The 1961 Shasta Airflyte canned ham trailer is coming back! Well, in a limited edition run, that is. To mark its 75th anniversary, Shasta RV this September will launch production of 1,941 copies of the company’s iconic 1961 Shasta Airflyte travel trailer. On the outside, you likely won’t be able to distinguish the old from the new. On the inside: The reproduction anniversary Shasta will get a vintage look like the original, too, but with modern mechanicals and plumbing. Sticker price is expected to run $15,000 to $17,000. On Wednesday, I spoke with company President Mark Lucas about the introduction – and I’m excited.
First, props to RV Daily Report, which first reported this story. And, thanks to reader Shara, who tipped us to this news.
My interview with Mark Lucas, president of Shasta RV
I tracked Lucas down while he was waiting to get on an airplane in Knoxville, Tenn. To be sure, he sounded juiced about the project, too.
“Shasta is the oldest name in the industry,” he said. “We started in 1941, and are still in production today – even older than Airstream, for example.” Launched in 1941 – 1,941 reproductions to celebrate the 75th anniversary – get it?
Lucas told me that after he joined the company two years ago, he began to notice that competitors were increasingly putting retro-iconic cues on to their products – cues that were basically imitating some of the classic 1961 Shasta features – like the “canned ham” shape and Shasta wings.
Just how popular was that original ’61 Airflyte? Lucas explained that Shasta first introduced the “canned ham” shape in 1954, built in Shasta’s Los Angeles plant on another model trailer… the Airflyte was introduced in 1961… and by 1967, the look was over.
During that time span, though, Shasta was #1 in the world, with five production facilities in the U.S., including one in Goshen, Indiana, the historic epicenter of trailer manufacturing, he said. Today, the company still operates two production facilities, both in Middlebury, Indiana.
Looking at what was happening in the increasingly retro-inspired RV market, Lucas told me he thought, “Why aren’t we in this game?” And as he dug deeper, “Why don’t we just reissue the original?”
Lucas said that he is a “car guy.” The 1960 Cadillac in the glamour shot, above, belongs to his wife — that’s him, with the first reproduction Airflyte. He knew – from being a car guy – that the first step to creating a repro was to get his hands on an original.
Wanted: 1961 Shasta Airflyte for parts – all of them!
So, he went hunting for a 1961 Shasta Airflyte, and once he found it, brought it into one of the plants to take a look at. His partner in flying-under-the-corporate-radar skunks works crime was Mark Dunithan, Shasta RV’s head engineer.
Mark Dunithan — on the right, with Lucas — was a car guy, too, Lucas told me. “He drives a ’53 Chevy pickup that looks like it was found new in a barn. He was a great partner. He really jumped into this project.”
The two Marks – along with the help of craftspeople at the plant – got to work. Within two days, the vintage Shasta was stripped down to its frame. The idea was to disassemble it, learn from it, and use the pieces as a guide for new patterns and parts specifications. (Ultimately, the vintage model was also reassembled and restored.) The Shasta RV team also found old design materials in their archives that helped.
Other employees also were eager to be a part of the special project. “Line workers worked weekends and after hours… stopping… starting – to make sure that when we walked out there, that it felt like a ‘61. There was a lot of trial and error,” Lucas said. He recalled one employee’s above-and-beyond attention to detail, “’That wing – if we move it down three inches – it will look better,’ he told me. It strikes a chord – employees are really proud that we’ve reissued this, too,” he said. “This was totally heart and soul.”
Interestingly, Lucas said, getting his hands on a vintage ‘61 Shasta in good shape took more effort than he expected. “It was hard to find one in restorable condition – either they are too far gone or already restored.” I believe this. Those canned ham Shastas: Everyone wants ‘em. Like Lucas said, they are iconic – they have ‘the look’ — and that 16’ length is kind of not too big, not too small, just right.
