My first crush... a little pink canned ham travel trailer from the 60's. Look at her sitting there resting on a single axle with those classy split rim tires shining white and purty from under her lil' chassis. Ah. Measuring a mere 16 feet from bumper to the tip of her 36 inch tongue and weighing in at an adorable 1600 lbs, spending her afternoon just waiting for me in... SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Hmmm? That is a hell of a long way to drive. What if I got there and she didn't love me back? Would I have to quit my job here in the Midwest and begin a life of beach bummedness to win her over? California girls! I wish they all could be...Of course, I had to google chassis. I'd never thought about a single axle, a double axle, a triple axle, a quadruple axle, aaahhhh where does it end? Like every self-absorbed 30 something on the planet, I didn't know about those classy split rim white-walled steel radials that I have come to so lovingly understand sort of. I didn't really know what type of vehicle would pull a 1600 lb trailer but wasn't concerned. I knew that my joy at owning a little freeway home away from home could propel me just about anywhere. And finally, I didn't know how to surf and I'm scared of sharks. Have you ever seen my baby seal imitation. Very convincing. So alas, auction ends, curtain closes and I wake up at first light to look for more travel trailers for sale closer. Thus begins my adventure of purchasing something very large and 50 + years old. A room covered with aluminum that's seen rain and drought, housed strange happy wanderers, and been up and down freeways it's whole life or else sitting neglected in some one's yard. Here's something of what I've learned along the way about loving vintage travel trailers. Most of these pictures are from online ads, eBay, craigslist, classifieds including months and months of research to find the right trailer. At the end of each post, I will include the original description as it read on the ad and some sales information like price it sold for, location, and whatnot. Somewhere along this blog, we'll both realize we now know what we are talking about when we talk about travel trailers. Deep breath. Learn.
ONLINE AD: EBAY: Early January 2009: Sold for $3700. Location: Southern California
Vehicle Description: 1960 Vintage Oasis Travel Trailer in good condition. We are the second owner, this trailer has the birch wood interior and is in overall good shape, some water damage in the front near the windows and near the front right side window. Trailer has all the original equipment including an operational stove and ice box. Trailer was painted and re-calked 4 years ago, it does not leak and has less than 10,000 miles on new tires and wheel bearings. Trailer has a 2 year old roof mount air conditioner. Trailer comes with the orginal awning, spare tire on rim, spare tire rack and one extra tire with no rim. A porta-toilet included that slides under the bed which not in use. Current registration, this trailer is road ready . Trailer is 12 feet in lenght, (living area) and is 16 feet rear bumper to hitch. Weight approx. 1600.
