Starling Travel

I found this camper on KSL Classifieds the other day and it really got me thinking.

The big question I have is, “Why?” (Continue Reading…)

I absolutely adore this 1970 14 foot Rancho Beach Trailer on KSL Classifieds!

If you look carefully, it’s not really a canned ham shape. The Rancho trailers had a style all their own, but they ARE more boxy than a cute little canned ham trailer.

All the difference on this adorable trailer is the paint job and decorating. And if you thought it was cute outside, you’ll ADORE how good it looks on the inside! (Continue Reading…)

I found this mystery vintage trailer on KSL Classifieds and I love the design. Who was the manufacturer?

Based on the shape of the aluminum over the wheels, it looks like it might by a Scotty. (Continue Reading…)

While I was at the RV show the other day, I saw a photo of a used tent trailer they had for sale that wasn’t at the show. It looked so different that I snapped a picture of it.

When I came home, I found out what it was: a 2006 Fleetwood Scorpion Toy Hauler. It was different than any toy hauler tent trailer I had seen before. (Continue Reading…)

For only the few short years of 1991 to 1993, Amerigo made some unique travel trailers that were hard-sided hybrids. Here is the 14′ design, the M-145, that I found for sale in Arkansas:

• $800 – 1993 Ames amerigo travel trailer

As you can see, both sides fold out for beds, like a modern hybrid trailer, but the sides aren’t canvas. (Continue Reading…)

I found this awesome 1968 Shasta Airflyte for $3600 on KSL Classifieds and I couldn’t believe how adorable it is!

Loved and cared for with many original features.

Used on a regular basis for camping and showing at vintage rallies.

I love how they painted the Shasta Wings that lovely blue color.

The original stovetop is avocado colored, which I would think wouldn’t go well with that bright aqua, but it works, somehow. (Continue Reading…)

I love this old Shasta trailer that I found in the KSL Classifieds the other day.

It’s the 13 foot design, so you can tow it with a small SUV. The kitchen isn’t all retro because it has a microwave as well as a fridge, self-contained water, and even an air conditioner. (Continue Reading…)

Last January, on the way to Quartzsite, we stayed a night or two in Las Vegas. The typical temperature at that time of the year is about fifty degrees during the day and 35 degrees at night. We knew it was going to be a little cold, so we were prepared with a couple of electric heaters.

We had NO idea that we would be staying there on the coldest nights Las Vegas has seen for YEARS. It was a HARD freeze at 28 degrees, taking everyone in that city by surprise. Every one of the huge motorcoaches, in the RV resort where we stayed, had frozen water hoses with no water. And this fountain stayed frozen solid all day and night.

Fortunately, our two little electric heaters kept us warm in our little tent trailer, but it was substantially colder on the bunk ends than it was in the middle of the camper. Whenever I was awoken by the cold that night, I tried to think of ways our bunk ends could be warmer.

Try as I might, in my cold-addled and sleepy stupor, I didn’t think of this ingenious origami solution to the problem. Here is the Apache Hard-Sided Popup Camper and how its bunk ends are put together.

The roof folds down and the lifts up like this:

Then the sides pop in (rather awkwardly):

If I were to turn my popup camper into a hard-sided camper like an Apache, would it be warmer? What is the insulation difference between plywood and tent canvas. I would think it would be warmer, but it also would be a lot heavier. The Apache seems to have plastic or maybe thin aluminum sides. Are they any warmer than tent material? I have no idea.

In the end, we were able to stay warm enough that night in our trailer, despite the hard freeze. I might fantasize about modifying my popup camper, but it was warm enough to camp in winter temperatures, so I guess it’s not necessary to hack apart my beloved little Jayco just to be a couple of degrees warmer.

While I was looking around the web, I found some auto tents manufactured by Upal Outdoors. They make a clamshell design.

They also make a square lift design.

If you were to put one of these on a Ford Flex, it might be perfect. It has that lovely flat roof that makes it perfect for permanently mounting an auto tent to the top.

I first saw the Ford Flex at CES 2012 and I really liked its design. I love how large the back hatch is. It would be perfect place to put a camp kitchen, like a teardrop trailer.

In fact the back hatch is so large and tall that I wouldn’t even need a tent to get a little shade or escape from the rain.

If you were able to permanently attach the Auto Tent to the top of the car and cut a hole in it, you’d be able to access the tent from the Sun Roof instead of having to use the ladder. It would be much more efficient that way.

I did a horrible Photoshop job on some images of the Ford Flex to show you what it would look like permanently attached to the car.

I really liked how the clamshell design looks.

As much as I’d like to take a Ford Flex and convert it into the ultimate camping car, I can’t see a way to purchase these auto tents in lots less than twenty. It looks like this idea is going to have to be for someone with a lot more capital at their disposal.

Until then, I can dream about a perfect camping car.

Photos used for photoshopped images:

• Gray Ford Flex: 2013 Ford Flex Limited AWD EcoBoost photo
• Red Ford Flex: feeler o9 flex se. cin red, char cloth, 65k denver co $21k : Ford Flex Forum

A while back, I wrote about the DualCraft Chalet. It was the first A-Frame trailer manufactured in the Seventies.

• Starling Travel: The DualCraft Chalet – The First A-Frame Trailer

I was under the impression that they did not fold up, but one of our readers, Al Massey, corrected me in the comments:

i borrowed one of these trailers and they do fold down , we liked the style so much sourced same style out in alberta ,we located one built in edmonton that folds up it is insulated ,has a propane grity furnace and propane fridge i installed , we have taken across canada and into bc many times ,we’ve had it for about 12 years. best unit ever! it’s our “swiss chalet” (wife is swiss)

I was so excited to learn more and he graced me with a couple of photos and some of his memories.

Hi Laura,

there are two bars on the inside that hold up the walls ,we use them for coat hangers as well as shelf supports,after you remove them the left wall comes down and rests on a fold out leg then the right wall comes down then the rear roof folds down then finally the front roof folds down and gets buckled for travel,

sleeps 4 comfortably, I’va made cabinets inside that stack when up thus giving tons of storage for long trips , my twin 10 year old girls are quite attached and have fond memories growing up with this trailer ,

i park it inside my garage now so the snow and ice wont kill it so it should live a long time yet ,always a conversation piece at camp grounds , it makes an awesome ice breaker to meet people from all across the world.

I cant find my photos of the inside or it folding up right now, but I’ll keep looking. It was mftd in Edmonton by “national trailer” in the early sixtys ,cant find anymore info about it and only seen 1 the same make a long time ago.

Thanks, Al

Thanks, Al, for the lovely photos. I especially like the Canadian flag flying. It looks so good in contrast to the trailer. Thanks again for sending the photos and may you have many more happy years in your DualCraft Chalet.