V TRAILERS e g a t in
CAMPER Vol. 7, No. 1, Issue: 35 January-February 2018
VCT Magazine
Family Owned and Operated The magazine for all vintage camper trailer collectors, restorers, admirers and dreamers.
RESCUE
R E S TO R E
R A L LY
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Inside This Issue Index Artistic Airstreams
1953 Fleetwood- Page 12
1983 Avion Camper Chef- Page 18
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The Future of Vintage Trailers
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Trailer Tree House
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Breadloaf Trailers Abound in the East
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Truck Campers Homebuilt vs. Avion
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Teardrop Tourists
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Before They Were Vintage
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Laminate Countertops and Trim
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Hitched on Stitching
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Storing Cushions, A subscribers Solution 41 USA Rally Calendar
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Vintage Camper Trailer
Rallies
Book Number Two
From the publishers of the VCT Magazine Paul and Caroline Lacitinola Getting together with other trailerites at a rally is many peoples favorite part of the hobby. Rallies can only happen when someone takes the lead to be the wagon master and picks a date, a location and lets everyone know about it. We tell you how we got started hosting rallies and give you some ideas on how you can start your own rally! 200 pages (in hard cover) of photos of rallies, restored trailers and the trailerites that rescue, restore and rally across the USA.
Vintage Trailer Mash- Page 24 4
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Visit www.vintagecampertrailers.com, go to the “Camp Store� to order a signed copy of the new book that includes a Vintage Camper Trailers sticker and an "I Love Vintage Camper Trailers" sticker and a bookmark.
American Tr a i l e r i t e By Paul Lacitinola Publisher VCT Magazine Volume: 7 - Number: 1 - Issue: 35 PO Box 354, Elverta CA 95626 (916) 572-8554
www.vintagecampertrailers.com vintagecampertrailers@gmail.com Published by: Paul and Caroline Lacitinola American Trailerites The VCT Magazine is published bi-monthly January, March, May, July, September & November. Before I go insane, I hold my pillow to my head, And spring up in my bed, screaming out the words I dread, I think I love you -David Cassidy Vintage Camper Trailers is a non-denominational supporter of the vintage camper trailer hobby. We welcome all collectors, restorers, admirers and dreamers. Subscribe Today - See page 40 for details.
Vintage Camper Trailers Magazine reserves the exclusive right to reject or accept advertising or editorial material submitted for publication. The editorial content contained in this magazine does not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Vintage Camper Trailers Magazine (USPS Publication Number 15940) is published bimonthly (in January, March, May, July, September, November) by Vintage Camper Trailers, 8416 Elwyn Avenue, Elverta, CA 95626-9552. Periodical postage paid at Elverta, CA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Vintage Camper Trailers, PO Box 354, Elverta, CA 95626-0354.
WE BUY Vintage Camper Trailers, Bicycles, Cars, and Pick-Ups. (916) 992-1427
A new year is here, and we are more excited than ever about the vintage camper trailer hobby! Not long ago someone asked me, “How long will you be able to maintain your enthusiasm about the hobby?” At the time, I thought it was a legitimate question. I don’t think you could do what we do in the hobby if you were not immersed in it. Fortunately, the hobby has taken on so many directions for us we won’t be getting bored with it anytime soon. This winter we have been restoring a couple of trailers that we will be showing this year. While we do as much of our own restorations as possible, we do rely on friends and other craftsman for help. I have learned that there are more qualified professionals that will save me time and do a better job than I could myself for some things. We have relied on John Green, Tim and Linda Brown and Harps RV to keep our 1955 Spartan Mid-Century Mobile Museum on track. The 28’ Spartan will be making its debut in February at the Exposure Shows in Oregon. www.exposureshows.com The Spartan project started as a gutted shell that Justin and Anna had at Flyte Camp. The trailer had been abandoned by the previous owner, but was exactly what we were looking for. The fact that it was completely gutted meant we could do whatever we wanted! Ultimately, we decided that what we really wanted was to build was a 1955 Spartan with essentially the same layout that it came with originally! Although gutted to the studs, most of the contents like the cabinets and trim were inside of the trailer. We re-wired the trailer (for 12v and 110v), insulated everything with foam core and installed a new birch ceiling and wall panels. We re-purposed the originally cabinetry and trim (leaving some patina) to give the trailer a “vintage feel”. The trailer will be our camper, office and museum as we travel to rallies and other events. We used new materials in the build to make it comfortable. Wilsonart Laminates, Forbo Marmolium Flooring, Dometic Air Conditioning and a Parallax Power Supply. The final touch will be blinds from www.blinds.com. We hope to see you at an event so you can see our new build. The trailer will have hundreds of pieces of vintage camping gear on board and be a fun look-back at the vintage artifacts that were used during the mid-century. We will feature photos of the finished trailer in the next issue of the VCT Magazine. We have rescued a couple of more barn fresh Masonite trailers that we hope to clean-up and share soon. This summer, we will be announcing a special, one-of-a-kind trailer that is a part of trailering history. It is our next project and we need to get it done to stay on schedule. Participating in so many aspects of the hobby we don’t have time to get burned out! See you at a Trailerfest, Boot Camp or another rally! www.midcenturymobile.com
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SYSTEMS • Dickinson Mediterranean marine grade stainless steel stove/oven • Baldini Low profile Hood vent • Suburban NT-30sp 30,000 btu furnace system • Suburban 60,000btu on demand water heater • Dometic Low profile 13,500 btu Penguin Air Conditioner • Dometic DM2652, 6 cubic foot double door refrigerator • Magnum 4000 watt Hybrid inverter system • 4 Fullriver DC400-6, 6volt Deep cycle AGM batteries 415 amp/hr each
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The Process
The build took about 8 months with over 500 man hours. Artistic Airstream's strengths are total rebuild/redesign, cabinetry, electronics, and blending in modern conveniences while keeping the classic charm.