Creating “a 90% replica”
The team has been very successful at meeting the goal, he said. He called the 2015 model a “90% replica,” so much so that “most of the new parts will fit into the old one.” The metal siding is even applied using circa-1961 methods (which are different than today’s) to ensure a water-tight seal given the design, he said.
The interior has a retro diner feel. Interior features include:
- Birch cabinet doors with chevron cabinet pulls; birch plywood elsewhere in the interior.
- Countertops with dogbone-pattern Formica trimmed in polished aluminum edging. (Original Airflyte countertops were sparkle laminate with cracks; Lucas told me he tried to find this, but of course, we know you can’t get it any more!)
- LED lighting reproduced to look like the original ’61 Shasta Airflyte gas lamp.
- Jalousie windows!
- Bench seating upholstered in two-tone, tuck-and-roll pleather with silver welt; red has a bit of an aged look.
- Black-and-white checkerboard vinyl floor.
- And you’ll notice – that reproduction birch Shasta magazine rack hanging on the wall!
- Mechanicals – like the stove, microwave, toilet, shower – are new, but chosen to harmonize with the retro interior.
- There’s even a speaker system – but it’s hidden from apparent view, Lucas said.
Exterior colors, painted to look just like the original:
- Seafoam Green
- Buttercup Yellow
- Matador Red – the color from GM in 1961, Lucas said.
You can get one starting in September
That red baby we’re seeing in these photos is Job #1. “We’re building a turquoise and yellow this week,” Lucas said. “The first week of September, we’ll have full production. Each of our two production facilities will be making between 40 and 45 a day, to start, ramping up to 60 a day.” Production will continue until all the orders – up to 1,941 – are filled.
Lucas told me that RV dealers who have been carrying one or more of Shasta’s four current product lines will get priority in submitting orders for the 2015 models. “Shasta has been around for a long time – people who have been with us – we want to reward those dealers.” (Note, Lucas explained to me that unlike auto dealerships, RV dealers can carry any model from any manufacturer.)
A lot of dealers are already submitting orders, he said – which is also helping the company to tweak colors. To order one — head to Shasta RV’s website and use the Dealer Locator.
Want to guess which color is in the lead? Which color would you choose?
Would the company consider extending the run – or making this a permanent addition to the product line? Lucas pretty much told me: No. “I think it takes away the specialness if we extend the run,” he said. Boo to the hoo. How about: Will we see some new, more retro-styled Shastas in the future? Like a good company executive, Lucas would not hint at future plans. Okay, I’ll take that as a ‘maybe’ — fingers crossed – bring on the retro!
How does Lucas feel about all this? We are having a great conversation. Lucas seems thrilled with how the 2015 model turned out and even gets – kinda gushy — which really impresses me. “It made me feel like I’m in mother’s kitchen, which is absolutely a place where I feel at home and loved.” Awwww. We understand.
He his wife have four children of their own now, and he says that he will be buying one of the 2015 Airflytes, for sure. “I’ll take it to the soccer games on Saturday – watch all four kids – hang out there all day — use it as base camp,” he said.
“I feel a huge responsibility to be at the helm of this brand name, which for a lot of people is tied to their childhood – to trips with their families to Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon…. I want to honor the brand — don’t tarnish those memories – and make those memories again. That’s what I want my kids to remember.”
Link love:
Update: Where to get information about specifications etc.:
If you have any questions about specifications or delivery or any other such technical issue, Mark contributed this information (excerpted here) down in a comment on 9/23. I am excerpting it here to make it easier for buyers and potential buyers to spot, if they want or need further information. Note: Such questions will not be answered in our comments section, you need to go to the resources Mark identifies:
Hello all-
Thanks everyone for the overwhelming interest in the re-issue of the Shasta Airflyte. There is a lot of information swirling around concerning this product, and many of us are becoming concerned about the flow of ACCURATE information.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE ONLY TWO SOURCES FOR THE LATEST AND MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION:
1. YOUR LOCAL DEALER – http://WWW.SHASTARVING.COM HAS A DEALER LOCATOR WHERE YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THE CLOSEST SHASTA DEALER
2. THE FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/1961ShastaAirflyteReissuedin2015/
WHICH WAS NOT STARTED BY AND IS NOT MAINTAINED BY SHASTA, BUT RECEIVES FREQUENT UPDATES AND HAS SEVERAL DEALER MEMBERS
Again, I’d like to thank Pam and her group for the great article and getting everyone as enthused as she is about this great period in American design….
