V TRAILERS e g a t in
CAMPER Vol. 7, No. 3, Issue: 37 May-June 2018
Rare, Unique & One-of-a-Kind Trailers and RVs The magazine for all vintage camper trailer collectors, restorers, admirers and dreamers.
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Inside This Issue Index Meet "EARL", a 1969 Hercules
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1962 Holiday House Geographic Model X 10 Birth of a TCT Event
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Mid Century Mobile Museum 1955 Spartan 1 6
Trailer Museums- Page 14
One-of-a-kind Tent Trailer
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1972 Toronado Custom Built RV
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The Ballad of Calico
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Beautiful Spartan Trailers
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Before They Were Vintage
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Retro Diners and Destinations
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USA Rally Calendar
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Vintage Camper Trailers
New Book 1972 Toronado RV- Page 24
Cover Photo Courtesy of
Timothy Cash of Far From Earth Productions 4
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American Tr a i l e r i t e By Paul Lacitinola Publisher VCT Magazine
Volume: 7 - Number: 3 - Issue: 37 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. I’ve read the last page of the Bible. It’s all going to turn out all right. -Billy Graham Vintage Camper Trailers Magazine 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
We had so much fun at Boot Camp this year I can’t believe we have to wait until the first weekend of March 2019 to do it again! If you were there, or know somebody that went, you know we got some rain. Rain is the arch nemesis of vintage trailers, and we did spring a few leaks. All of the campsites were on asphalt so although it was wet, it wasn’t muddy. The good news was the venue at Casa de Fruta in Hollister, California was fantastic. Indoor classrooms were dry and warm and accommodated the 200 attendees that traveled from several different states across the country to be a part of the biggest vintage trailer restoration training in the USA! We have found a home for this event at Casa de Fruta and have already rented the park for the first week of March next year. The crew that gave of their time and expertise this year will be hard to match. We were able to get experts like TIm Heintz (Heintz Design, Florida) and Steve Hingtgen (Vintage Trailer Supply, Vermont) to travel to northern California to be a part of this west coast based event. From the west coast, newcomer Denny Stone (SoCal Vintage Trailers, San Diego) and returning favorites Tim and Linda Brown (Edan Valley Garage, Colfax), had packed classes showing how they do the incredible finishes on trailer interiors. From the nearby east bay area the crew from Artistic Airstreams, Scotty, Josh and Liam, showed us how to polish aluminum and repair appliances. Adam Blair from Avalon RV in Benicia covered solar power and charging. Gary Warner, Randy Bonfantini and Rick Burros all shared the extensive knowledge they have as electricians, plumbers and mechanics. We covered a lot of ground in a couple of days and had a blast doing it. In addition to seminars on restoration, Tim Heintz delivered an interesting presentation on the history of trailers and the Tin Can Tourists. To close out the weekend Sunday morning Steve Hingtgen facilitated a round-table discussion on “Restorations and Relationships”. Not really knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised when about 90% of the attendees showed up to participate. (By Sunday everybody is usually blasting off as soon as they can!) The conversation was interesting, insightful, emotional and inspiring. In a nutshell I think it validated that we (vintage trailerites) are all very like minded and have endured some of the same trials and tribulations while enjoying this hobby. We are already planning for next year and know that you will get a lot out of attending Boot Camp whether you are a novice or a pro. Save the date. Tickets go on sale soon! Photos at: www.vintagecampertrailers.com/bootcamp.html www.vintagecampertrailers.com
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“Earl” was rescued by Steve Folsom of Fort Branch, Indiana after he found him partially buried in Diane Coomes’ backyard. In all caps, the name EARL is displayed on the exterior aluminum establishing the trailer’s name. Despite the trailer’s poor condition, Steve saw the potential in the 1969 Hercules.
