Since pretty much Day #1 of this blog, readers have been hocking me to write about restoring vintage travel trailers. Just like remodeling a midcentury house, right? Except all the rooms — kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom — are all crammed into one small space, on wheels, and you get to go on vacation in it..
So here I am, finally, with a story — and it’s a fabulous one: Reader Pete shows us his 1964 Shasta Astroflyte travel trailer, which he gut-renovated inside and out. Wow, you must admit this baby has the va va voom goin’ on! Click on through to read Pete’s story…and to get to links of more photos chronicling the entire restoration process.
Pete writes:Hi Pam,
.About five years ago we (wife Cindy, daughter Charlotte and Lane) were in the North Georgia mountains near Clayton, Ga., and I saw this strange looking trailer parked in the Walmart parking lot. It had large silver wings on the back, and I thought it looked awesome. Being a fan of late 50′s early 60′s cars with fins (I have a 1961 Comet) I did a u-turn in the street and pulled into the Walmart to take a look. It was an early 60′s Shasta Airflyte. After marveling over it, my wife and I decided that one day we would get one of these..After doing months of research on all types of vintage trailers, we decided that we had to have a Shasta with wings, so we found one on Craigslist in Virginia. It was not an Airflyte but a 1964 Astroflyte, which is just like the Airflyte but it has a cabover to sleep two more people, which we needed with our family of four. Living in Atlanta I didn’t go up to Virginia to look at it (mistake), but had it shipped down. I knew that it would be a restoration and would be in rough shape, but when the courior pulled up to the house and we walked in the trailer, we were horrified. It was totally trashed. Dead mice on the floor, infested with ants, and the biting stink bugs were all over the place. It stunk like nothing else and rotted wood was everywhere..
Renovation in progress. Look familiar to RR readers?
I thought, “I just spent $1,200 on this.” We talked about selling it, but I decided to give a restoration a try. I’m a mechanic at Delta Air Lines and like working of things, but I’ve never restored anything of this magnitude. I worked on the weekend shift, so I had four days off during to week to work on it. A year and a half and $6,000 later it was all finished as of June of this year..
We have camped in the North Georgia state parks about six times and LOVE the trailer. It really gets a lot of attention, and it is great, inexpensive activity to bring the family together. On Wednesday we take our longest trip yet to Disney World Fort Wilderness and are really looking forward to it.
The Shasta Astroflyte all set up at Disney World Fort Wilderness. Don’t try to tell me you don’t Wish You Were Here!
[Update: Photo live from Disney World, provided Friday, above. - Pam]
Restoring this trailer is the best decision we have made. It’s not perfect and I make plenty of mistakes but we enjoy it. I received a lot of help from the internet, especially Repairing Yesterday Travel Trailers.
Congoleum vinyl-type tile
Thanks to YOU for giving me the flooring idea [slubby retro Congoleum tiles] !.
Pete, you have done a fabulous job with the Shasta! It’s nice to see someone else doing restorations the right way – all they way! I have always been in love with vintage trailers (I’ve been told it’s an odd hobby for such a young person to have) and I bought my first project last summer: an amazing 1959 Beemer (super rare and unique). I have been restoring her from the bottom up, as I have always dreamed of doing, for the past few months. Now I have a collection of vintage trailers parked all over Massachusetts (again – it’s a pretty space-consuming kinda kooky hobby for a college student) waiting for their restorations. I’m hooked!
And honestly, I would not have been able to restore the Beemer (and the others) without the help of RetroRenovations!! The information on this site in INVALUABLE to vintage trailer enthusiasts looking to do a genuine restoration. I ended up putting in VirrVarr Formica countertops (I bought the last sheet of that print IN THE COUNTRY! Good thing I went to the counter store when I did) and will be using barkcloth fabric from Tonic Living – all of which I found out about through RetroRenovations!
Thanks Pam! and thanks Pete, keep trailering!!
Wow, I’m glad the site has been a help! I’m in Massachusetts, Mariah — we need to get together, I need to see your Beemer!
Pam – you’re site has been ESSENTIAL, let me tell you. And we definitely DO need to get together and talk mid mod! I am a vintage fiend. It started with clothing but now has spread to include furniture (lots of midmod furniture) and building supplies, light fixtures and SINKS! I would love to share with you and the readers the things I found a while back at the Re-Store in Springfield (now Eco-Building Bargains) all for free on their last day in their old building before they moved. Check out my Vintage store too, where I have some really great pieces: (I know you wrote a post about wearing only vintage/second hand from now on). PlanetQueenVintage.etsy.com.
My most recent acquisition? A 1962 Avalon with little plastic flowers on each finish brad on the interior woodwork. Marvelous.
I’ll email you with some stuff about the Beemer
XO
Mariah
Thanks Mariah! Congrats on the Beemer. Can’t wait to see pictures!
