Ha! Too late, it's already in my back yard! We dragged home the '47 Spartan Manor given to us (nothing is really free, but the buy in was certainly fair) today after a weekend road trip. Just click on the link: http://flynbrian48.wordpress.com/ , to "Cool McCool's Garage" for the whole story, and follow along as we turn this sows ear into a silk purse. It should be fun! Brian
Damn thats awsome. I was looking at a 1958 airstream yesterday. Its being used for a storage ahes right now. I offered a new shed for it. The lady is thinking about it. Thays a great find. Whats the plans ?
Thanks! Plans for this one are sort of along the lines of the new Airstreams. Contemporary urban chic. Lots of polished aluminum, exotic hardwoods, clean and slick. We've done the vintage kitch thing already, time for something new. Fun fact, a 454 powered dually with 4:56's gets 12 mpg empty, and 12 mpg towing. Brian
I guess I need more gear in my old truck, it gets 11 not towing and 10 towing, with 3.73s. Maybe the problem is I drive too fast. That sure is a neat trailer, thanks for braggin on it!
Cool trailer! I have some good friends who live in a remote part of Kentucky and lived in a 40's mobile home/travel trailer for several years while they renovated their 1800's log home. Those things are so cool and so well engineered inside. Great find!
Dang Brian, you do find the cool stuff! My F-350 with a 460 get's 7 with the Alaskan and the Uni in tow. I'd like to do much better. Don't bother with the "get a chebbie" comments, ain't gonna happen. Actually I have one but it doesn't have the power to pull the load.
Score! how does the inside look, Brian? I see a little of it in the photos, cant wait to see what you do with her
Great find Brian. Love the plans - sounds very cool. Is it true that there is 12 square miles of aluminum to polish on this one (or does it just feel like there is when your half way done)??? LOL .
That thing is bad***. I can't believe people used to drag trailers that big around with '40s and '50s cars! I don't like towing a loaded car trailer behind my van and it weighs 6300 lbs and has big brakes. Can you imagine pulling that trailer through a mountain p*** with a '47 Ford sedan?!!
That's totally my dream for an old trailer. I want one with an interior comparable to the houses in "Dwell" magazine... I gotta get over there to meet you in person. -tom
Nice! I like those. I saw a "breadloaf" type trailer cut through our parking lot a couple weeks ago.. I would have followed it if I wasn't covered in grease... I'd love to locate one of those some day.
LOL, I'm not nearly as intesting in person! Any time, just pm me or come out to Gilmore's cruise night on Wed, I'm usually there! Brian
Spartan trailers were better than Airstream. Better built and nicer interiors. The wood inside is incredible. I have a 1947 Spartan brochure in which they describe towing a new Manor from Wichita to Winnipeg Manitoba for winter testing. They towed it with a 6 cylinder Chev, no problems. The trailer is incredibly light for its size and they said the front is slanted so that, at highway speeds, the air pressure lifts the tongue weight off the car. If there is enough of the interior left to restore you should keep it, possibly with different upholstery, curtains and counter tops. This site has some descriptions of Spartan restorations. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f417/
Where do you find all the cool **** you drag home lol! Is this one gonna be done in a few months too ?
That's pretty cool. My wife's sisters', brothers' grandmother has a 56 GMC school bus that someone long ago turned into a motor home. It is now used for storing her stuff. I'm trying to get her to give it to me. I may have to get her a new storage shed. Oh well it would be worth it.
OK, Brian, are you looking to expand your travel trailer restoration hobby into something that actually pays you money? You sure wind up with some nice pieces!
The Jalopy Journal