As the second owner of Earl, Diane Coomes’ father lost interest in the trailer and it was left sitting in her Henderson, Kentucky backyard where it was used as a hang-out location for Diane’s son to listen to records. Steve became aware of the Hercules trailer through his friend, Eric Coomes, Diane’s son. As a union carpenter and antique furniture restorer, Steve had the skills needed to restore Earl. A deal was struck for $300 and Steve owned EARL. The $300 purchase turned into an $11,000 rebuild along with countless hours of work by Steve and his friends. During the restoration process, Steve became medically disabled. He shared that the restoration was a blessing to him during this time as it gave him purpose to get up and going each morning as there was always something needing to be done on the trailer. The restoration became a social event as Steve’s friends volunteered to do a lot of the labor and help Steve complete the restoration. Steve Folsom found Earl in the same city where he was manufactured. The Henderson’s Hercules Manufacturing produced travel trailers from 1969 – 1971. According to their website, http://www.herculesvanbodies. com, the company has been in business since 1902 when it opened as a buggy manufacturer in Evansville, KY. Later the business moved to Henderson, KY. Having stayed in business for over 112 years has required the company to be innovative and change with the times. Now, the company 8
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primarily manufactures truck and van bodies for the trucking industry. According to an article written by Douglas White on www. thegleaner.com, retired president of Henderson’s Hercules Manufacturing, Joseph Banna, confirmed the limited manufacturing date of 1969 -1971 for the Hercules Trailer.
Banna said that only a few dozen Hercules trailers were constructed with limited (2-3) production models. According to Banna, confirming exact numbers is difficult as the paperwork that went along with the trailer production has been destroyed. He did say that the now vintage trailers were originally manufactured under the Henderson Trailer Company name which was later changed to Hercules. Although Henderson’s Hercules Manufacturing still uses the location where the Hercules trailer was produced, the travel trailers were a short lived part of the company’s long history. With no more than four dozen Hercules trailers produced, this is certainly another rare vintage trailer.
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Holiday House Geographic Model X One of only two known to exist. Recently restored by Flyte Camp of Bend, Oregon . This unique crowd pleaser is a standout wherever it goes. Photographs by Hal Thoms In issue #30 of the VCT Magazine we shared the before photos of this rare find. The restoration of the fiberglass body proved to be extremely difficult. The fiberglass had black mold throughout that had to be removed. The ceiling was buckling and had to be completely replaced. Once those repairs were made, getting the trailer to line up correctly was another challenge. Flyte Camp only had an empty shell to work off of, so they were recreating the interior with their flare based on vintage photos. Anna wanted to highlight the design-forward window lines so the cabinetry was customized to expose them more than they were in the original design of the trailer. The Geo comes fully equipped with a solar/inverter battery system to keep you off the grid indefinitely. It has 4, 6-volt AGM batteries, and a portable solar panel from ZAMP. An on demand hot water heater is the only way to go for long showers. Accent LED lighting in, above and below the black
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walnut cabinets. A full surround sound, DVD player and TV add a home theater element to this luxury build. The HVAC system is climate controlled, with the heating and a/c unit tastefully hidden under the front couch, and ducted throughout the trailer. Custom Axalta paint with pin-striping by Kurt Silva, and Diamond Back whitewall radials finish off the exterior with the same level of quality found in the interior. Chuck Pelly, the original designer of the coach, attended the Modernism Show in Palm Springs and saw the finished Geographic there for the first time! He also designed the Scarab race car and went on to found the BMW group. Production of this, the Model X trailer, was certainly in the beginning stages when it was built in 1962. There were a lot of areas that needed to be improved upon. Flyte Camps hope is that they were able to recreate the trailer that Holiday House was hoping to ultimately manufacture back in the 1960's.