Beautiful trailer. You did a great job on it. Is the clock original to the trailer?
Thank you Chris. The clock is a new one that I bought off of ebay.
Thanks Chris!
I do! I do!
Actually Retro Roadhusband and I already got started on this dream sooner than expected, when we saw what turned out to be a 1964 Serro Scotty camper in someone’s driveway just across town. I’d eye this cute little white and aqua “canned ham” every time I’d drive down that road, and one day, just before Christmas 2 years ago, I noticed a small “For Sale” sign on it. This was just 2 months after my dad had passed away, and with the thought that Life Is Short in my mind, we decided to buy this cute lil camper, even though we don’t even own a vehicle that can tow her! Luckily we have a garage to store her in, and the folks we bought her from were sweet enough to tow her across town and put her safely in there.
We can’t wait to begin to doll her up – she’s in pretty good condition considering her age, but we really want to make her our own. We’ve named her Lil (as in “lil camper” ) and just can’t wait to get her on the road!
For folks who are interested in vintage campers – we went to the National Serro Scotty Society camp out north of Pittsburgh last year and met a bunch of swell folks, and joined up immediately. If you’re not sure what type of camper you want – or just want to drool over what people have- I recommend the Tin Can Tourists – they have a great FB page and website.
Happy Camper, indeed
Mod Betty
Oh dear. Here I go down another rabbit hole!
Serro’s was from my home town…Irwin, PA. They had a diner and everything. These travel trailers were so cool and I’m so glad that people are restoring them. Saw one in a barn in Pultneyville, NY recently and stepped inside for a blast from the past only to find that someone was living in it. Always knock.
We are currently waiting for a 1961 Aljo trailer to be finished with restoration. We, ourselves, are not handy but we are lucky to know people who are. I’m looking forward to decorating it true to the period. In fact, I found your site when looking for retro fabric for the curtains.
Love, love, love! What an amazing job you’ve done renovating your gorgeous trailer. Yes, I am a little envious and do wish I were at Fort Wilderness in a smashing 1964 Shasta Astroflyte! Have a great time!
Thanks Jenny! We just got back an hour ago. WORN OUT! (<:
Reminds me of my Grandparents camper. Love it!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferbruce/2554670048/
Woah — FANTASTIC! xoxo
Fly Strip!!! Boy, haven’t seen one of those in forever.
“Fly strip”?
On the left hand side of the photo – it’s a more gussied up version of fly paper, but still does the trick, making the flies stick!
The pic won’t load on my phone, but if they mean what I think they mean, then they’re referring to flypaper strips: sticky roll of paper that smell good to flies, that you unroll and hang to catch flies. Living in rural Iowa, one relies on these (somewhat disgusting, but effective!) devices in the summer, for sure!,
Pam,
Fly strips were waxy blocks of… let’s face it… poison, that were enclosed in a thin cardboard case. The flies would land on it, die, and fall to the bottom of the case. The Shell Oil Company made them. I guess the proper name is “No-Pest Strips”, because they were supposed to keep all kinds of bugs away, but they only seemed to work on flies… the Florida skeeters just laughed at them.
I loved looking at this photoset! Talk about a fantastic family photo record! I especially loved that not a speck of vinyl was found in the photos that had old buildings and houses..good old solid wood trim, doors, siding….ahh those were the days
That photo is a treasure, Jennifer!
Jennifer! Thank you for sharing this photo! It is so cute and absolutely wonderful.
Jennifer, Thank you for all of the wonderful pictures of your family. They brought back memories of MY family back in the 50′s, 60′s, and early 70′s!!! And Pete’s trailer is just fantastic!!! Happy trails….!!
Thanks Retrosandie! I’m glad you like it.,
Thanks Jennifer. That is one awesome picture! I wonder what type of trailer that is.
Coming late to this thread. My DH and I own a 33-foot 1982 Terry Fleetwood, which we have been restoring. My parents had it in a permanent seasonal camp site, and when they got too old to do everything themselves, we used to go help them open and close for the season, replace things, fix leaks, etc. They camped until Dad was 89 and Mom was 87. Then, when Dad got ill, we bought the trailer from them and started restoration in earnest. It’s ongoing. Dad died before he could visit it, but he used to amuse himself listening to our tales of what we had had to replace that week. They used to joke with us that we should have bought a new trailer, not built one ourselves from the inside out.
Still original are the brown vinyl flooring, wallpaper in kitchen and bath, harvest gold shag carpet, gold shower stall, bed frame, dinette chair frame and table, and plywood and laminate cabinets.
It always seems to me that the trailers I have seen are decorated in a fashion about 5-10 years behind home decoration fashion. For example, our 1980s trailer exterior is beige, brown and pumpkin orange, more like like 1970s colors. The shag carpet is very 70s looking, too, and the original upholstery (chewed up by nesting mice, alas) was blue, brown and gold plaid, almost exactly the plaid on our 1970s sofa. Similarly, we have seen 1990s trailers with mauve and gray exteriors and interiors, which seem to sing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!”
