View Full Version : Getting an old vintage travel trailer ready for its first trip
Well we have taken our old trailer out for a night here and there but we are getting ready for its first real trip. We are going to spend 4 day's at the Indiana dunes the second week in July. If that works out ok we have some other trips planned for later in the year. Since I just bought a 3/4 ton diesel pickup to pull it, I hope it works out. I still have a few things to finish, and it needs a little more polish. But it should stand out between the newer models. Its a 1964 model.
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n550/dmcummins/100_0109.jpg
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n550/dmcummins/level2a.jpg
iris lily
6-16-11, 12:21am
It's beautiful dmc. HOpe it all works right on your trip!
rodeosweetheart
6-16-11, 2:32pm
Float, this is absolutely gorgeous!!
We inherited a FAN travel trailer with our foreclosure house purchase. Any suggestions from anybody as to what to do with it?
Gorgeous! DMC. I love the gold tone mid-section border and how it contrasts against the stainless. Is it brass?
They do look like the wonderful classics that they are. Enjoy your trip1
Gorgeous! DMC. I love the gold tone mid-section border and how it contrasts against the stainless. Is it brass?
I don't think so. It is a very tough finish though, some sort of anodized gold trim. I hit it with a power-washer and nothing came off. The trailer even came with a lifetime warranty, to bad the company didn't last that long. The company was Streamline, this trailer would have sold for over $6,000 in 1964, which was a lot of money back then. Even being 47 years old, the only leak was from around the door frame from a failed door seal. The trailer is all riveted aluminum. Not much to fail. The interior walls and cabinets are also aluminum. It can all be polished to a mirror shine, I don't think I'll take it that far though.
Would love to see interior photos to see how you've decorated it. I hunt down vintage trailer blogs and websites all the time.
This is a pic from last year. We were still working on the trailer and getting it ready for a short trip to a friends place.
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n550/dmcummins/0033.jpg
We still have a lot to do.
This is a pic towards the front. Since this picture has been taken we have added a table that attaches to the wall, under the window. And we have nicer chairs. We are also adding a new refrigerator and microwave. The wiring had to be upgraded and it is now ready, just have to buy them. One nice thing about this trailer is even thou it is fairly long, about 28' from the tounge to bumper. It only sleeps 2, we may make room in the front for the grandson.
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n550/dmcummins/0042.jpg
I'm also thinking of having a carpenter replace the wood doors with nicer wood, and replacing the few pieces of wood paneling with aluminum sheet. But we have had this thing for a year now and have only stayed in it for 3 nights. Before I dump more money into it I want to see how our trip goes.
Spectacular!!! Love the hardwood flooring!
loosechickens
6-18-11, 11:35pm
Just beautiful, dmc......those old trailers were works of art compared to today's stuff.....really heavy for their size (something to consider in towing......hope you have a sway bar, etc.), so be careful pulling hills with a 3/4 ton truck, but other than that, just hope you have a wonderful time.
It makes me ache for the quality of the ways things used to be made. Except for really top line stuff, very little in RVs today is made in a real, quality way the way those old ones were.
Enjoy your trip!
Check the wheel bearings and repack them with grease, or have it done. Also replace the tires if they are more that 7 or 8 years old. regardless of use.
The fairly small diameter wheels on most trailers get a lot of rotations and finding trailers disabled at the side of the highway is fairly common.
Enjoy the ride!
loosechickens
6-19-11, 2:41pm
I second BronxBoys comments regarding both the wheel bearings and the tires.....
When we came back from Mexico and sold our VW Van, we bought a 26 ft. travel trailer that was only about eight years old, but on our first trip with it, burned out a wheel bearing, and were stranded on the side of the road, and then for several days in a repair facility......so repack those wheel bearings, and definitely, tires should be replaced if they are more than seven years old or so, especially if they haven't been kept covered with wheel covers.......
we're kind of stuck for the whole summer this year, doing MIL duty, as she is in a nearby nursing home......it's a lovely place where we are, but both of us have "hitch itch" already, with some several more months to go before our engine starts and our wheels turn taking us off to adventure......so I'm a bit jealous, but hoping that you have a great time. It's a beautiful trailer.
Thanks everyone. The tires and wheels were replaced last year along with the bearings being packed. We have only put about 400 miles on it so I would think that they would be fine. We also have a Hensley Hitch that is suppose to be one of the better anti-sway hitches out there.
