Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: The New Travel Trailers for 1937! Continue reading the Original Blog Post
A lot of pre-war trailers (including the first Airstreams) were actually Masonite, not metal. Instead of going to scrap during the war, a lot of them simply rotted away afterward. Many were used as stationary housing for war workers--paving the way for postwar mobile-home communities. "Trailer park" meant something very different in the '40s than it does today.
A bit newer than that because it is a 65 but this one showed up on the local FB marketplace this morning. The Vintiques NW Nationals in Yakima kicks off today and you see a lot of older car related stuff start showing up 65 Go-Lite 14 foot. I've got to agree with Bigcheeze 327 a lot of those pre war trailers got planted in one spot somewhere as low buck housing for workers During WWII.
War makes progress. I restored this '48 Spartan Manor and it's a good sample of war changing an industry and housing/recreation needs. Spartan was a J. Paul Getty high end aircraft company before the war and was looking to get in on the housing boom before wars end and use up surplus materials. They produced several protoypes and gave away one for a low dollar housing alternative but changed product and marketing direction... "True to there intent Spartan spared no expense on these trailers. Manufactured to the highest quality and sleekest design employing the monocoque building technique used in airplane manufacturing, they were truly the "Cadillac" of trailers." It's a unique build, a retired factory employee told me he believed the ribs of the trailer were tapered because they modified a aircraft stamping form, the sides do have an airfoil shape. The fronts are aircraft lexan - a first to offer the large view even calling that part of the trailer "The Observation Lounge". Rear quarter windows use automotive cranks and '40 sedan window track. Custom Birch interior and oh yea.. like 3,000 bucked rivets.
Your 1958 Ford 2 door wagon sure looks good hooked to the travel trailer. My wife n I and 4 children did similar with a 1956 Chevy nine passenger Beauville wagon in the mid eighties. Great family fun. Still have the wagon, but the trailer is long gone. Thanks for bringing the memories back.
I bought a spartian at the setting & rotting estate auction. paid $25. sadly I am not able to move it. I fully intend to go next week and take my generator and sawsall and cut it up into manageable pieces and load it on my trailer. those flat sides should have some handy aluminum sheets.
Damn , I would take a drill and stack of bits , drill out the rivets and try to sell the panels . You can always , cut them up if they don’t sell . They are probably like equal to gold if someone needs a replacement panel or two .
old wolf i would take the man up on is generous offer and let him go to it. split the huge profits with him. after your 25.00 dollar investment of course
The round Rub Rail and straights are worth some, and if you have original exterior lights. the doors and round upper front and rear panels are worth saving too!
The weather is nice and tomorrow is predicted to be the same. I intend to pull my stock trailer tomorrow and cut it up in as large of chunks as I can manage. your advice is welcome.
If it has the stove and heater, might grab those too. If you join the FB Spartan groups (there are about two) I think you'll find a new home for some of the parts quickly.