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1972 TORONADO RV
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Chick Magnet www.vintagecampertrailers.com
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US A Rally Calendar We do our best to confirm all events before press but plans do change. Make sure and call to confirm. Many times rallies have an open house on Saturday to view the trailers. Call to confirm the rally is open to the public if not stated. Listing your rally on this calendar is FREE, just let us know in advance. We also offer cheap display ad rates for rallies if you want your event to stand out. Paid ads include a listing on our website and Facebook page events calendar. May 3-6, 2018 Chula Vista, CA 5th ANNUAL CINDY ROSS’ VINTAGE TRAILER. RALLY, Chula Vista RV Resort, 480 Sandpiper Way, Pre-registration & payment required. Cowboys and Indians themed good time, fun stuff, prizes, and more. Barbara Shields @ 951 672 2366 or Barbarashields@aol.com.
May 3-6, 2018 Lodi, CA Trailerfest Back to the 1960’s Rally. Yogi Bear Jellystone Tower Park. Over 200 vintage trailers! Open House, open to the public, Saturday 10 am to 2pm. www.trailerfestrally.com. May 3-6, 2018 Walnut Grove, CA Snug Harbor Campout. 3356 Snug Harbor Drive, Not an organized rally. Vintage trailer not required No Open House. Kathy Forney bygoneshop@aol. com 925-978-6989 May 17-20, 2018 Pismo Beach, CA
May 17 – 21, 2018 Daytona Beach, FL VAC Region 3 Southeast Rally and Florida Airstream Club Rally, International RV Park and Campground. www.vintageairstreamclub.com/ events. No need to call the campground. Full hookup is $45 per night including tax. Rally fee is $20 per person and will be collected upon arrival. Hosts are Larry and Linda Scovotto, VAC Region 3 Representatives. vacregion3@vintageairstreamclub.com or call (386) 405-0160. May 18-20, 2018 Bodega Bay, CA Bodega Bay Vintage Trailer Rally, 2001 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, CA. Potluck chowder cook off Friday evening. Saturday breakfast and open house 10-2. Saturday is the non host cocktail party, get them drinks ready, followed by a tri-tip dinner (you supply the sides) and don't forget about your kite making!!! Open House: Saturday May 19, 2018. 10-2 pm. Robin Gutierres Kristinagutierres@sbcglobal.net 510 604 3117 May 17-20, 2018 Manchester, CA Trailers by the Sea, 44300 Kinney Rd, Manchester, CA 95459. Vintage Trailer Campout, Pot Luck, Contact Yolanda at Manchester Beach KOA. (707) 882-2375 to get a space. No open house. Andy and Rosa Sanchez (707) 228-9441 or (707) 2289444 kenhair02@gmail.com
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May 19, 2018 North Pole, AK Cruis'n With Santa 101 St Nicholas Dr, North Pole, AK 99705. Celebrate the start of the summer season at the Cruis'n with Santa car show, hosted by the North Pole Lions Club. Cruis'n with Santa is also home to the 3rd Annual North Pole Pin-Up Pageant. There will be cars, trailers, vendors, pinup girls, music, entertainment, raffles, burnouts, and yes...you can even visit Santa's reindeer! Proceeds will go towards the NP Lions Eyeglasses Recycling & Vision Center! May 19th, 11AM-5PM. Entrance fee $2/adult. Jessie Desmond jessiedesmond@rocketmail.com (907) 987-0671 May 19th - 20th 2018 Fullerton, CA Muckenthaler Motor Car Festival 1201 W. Malvern Ave. Fullerton, CA 92833. A beautiful Concourse de Elegance event laid out on the eight rolling treelined acres of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center. Featuring exquisite motor cars, vintage travel trailers and motorcycles, hot rods, and customs. Open House: Admission Fee - Saturday - $5.00 Sunday $10.00. Tom McDonnell carshow@themuck.org 866-411-1212 May 17-20, 2017 Bozeman, MT RALLY AT THE HOT SPRINGS. At Bozeman Hot Springs Campground and RV Park 81123 