For people who want ideas specifically for retro renovating (or totally transforming) old trailers, they should get the UK book _My Cool Caravan_. The author is Lewis, I think, but the book is. well, in my cool caravan, where I look through it when I am exhausted from some project.
What a fun feature on this wintry day. Great work, Pete, and may you and your family have many hours of fun and togetherness in your camper. My family began camping around 1967 in a tiny pop-up camper, and then my mom actually won a camper in a drawing for $1. It was similar is size (but not beauty) to Pete’s camper. We used it into the 80s, when my parents replaced it with an RV. We went on weekend trips to state parks with several other families in their campers, made a trip each summer to Myrtle Beach SC, and, like Pete’s family, took the camper on a trip to Disney World. Yes, you should wish you were there, becaus it was great, great fun, creating many great memories. The only downside of it all was having to pack up on Sunday afternoons. We had an awning like Pete’s with lights around it (in the shape of owls), and Dad would start taking it all down and he’d be in a bad mood because the fun was over. He’d mutter a cuss word or two and my sister and I would try to sneak off to the playground or go hide in the campground restroom. Eventually we’d get everything packed up in the camper and get it hooked up to our monstrous Plymouth Fury station wagon. We’d head home, talking about where we might go on the next trip. My mom was a fantastic organizer, figuring out nifty ways to store things, and she’d cook up lots of good foods in advance to take with us. My own kids got to go on some fun weekend trips with their grandparents in the RV, but it really was not quite the same as in the little camper. My husband would love to get a camper so that we could extend our fishing trips from one-day jaunts into weekend-long, or week-long adventures.
One last thing — Pete’s renovating work is fantastic, but what gave me a smile was seeing the little Tupperware salt and pepper shakers in their little stand. We had a set just like that in our camper!
JKaye, you really should be a professional writer!
Great story JKaye! I acted like your Dad when my daughters jumped on the folding table and it broke on the trailer floor spilling orange juice everywhere. They ran and hid. (<:
Thanks JKaye! (<:
Gorgeous! Have you noticed that the TV show Grimm features a 60s Airstream?
Great job on the interior restoration… and that turquoise color on the outside ROCKS, especially with the accent of silver wings!
Wow. This thing is a dream, Pete! I had no idea a camper with fins existed. It is so pretty!
Oh. My. Goodness. Pete, that is GORGEOUS … you have done an amazing job. My husband and I are musicians and always fantasize about having an R.V. (vintage, of course) so we can just skip all the hotels, bad road food, and late night drives that come along with the shows. We found one from the 70s that was all original and in impeccable shape but way out of our budget. You have given me hope and inspiration that one day we can ride in that kind of style. Beautiful, beautiful job.
Thanks Lauryn!
This is GORGEOUS! Love the turquoise, the warm wood, everything about it!
Ah-mazing! I love seeing how it went from creepy crawly to pristine vintage gorgeous. Does it easily sleep four people?
Yes, it does sleep four comfortably Eartha. The rear and cab over can sleep four adults with ease. That’s why we chose the Astroflyte over the Airflyte, the cab over. If you want to fold down the table and put an air mattress there it will sleep five comfortably.
We are picking-up our restored 1958 DeVille Lounge Model trailer next weekend! It was stripped down to the base & completely back up by a professional restorer, as we lack the skills & time to do it anytime in the next 10 years ourselves. The restorer worked with my direction for how to outfit it, decorate it, etc. The color scheme overall is 50′s Aqua, Pink, Yellow.
Picking out exterior paint colors was very fun, at http://www.tcpglobal.com/autocolorlibrary , where they have the actual old paint chip cards to check out & can match any of those colors. We picked out the ’56 Studebaker Seaside Green as our dominant exterior color, as well as the ’57 Oldsmobile Sunset Glow & ’61 Rambler Waikiki Gold as accent colors.
Doing all of the interior was a blast, too, finding exactly what I was looking for. Though, challenging, too, as I would often find that what I wanted had be discontinued – like the pink & white awning fabric I wanted (ended-up going with Turquoise & white) and the pink vinyl I wanted for the booth (found another pink that was close, but not exact). Picking out the flooring was tough, as I had a hard time finding the exact shade that I wanted, too. & we had the sink re-porcelained in a nice yellow. One of my favorite parts is that I was able to find enough of the 80′s reissue of the pink boomerang Formica to do the countertop, tabletop, etc. from a vintage dealer/friend in Toronto.
The restorer has been awesome in sending pictures along the way, I can’t wait to see it all “live” next Saturday & take it home! Yippee!!!
