Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Pickups Pickups - Archived Discussions Cabover Campers & Camper Trailers (pickups) 
1377 messages, Last post on Nov 20, 2003 at 1:43 PM
You are in the Pickups - Archived Discussions Forum. Your Host is kcram
This discussion is ARCHIVED. To reactivate the discussion, post a request in the Lost? Ask the Pickups Host for directions! discussion.
In addition to this subject, some of you may also be interested in
Pickup Bed Caps and Pickup Truck Accessories.
Post your messages about Cabover Campers & Camper Trailers below. Happy Motoring!
|
That is the name of an exhibition at the Shelburne Museum just south of Burlington Vermont. It runs through October27 and celebrates America's involvement with recreational vehicles - campers, trailers, motor homes, etc. We drove over and spent two days in the Sun Lite popup while visiting the exhibit and the rest of the museum. The 1970 "10 foot" Sycamore slide in that John Steinbeck traveled the country in while writing "Travel's with Charlie" was there. Bought and sold at least a couple of times since, and showing the wear, it was mounted on a 1965 Chev. "Custom Camper" that looked awfully small under it. While I was inside it several other people came in through the door and I thought that the axle might come up through the floor to greet me. From the information provided by the exhibit, I learned that during those years there were over 100 manufacturers of slide-ins (four times the number on Vince's email address list above). During 1965, Chevrolet turned out 44,300 pickups with a Custom Camper nameplate on them, specially equipped for hauling campers. The exhibit described the plus and minus aspects of campers that we all know about and concluded that the RV market today is less enthusiastic about slide-ins than about other RVs. The Custom Camper by the way had 8.75R16.5 load range D tires on it. You who have read Steinbeck's book will remember that he was plagued with repeated tire failure until he finally put on some high quality tires. The roof of the camper had leaked and the sagging interior was being held up by a pine 1x4 finishing nailed to what must have been a wooden cross member in the roof system. The furnace was a huge old monster, and the lighting looked ancient. The layout was about what we have today, however. There are only so many ways to put together a sink, stove, frig, bath, table and bed. Nice decal of a trout and deer on the rear alongside the door, too. There were some other great RV's. The 1928 Zagelmeyer pop-up tent camper had wooden spoke wheels and the beds folded out to the side instead of front and back. It contained a portable kerosine heater of the burning wick type, and there were lots of similar bits of camping gear spread around the mockup campsite. The cotton canvas looked like it wouldn't last more than a few minutes in the downpour that we had on Saturday night. There was a video showing Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and Thomas Edison , entertaining President Warren Harding at their campsite. The food was cooked in a traveling kitchen hauled by a Ford truck that looked like a pack mule, two huge cabinets sticking out one on each side. Henry keeps hopping up to put a stick on the fire, but it looks like the chefs in tall white hats did all the cooking for those on the tour. Their campsite was at some waterfalls in western Maryland. I had no idea that the first motor home was developed around 1916 - a huge thing with solid rubber tires, 60hp engine and 9 forward speeds. It hauled a folding bridge to close gaps of 20 feet in the road, and mounted a winch for the tough spots. The builder planned a cross country trip but after arriving in Chicago after a harrowing (I think, two month) journey from New York, wisely put it on the train for California instead of trying the western roads. A 1957 Airstream, beautifully maintained, was next to a prototype 16 foot Airstream Bambi with an art deco interior. Lots of photos of Wally Byam, etc. Pyschedelic schoolbus camper, VW camper, etc, etc. Plus a lot of information about an industry that shipped $10.4 billion in RVs during 1999. Down a bit since, but still strong. Worth a visit for the R.V. stuff alone. The rest of the museum is a bonus. |
|
|
Sounds interesting. Speaking of old pop-ups, while at Watkins Glen International for the Vintage Race Weekend two weeks ago I saw a Honda Pop-up, it had one slide out that came out from the side (not front and rear as nowadays)and all canvas. It was folded up but I found it interesting that they had gone as far as to venture into the camping venue, I thought they just built cars & motorcycles. It looked around 60's vintage. Ray T. |
|
|
We went to the RV and Camper Show at Pleasanton to look at small trailers. We really liked the Airstream Bambi 19' and the Airstream Internatiol CCD 22'. Problem is, Airstream really likes them also. ~$30K and $40K. Not much else of real interest. Most trailers are way too big. We did see a couple of 19-20' RV's, but they were $65K or $45K used. Drove 300 miles up the coast to check out a Casita 17' a friend has for sale. Only used 3 times, just like new. $10K. Too small. The living space is about the same as our Phoenix popup, and unlike the popup, you have to put the bed away to seat more than two. Only advantage was the toilet/shower. Not only are we still undecided on a trailer, we haven't decided on a tow vehicle. A full size van or a midsized SUV could tow a 4500# trailer. Maybe a used Tahow/Suburban. Or??? Suggestions welcomed. As long a you won't get upset if we ignore them. Mike L |
|
|
Don't you have a couple of perfectly good Silverados? Jim "You can lead a horse to water, but if you can get him to float on his back you've really got something." |
|
|
Yes, we could tow with the Silverado. Only issue is we want to be able to take the 14 year old grandson with us. If we are going to travel more than a couple of hundred miles, the cab starts to get crowded. The kid complains when the shift lever hits his knee when going into 4th. Plus, I've gotten used to having the fold down center seat as an armrest on long trips. Hence, we're thinking about an altenate tow vehicle. Mike L |
|
| One man to another, you can never go too big. | |
|
To mledtje...............we went to RV shows this last February and bought a 2002 Wildwood LE 19' FD. It was a new model since they stopped making their ultra lite series...this replaced it. The neat thing is it is 19' inside and 8' wide with a rear bdrm and bath so the floorpan is VERY open. Tons of storage. The front dinette is a double steel tube mounted table instead of those folding ones that move around. Extra bed there if you want it too. Best part is we paid $9,200 show price with 2 dr fridge/freezer (5 cubic '), awning, stereo, air-Duo Therm, leveling jacks, spare, TV antenna with cable hookups and booster, 3 burner stove, oven, double stainless sink, wash sink vanity, full bath with tub and shower, on demand pressure pump, water heater and heat. Dry weight is around 3800 lbs...............saw a 2003 comparably equipped and the dealer wanted $14,680!!!! All in all a great deal. E mail me if you want to see pictures.....might help you decide. <bill  sonicsorbet.com>
|
|
|
Bill, Do they have a website that I can check out? Normally there is a ton of information on a website. Thanks, Mike L |
|
|
Mike, I saw a smaller hardside trailer with pop out canvas beds at each end for sale near Terri's house a while back. I'll ask her if it's still around.
Here is some Wildwood info
manufacturer is Forest River
Some dealer info
http://www.countrytimerv.com/Wildwoodpage.asp |
|
You are here:
Forums
Pickups Pickups - Archived Discussions Cabover Campers & Camper Trailers (pickups)
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