Thanks again to Pam. And within the next hour, an update will be posted to the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/1961ShastaAirflyteReissuedin2015/) concerning dry weight, awnings, grab handles, spare tires, the start of production and remaining units.
Mark Lucas
President/General Manager
Shasta RV
All material in this story copyright Retro Renovation 2014.
Steve says
This is from an artical I just read on a site called RVBusiness.
“There are only two options: Color and length. There’s a 16-foot length or a 19-foot length, complete with an L-style gaucho with a canvas-style hammock above it. They come in three color combos, all with “Polo White” on top, and the choice of “Matador Red,” “Sea Foam Green” or “Buttercup Yelow,” with interiors to match.”
Sounds good to me
Kevin says
Mark, please at least release a drawing of the floorplan for the 19′! Really want more info so I can make a decision.
Steve says
This onfro from am artical I read on RV Business wewb site.
Phil Gummow says
Hi Pam, Thought I would chime in with a update…So far, largely because of the popularity of your blog, we have received deposits for twelve of the Airflyte re issues! The past couple of weeks have been very interesting and a lot of fun! The latest count includes deposits for nine in green, two in red and one in yellow. Even more surprising, half of our customers have decided to reserve the 19 footer…even though the prototype hasn’t even been built yet! Thanks again for all of your help!
Phil Gummow
General Manager
RV Travel World of Sacramento
(916)392-1872
Shannon says
A shout out to Phil at Travel World for great information and options about how to get this done. Their prices were the best we found in a day (or two) driving distance. We found a closer dealer, something my husband prefers, but as another vintage enthusiast I wanted to let others know about my very positive experience with Phil.
Sandy says
You are so right about Phil Gummow. He has been so helpful. I’m just waiting to see if they will be sold in Salt Lake City as I am in Idaho. Where did you find a dealer?
Steve says
Mark, I have found some info on the 1961 deluxe 19 foot and it had the bathroom in the front between the dinette and the sink leaving a lot of room in the back for the bed. I think that would be great floor plan for the 19. Have you thought about that set up at all for the 19?
Steve says
Here is a link to a site with the floor plan
http://vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/36/25-19-deluxe-airflyte
Shannon says
Great find Steve! Having a full bed without having to break down the table each evening would be wonderful.
I hope this is just the beginning, even with the original 1,941 production limit. Mark has to be feeling like a genius for re-issuing the 1961 and hopefully will continue somehow. A dealer said he hasn’t seen any reaction like this for a product in the 30 years he’s been in the business!
Really appreciate Pam’s work in getting the word out and letting us go back and forth here too.
We live in a 1961 house and we’re looking forward to seeing the Shasta in the driveway too. My mom, who was pregnant with me in ’61 and camped with four small kids, and I are already planning our oil painting trips in it together! 🙂
Streamer says
The BA next to the dinette is terrible. Who wants to hear what is going on in the BA while eating. This is a design flaw for sure.
BA should be at the other end of the kitchen; near BR, kitchen area next to the dinette, will keep it more open too.
There is a point where replication is not always the best thing to do. Then I will buy.
Steve says
Right because there will be so many people using the bathroom all the time. Its a 19 ft trailer not a gas station. I would rather have the extra room for the rear bed so I dont not have to deal with breaking down the dinette and setting it back up every day.
Streamer says
If the BA is the same size as shown what difference does it make if it is at the other end of the kitchen, near the BR? Everything is the same size just relocated.
