Seriously, it smells. BAD! It’s our ’53 “Tini-Home” canned ham trailer, which is now tucked safely in the shop at Dad’s, awaiting restoration. We have big plans for this little brute, which I originally bought as a “parts” trailer for an 18′ 1955 “Silverdome” trailer. I was going to use the windows, fridge door, cooktop, and other bits in the Silverdome, and sell the PERFECT Bargman door handle on Ebay, but Kim liked this little trailer.
Yesterday, I had a tire mounted on the right side of the trailer as the bald, 50-year-old Monkey Wards snow tire finally gave up the ghost and went flat, and towed it to the shop. It actually tows amazingly well, and suprisingly, the floor isn’t rotten, although the rest of it certainly is.
It’s amazing how GOOD it looks in these pictures, which makes part of me think that following the advice of a well-known vintage trailer buff, “Find, fluff, flip.” would be the best choice with this thing. With a very minimum of effort, it would spiff up and look really, really good, and probably sell for a ridiculous amount of money. Which, I’m sure some people (sensible, thinking people!) would do, but we are going to restore it and use it. I say “we”, because Kim is committed and has pledged cooperation, support, and hands on, down and dirty, sawdust in the hair help with this one.
Stay tuned for progress as we boldly go where I said I’d never have gone before, into a cheaply built travel trailer that was NEVER meant to last 58 years!
Cool McCool's Garage 
you should check out http://www.nationalserroscotty.org/rebuilds/index.html (link to my vintage camp rebuild is there, albeit with terrible documentation of the build unfortunately) and you can also find lots of builds at http://serroscottycamperenthusiasts.com/REBUILDS.html (there is a link to a second page at the top of that page too). You will find TONS of wonderfully documented rebuilds that will help a lot I’m sure! I think the hardest part is knowing how deep to get into it! You will surely need to replace the wall plywood. Luckily, the previous owner of mine had done that just before I purchased mine, so I just had the interior wall/ceiling to replace, as well as the linoleum (and then I remade all the cabinets to my liking – in oak so they are pretty!)
We are planning on replacing just about everything. Using the trailer as a pattern and tweaking things to suit us, as we plan on using it. At least
that’s my plan! Not sure how I’ll like camping w/o a toilet. I got used to having that in the Spartan really quickly! Ideas. I have ideas! Already made a quilt for the bed! Which is 3/4 size. Perfect for those cooler nights. Oh yeah, a/c will also be added. Can’t wait!
In 1955 my parents (both teachers) bought a slightly used 15-foot Crescent trailer so we could take a cross-country sumer vacation. Hit the major national parks and monuments on the way to California and up into British Columbia and then headed back east to our Long Island home. Following summer only went as far west as Nevada to visit the parks we missed the first year. Summer of 1957 pretty much finished the Crescent with a road trip to Alaska. Just past Dawson Creek dad noticied that the spiral nails holding the corners of the trailer together were coming out. Several large boxes of plain steel screws patched it back together. Each evening after dinner we spent time pulling nails and installing screws, quitting when the first blisters broke. No water tank or toilet, no heat or refrigeration, just a small ice box and gas stove. Like your ‘tini’ the front dinette made up one bed. A double bed in the rear with overhead bunk made cozy accomodations for the four of us.
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Thanks for the story Bob, that sounds like happy memories for you. I can imagine dragging one of these little trailers up the AlCan highway would (especially in those days) shake the thing to pieces!
Brian