William Landivar, 60, of Boulder Creek, has constructed a one-of-a-kind teardrop trailer that is a sight to be seen. Made of rich mahogany and white oak wood, the teardrop is 15 feet long and 7 feet wide and weighs 1,700 pounds.
Teardrop camper trailers, which evolved after World War II, were originally constructed with materials from surplus markets.
“Mine has that classic teardrop shape from the ’40s and ’50s, but it’s a lot bigger,” Landivar said. “The older ones are nothing like this one. It’s big enough for a family to sleep and watch movies in it.”
His modern teardrop, which he calls the Aero Madera or Flying Wood, is sleek and aerodynamic, he said.
In addition to the mahogany and oak, the Aero Madera is built from stainless steal, bronze, brass and chrome, with a hand-formed polished aluminum trim. The trailer boasts a custom-built, square-tube frame with a galvanized steel belly pan.
“The windows are made of brass portholes like the ones on ships,” Landivar said.
The inside is just as impressive, with leather and carpeted interior, a refrigerator and freezer, a two-burner gas stove, a sink and a television with surround sound.
Landivar, who retired from the San Francisco Fire Department in 2006, birthed the idea of a modernized teardrop because he needed something to do with his newfound free time.
“It became a hobby for me,” Landivar said. “I wanted to come up with a project that would be great in this economy. With teardrops, you don’t need a big truck to haul the trailer.”
The teardrop took about a year to build, he said.
“It takes a lot of time to bend the wood and do a lot of sanding,” Landivar explained. “My wife called it the ‘other woman’ because of how much time I spent working on it.”
Landivar planned to build a few teardrops a year, but the recession stopped him in his tracks, he said.
“People love it,” he said. “They’re just in awe of it. But I think, with the economy, not a lot of people can afford extras like this.”
Landivar, who is looking to sell his handiwork, said the trailer is worth $25,000.
He said he considers the Aero Madera an heirloom.
“It’s like a piano on wheels,” he said. “A lot of hard work and craftsmanship went into building it. It’s really something that can be passed down.”
For information: William Landivar, 338-4866.
