Vintage Campers: restore an old camper

June 12, 2010

  Are you a Happy Camper...do you enjoy spending vacation time camping??? I wasn't always a

Happy Camper even though I was surrounded by trailers and motor homes at my dads

dealership. I didn't really develop a love for camping until our son was little and we took

him camping.... he loved it, and so did we. It is such a great way to get away from the TV,

cellphone and computer and spend quality time together. Today I see a real trend toward

vintage campers. Many people are buying old 50's and 60's style campers and restoring them

to look new.  If you are interested in restoration, there are "how to restore a vintage

camper groups" on the internet. Be sure and check out my other site www.getcampie.com 

If you were to own a vintage camper what would be your style? Would you love a vintage Shasta???

1956 Shasta

What a beautifully restored interior!

How about this Red Shasta??

 

 

Maybe a pink shasta is more your style….. The husbands would love this!!! (Photos from Flickr)

Wouldn’t it be fun to have this cute little vintage Shasta pull up to your special event and serve you sweet little delightful deserts?? That is what Enjoy Cupcakes does out in California….what a sweet idea!!

 

Look at this cute as can be gourmet vintage snowcone shop on wheels called Fresher than Fresh!! What awesome gourmet flavors!!

 

 

 

 Check out this cute 1957 Corvette…

What an adorable interior!!

 

 

How about this 1962 Turnpike ?? It is actually for sale right now at Tin Can Classifieds for $4,500.

 

  

 

 

Check out this Airstream 1963 Globetrotter…

 

 

 

1963 16′ Bambi Airstream

 

If you are into new retro you can buy a brand new Shasta today!!.. Retails at over $20,000.0

 

 

 

How about tooling around in the VW Camper Van…

 

 

 

I could go  on, but here’s the last one I’ll show…it’s a vintage teardrop… they are remaking them new today.

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{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Gail Griner Golden June 13, 2010 at 2:47 am

Oh, my goodness. I love this post. My fav is the pink one….(drooling!) I think I’ve gotta get one! A friend of mine bought a vintage shasta and took off on a tour of the USA with her two boys. Gutsy gal – and she home schools, too! I’m sending her your blog so she can check out the ways to jazz up the camper. She did her’s really cool – with tropical colors. Where did you get these pics?

2 DeeAnna June 14, 2010 at 12:22 pm

My grandparents had one of these but we weren’t allowed to play in it. Now I wonder where it went? I’ll have to call my mom and ask! I love them!!

3 bargain hoot June 14, 2010 at 1:08 pm

That would be awesome if they still had it!

4 voyagevixen June 16, 2010 at 4:59 pm

Nice vintage camper section and thanks for checking out my blog on my 1964 Dodge Travco Motorhome: http://myrtleandme.blogspot.com/ I’ve posted a blog entry directing people your vintage camper section.

5 bargain hoot June 17, 2010 at 1:30 pm

Thank you so much very sweet of you! I love Myrtle!

6 voyagevixen June 17, 2010 at 4:10 pm

feel free to post pics of Myrtle :)

7 Mary August 15, 2010 at 8:18 pm

Love your blog post! I became the owner of a 67 Shasta with wings and it’s boring beige so I’m googling colors and found your post. :) Thanks for sharing!

8 bargain hoot August 16, 2010 at 6:31 pm

Glad you found me!! Your camper sounds great…be sure and check out my new camper blog at http://www.getcampie.com you will get more ideas :)

9 arisin December 14, 2010 at 3:09 pm

“I love this post. My fav is the pink one….(drooling!) I think I’ve gotta get one! A friend of mine bought a vintage shasta and took off on a tour of the USA with her two boys. Gutsy gal – and she home schools, too! I’m sending her your blog so she can check out the ways to jazz up the camper. She did her’s really cool – with tropical colors.”
Can more?

