At the risk of being accused (rightfully so) of hi-jacking this thread I have a question that someone on this thread can answer. SITUATION: wanting to pull with Clarence; 350/350; 3600# panel truck in avatar must have toilet (of some kind) need not sleep more than two (one bed or separate; doesn't matter) prefer canned ham style but any vintage camper could work kitchen/dining nice but not a necessity QUESTION: What brand/model/years camping trailer fits these requirements? I subscribed to this thread in '09 when mctim64 first posted it and have read every post; many of them multiple times.
Most small canned hams will sleep 2 adults just fine. Much more than that gets tough... you may want to look for a Shasta compact, Serro Scotty, mallard duckling, or another lesser known brand. Most people end up putting a porta potty in the closet. These small campers are hard to find in good condition though, and expect to do some work unless the previous owners have already done it... They almost always have wood rot and water damage. Sent from my SM-G900R4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Right; I'm familiar with most of these. While a port-a-potty in the closet can (no pun intended) work I'm really looking for something that the factory designed and installed it; even if it needs repaired/refurbished/replaced. Thanx for taking the time to read and respond.
Ok, gotcha! I've had 2 vintage campers with a factory bathroom. The first was my 1962 Shasta deluxe (19'). They are kinda rare but they do come up for sale every now and then... the other is a 1964 airstream globetrotter (19'). I still have the globetrotter, it's a basket case... but it has a factory bathtub and toilet. I'm not sure on any other models with bathrooms... do some looking on tin can tourists classified pages. You might find something to fit your needs or something to hunt for! Good luck! Sent from my SM-G900R4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
While these "classics" are all very cool, they are also very hot right now and command premium prices, especially if restored. As mentioned, you will find some great examples on the Tin Can Tourist site, and many are already finished. 20 years ago, you could not give the "needs a little T.L.C." types away! (These can be found in your local Craigs List ads.)
What powertrain are you running? Here's my 46, not quite as nice as yours. LOL Photoshop of something I've thought about, but I need a toy hauler and that would get difficult with the rounded rear
13' Trillium Trailers came with an optional toilet at the front but most had bunkbeds instead like mine had. They're very light and somewhat aerodynamic and with a fibreglass body the don't leak and there's no wood to rot out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Here's the 1954 Aljoa my wife and I have. Very nice throughout and all original except for the curtains she made. We hardly use it anymore and lately we have thought about letting go of it (too many things to store and maintain) It's been to Eagle Field a few times behind our '55 F100. I've been thinking of adding a shower and toilet (didn't come with one) to make it more wife-friendly but it's way down on the priority list.
Here is my current situation. Going frame up. This one was rotted from the bottom up. Sat in a swampy area for to long . Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Your truck is powerful enough, and the chassis strong enough that you can pull pretty much anything you want. Something in the 16 - 24 foot range should do nicely. Older trailers are lighter than the newer models. Airstream are the creme de la creme but expensive to buy and maintain. Their polished aluminum rivals like Streamline and Avion are often better built, and cheaper to buy. Argosy, which was Airstream's lower priced companion line, would be excellent for your purpose. A conventional canned ham or flat sided trailer would be a good choice too. Some were built with metal body framing rather than wood, they tend to stand up better over time. Holiday Rambler and Boles Aero had that feature, there may be others. The important thing is to have a good weight distributing hitch with spring bars that are just strong enough but not too strong. Good cooling system,including trans cooler as well as a good radiator, good tires, and good trailer brakes and controller. The setup of your rig is actually more important to safe pleasant towing, than the trailer itself. It all boils down to what kind of trailer you want and what you can find for sale. Your truck should be able to handle anything within reason provided the engine, trans, cooling system, brakes etc are in top shape.
If looking for plans for teardrop,;https://www.google.ca/search?q=tear...uUyAIVRJmACh0s8wjf&dpr=1#imgrc=nZZ4UBM7648ccM:
Thanx, Rusty. Clarence is in great mechanical shape. New crate motor; new aluminum radiator w/trans cooler; etc. I'm really looking for what trailer to look for; especially when doing a search like Google, or eBay, etc.
I prefer the aluminum constructed trailers, but that's mainly due to my aircraft vocation. I am guessing a carpenter would prefer a wood based trailer.. Use the Tin Can Tourist classifieds. Then at least you can see what is out there and become familiar with the different makes/models.
Mine weighs about 1800 lbs. 12ft long. Sleeps 4 (3 1/2?). My station wagon should have no problem at all hauling it. I even have another late-model RWD sedan that I may pull it with.
All right let's get down to details. How much do you intend to use it? How far will you be towing, and how much time will you spend living in it? If you mean to tow long distances and stability and economy of gas consumption are important, then the Airstream or other streamlined type trailer pays off. If interior room and low cost are more important than how it tows, then a box type trailer is better. The rounded shape of the Airstream is good in crosswinds and tows easy but you lose interior space especially cupboard space. If your trailer is going to spend most of its time sitting don't waste your money, unless you really want that style of trailer. Do you want vintage or modern? Do you want something you can use right away with no work or a project? Are you happy with an as delivered unit or want to customize it? Once you figure that part out come back and we will work on the question some more. Which is more or less a waste of time because unless you plan to order a new trailer, you are going to have to pick from what is available for sale.
My Avalair weighs 1800# and we have put 15K since completion. You can check it out at theadventuresofavalair.blogspot.com
Here ya go: I'm not being a smart a$$, but how much use, how far, and how much time really don't matter in this equation. However, we would not want to be limited on how far or how long we could go on any given trip. If we desire to set out on a 10,000 mile trip we want to be able to. What does matter: 1. I don't want to spend the ca$h for an Airstream. 2. Low initial cost would be a plus. 3. Vintage preferred. 4. No projects; I've got enough of those already. 5. Small is good; we don't want to live in it. We just want to have a place to sleep on road trips without relying on motels; i.e., the ability to just pull over in the middle of nowhere and sack out is our desire. 6. Toilet facility is not optional. Sherry will NOT walk outside in the middle of the night to pee. 7. Although 'most every camping trailer will come with kitchen facilities we really don't care; see #5 above. 8. I know I'll have to pick from what's available; what I'm looking for is what brand/model should I be setting up searches for in ebay. CL, etc. 9. Almost any small canned ham trailer from the 50's/60's would work, IF it had a toilet. There's my dilemma. Thanx, falconer, for your following response. It contained two suggestions of trailers that fit my requirements. That's the kind of information I'm looking for, although I'd like to have something smaller than 19'. Ok, gotcha! I've had 2 vintage campers with a factory bathroom. The first was my 1962 Shasta deluxe (19'). They are kinda rare but they do come up for sale every now and then... the other is a 1964 airstream globetrotter (19'). b-t-w; I thought about starting a new thread instead of responding to this one, but think that other folks might be interested in this information. If that's not the case someone tell me and I'll delete all my posts on this thread and start anew.
The Jalopy Journal