Thanks Caroline for all the positive comments on me (the pro restorer)…
It was such a pleasure building you the trailer.
Larry, Starlite Classic Campground
Pete this is absolutely fabulous! I adore it as I am sure you guys now do!!!
What a wonderful job! We had an older version of a turquoise Shasta growing up. It brings back great memories. Thanks for sharing.
Sitting here in my 1958 Universal Terra-Cruiser trailer reading this story. Ours is a 40′ park model, with its original asbestos tile floors, pink sinks (kitchen and bath), pink tub, pink toilet, AND a pink gas stove! Our friends all love it so much that we are going to get a vintage canned ham trailer to go along with “The Love Shack” as a guest cottage.
Wow, Pete, that is just absolutely spectacular inside and out! Congratulations! I’m sure the whole family will enjoy it for many years.
If I had a different husband I’d LOVE to undertake a restoration like this. But my realistic fantasy is to find a small vintage slide-in camper to put on my dad’s pickup. An old boyfriend of mine had a 1959 Ford pickup and we put an old camper on it and traveled all over the west and Baja, Mexico. Fabulous way to go. Our kids will have SO much fun with the camper, and my city-boy hubby might feel slightly less vulnerable to man-eating bears and such. Ha ha! But it won’t be as gorgeous as your trailer, Pete!
Thanks Lynn!
For the ladies, there is a group of women all over the country who have vintage trailers and camp in them called Sisters on the Fly. Their website, http://www.sistersonthefly.com usually has trailers for sale, some restored, some needing restoration, but I was having trouble getting pages to load today.
I have a friend who was a member for a while until she sold her trailer.
She said they are a hoot, and can give you lots of help finding recourses for materials. But it is just for women. No Boys Allowed.
I don’t mean to sound like a know it all, but the sisters on the fly site WILL take male members. My husband is on there. He is new at restoring trailers having only started about a year ago. He has learned a lot from his facebook friends at sisters on the fly and others he has joined. They all LOVE to give and get advice on any restorations. Thay are a family who love restoring these trailers.
Absolutely fabulous! What a gem.
WOW, where I grew up, we were only a couple of houselots away from the Shasta dealer. As kids we could hardly wait to explore each and every new trailer as it was unloaded and put out on the sales lot. The lot owners did not mind if we just looked as he said we would go home and tell our parents all about them and maybe someone would come look and buy one. They sold a LOT of these neat little travel trailers. LOTS of memories, thanks so much. I got spoiled when the same dealer took on Airstreams as well. The first time I saw that silver shape, I knew I had to have one. That is what I am planning on buying next year and go almost fulltime so I can see a lot of this warm parts of this country when it is cold where I live now. I am in Bangor Maine.
I freaking love this thing! I’ve never really been a camper guy, but after seeing this, I’m doing a few Craigslist searches. Somebody stop me!
come check us out at midcenturymidwest.blogspot.com
Just beautiful! Hope you all enjoy it fully!
Gorgeous restoration!!!!! Very NICE!!! I have a 68 Airstream that is partially restored, it’s usable but with lots of work left to do. This post is encouragement to keep on working on it. House projects have come first but are seeming to finally come together so soon we can get back to work on the Airstream.
I would love to know the color name that you used on this trailer. I have a 1961 Shasta 10 ft trailer that I’m fixing up and love the colors you used. Thanks! Betsy
Hi Betsy!
I took a paint chip off of the drip rail and took it to Sherwin Williams and had them color match it. It really is different from any stock color that Sherwin Williams has but is closest to Synergy only lighter. Here is a link to the formula off of the lid. The upper half of the trailer is stock Dover White. Good luck with the Compact! My wife REALLY wants one of those.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx213/petewhit/P1020547.jpg
Hi Betsy,
The particular color is not a stock color. I had to take a paint chip off of the drip rail and have Sherwin Williams match it. Here is link to the formula http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx213/petewhit/P1020547.jpg. It is oil based industrial enamel and rolled it on with a six inch foam roller(four coats) It’s not perfect but I’m happy with it. The top white part is stock Dover White.
Hi Betsy
The color is not a stock Sherwin Williams color but one that I had matched off of a paint chip from the trailer. Here is the formula:
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx213/petewhit/P1020547.jpg
The white part of the trailer is stock SW Dover White.
Pete
WOW! I’m actually in the market for one of these. Can be gutted on the inside, but prefer that it be road worthy and not leaking. I’m planning to restore the inside and when it’s parked, it’ll be my guest house. I can’t wait for the fun to begin (when I find the perfect candidate!).
what an amazing piece of art history! BEAUTIFUL!!!! We are Airstream enthusiasts and I’ve never seen an Airstream that can hold a candle to yours!
Thanks!