10 chris bowman January 7, 2011 at 3:41 pm

i have found interest in remodling old campers making them look new i just dont know if it would be a good investment or not i have no clue what kind of profit is involved i need someone who has the time maybe drop a email to me giving some details about this

11 Ron Morganti February 3, 2011 at 6:16 pm

Chris I can assure you there are lots of folks like myself, who wish they had a craftsman they knew, that was creative, talented, knowledgeable, passionate, motivated, honest, dependable, flexible, sincere and reasonable. Chris if you bring these ten things to the table
the world will beat a path to your door step. Nice site glad i stopped by.

12 The Jennings April 13, 2011 at 3:09 pm

Thanks for posting the pictures of our 1956 Chevrolet Nomad and 56 Shasta Trailer. We worked very hard restoring the trailer. It is our pride and joy and we use it whenever we can to camp!

Happy Trails,
The Jennings

13 Jerrilynn Henry April 18, 2011 at 12:13 am

Hello,

I loved all the pictures of the vintage campers. I especially loved the one with the turquoise interior. It has always been my dream to own a vintage camper. Maybe someday I will.

14 tami davis April 25, 2011 at 11:05 pm

I just bought a 71 shasta today and was googling and found your site….NOW i know what i am gonna do with my new vintage camper…..thanks for the photos….what an inspiration!

15 bargain hoot April 25, 2011 at 11:13 pm

tami…so glad you found my site and that it gave you inspiration!! I hope you share some pics when you are done…I’d love to see them and post them on my Getcampie.com site!!

16 Spilltojill May 2, 2011 at 8:31 pm

I am making a camper board on pinterest.com = fun!

17 George Smith May 11, 2011 at 11:49 pm

Thanks for sharing all the great camper photos and storys. My wife and I are restoring a 62 Scotsman. The poor thing was on her last leg but is making a full recovery. Love your Getcampie site also. You have encouraged us to bring this beauty back to life . The turquoise stove top and icebox was the draw that spoke to us even though the rest of the camper was ugly and falling apart.

18 Karen June 9, 2011 at 10:24 am

Just googled and found your site. LOVE the pictures, so much inspiration. I just bought (my husband is out of town and has not seen it except for pictures! LOL) a 1961 FAN 12′ camper…Has water leaking damage inside, but is sturdy and I can’t wait to start restoring it. Hubby restores cars, maybe I’ll get into restoring campers! LOL!!! Plus it will look great behind his ’62 Ford truck! Thanks!

19 bargain hoot June 9, 2011 at 10:53 am

Hi Karen…check out my http://www.getcampie.com site for even more inspiration! Sounds like you’re going to have a lot of fun restoring the 12′ fan!!
Link up to share your journey over at get campie :)

20 Jennifer McMinn June 29, 2011 at 4:31 pm

I bought 65 prince camper….I do not have much info on it…But would love to restore it..If anyone has any ideas I would greatly appreciate them!!! I would love some suggestions on colors

21 bargain hoot June 29, 2011 at 6:25 pm

Hi Jennifer…check out my other blog http://www.getcampie.com. there are more ideas on that site :)

22 Pam Keehn July 3, 2011 at 10:42 am

LOVE your site! I can’t pick a favorite because they are all so darn cute!

23 linda rombach July 5, 2011 at 7:58 pm

anyone intresrested in 1972 shasta I have one for sell

24 Dennis Dickerson August 15, 2011 at 10:59 pm

I just purchased a 1950 Nashua. The outside is in great shape only needs to be buffed and polished. The interior needs a good cleaning and one peice of the Birchwood panel replaced. I am going to install holding tanks, new plumbing and wiring. I can’t wait to get this to baby on the road.

25 Terry September 18, 2011 at 11:47 am

Does anyone know what a 1945 classic Williams craft pull behind camper is worth .Thanks

26 bargain hoot September 18, 2011 at 10:07 pm

Hi,
I’m not sure what the Williams Craft is worth. Maybe ask Terry at Tin Can Tourist.