Gallatin Rd, Bozeman, MT 59718 406-5873030 for reservations. Contact Kelly Boldy at 707738-8607 or giggler664@yahoo.com May 25th - 28th, 2018 Canon City, CO FAC Kick Off To Summer Gathering at the Royal Gorge KOA, Canon City, CO. Friendly Average Campers of Colorado are celebrating camping season with our Annual Kick Off To Summer Gathering. Please contact campground directly to reserve. A Vintage Trailer is NOT required. The KOA has cabins available for rent, also. Royal Gorge KOA. 559 County Road 3A. Canon City, Colorado 81212 https://koa.com/campgrounds/ royal-gorge/ 800-562-5689 May 29 - June 3 2018 Jackson Center, OH Alumapalooza® is an annual event held at the Airstream, Inc. factory. Produced with the support of Airstream, Inc., Airstream Life magazine, and other sponsors, it is five days of Airstream fun. www. Alumapalooza.com
May 31, 2018 Pine Mountain,GA Vintage campers and glampers vintage camper rally. 8804 Hamilton Road,Pine Mountain,Ga. 31822. Open to all campers 30 years and older, the exceptions will be the Shasta reissue, the Scotty reissue and the white water Retro. All others will be on a case by case basis and can camp next door in the Daylilly section. There is a non-refundable $10 entry fee to join the rally to be paid to me via Paypal. Make reservation first at Pine Mountain RV resort in Pine Mountain,Ga, 1-706663-4329 open 7 days a week! Then contact me with your site number and send me $10 entry fee. This should be a great time as we have the entire Azalea section ,it's over 100 camp sites! It should be a great time and the focus is on seeing some great vintage campers and meeting some great people! Wayne Parducci wparducci@aol.com 334-201-4811 June 1-4, 2018 Cheyenne, WY The Ranch is a Wyo.” Disney Land”,activities for all ages. Go to web site to get full spectrum. More than bison,trains and camels. When making reservation, notify you're with TCT,vintage or modern and head count for optional buffalo dinner on Saturday pre-evening $15.00 adult (cash). Bring your own plate,cup,roller napkins,etc. Dinner is paid correct cash,(dollar close), at TCT H.Q. on check in at Space A-1. Rally fee of $20.00 per space. Open to non TCT folks. CUT OFF RESERVATION DATE; MAY 30th . After the 30th spaces will still be available as close to Rally as possible. Friday;show up,sign up,set up. Pre-sunset pot luck,meet and greet,settle in. Saturday; Open House 10 am to 5 pm. Flea market items encouraged,bring your unwanted vintage goodies. Saturday evening. Buffalo dinner, bon-fire, (if permitted). Meeting to get input and suggestions for next rally. Plan something for Sunday morning. The dry camp area will be the meeting area. Porta toilets will be on site. Plan is to set up dry camp spaces in a crescent shape,open end facing North. The vintage tractor folks will be joining us on Sat. Also working on the local vintage auto group. Orbie 434-730-3840, wattmungall@gmail.com June 1 - 3 2018 Cape May Court House, NJ Jersey Shore Wings Vintage Trailer Rally. 1917 Route 9 N Campe May Court House, NJ 08210. Fun filled weekend of camaraderie with fellow Vintage Camper enthusiasts. Vintage car show, Discounted site rental and more. Marlene Catanoso avaloncmpg@gmail.com 609-624-0075
June 7-10, 2018 Sandusky, OH Scottys at Sandusky. Camp Sandusky 3518 Tiffin Avenue, Sandusky, Ohio 44870 A gathering of Serro Scotty trailers on Lake Erie. No Open House. Sara Nicholls saranicholls@yahoo.com 602-708-4127 June 8-10, 2018 Weston, CO Stonewall Friendly Average Campers of Colorado Rally. Our 2nd gathering at the Stonewall Lodge and RV Resort in beautiful Weston, CO. Contact campground directly to reserve (be sure to mention FAC). A Vintage Trailer is NOT required. 6673 State Highway 12 Weston, Colorado 81091 http:// www.stonewalllodge.com 719-868-2294