Pam, I’ve been wondering about this subject for a while!! Pete’s trailer looks incredible! WOWZA! In 2002 we bought a 1966 Suburban, and for the last several years, we’ve imagined adding on a travel trailer. I always thought a Scotty or a Shasta would be the match, but last July we found and bought a 1965 Avion. She’s a beauty. We bought her from the *almost* original owner, Harry, who worked at Avion in Michigan for many years. It was quite the trip. We drove our 1966 (2 tone blue and white) suburban about 7 hours (one way) to pick her up. When we got there, we were told we had the wrong type of hitch, and it was too heavy to safely pull home. Went to a scary mechanic shop, waited for about 5 hours, and had the heavy duty hitch installed. It was nearly 11pm when we drove back into Harry’s yard. He kindly helped us attempt to hook up the lights (hadn’t been used in 25 years) and we pulled out to start our trek home. Harriet (the Avion) and Lilly (the truck) are quite the pair. After scrubbing every surface of the inside of the trailer (luckily 40+ years of nicotine easily washes off of aluminum) we went on our first camping trip, which was a vintage travel trailer rally last August. You can see Lilly and Harriet in this youtube video that someone loaded. Viewable at time marker 1:24 to 1:41. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3BkJrVT4c0
Though Harriet is amazingly all original, we still have plenty of work to do, and I can not imagine a full restoration like Pete did. I can only hope we can live up to the trailers that we were able to tour at the rally. The wish list is endless. As a person that never grew up camping, I’m still deciding whether or not this will be for me. The pink toilet, shower tub and sink help, however. Sometimes I wonder what the heck we were thinking when we have barely scratched the surface of the beginning stages of the kitchen retro remodel for the house! Craziness!
Woah, Kersten, you NEVER cease to amaze me!
HA! And, we used to have a 1967 orange fiberglass speedboat. We sold it to afford our honeymoon in Kauai (that was almost 12 years ago!) It was only about a year after selling the boat when we bought the suburban. We flew from Wisconsin to Oregon, and drove it back home. It’s always a crazy story.
hahaha “It’s always a crazy story.”
That video is amazing! Pete, your trailer is awesome, too! Thank goodness I am not into camping so I won’t be tempted.
Thanks gsciencechick!
Wow, that is incredible. You did a great job! I love vintage trailers but have never seen one of these cabover designs. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome awesome awesome trailer and restoration Pete! I always joke about having 5 different houses to decorate, but I could just as easily have 20 different trailers! There were so many manufacturers after the War, that you could have a different trailer / model / brand for just about every day of the week.
I have always loved Shasta Wings – but be careful Pete, I have heard of wings being stolen right off of trailers. Some Shasta owners do not leave them on except when traveling for that reason.
Anyone on here who wants to see more vintage trailers – Tin Can Tourists usually has a calendar of events, and there are Vintage Trailer Rallies (camping weekends) and most rallies have one day open to the public so you can go look (drool, swoon, otherwise be in serious lust) at all the trailers in attendance. Very fun!
My 1971 Red Dale trailer is currently in storage, complete with all its original wood work, linoleum, laminate counter tops, etc. – but alas, remodeling the house comes first.
Boy, does that bring back great memories (& some not so great!). My parents took my brother & me on a trip from Minnesota through California & the Southwest in a similar one in 1959. They rented it & towed it with a black ’59 Chevy (aka ‘Batmobile’). I got the bunk in the overhang – the layout was a bit different – we had to close Mom & Dad’s bed to get into the bathroom but otherwise, much the same. I remember a flat tire on the trailer in the wilds of Wyoming, a less than graceful entry to Salt Lake City when the trailer brakes failed AND the old Donner Pass road was a real trip! We were down to 14 MPH by the time we made the top – Dad had to get out & walk around because his right leg was shaking so bad from pushing the accelerator nearly through the floor! I was actually a great trip but it cured my Dad of RVs for life! Not me however – at 63, I have an ’89 Allegro Class A but more often tow my 1977 Scamp 13′ behind my Windstar. ‘Shutterbug’ never fails to attact attention no matter where I stop! Fabulous restoration job – I’m very impressed! Cindy Peters
Love the camper! It would be so fun to have one like it to add to my collection of vintage wooden and fiberglass boats from the 1950s and 1960s!
Thanks! I LOVE vintage boats. Would love to see some pictures of your collection.
Oh, this is a delightful post and I squealed when I saw those Shasta wings roll up in my reader, Pam! What a beautiful Shasta. The interior is gorgeous! Pete did a great job on this one. Clearly it is a labour of love! I hope the family has many, MANY happy trips in this beautiful trailer. They’ve earned it.
Hubby & I have LONG wanted a vintage RV and are continually keeping our eyes open for one. I grew up camping, actually, though my parents have progressed from a small RV to an enormous thing that requires an extra-large space in the campground. (I should note that it was maybe four RVs ago that they named one “The Last Resort”. Yeah, right.)