27 Julie October 11, 2011 at 12:18 am

Love this so much. Thanks for gathering some beauties here. I pinned a couple on my Pinterest board. Thanks for the inspiration!

28 Rebecca Lynn October 14, 2011 at 6:20 pm

Just found your site. Love it! I am restoring a 13 ft 1974 Trillium. The interior is 70′s retro green. Your pictures gave me some great ideas. Thanks.

29 bargain hoot October 14, 2011 at 9:58 pm

Awesome…I’m glad the pics helped… send me some pics of the finished project… love to see it!

30 Patricia March 2, 2012 at 10:13 pm

I want to use a vintage camper to advertise our campground.
I have an area by the highway that I plan to place the camper with a sign
on it, lights on it that directs folks into campground.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

31 bargain hoot March 3, 2012 at 10:16 am

Patricia,
What a cute idea!!!There are a lot of trailers used for business. I would look up something that has to do with food trailers and see how they advertise using the camper. Also, check my other site http://www.getcampie.com you might find helpful inspiration. :)

32 Brenda Williams March 4, 2012 at 5:42 pm

I love your site! I’ve bought a Chevrolet Traveleze Playmate. I think its a 1973. Wish me luck!

33 bargain hoot March 4, 2012 at 6:56 pm

How exciting!!! Good Luck to you!!!

34 Kerri B. March 31, 2012 at 10:46 am

Loving your post, but I am looking for some help in restoring a 1973 Shasta that is in really bad shape. Still waiting to hear if the frame is rusted through or not though. *fingers crossed it isn’t* Can you pass along any sites or forums where I can get some help, this is a first for me. I am an avid camper, but generally by tent and blow up bed. LOL

35 Hope C. Kateman March 31, 2012 at 11:22 am

I would give anything to have the Bambi AirStream, that is my dream to own one. I never thought I would love camping except for a motel, now I want to go just about every weekend. We had a pop-up but sold it, getting to old to crank it up and down. Bought a small tag-along but it is use for a vacation home sort of in Virginia. I still want a Airstream.. These type campers are so much better than those big ole buses or 5th wheels.

36 Deb Nestler April 2, 2012 at 8:04 pm

So excited that I found your site. I’ve been looking for an interesting site about camping & campers. I even started a ‘camping’ board on pinterest. Recently, bought a ’71 Aristocrat Lo-liner to fix up for our camping needs at a piece of rural property. As we tore into it, the damage was far beyond what we expected.; so we’re basically rebuilding the structure. I hope that your site isn’t ‘just’ for original restoration because since we really need ‘sleeping space’ for 3 grandchildren, we decided to use our camper for all sleeping quarters; and keep our eating/cooking area outside. I found the perfect small ’50′s-type table/cabinet combo at the thrift store. We’re on a very tight budget but somehow little-by-little we will finish this camper to enjoy!

37 Carol Mannheim April 9, 2012 at 3:51 pm

Loved this post. My friends in England have a lovely vintage airstream they take to bluegrass festivals. They make and restore violins. I spent a lot of time camping in tents in my life. I always dreamed of a lovely camper. Your pictures of these vintage beauties were fab. Thanks.

38 bargain hoot April 9, 2012 at 10:36 pm

Carol your friends Airstream sounds divine and what an interesting profession!
Hopefully, you’ll get a camper for yourself someday:)

39 PecanCorner April 28, 2012 at 4:33 am

What a great page! We have a late 1960s model Cardinal Deluxe that we are fixing up, and these interior photos are wonderful inspiration for the interior! The interior of ours was mostly torn out by previous owner and it needs work to make it liveable. Most sites focus on “original restoration” but we want the space for sleeping/resting only. Like Deb above, we’ll do our cooking outside. The knitted covers on cushions in the van are simply adorable!

40 bargain hoot April 28, 2012 at 10:19 am

Pecan Corner…what a fun time you must be having fixing up your trailer.I’m so happy that the photos are bringing inspiration!!
Best wishes!! and thank you for your comment!!

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