth can hit that $2,800 price, I think the firm can have a winner on its hands. There are wooden teardrop kits that cost more than what Smyth Teardrops is proposing here. So, if you’ve been wanting to build your own camper for a fraction of the price of buying one built in Indiana, this might be the ticket. If you want to learn more, head on over to Smyth Performance. I’ll be watching Smyth Teardrops to see how this plays out!
Love this. This is all I want when I go camping now- an affordable, dry place to sleep. I don’t mind cooking outside, I just don’t want to haver to set up my tent, put it away wet, set it up the next time etc.
This is the cost these things should be from the very beginning not these other ‘affordable’ 10 grand trailers.
I still want to see someone convert a Pete Brock Aerovault Trailer into a camper. A decent size camper trailer with actual aerodynamics for better traveling.
Someone get on it, and share some pics.
Around 2013 I built my own teardrop on a used twin jet-ski trailer from Craigslist. I paid $160 for the trailer, but spent another couple hundred refurbishing it.
The rest of the materials (including used/salvage windows and doors) cost me around $1100. That’s around $1500 today per the inflation calculator, but I think building materials went up more than that.
I don’t think this price is outrageous at all.
I somehow did not know Factory Five became Smyth Ute. Given the reputation of both, I wouldn’t hesitate if I were looking for a teardrop.
Northern Tool offers a few basic trailer frames similar to the HF version but the advantage is they also sell an aluminum version. If I was going through the effort of building this, I think I spring for the aluminum frame as well so save the weight but mostly for the corrosion resistance.
I’m not a fan of teardrops, but I love the idea of a cost-effective kit.
Also, thanks for the history lesson. I knew all those companies individually, but was completely unaware they all traced back to one person!
Well… yes and no 🙂
They have two folding 4×8 models. The light-duty 4×8 – rated 1195lb capacity – has apparently been discontinued, though there are still some available here and there. I grabbed one earlier this year because they were marked down to $379.97, which still appears to be the price for any remaining stock.
HF also has a heavier-duty 4×8 that is rated for 1720lb capacity; this is the one that is now $699. It looks like Smyth is using the 1720lb version, which makes sense: the wheels are 5-lug rather than the 4-lug on the 1195lb version.
Another thing I’ve seen people do — for a fraction of teardrop pricing — is to use the same basic trailer plaform and just set up a large tent on it. It gets you off the ground, provides similar (or more) space, and is completely modular for repairs or upgrades. If you’re at a site with full hookups, you can get portable A/C and heater units for fairly cheap, too.
Ultimately, I’m always just trying to answer to myself: Why not just sleep in a fancy tent? I think if you could really dig into this, most people with rooftop tents or even teardrops would probably have second thoughts. The trailer-tent idea always seemed like a nice compromise, and all of it can be sold easily if needed.
One idea I like that I’ve seen some people online do is putting a roof-top tent on a utility trailer. The one used a trailer that had side rails, so they put some cross bars and dropped the tent on. There was a foot of space under the tent for gear, and a couple bikes on the trailer in front of the tent. The result is off-the-ground camping with a quick setup and a comfortable (no ladder) height – and then you just lift the tent off and you still have a utility trailer.
It’s not the right fit for everyone, but it’s a ton of versatility.
I have one of these I bought used (they’re pretty spendy otherwise) and lots of people use them with a roof top tent.
https://spacetrailers.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqfgOjuBMe2gqAIcWZAnF5hnJAJ6ctNmNJhZxbY1kcMLpQX0w75
It’s still a little higher than no-ladder access, but it’s a pretty slick system to have lots of storage and a quick and comfortable living space without having to tear down camp every time you drive to a trailhead or make a quick grocery run.
I just set up a tent on the ground and save the rack space for bikes and other toys.
Seems like a tent with a Space Trailer is a great do-it-yourself alternative to the SylvanSport trailers (which are nice, but pricey)
The Sylvan sport trailers are really cool and in my area, so I want to see the company succeed. But they’re also really, really expensive and don’t fit my needs. I love having a big enclosed box to fill with camping gear and a nice rack system to add toys (or potentially a RTT).
I think the SylvanSport is lighter, but at around 1000lbs all in even with the max amount of stuff I take camping I don’t have a problem towing mine with a Mazda5.
Depending on where you like to camp, hard walls are a good thing to have. Also, the camp kitchen rear setup most tear drops have is easier than dragging out everything from the trunk of a vehicle or other storage area.
While I’m not into teardrops, I can absolutely see the appeal.
I camp with a lot of people with roof top tents because they do not want to sleep on the ground. I have a Gazelle tent that is tall enough to stand in, a cot to sleep in that is the height of a bed. and a folding table and chair in my tent and the whole set up was 1/10th the cost of the roof top tent and sets up just as fast or faster.