For those looking for one, a few tips from my dad, who has been helping us in our own search. DEFINITELY go see it first. In person. Or send someone you trust! No excuses. And if there’s any water damage, back away and don’t come back without someone you trust who knows a lot about RVs. Often just a little water damage can mean a complete stripping and rebuilding. Pricey, and you can’t really tell how bad the damage is without removing the paneling. Find out how much your vehicle can tow and figure out the tow weight of the trailer! Common sense, but easy to forget when you’re staring at a cute RV!
Thank you Jen!
Wow, what a beauty…incredible transformation work! I love the colors and the warm, snuggly wood interior. I’m always looking at the cute vintage campers on the Internet…quite a few of the bloggers I follow have their own and they are adorable. Alas, all I have is the PBS video on vintage Teardrop campers & one of my fave movies, “the long, long trailer”.
My family bought this in 1965. Oh what luxury it seemed to be then. On our first trip, the wind tipped it over on the highway and almost took the car with it. It was destroyed, rolling off the highway and into a field.
That was a sad memorym, but thanks for the wonderful memories of all these great items on your website.
A little over a year ago, I bought a 1948 La Cosse Vacationer travel trailer that I am working on restoring. It was in really rough shape when I got it but it has been a lot of fun. I also enjoy finding and making things for the trailer – like a non-working 1948 table top radio that I found on ebay, gutted and fitted up with an MP3 player inside!
Here is a Facebook link to the entire restoration if interested. Thanks for the nice words! (<:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1186698585812.2028249.1178720020&type=3
I love the little trailer. We just purchased a 1964 Safari Airstream and, boy, is it a hot mess inside so I was pleased to read that you got through your renovation ok. What was the biggest cost? I didn’t expect to spend 6000.00 on our renovation. Is that expected? We hoped to use salvaged appliances and we will try (as often as we can) to repurpose rather than buy new.
But your results are beautiful. I can’t wait till we are camping.
Thanks! I would say the reupholstering the seats and the torsion axle where the most expensive but all of little things really added up.
You can do it for A LOT cheaper than I did. I have boxes of hardware that I didn’t use, I whole bunch of extra wood, etc. Plus, I replaced things that didn’t really need it(axle)because I wanted new.
Thank goodness. I’m worried about finances, tounge weight, my husband divorcing me on this….you know.
Pete’s trailer reno is so beautiful. The trailer actually looks like a mini version of my Mom and Dads 1964 H.B.McGinnes Trailer that has two bedrooms, bath, kitchen and livingroom. They purchased it when I was a teen to put on a lake lot. It has now been passed on to me and I would like to try and bring it back to some of vintage style. I haven’t been able to find a picture of it anywhere in it’s original state inside and out. It was bought new and now has had an additional room added on just behind the front door. You can still see the green stripe peeking through the white paint. LOL ps. Pam I only just found your site and was up all night (last night) looking through your posts. I’m now a vintage addict.
Thanks Joan, Sounds like a neat trailer!
WOW!!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!!!!! I have been wanting to do this type of project for some time. You have inspired me to do something like this! Thanks for the link and Pam, THANK YOU for a fantabulous website!
Thanks Adrian!
My husband and I used to have a 1946 Kit teardrop trailer I pulled behind my 1950 Plymouth station wagon, but let’s face it, that’s just a half a step above a tent, and I’m too -uh- experienced for roughing it! We bought a 1948 Silversides Greyhound bus about three years ago that was turned into a camper in 1959. That’s when I found Retro Renovation, as this mid-century stuff was new to me (our house stops at about 1950). It’s got shellacked wood cabinets built by a boat builder, boomerang formica countertops, two dinettes that make into beds and a bench that makes into bunk beds. There is a separate bathroom (decorated with acrylic seahorses with bits of shells) and separate shower, both with fake wood formica walls. It’s cozy and warm and it was so much fun to fill up with mid-century dishes and pots and appliances (a Dixie Wanderer gas stove) and games (vintage frisbee) and books (we found a first edition 1949 Babar Meets Father Christmas book under a drawer). I reupholstered the benches and made 40 curtains (19″ high), We take it camping, and to car shows, and to vintage trailer meets (those people are crazy – we fit right in). And it’s our guest house. For Christmas I have an aluminum tree with plastic ornaments, and lots of little fuzzy Santas to decorate it. It’s been a lot of fun, and we’ve met lots of people who are either into old trailers and cars, or wish they were. I’ve used lots of information here for inspiration for filling up the bus! When you’re though with your house (ha!) get a trailer or an old RV and have fun with that, too!
It pleases me no end to see that someone would go to this much trouble. I feel like my heart is larger just looking at these photos! Super super great!
what a lovely message! my heart is just larger having read it!