Owner: Zak Burnham, Oakland, CA
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resembled a trailer after 64 years, many of which were spent sitting abandoned, prey to the elements. And yet, she stood! Originally, I had set my sights on finding the perfect already-restored trailer. After endless hours of research, scrolling Craigslist, and a few meetings with “restorers”, I quickly realized that a well-restored vintage trailer is harder to come by than I would have ever imagined. And then I stumbled upon American Travelers Restorations’ website. I was looking at a Shasta that was already done, but after exchanging ideas and information with owner Brooke Bickler, she sent me photos of the Fleetwood. Even in its decrepit state I was immediately intrigued. I drove to California to meet them and see the Fleetwood in person, and I knew right away that I had found my trailer and the perfect team to restore it. They were so helpful the entire time, from choosing custom design elements, explaining the rebuilding process, and constantly keeping me updated along the way. They even included things I never would have dreamed – like the original iron grates on the vents, and a pet feeding station for my two furry travel companions. The result was my dream trailer, rebuilt with modern touches and, most importantly, safe to hit the road.
possible, you can find me getting lost in an antique store, or combing through rusty items at a vintage market. Most of my favorite furniture and jewelry pieces are family handme-downs, and I’m currently renovating a 1974 home (because every trailer needs a good parking spot). When I first started looking for a travel trailer, there was no doubt in my mind I wanted to go old school, despite 14
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all the negative options I heard. Why spend money on something old when you can get something brand new? Well, there’s a reason for the saying, “They just don’t build them like that anymore!” I knew that was true the second I laid eyes on my 1953 Fleetwood. Don’t get me wrong – it was an absolute hunk of junk at the time, but I also remember thinking that it was a miracle that it even
Since June, my little “canned ham” has driven the Pacific Coast Highway, sat underneath the towering California redwood trees, gone off-road in the mountains of the Mogollon Rim (that was a nailbiter!), and camped amidst the beautiful red rocks of Sedona. One of my favorite campgrounds, where these
photographs were taken, is Lost Dutchman State Park, about an hour east of Phoenix. It’s the perfect quick weekend destination from the city and has incredible views of both mountains and the desert. In the spring, the area fills with wildflowers, so I will definitely be back for that! My long-term goal is to eventually take a few weeks (or even months!) to explore some of the most amazing areas that the West has to offer, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, Banff, Zion, etc., just to name a few! But for now, the weekend trips and occasional weeklong vacation will have to do. Sometimes, I’m content just visiting the camper in the parking lot, decorating and imagining all the places we’ll go. The trailer is fondly named after one of my favorite musical artists (and because I love a good play on words), Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac. Like many others my age, I took to social media to document my travels and experiences in a vintage camper, and Instagram has been a great way to record memories of traveling in the trailer (both good and bad!). I also started a blog to write about travel, favorite camping hacks, where to go, and lessons I’ve learned along the way. It has not been an easy journey for someone who had absolutely no experience with trailers before I started, but has by far been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. It can be tough to have your life completely figured out by this age, but when I pull up a folding chair with a cup of coffee and look out on my destination, I know that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
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Bart Cops, 43 is here out of Belgium, Europe. Where in his professional life is CEO of his own Green Energy companies. He immigrated from Belgium to Southern Nevada a little over five years ago. It is here he found his love for being a hobby chef. Bart has gained fame by cooking Stoemp related dishes not only for his local Farmer’s Market companions but also his family, friends and those less fortunate than he. Bart swears by the basic honest kitchen and presents himself as an autodidact cook with amazing skills. Stoemp is his signature dish, which was highlighted and upgraded in Belgium by Bart’s dear friend and number one mentor,
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Chef Albert Verdeyen. Chef Albert is the famous Brussels TV chef who wrote several cookbooks about the beloved and versatile meal (co written by Marc Vansataen). Albert’s personality and skills showed Bart the way to open doors in the United States. The two remain close comrades and Bart and Albert are about to publish their first cookbook together! This fun and vibrant cookbook will be filled to the brim with 30 amazing Stoemp recipes. Camper Chef and Chef Albert (Brussels Man of the Year in 2011) will show us how we too can make Stoemp. It will feature many various ways to enrich the fun meal with a variety of additions and ingredients such as herbs, vegetables, meats or like Bart’s girlfriend would prefer… to keep it vegan.