Plus one to that idea. 4 camp cots and a huge stand up tent placed on a tarp. All fits in a car-top bag. This is the most comfortable cheap car-camp method.
I dig teardrop campers, but the retail prices on them are quite high on their own supply. I totally get the attraction of a compact 2-person portable camping shelter, but I don’t understand how they start at prices that would buy you a whole camper secondhand, with a bathroom and a real kitchen and utility hookups.
It is the overlanding “tax”
I don’t get what the advantage is of this over a tent. $3K plus the cost of the trailer just so the walls are rigid?
Sounds like you do understand the advantage?
If that’s really it, then no.
Solid walls and being off the ground are pretty big advantages. Having a place to sleep that’s already setup when you arrive to a site when it’s late or rainy is another pretty big advantage.
Agreed. When the setup is “open the door”, and mealtime setup is “open the rear hatch”, there’s a lot to be said for easy setup/teardown.
With one of those portable smokeless fire pits, you’ve got the world’s easiest site setup. If necessary, throw a collapsible gazebo inside the trailer that you can setup next to it for rain coverage.
Bears are a factor depending on the area visited.
But yes, even 3K feels like a ton of money for this.
Interesting but it’s also ugly looking. Needs better styling. It’s just a geometric box. Paint it silver and it’ll look perfect behind a cyber truck. Same crap styling.
I’d expect better engineering from this source.
Seems like it’s designed to be a blank slate that you can modify to your heart’s content. It’s not like it’s prohibitively expensive or anything.
Engineering and design are two different things. While the design may not be the sexiest, i bet that straight lines, including the rear sloping line compliments itself with multiple pieces being able to be cut from one sheet of aluminum for less waste perhaps?
Easier for DIY’ers to cut the straight lines for interior build outs as well.
And IYKYK, the engineering here wont be the problem w/ these guys.
I’ve been semi-obsessed with teardrops ever since the Great Recession, where I was about 4 years into a career that was suddenly stalled, and even before remote work or social media, the idea of just hitting the road and living on odd/menial jobs (they call them “gigs” now, even if you don’t play music!) seemed like a wonderful idea for my wife and I at the time. We had zero money.So yeah, I still have that little tinge of late Gen X/early Millenial bitterness in me (9/11 and the Dot Com crash, the Great Recession, Covid, and now….waves hand…whatever the hell this is), and that’s a powerful motivator for RV sales in general.Personally, I always loved the idea of a challenge, like building a hi-lo camper on a 4×8 footprint with screw-type jacks at each corner and allowing it to go high enough to stand up inside.(edit: Something about editing posts condenses all paragraphs into one, still trying to figure it out)
There was a guy that was homemaking teardrops, a few a year, and selling them on craigslist. Before covid he was selling them for around $850 and last time I checked they were over $2K because of the demand. I think he stopped last year.
I’ve seen a quote a few for sale on The Marketplace over the last 5 years or so. Of those, most looked like they were made with whatever scrap wood was laying around.
But some were definately not a first attempt – construction was still wood framed but it looked like they’d made a few and refined the design. The prices were barely more than I’d spend on material to get to the same stage, so it was pretty intriguing.
I agree that some looked rather refined. I miss pre-covid camping costs.
I’m not a teardrop person myself, because I like being able to stand up (I do technically have a teardrop right now, but it’s one of Coachmen/Viking models where part of the roof pops up so you can stand up and walk around in most of it), but I’m aware of someone near me who makes fiberglass kits for a 1930s Art Deco teardrop that are absolutely gorgeous when assembled. He’s done some fully finished ones, too, that customers have had painted to match their ’30s and ’40s cars to tow around, they’re so cool that I’d be willing to put all other hang ups aside and live with one just for the looks, but I’m also not competent to build out a kit, and the fully done ones are in the luxury price zone
I am low key obsessed with the idea of building a Smyth Ute. I’ve been following them for a while now.
Now they are making campers… that wasn’t on my 2025 Bingo Card, but it makes a lot of sense. I am sure these will sell like hot cakes.
this comment captures my feelings and thoughts as well. Always wanted to commit to the ute-life for the fun of the project
The Charger looks fun, but I’d end up doing a New Beetle, so that I could call it the Bed Bug.
Im here for this. Ive always loved the look of the Smyth Utes, even the Beetle, even though i used to truly abhor the New Beetle when it came out. Do you live in the northeast and are not a serial killer (autopian readers thankfully seem to have a very low serial killer rate)? i’ll bring the demo blades for the sawzall and your favorite beverage. Jeep Grand CherokUte is another good’un.
Cool Idea still seems pricy.