Thank you Maureen! (<:
What a darling trailer! Good for you for actually getting to it, and not just talking about it. Having grown up with a dad who had (and still has) a fixer-upper antique car in the garage, I admire anyone who not only finishes a project of this magnitude, but does such a nice job, too!
Thanks Laura!
Pete, that is a total beauty! Congratulations!
Thanks Linda!
Hi Pete!
Since you are in the Atlanta area, here is a link to the thread on Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum about our 2nd annual rally coming up in Oct at McKinney Park on Lake Allatoona. We would love to have you (or any other vintage campers) join us, we had a great turnout last year and lots of fun.
http://vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=eastcoastvintagetrailer&action=display&thread=3927
Thanks Lois, I have something planned that weekend but if it falls through I’ll make the rally
Do you remember the seller of the retro clock? I found it a while back and cannot locate.
Thanks in advance…Jim
Category: Other Rooms. Subcategory: Decorating Basics. Story: Stevotomic? http://retrorenovation.com/2012/03/07/atomic-clock-and-sign-art-by-stevotomic/
Pete,
Amazing job on the restoration! We have a 1963 Shasta Astrodome. Like the Astroflyte but with the rear restroom. Future plans include a full restoration.We live just north of Atlanta and I would love to see your Shasta in person. The McKinney Rally was a blast last year, we are planning to go back.
Thanks Doug!
You are welcome to come by any time. We live in Sharpsburg, Ga. near Peachtree City. I have a Facebook album of the entire restoration from start to finish. Check it out. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1186698585812.2028249.1178720020&type=3
Pete
Thanks for the memories. I grew up camping in the same trailer and it stayed in our family until about 10 years ago…Best times!
You are welcome Bill. I’m making those same memories for our young family right now.
Would like to know how you added your a/c.
Hi Tina,
Basically I used the space where the propane fridge was and the storage space above it to add an 8,000 BTU A/C window unit, dorm fridge and microwave above that. I used a the old propane heater exhaust for a fresh air intake. I put a drip pan under the whole thing with a tube draining to the outside. It’s hard to explain in words so here is a link to the Facebook entire restoration. The A/C pics are at the end. If it doesn’t work get in touch with me and I’ll get pictures to you another way. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1186698585812.2028249.1178720020&type=3
My parents had the identical trailer back in the sixties. We traveled out west every summer with seven people crammed inside! The three boys would sleep in the cabover, two girls in the dinnette below and mom and dad in the back. Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories. The quality of your restoration is beyond words Thanks for the memories.
Pete,
Hope you can join us at Riverbend in Hiawassee, Ga in the spring. There should be a few Vintage Shastas. Here is a link for more info;
http://vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=eastcoastvintagetrailer&action=display&thread=6979
Doug
Booked!
This is the cutest trailer EVER!! I really want to find one to fix up. Its just my husband, 7 year old daughter and me. A trailer this size would be perfect. Vintage trailers are the best, they have so much character.
I want one to renovate for my two granddaughters and myself to play in and go camping…I can’t imagine anything more fun than a totally feminine camper where girls can hang out and enjoy life!!
Girl, you need to look up Sisters on the Fly. We are an all female sisterhood that loves camping, fishing and all things outdoors. We are 3300 strong all across the U.S. and love vintage everything, even clothing. We have national events and also regional events that cross over to whoever can come. Check it out on our own website, http://www.sistersonthefly.com and also a facebook page, Sisters on the Fly. Fly has to do with fly fishing as our main charity we raise for is Casting for Recovery, a rehab organization for women who have had mastectomies. Check us out. We welcome new Sisters everywhere.
i have a 73 yellowstone 17.5 ft long that is pretty nice inside. I would like to do a little updating but don’t know where to begin???? i’m good with tools but noy good on vision of the redo. any one have ideas???
Hunter
Hi Hunter,
I would go to http://repairingyesterdaystrailers.yuku.com/ and ask that question on the message board. Give details on what you would like to accomplish and what condition your trailer is currently in. They will be eager to help.
Pete
Hey Pam,
My husband and I drove all the way to St. Augustine, FL from Arkansas a few years ago to purchase our 20′ 1972 Airstream Argosy trailer. Luckily, the previous owners took good care of it, but with the updates we did (replaced copper pipes, added metal underbelly) we will never get our money out of it. But, we love vintage stuff (I guess 1970′s really isn’t that vintage)….we get lots of looks when we go camping. We had a brand new camper in 2006 and the quaility wasn’t as good as our current trailer.
It was Petes trailer that got us looking for a cabover style vintage camper. I was already mid restoration on a 1971 Shasta Airflyte but I knew I wanted one with that funky overhang bunk. Just last month I found a 1967 Fan Sunseeker with the optional cabover bunk and bought it for $800. It is in my garage now for cleaning and some new paint.