Steve says
I was talking about the 19 ft vs the 16 ft model. If you look at the floor plan for the new 16 vs the old 19 you will see what I mean. If you add 3 feet to the end of the new 16 ft layout the bath will still make the bed too small for two.
Shannon says
Our family camped on 36′ boats with a bathroom about the same distance as it currently is in the 19′ design. Being about <10' away doesn't lessen any BA thing. So for placement, to get the bed area, I have to agree it would be the better choice. If we had one!
Joe Anderson says
The buzz is really out there on this great little trailer, I can’t believe the amount of positive response from so many happy customers. Everywhere from here in Michigan all the way to Oregon we are shipping these replica units. And I must say that sea foam green is still winning here, its a fun little competition we are having. So everybody looking for red or yellow let us know!!
Thanks to everyone involved
http://www.1961shastaairflyte.com Joe Anderson 616-375-0938
Becky says
I love that you are doing this re-issue. I hope you will continue to make a similar model, if not the exact replica. Wood interiors and vintage styling are so much more charming than the usual bland interiors one finds in most moderately priced trailers. This is absolutely gorgeous. I wish I could buy one, but we have to sell our old house before doing anything like buy a trailer. While I like the seafoam, I would also love to see a turquoise/teal color that’s a bit darker/brighter. You and your employees have done a wonderful job!
Becky says
I would add, having the option to not have the pantry and bathroom but another full size bed would be a great thing…everyone in my family is tall and older, so no one would fit on that rear bunk, and there are four of us…we don’t mind using a campground bathroom and having less storage space is okay.
Zane says
Thanks for the suggestion, Pam!
Rick says
We should all give props to Mark for being so responsive to all of us who are getting behind this re-release. It remains to be seen what the MSRP sans shipping is going to be for the 19′, but regardless, this gives all of us a better feel for what we are paying. My dealer in Albuquerque has quoted me $17,205 on the 16′, which includes freight/shipping. The 3% NM tax would be on top of that. I hope that’s with the mandatory options pkg, but I trust it is.
I’m waiting on the dry weight of the 19′ before I decide which way to jump.
Thanks again, Mark!
David Davila says
Pam, thanks for breaking this story to me; not sure I would have found out about the Shasta re-release otherwise. I’ve been following your site for some time now. Great work! Love the site…. and, I love your pink bathroom, way to go!!!
When I saw this particular post, I was sooooo excited. I’ve since placed an order for a 19′ model and look forward to enjoying it this fall. I’ve also enjoyed returning to this post regularly to check on comments between the vendor and rest of your fandom. Thanks for configuring your site such that we can continue to learn about all the exciting details about the upcoming re-release of the Shasta. Sincerely, thank you.
pam kueber says
You’re welcome! Note, you should also be able to Subscribe to all comments that come in — look for the link at the bottom!
Rick says
Related to the range top/microwave, it looks like an Atwood model. I would hope (but not sure) that if one would want the real oven and not the microwave, you could swap it out after market with an Atwood 52808 RA-2135 BSPA 21 Inch 3 Burner High Output Range Oven, with a black top, stainless steel door and Piezo Ignition. Doubt it will be a factory option, but it would be a nice one.
Also, from the video of the prototype, I noticed no outlet on the countertop adjacent to the sink/range. Would assume there would be one on the finished product for coffee maker/toaster/blender, etc.
The swap for the fantastic vent is great. The newer model 7350 with 14 speeds and rain sensor is pretty trick.
Stephanie says
I’ve been into vintage trailers for about a decade, and have a 68 Airstream Caravel we restored, doing all the work ourselves from the floor up. This Shasta is very exciting! It’s adorable to begin with, and having all the modern goodies is such a plus! There’s pretty much no way you could buy a vintage trailer and restore it to that condition for the price they are selling these for, and you’ll have a brand new trailer! I’m a little jealous! The details they have worked out, making everything fit exactly to the vintage specs, the jalousy windows, it’s just awesome.