Pete’s 1964 Shasta trailer — an Astroflyte — a gorgeous restoration
pam kueber - Updated: August 31, 2021
Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.
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.
What an amazing job, Pete — thank you. And I have to say, this is yet another example of: Disasters make for better stories. I love, also, how you talk about how the trailer brings the family together. It’s those trips in the vintage trailer that the girls will remember — not more toys..
How many readers have a dream to buy and restore a vintage travel trailer? (Me!) Or do you have one already?
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!
gsciencechicksays
That video is amazing! Pete, your trailer is awesome, too! Thank goodness I am not into camping so I won’t be tempted.
Pete Whitleysays
Thanks gsciencechick!
Kerstensays
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!
pam kuebersays
Woah, Kersten, you NEVER cease to amaze me!
Kerstensays
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.
pam kuebersays
hahaha “It’s always a crazy story.”
pamsays
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!
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!).
Betsysays
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
Pete Whitleysays
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.
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.
pete Whitleysays
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.
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 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
Garysays
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.
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: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..
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.
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.
Terrie R. says
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!
gsciencechick says
That video is amazing! Pete, your trailer is awesome, too! Thank goodness I am not into camping so I won’t be tempted.
Pete Whitley says
Thanks gsciencechick!
Kersten says
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!
pam kueber says
Woah, Kersten, you NEVER cease to amaze me!
Kersten says
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.
pam kueber says
hahaha “It’s always a crazy story.”
pam says
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!
pete Whitley says
Thanks!
Beth says
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!).
Betsy says
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
Pete Whitley says
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
Pete Whitley says
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.
pete Whitley says
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
Vanessa says
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.
Pam says
Just beautiful! Hope you all enjoy it fully!
nickarmadillo says
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
Gary says
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.