Time to 'fess up--I want a vintage camper

MadScientistMatt wrote: SVRex built a teardrop trailer from a set of plans - hopefully he'll chime in here. They do look like fun if you can avoid the mold, drips, and mildew part of the experience.

I didn't use plans.

A teardrop is not a particularly good "Mother Ship". When all the cooking has to be done outdoors, it is more like tenting with a dry place to sleep.

I've always like camping. It's a lifestyle, love it or leave it.

With the exception of 3 years when I lived overseas, I'm pretty sure I (or my family) have always had a camper since I was 8. That's 35 years.

We had a Shasta (Dad hit his head on the ceiling). We've had about 6 pop-ups, 10 pull-behinds of various sizes and flavors, 2 hybrids, 1 5th wheel, the teardrop, and 3 motorhomes.

The only 2 ones I could call "vintage" were the Shasta and the teardrop. The rest were just "old".

They have left us with a lot of stories to tell.

Unfortunately, we are out of camping mode right now, and my current Nomad is sitting idle.

I too REALLY want a nice vintage one too. Can't justify it right now.

Camping is kind of like going to car shows- you will never meet a better bunch of people.

Interested in an Airstream? I know a guy who rebuilds them. (His are terrific, but a little bit out of my price range).

Margie, if you've already rented one, and are still not convinced, then you are officially hooked. 'Fraid there is no turning back now.

Love the Edsel idea! I towed my stainless steel teardrop behind my '60 Elky- it was pretty awesome!

Marjorie Suddard wrote: Homebuilders/contractors make the WORST trailer restorers.

HEY! Wait a minute!!

Actually, it's true. Although some of us also have a pretty good understanding of stress skin and laminated panel engineering.

Here is a lead.
About 40 minutes from my house is P&S Trailer Service
They are located about 1 hr from the Airstream factory and in their early days did their restoration work under the guidance of the factory.
In short, this is where the "good, old, ones" come from.

Here is an interesting story of their Airstreams going to South Africa to be used for an "American Experience"
http://www.pandstrailerservice.com/commercial-s-africa.html

Glamping GRM style

oh yeah and we brought a bus

I am less enamoured with wood frame construction then I used to be.

IIRC, My 23' Nomad weighs 8300 lbs. dry.

There are some really beautiful options available in more modern construction techniques for well under half the weight that tow significantly better.

BUT, if you're gonna tow with an Edsel, it MUST be a wood frame.

And I also think it MUST have wings, stainless steel, or art deco styling.

In reply to aussiesmg:

How come that blackmail shot keeps coming back to life??

I'm not gonna derail this thread, but I googled "ugly motorhome" and found a plethora of wonderfulness!

Some people just don't get it!

We all know the classic Winnebago:

Last weekend, my wife and I were amazed to see a brand new, dealer plated, Winnebago on the road and the look is back!

Margie Have you and Tim not learned anything? ALWAYS get the best you can afford!!! Not a fixer upper.

And get an Airstream Bambi.

Margie, if you're on FB, look up Vintage Camper Trailers, there's quite a few that pop up on their page for sale that are in descent shape or completely restored.

Margie, go through the back issues and find the series you guys did on Campers and racing.

Have you considered the hobby of, say bowling? Knitting, breeding goldfish or smashing your [toes] flat with a rock would be better.

In reply to 914Driver:

I know. I've been there, stayed all night way before it was cool. E36 M3, coyotes chased Tim down at the conclusion of our last vintage camping adventure. But... This is different. It's a new challenge. I want it. It'd be cool... Are there still coyotes in Nebraska?

Margie

We have the exact canned ham Shasta you probably want and a frame off is planned for this fall/winter. I already went through the trailer mechanicals with no surprises.

Sadly my wife does want some of the glamping vibe, but I am trying to limit it to fabric choices and upgrading HVAC and the fridge.

As long as I don't have to sleep in it in Kipp's front yard, you get whatever you like.

SVreX wrote: We had a Shasta (Dad hit his head on the ceiling). We've had about 6 pop-ups, 10 pull-behinds of various sizes and flavors, 2 hybrids, 1 5th wheel, the teardrop, and 3 motorhomes.

Boy, I'm sure many of us would love to read what you'd have to say about these different types of campers. Pro's, con's, and just general experiences and observations and wish lists. You've got a lot of experience, and some of us, certainly me, would love to hear what you have to say about them.

