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duke208 · 09-02-2004, 11:12 PM

I bought this trailer about a year ago, in all that time I have yet to find anything like it. I would like to know WHAT it is and about how old. The laster year it was registerd with the DMV was 1990 and they don't have files back that far, there is no S/N, NamePlate, or anyother identifying marks on the trailer.

If anyone knows what this is or has a good guess please let me know!

Picture

FireFighter · 09-03-2004, 06:26 AM

that is a super super rare wally barnumn cuper. oh hell i have no idea what it is.

flyfshr · 09-03-2004, 08:33 AM

That is really cool. Although I have no clue as to its make, I would like to see interior pictures.

FF

bredlo · 09-03-2004, 08:46 AM

My first impression as a complete non-expert is that it looks like some kind of homemade kit from the 1940's.

Maybe a backyard builder who couldn't afford an Airstream but had some genuine parts lying around (Bargman tail lights, fridge vent?) The fact you haven't found any official tags or nameplates reinforces my guess.

59toaster · 09-03-2004, 08:52 AM

One of the other comapnies building Aluminum shell coaches in the 50's and 60's did have a Bambi sized coach and I bet thats it. Should still have some badging I would think or atleast a place where the badging went. I don't buy it being a home built with the formed corners. That's not something sombody can do in their garage.

bredlo · 09-03-2004, 08:56 AM

Then again, you don't really need our opinion.

Just head over to airstreamdreams.com, and get yourself some validation! Who's gonna argue with you... nobody knows what Wally built in his garage during the weekends!

59toaster · 09-03-2004, 10:09 AM

That thing is driving me nuts. I want to know what it is.

Here is my Observation. The windows look like the same Hehr's that Airstream used in the 50's. Airstream stopped with that style 58-59. It looks like the Hehr company stopped even making that style then because I have never seen a coach of any brand newer the 60 with them. Between that and the tail lights we know it's older then 60. The tail lights may have a date on them if they are original then that might help. In the 40's most of the coaches had colored glass tail lights to again that looks to put it in the 50's

Now the thing that really throws me is the top corners. Stamping aluminum like that was not very common and in the 50's to stamp somethign that large would be expensive. Airstream didn't get into stamping the caps near that side till again the late 50's. So I think it was made between 55-60. It was done and it was even done in the 40's but to do it in your garage is near impossible with out some big press.

That makes me think that it wasn't a home built unless there was a company selling a kit that included those corners. If it was a company doing even that then there has to be some refference.

The appliance might have some dates on it and that would put you within a 12 month window if they do.

It sort of looks like a Vagabond but they usually had an angled tail on them.
Places I have looked.
http://www.allmanufacturedhomes.com/...bile_homes.htm
Looked at nearly everything from 55- 60 with no match.

qqq · 09-03-2004, 10:35 AM

Looks a bit like the 1944 schult in your great link

Ron

59toaster · 09-03-2004, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qqq

Looks a bit like the 1944 schult in your great link

Ron

Yeah it sort of does. Looks like 40's Vagabonds as well. The problem is the tail lights. They look like Bargman 99's. Unless they were swtiched that still says mid 50's.

I did more looking and all the streamline's and silverstreaks seem to have curved top doors like Airstream.

74Argosy24MH · 09-03-2004, 11:29 AM

You can also try

http://www.vintagecampers.com/

http://www.tincantourists.com/

http://www.oldtrailernet.com/ (pretty new but familiar software).

John

59toaster · 09-03-2004, 12:35 PM

I been looking at the Tin Can Tourist site and it looks a LOT like a Westcraft. Short door, stamped corners very simular build. but the westcrafts I find still have different windows and tail lights as well as the rar being angled.
http://www.tincantourists.com/images/03rally/img_2003Rallyy%20049%20(Medium).html

bredlo · 09-03-2004, 01:42 PM

No drip caps over the windows... no mention of any serial number, from the photo it doesn't appear there was ever any nameplates on the curbside whatsoever... That piece over the wheel is bugging me, that looks like some kind of 1950's chimney hood (for keeping the rain out) that's been repurposed as a wheel skirt.

Still looks homemade to me. I'm down with the fact that the corners couldn't have been done at home, but they're not even close to the same radius of the Westcraft (pretty close to the corners on that Schult though.)