June 8-9, 2018 Medical Lake, WA Glamping on the Farmstead, 15109 W Thorpe Rd. A rustic country vintage trailer show and rally. A judged show open for free public viewing of all refurbished and decorated camp trailers 1978 and older. Dry camping Friday Night in a family friendly inclusive, Christian atmosphere in the countryside, close to Spokane. Small vintage and craft market nearby, vendor spaces available. Willow Creek Retreat is a private nature retreat situated on a farmstead on the West Plains of Spokane County, conveniently located 5 minutes from the Spokane International Airport.. Situated on 20 acres with abundant trees and a year round creek. Open House 4-8 Fri., 9-3 Sat. Rachael Swanson creativeedgemarketing@gmail.com (509) 218-6519
Hot bed
June 7-10, 2018 (Corrected date) Big Bear, CA Trailer Rally at the beautiful Lighthouse Resort on the north shore Big Bear Lake. We will have potlucks as well as an outdoor movie night under the mountain sky. Every spot is full hook ups, $40/ night. Max or Lori at the Lighthouse Resort www. bigbearlighthouseresort.com 909.866.9464 June 15-17, 2018 Virginia City, NV Step Back In Time. 355 F St Virginia City, NV 89440. Step back in time vintage trailer rally. June 15 through the 17th 2018 in Virginia City Nevada. Join us for a fun filled weekend! Cocktail party Friday night, potluck Saturday night. Open house Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM. To make a reservation contact Virginia City RV Park @ 775-849-0999. Open House Saturday 10-2:00pm. Wes Crites. Loyds_pss@sbcglobal.net 775-813-7960 June 17-20, 2018 Bend, OR BEND CLASSIC RALLY, 25th Anniversary VAC Rally. J Bar J Youth Ranch at 62895 Hanby Road, Bend, OR 97701. Fees are $25 per night the proceeds of which go to the Youth Ranch, a 501c3. Contact Dal Smilie, Rally Host at dalsmilie@aol. com or 406 461-3714 VACation in Oregon! June 20-23, 2018 Brooks, OR 2018 Vintage Airstream Club Rendezvous, Vacation in Oregon! If you have a vintage Airstream, Argosy, Byam Holiday or Curtis Wright please join us at Powerland Heritage Park. Contact VAC 1VP Dave Morrison at 1vp@vintageairstreamclub.com June 22-24, 2018 Glenwood Springs, CO FAC @ Glenwood Canyon Resort. The beautiful Glenwood Canyon is calling to us! Please contact campground directly to reserve. A Vintage Trailer is NOT required. To reserve, please call Steve @ 970-945-6737 BE SURE TO MENTION FAC. Glenwood Canyon Resort. 1308 County Road 129 Glenwood Springs, CO. http://glenwoodcanyonresort.com
AT THE LARGEST NOSTALGIC CAR SHOW IN THE WORLD
Virginia City Reno/Sparks AugUST
3rd - 4th
AugUST
7th - 12th
Hot August Nights Vintage Trailer Revival will be the talk of the park, trailer park that is! Vintage trailers 1976 and older will be able to dry camp for the week long event.
r e g i s t e r
hotaugustnights.net
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7 7 5.356.1956
July 3-8, 2018 Brooks, OR All-American Vintage Trailer Rally Powerland Heritage Park in Brooks, Oregon just off I-5. No reservations required, there is room for everyone. Restrooms, showers, electric and water available. Antique tractors, trucks, cars, motorcycles, trolleys and trains. Civil War reenactments. Oregon’s largest vintage trailer rally. All the info is at www.all-american-rally.com July 12-15, 2018 Hampton, IL Great River Road Vintage Trailer Rally, 1201 State Ave, Hampton, Illinois 61256. On the banks of the Mississippi! Nightly group meals, campfires, Saturday open house, and a lot of great friends. We are just across the river from LeClaire, IA, home of the American Pickers. Open House: Saturday July 14, 2018, 12-3 p.m. Kevin Isaacson austinoaks22@gmail.com, 309 521-7066
CELEBRATING AMERICA'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH CARS AND ROCK N' ROLL www.vintagecampertrailers.com
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