Thanks for the great website, I really enjoy it~
ps. Here’s a picture of our Fan- (it even has aqua appliances)
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd149/turbokev_photos/1967%20Fan%20Sunseeker%20Camper/DSCN0211.jpg
Woot! I neeeeeeed this project, too!
Awesome looking Fan Kev! Have fun with it.
Someone needs to snap this one up. http://www.tincantourists.com/classified/showproduct.php?product=6453&title=1960-kenskill-15-refurbished-solid-ready&cat=3#.UOGqYKzheSo
Hey Pete~ Wow, wow! She is a beauty, you must be soo proud! I have been all over the internet the last few days after just purchasing a 1962 Shasta compact trailer. She’s arriving this weekend and I couldn’t be more excited to get in there and start really checking her out. Gosh, I hope she’s as good as she looks. She for sure needs some tlc and some work but I think I’m up for it. All this coming from a mom of 5 and a grandma to 3 lol. This should be interesting so say the least. My hubby says this is my empty nest project
. Now understand, I have no experience in any of this, but I am a mean cleaner and a great decorator. I do have a question: I need to have the bed/dinette set cushions made because there are none. Where can I have those made? Yours are beautiful! An upholsterer, an rv place, a boat place, I haven’t a clue. Luckily they kept the original table that was in it and it is in good shape. The birch inside seems to be in good condition (that’s what everyone thinks lol) with only a small amount of a previous leak (that they said they fixed right away) in the roof vent. Any advice would be helpful! Mines red/white
Hi Tracey,
Congrates on your new Compact! If you don’t have any seats at all you have two choices. Find a junk set and have them restuffed and reupholstered or build a pair from scratch. The Shasta Compacts are not as common as the Airflyte and the seats are longer. What I would do in your situation is get on all of the vintage trailer restoration message boards and tell them you problem. Maybe someone has a pair to sell you or can offer you good advice. Here are some helpful links.
http://repairingyesterdaystrailers.yuku.com/
http://vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/vintageshastatrailers/?fref=ts
http://www.tincantourists.com/classified/
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Classicshastas/
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vintageshastaclub/
http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/
Here are some usful links:
http://www.freewebs.com/vintageshasta2/index.htm
http://www.nationalserroscotty.org/rebuilds/amandaN/index.html
Put up a wanted ad or try to find one here:
http://vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=partsforsale
Love what you did to the trailer!! I was lucky…10 years ago I picked up a 63 Shasta in very good condition!!! Just missing her wings.
But I love it and wouldn’t part with it!! She’s my little Chickadee!! Enjoy your baby!!!
WOW that looks great you wouldn’t happen to live any where near Seattle would you I have a 1962 Layton that could use some of your love.
Shawn~ I live in Sequim, WA…….I have a 1961 Shasta that needs love! It’s being delivered tomorrow so I can start taking everything out to see what I have to work with. Hope I made a good decision or the hubby will kill me
.
I have this exact camper. Needs a bit of work but is in remarkably good shape. I am looking for a couple of the light fixtures. Any info greatly appreciated. Kathy
Watch ebay!
Do you want the Humphrey gas lights that are original to the camper or are you looking for just a cool light?
Peter I just picked up a 1964 astroflyt… it needs a lot but she’s all there… I have a question… it does not seem to have a furnace… would they have sold one without heat… anyway I will be starting on her next week once I finish up fixing some rot on the Ace we have… hope to chat about the work you did soon… peter. ..peter.russell09@gmail.com.
Hi Peter,
They all had a furnace. In different years they were in different locations. It should either be a floor furnace or on the side of the closet.
I take that back Peter. I just learned that not all of them had a furnace. Yours might be one on those.
I have just started working on my 64 Astroflyte and have a few questions for you. Where did you find the Birch plywood… I was able to locate some at one local distributer but they want 39.00 per sheet. Seems like a lot since I need between 10 and 17 sheets. Depending on just replacing celing or celing and walls..
Did you remove the roof panels or do most from inside?
Im in Danvers Ma if anyone out there is local and wants to talk campers..
Peter
I have this exact camper… Mine is in really good shape but on a trip to sturgis the original oil light fell & broke. Are these easy to find do you know? Thanks for any info
Hi Kathy, I see them pop up on Ebay all of the time. It is called a Humphrey gas light. They reproduce the globes also.
http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Gas_Light_Globe_p/vts-306.htm
Hi there,
I saw the article you have on the restoration of your Shasta trailer, it is awesome! We are currently restoring a 1967 Aloha trailer and I was wondering if you could tell me what the exterior aqua color you used was. There are so many out there and I love the one on yours.
Thanks for your time,
Sherrie
Hi Sherry, I had it color matched by Sherwin Williams from a tiny piece of original color that was on the drip rail. Here it is!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200453165389868&set=a.2438575961964.2118498.1178720020&type=3&theater