In reply to foxtrapper:

OK, let me see...

First off- I like the outdoors. I like tenting, and even sleeping under the stars. Not everyone does, YMMV. I am NOT, however, into extreme adventuring. You won't find me sleeping naked in a snowdrift in the Rockies.

So, here's my summary:

• Tents have a wonderful outdoor feel. They are light, and can travel in any vehicle, or no vehicle. Sleeping on the ground is hard for some people. Sleeping on the ground during a flood sucks.

• Popups- My personal favorite. They have the openness of tenting with very nice ventilation, but add a few creature comforts. You can sit at the dining table in the cool morning and enjoy a cup of coffee and feel like you are outdoors, without the gnats. They can tow behind almost any car. Dry beds are nice.

• Small campers- Dry beds, but they always have undersized windows and no ventilation. They can get hot as crap. They can have better kitchens and baths than popups. Too much of a percentage of floor space has to be dedicated to beds, which are not useful during the day. Single axles tow like crap.

• Larger campers- Able to have some level of "glamping", which is attractive to some people (often the ladies). Older wood units are ridiculously heavy, and need big tow vehicles (newer ultra light varitiees are much better for towing) . Like the smaller units, they still generally have crappy ventilation. Very nice kitchens and baths often exist. Slide outs make great floor space but add weight.

• Hybrids- Nice blend of trailer and pop-up. They give all the nice openness and ventilation of a pop-up, with hard sides for decent kitchens and baths. They fit much more in the footprint, because the beds are outside of the basic floorplan. A 23' hybrid is very spacious, unlike a unit that includes the beds in the basic floorplan. They do not feel as secure as a hard side unit.

• 5th wheel- Dedicated truck, oversized. Generally designed for 2 people living more permanently (less sleeping area than there smaller cousins). Include all the bells and whistles (even fireplaces or jacuzzis). Bleh.

• Specilaties- There are some fringe units, like teardrops and vintage ham cans. These are great fun, and great conversation pieces. Your wife and/or kids might be a bit embarrassed to be seen with you. But this is GRM...

• Motor homes- Generally, combine most of the worst of all of the above. Add maintenance issues for the drivetrain, and higher operating costs for insurance, etc. This is how you live on the road if you are a rock musician or retired engineer trying to compensate, but it's not camping.

Hope that's helpful.

Of course, I over-generalized about motor homes. I'm sure you saw my bias. There are, of course, small motorhomes.

But ALL motorhomes are big compromises, and cost more to operate.

Well, Mongo isn't a compromise.

Marjorie Suddard wrote: In reply to 914Driver: I know. I've been there, stayed all night way before it was cool. E36 M3, coyotes chased Tim down at the conclusion of our last vintage camping adventure. But... This is different. It's a new challenge. I want it. It'd be cool... Are there still coyotes in Nebraska? Margie

There's coyotes EVERYWHERE now. Don't you have them in Florida now?

Tim and I are hitting the road today, on our way to Aussie Steve's to pick up... THIS!

No, not ClifFord... the "dag" hanging off the back of it. (Thanks for learning me that bit of down-under slang, Steve. Rude, rude, rude. But probably accurate.) It's a 1962 Shasta 16-SC. Steve was kind/awesome enough to pick it up from the PO. It's rough inside, missing its wings (we've already located new ones), but honest and straight and bought for Challenge money. Happy birthday to me, and let the games begin!

Margie

Oh boy...

Yeah ClifFord was wondering if there was anything back there. Eyes glued to the mirrors for 90 miles, mainly watching for chunks of tire or smoke from the bearings.

I knew I wouldn't feel it from the truck.

That trucks has such personality.

Marjorie Suddard wrote: Basically, I want something that's almost like a super-cool rolling tent with a comfy bed, a dinette, and some rudimentary food storage and prep abilities. Margie

I know you already got your canned ham (I learned something new there), but here's what popped to mind when I read that.

Or, for a bit more practicality (more sleeping room, better cooking facilities) with less vintage...

If that's not enough footprint, I know where there's a late 50's Spartan available. As a bonus, it spent the first half of it's life being towed between Shreveport and Atlanta behind an Edsel.

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In reply to DILYSI Dave:

Where? How much?