Went to Detroit (actually, the village of Waltz, just south of Metro) to pick up the fabulous Silverdome trailer I'd bought a couple weeks ago. I'd borrowed my buddy Toms car trailer, and he rode shotgun. The thing looks much better in pics than in person, as all the framing in the roof/ceiling is gone, due to some leaky "skylights" added years ago. The roof is entirely unsupported, just the aluminum skin. We shoved a 2x6 under the center, to keep it from caving in, and hauled it the 110 miles home. So, here it is. Made in Kalamazoo, my home town, so it's local too.
Very cool. Doubly cool because of the local history aspect (I’m big on local history). Any idea what year it was built? Are you gonna do***ent the build here? Someday I’d like to have a period boat and a period camper to haul behind my car. -Dave
And who's going to feed it and take care of it??? You could sell cheese curds out of it at car shows. Write off the expense of restoring it. "The Cheese Curd Gypsy." Verrrry interesting.
Now you can be like the guy I saw Sunday going down the Thruway with a shorty Airstream behind his '56 Ford tudor.
We could become the cheese curd kings of Kalamazoo! Maybe something to fall back on our old age. The framing is so bad, I'm surprised it didn't disintegrate on the trailer coming down I-94. Seriously. In addition, it's wider than I'd thought, and we couldn't get it on the car trailer quite far enough, the tires up tight against the fenders, to get enough tongue wt. I couldn't go over 50, and during a little rain squall, it got decidedly squirrely. I'm glad I drove the pickup instead of the '51 wagon to go fetch it. This makes three old trailers for us. The '46 Spartan Manor, the '54 Tini-Home (I just love the name) and now this Silverdome. Happily, the Spartan is finished, and we think we're going to build the little Tini-Home. I'm not sure what I'll do with the Silverdome. The skin is super nice, the running gear is good, but it needs to be completely reframed. It's made of 2x2's and sawn plywood ribs for the roof, on 2ft centers. Some of the sidewall framing is OK, but as I said the ceiling/roof framings totally gone. Happily, there's so little of it to build, it'd be a pretty simple job. Actually, it doesn't really make much difference if one of these old trailers is a little rotten, or a lot, it's ends up being the same amount of work, cause there's no place to stop once you start. It's 19' from hitch to tail, big enough for a bathroom/shower, and would be killer looking all done up. We'll see, it may end up on ebay. Here's a couple shots of the wagon with the '46 Manor in tow.
That is awesome. How are the vintage trailers to actually camp in? I'll bet if nothing else, they smell better than modern ones. -Dave
They're a riot, but you have to get used to LOTS of company, and constantly giving "This Old Trailer" tours! As far as the smell, most of 'em stink. I gut them to the framing, and start completely over.
How available are period-correct materials to use on the insides? To me they just need the knotty pine interiors and whatnot. -Dave
Interior plywood was usually Birch, although our Spartan was done in ribbon grain Mahogany originally. It's as close the nearest Lowes or Home Depot. The Tini-Home I'm going to build with sold 3/4" Birch plywood sidewalls, rather than the sticks and staples framing it had. It'll be a little heavier, but easier to build, and the insides will be ready to varnish. Yard sales, antique malls and ebay provide the "decor", and we've got a big collection of stuff, enough for all three.
Wow, that is nice!!! I really love the Pontiac wagon and the (was that a Spartan? I guess I better read upwards a bit). I've been putting together a '65 Rambler American sedan and a '66 Eagle Apache popup. Way down the other end of the camping spectrum. Yep - you would find me wandering near your camping spot, drooling over the wagon and camper and asking if I could take pics. Very nice!
I say genious! If the wife didnt like it when you got home you had a place to stay.Nothin like having a backup plan !
So I guess the next one will be a Pierce-Arrow Travelodge, can't remember whether the short or long ones are the rarest. They're really not much for style, like that Silverdome, but they are top notch. Made for about 3 years in the late 30s in small numbers. A guy I know in Houston got one from the original owners some years ago. It had been sitting outside but was in pretty good shape and alll original and complete. Oddly, another one turned up in the same area, about 4 years after my friend found his. There was one at the MSRA 20th Ann. Nats in St. Paul pulled by a 46-48 Lincoln Continental Coupe with all modern drivetrain..
There's a Pierce Travelodge at the Gilmore Museum, just around the corner from me. They tow it with a '38 Packard Coupe. You're right, they're not very stylish, like the Silverdome, but the style is simple and clean. I just listed the trailer on ebay, so we'll see if it stays at home or goes wandering.
I picked up a 1960 alumalite offa c/l for 450. It should look cool behind the ranch wagon,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,one day
that pierce arrow travel lodge that was at the 20th nats was from duluth. he found the camper out in No Dak--was used as a hunting shack--he did a beautiful restoration-we did a safety inspection on the lincoln, and when i was under the car i found a hose about 1 inch diameter hanging loose--i asked the owner what is was for--"vacuum brakes on the pierce arrow"
OK, OK, so the El Camino/Impala idea wasn't a good one! Actually Shifty, I sorta like the cheese curd stand idea! Sold the Impala anyway, so it's safe. For now...
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