This is all new to us so we will have to see how we like it. We have a few short trips planned after July and a few weeks in January in Florida. If it suits us we may go out west next summer and hit the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, ect. If not it probably won't cost us anymore than our sailboat we use to own.
early morning
6-19-11, 7:39pm
Oh, dmc, I love your trailer! Thanks for posting the pics. I am such a fan of all old methods of transport... sadly, we own none, but love to enjoy vicariously! Well, I shouldn't say that - our tractor is an 8N. But we can't take it on vacation!
Everything worked fine on our first trip. Here is a pic of our campsite at the Indiana Dunes State Park. The trip was around 700 miles there and back and the truck got close to 14mpg.
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n550/dmcummins/100_0128.jpg
The only Things we will be adding for our next trip is a microwave and better lounge chairs. And some beach chairs.
Great pic Dmc! Hmmm, OK, let's see now. Microvave, check. Better lounge chairs, check. Beach chairs, check. Well, from everything I can see it seems you planned well and packed enough beer! http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-eatdrink003.gif
No adult beverages allowed in the Indiana Park. I'm sure no one is checking those who chose to have a few inside their RV.
Does that one have a place you can attach an awning? Looks lovely set up.
I drive thru the TableRock State Park camping grounds almost daily checking for old campers and dreaming of when I can have a vintage RV.
That camp site looks very inviting and mellow. If I was in the tent next door, I'd stop over to shoot the breeze.
Love your trailer DMC! I just watch an old PBS TV show with Huell Howser of the "California's Gold" series that was entirely on vintage trailers. He went to campground rendezvous of vintage trailers and showed how they were decorated, etc... Great! Had some really old ones from the 1910's & 1920's that were amazing. Original Model A's & Model T's that had been made to convert into sleeping and cooking areas at the end of the day. Little Tear Drop trailers that could be towed behind a motorcycle, and every thing else you could imagine - and some you couldn't ;-)!
That's a sweet ride! :) Have fun!
My dad lived in a trailer like that for a while about 30 years ago. Is it a Silverstream (silverstreak) something like that. My first husband and I lived in a TT for about 4 years and those were the best years of my life!
eta: my bad, I saw the post that told what model it is. Cool diggs!
WOW DMC that is beautiful streamline, is a good sturdy trailer. The Indiana dunes are going to be fun spent some time there in the 70's. enjoy your trip and many more.
Took a short trip to the Meramec River. Not many here as we arrived on Sunday and left on Tuesday, most of the local schools have started or getting ready to.
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n550/dmcummins/100_0016.jpg
The new lounge chairs are much more comfy.
Here is a pic of the river from the canoe we rented. We didn't see anyone else except when they dropped us off, and when we arrived back at the park.
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n550/dmcummins/100_0012.jpg
awakenedsoul
6-7-12, 7:26pm
That is really beautiful, dmc. Such pretty photos. I love older, well made things. I recently purchased a 1950's O'Keefe and Merritt gas stove. I joke that it is my Mercedes. It's also very well made and so classic. Things were built to last back then! Enjoy your travels!
Saw a old Streamline today when we stopped to do some shopping at the local market in Arnold. It did not look as large as yours but looked to be in good condition. There are a lot of campgrounds in our area.
Just saw this old thread pop up. Last year we took the old trailer as far north as the Indiana Dunes and as far south as Naples Florida. We are planning another trip to the Indiana Dunes in July and will take another trip south probably in December. Probably to Texas or Arizona. We enjoy it so far, here is a pic from somewhere in Florida.
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n550/dmcummins/100_0125.jpg
Beautiful trailer, have fun with it!
We just got back from another trip to the Indiana Dunes and we are now done camping. Once the camper is cleaned up it is going up for sale, we have a couple of people that are interested in it, and if they don't buy, craigslist will be next.
future trips will be by plane and we will stay in hotels, condo's, cabin's , or whatever we can rent there.
It was fun for a while.
fidgiegirl
7-18-13, 7:13pm
Thanks for the update, it's always nice to hear the whole cycle and glad you enjoyed the experience!
Float, this is absolutely gorgeous!!
We inherited a FAN travel trailer with our foreclosure house purchase. Any suggestions from anybody as to what to do with it?
Pics? Would love to see it!
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.