Bart started experimenting in Nevada, his new home, first inside his family kitchen and then in the kitchen of his vintage camper trailer all while traveling with his beloved family. He gave the primitive Belgian dish, with its deep roots in Belgian farming, an all American touch. Thus, making it his very own version of the basic, yet versatile meal straight from his heritage, "Camper Chef Stoemp". THE CULINARY ROOTS OF THE CAMPER CHEF Camper Chef, Bart Cops, grew up in the northeastern part of Belgium, the rural Flemish province of Limburg, which is squeezed in at the bordering triangle between Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Until the beginning of last century, the province of Limburg was a very poor region without industrial activity and scarcely populated by poor farmers with sheep, goats, chickens and sometimes you would find a cow. The children-rich families lived from their meager farmlands and life was beautiful, even though it was simple. Here the potato was the staple food. A very popular key ingredient that graced fame on every household table, like pasta was to Italy.
As a child, Bart experienced several exotic kitchens of the migrant families in his neighborhood in West Limburg. He could be found in his grandmothers kitchen, interested in how she cooked, what she cooked, which ingredients she mixed and how she seasoned it. Cooking is most definitely deep in the family genes.
Bart's youth was extra seasoned by the culinary influences of his own family. Papa Luc was born and raised in a typical Flemish farming family. His Grandma, who lived to be 99, mainly prepared authentic Flemish and Limburgian dishes with local grown and sourced ingredients from her own garden. She would be found picking up ingredients from small farmers in the neighborhood. This characteristic lives on with Bart. Dishes with home-grown potatoes appeared on the table almost daily, along side fresh vegetable soups. Bart’s Aunt Jeanne, who lived to be 98, resided in a farm next to Bart’s childhood home. Here she ran a farm with several goats and lots of other small animals like chicken, ducks and even a couple cows. She literally harvested all of her own
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B r e a d l o a f Tr a i l e r s Abound in the East Often thought to resemble a horse trailer in the front with a sloping rear. Usually over 16' creating a rectangular profile like a loaf of bread. Story and Photographs by Richard Cook
1950 Liberty Coach owned by Andrea Danforth of Charlottesville, VA. (above and right)
Nearly a dozen breadloaf trailers were at the 2017 Gathering Of The Times in Pine Mountain, GA, including a 1956 Silver Dome (photos on page 30) owned by Pete and Cindy Whitley of Sharpsburg, GA. Pete found the trailer three years ago in the New England area and towed it south to Georgia. He is slowly restoring it to its past glory. Pete must be forgiven for not having completed the restoration yet, because he’s the rally host for the Gathering Of The Times Vintage Trailer Rally and is continually doing preparation work for this event, which is growing into one of the east coast’s largest rallies. The Silver Dome is, however, currently camp-ready. 28
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While doing a teardown of the Silver Dome’s interior, Pete found an interesting piece of the trailer’s past. Behind the original refrigerator was a child’s drawing of an airplane with the TWA logo (Trans World Airlines for those who don’t remember this once grand air carrier) written on it, as well as the child’s first and last name. Pete went on Facebook and contacted about two dozen people with the same name who lived in the New England area. In his message, he made reference to the hand-drawn airplane picture he’d discovered behind the Silver Dome’s refrigerator. A woman responded, writing that she drew the picture when she was a child. The Silver Dome had been her mother’s trailer, and her mother
Andrea came to the rally towing her workin-progress, a 1950 Liberty Coach she purchased in mid2017. If she does as good a job restoring this Liberty Coach as she did on the Prairie Schooner, she’ll be bringing a heck-of-anice trailer to future rallies.
1947 Prairie Schooner owned by Lea Campbell of Warm Springs, VA. (above and right)
had bought it from the original owner. Fantastic detective work, Pete! That drawing is now a treasured piece of the Silver Dome’s history. In addition to Pete’s breadloaf, there was a 1947 Prairie Schooner owned by Nathan and Deb Gaddis of Chattanooga, TN. However, it was the previous owner who told them it was a 1947 model when they purchased it in early-2017 without any paperwork. According to Deb, she said that well-known vintage trailer historian Tim Heintz, (who was at the rally), thinks it’s a 1949 model. That being noted, this Prairie Schooner is no longer a travel trailer. Instead, it’s a mobile clothing
boutique. The interior was already half-gutted when Nathan and Deb bought it, so they tore out the rest, then transformed it into a clothing store for Deb. During the rally, they had the exterior and interior decorated like a haunted house for Halloween. (Photos on page 31) A fully-restored 1947 Prairie Schooner owned by Lea Campbell of Warm Springs, VA was at the rally. Lea purchased the trailer in 2016 from Andrea Danforth, the woman who did the frame-up restoration. Lea had previously owned a vintage Airstream. This was Lea’s first long-distance trip with the Prairie Schooner since it was returned to ‘like new’ condition. www.vintagecampertrailers.com
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PO Box 354, Elverta CA 95626
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