Could it be that perhaps it was one of these, but has been so extensively repaired and modified over the decades that there's hardly anything left to recognize?

bredlo · 09-03-2004, 02:01 PM

Here's a 1950 Schult - not even close:

Duke: Maybe a couple more detail shots? How about from the front, and something from the inside that may be original looking?

Ken J · 09-03-2004, 02:03 PM

Back then there were several companies making aluminum trailers to compete with Airstream - my guess is a trailer that had limited market. Lots of home built trailers back then also - I agree, those corners would be hard to form which would suggest a kit or someone had those corners made

Ken

Minnie's Mate · 09-03-2004, 02:09 PM

Maybe it was a Schult or similar that was cut down to make a smaller trailer. I can't imagine why someone would want to go smaller back then, but maybe they did.

duke208 · 09-03-2004, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bredlo

Here's a 1950 Schult - not even close:

Duke: Maybe a couple more detail shots? How about from the front, and something from the inside that may be original looking?

Here are a few more pictures for you detectives out there!

Interier facing the rear. I THINK this was orginal mainly because it was the paint color is so old and the lines matched the benches.

Front of the trailer as seen from the doorway, most of the cabs ripped out, you can kinda see the toilet in the bottem right of the picture, stove appears orginal, but before you ask there is NO brandname, S/N, or any other marks on it.

Inside back again, after I had ripped out the dinette area and striped the walls of that wonderful green paint. You can see on the right the refer access door and the refer roof vent.

Inside front as seen from the door after the floor waswas ripped out. The large tubes were for the sewer hoses I think, I don't know if they were org because the ends of the tubes were caped off with really coffee cans, no date or brand for dating on them either.

One other thing to note about the trailer is that it didn't have a water tank or a sewer tank even thouh it had a sink and such, the water apperently came directly from a hose hooked up to it and the toilet had a 1 foot pipe going down. Maybe it wasn't always like this but who knows!

59toaster · 09-03-2004, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke208

Inside front as seen from the door after the floor waswas ripped out. The large tubes were for the sewer hoses I think, I don't know if they were org because the ends of the tubes were caped off with really coffee cans, no date or brand for dating on them either.

One other thing to note about the trailer is that it didn't have a water tank or a sewer tank even thouh it had a sink and such, the water apperently came directly from a hose hooked up to it and the toilet had a 1 foot pipe going down. Maybe it wasn't always like this but who knows!

That time frame it was not uncomon that it didn't have tanks. That is what is known as a "Park" model. It was always intended to have outside suport for water, sewer and electricity. It is proably all 110v and no batteries or 12v as well I would bet. Several forum members have "Park" Model Airstreams.

I'm at a loss. After seeing more I am still conviced it was manufactured but I cannot find anything on the net that looks like it.

If you look at that link I posted above there are so many companies from the 50's that were around for just a couple years then gone that it may well be one of only 30-40 ever made for the whole company. Possibly less. The lack of any badging is strange. I would expect to at least see some rivet holes where a badge once was but you say there is nothing at all?

You have a very odd one indeed.

duke208 · 09-03-2004, 10:14 PM

No badges at all. I can't even find a place where there might have been one. I took a look under the tail lights and found this

"AUTO-LAMP
575
SAE-S-A-AI-T-61"

Does THAT mean anything to anyone??

I have see ONE other of these trailers in person, it parked about 1 mile away and its been converted into the local Papa Johns Pizza wagon. There is no badges on it and there is nothing original about it. I haven't been able to find out anything about it from the pizza place either

I was willing to belive that this was a very rare trailer till I saw that one here in the 30K populated town in Idaho!

One more thing to add, the dimesions are 12'x7'

59toaster · 09-03-2004, 11:15 PM

It may well have been a local company that built it so it may still be very rare.
It's pretty neat little coach who ever made it.

Fred is the VAC historian. Hopefully he will see this post and maybe he will recognize it.

www.airpartsinc.com can get you the skin needed to fixe tha rear corner. Greg and Peter is our resident rivet kings. They both have a couple posts showing replacing major body panels. That pannel would be an easy one to replace too. It's just a flat peice.