That Old Camper Feeling

Starting to feel the Tin Can thing.  I have installed this space age silver bubble wrap in the front nose of my '59 Arrowhead.  The seams are taped with this wonderful aluminum tape...it's very sticky.

The backsplash is one of my favorit "bones" of this camper.  Sure it's got a lot of holes in it.  I can cover those up with my old retro spice rack.

Then there's the wood.  Replaced the side panel to the cupboard.  The gas light goes there.  It was painted white.  That didn't blend well with the rich patina of the cupboards. 

The wood ceiling will be painted a mid-tone green...that's the kitchen area.  Together the whole effect will take you back to the old camper feeling.

A Wisp of Yeaterday.

Now that I have your attention...This beauty is a New Moon trailer from the 50's.  It's a far cry from my little tin can.  Yet we share a history from those yesteryears.  

People talk of tiny houses these days and it really started back then with these mobile travel homes.

All this was glamourised in the
"Long Long Trailer"  with Lucy and Desi. They had a 1953 36' New Moon. https://youtu.be/Nxx4ijz3aig

The average Joe had a little 15' Arrowhead trailer and a lot of good times to create.  All these years later it's my job to bring life back to the bones of this old "Minni Me".

Camper Angels

This fuzzy pic is all our family has to remember our 1959 travel trailer.  For years I've been probing my sibs as to the make of the trailer, after all I was only 5 years old that year!

Now thru the internet I find out it's an ARROWHEAD!  You have to understand the irony of this.  My current project that I am sharing here is a 1959 ARROWHEAD Go-Lite.  While not the same model it just crazy that I found this (with the help of my better Angels) all these years later.

It gives a magical twist to what I am doing with it.  Reclaiming its former glory while recalling the good times I had while camping in my family's ARROWHEAD!

A Winter's Tale

With Winter breathing down my neck and no prospects for running my wine tour biz in these chilly Oregon months, I scanned the trailers for sale in the local Craig's List and found this 1959 Arrowhead Go-Lite tin can.

A project it is.  But good bones, as they say.  Many original iconic "camper" features such as the gas light and ice box.  The sale was made and I towed it home with no problems.

I have dubbed her "Minnie Me" as I live in a larger more modern travel trailer.  It's parked right outside my door.  Great for my work commute!

This is will be my fourth flip.  Someday I will hold onto a nice trailer that really reminds me of my family's 1959 trailer...yet to be discovered is the manufacturer.

You can follow my progress at: www.tincanretroman.com

Camping can be Dangerous

When I was six years old in 1959, our family of 6 went on a cross-country travel trailer adventure from Duluth, MN to the West Coast and back through the Plains. 

Dad pulled our 1959 28' travel trailer with his 1959 Plymouth station wagon, driving across the top of the USA with my Mom riding a very vocal shotgun.

I do remember something about bears and bacon while camping in Yellowstone National Park that summer.  Certainly with posters such as this one hanging about the campsite it left an impression on my youth.

Fortunately none of the sibs were mauled by any DANGEROUS creatures.  There were a lot of squirrels as I recall.  

Now 58 years later I have acquired a 1959 Arrowhead Go-Lite pure "tin can" style camper and intend to relive my youth...well, probably flip this one and continue to have fun recalling all those dangerous times I had while camping in our trailer.