Let's Talk Vintage Campers

[MindyLee]

Ok folks, after much research I've about settled on a small vintage camper of my home of choice for my girls and me, for extended camping trips. My main question is about towing and what kind of tow vehicle I'll need to tow, say a 15' trailer. I'm fairly sure my Chrysler minivan is NOT up to the task and so I'm thinking a small truck, such as a Toyota Tacoma or something similar would be a good choice.

The other main thing on my mind is...how the heck do I know what is a good deal and what isn't price wise? I've seen such a huge range of prices and they don't always seem to correspond to the condition of the trailer. I'm also trying to decide how much work I want to do on one. Cosmetic things I'm up for but since I likely won't have much muscle helping me, I don't want to do a major overhaul.

Any experience or tips, etc are welcome! Any recommends as far as good models and years, etc are much appreciated!

 

[ArtW]

for a 15 foot trailer a small pickup might or might not be a good choice, depending on the weight of the trailer
in the owner's manual of most pickups is a place for you to go and compare your build codes to the table and discover your tow capacity
For example my Ranger is a 3.0 V6, extended cab, 2WD, automatic, with a 3.73 rear gear ratio (yes, all of that counts) so it has a tow rating of 4000lb
if you don't have the owner's manual, you can look at the door tag and subtract the curb weight of the truck from the Gross Combined Weight Rating, and that should give you the tow rating
That's easier than decoding the build plate, but I like accuracy
Probably a 15' Travel trailer will be a 12' box, 3 foot tongue, and the weight of the average Travel trailer at that size i would guestimate at 2500-3000 lb, depending on how equiped, but check the trailer's actual tow tag to be sure, or get the info via the interweb
for flatland towning, you can probably get away with 2/3 to 3/4 your tow rating, but in the hills / mountains you'd be better off having only 1/2 your tow rating or maybe even less behind you
I'm a flatlander with only moderate towing experience, so if one of the folks with more experience, especially in the mountains, poo-poos what I posted, go with his or her recommendations
personally I'd go for a full size 1/2 ton pickup or maybe even a 3/4 ton, depending on my travel plans

 

[jimindenver]

New old or otherwize, each trailer has a dry weight. Add a 1000 pounds and you have what you need to be able to pull.

We had a 13 ft canned ham, it weighed a lot for it's size. 2500 lbs dry if I remember right. I saw a modern 13 ft when we were looking, soooo much better. It had everything the 62 didn't including a bathroom AND A/C. It was also lighter but I don't remember the numbers right now but in contrast, our 25 ft trailer weighs 4200# dry.

Cool factor the 62 Cree turned heads back in the 80's, now they sell for five grand. Just like old cars though, the cool factor doesn't comfort you much when you use them on a regular basis. I couldn't stand in ours, lay out on the bed and those dinettes were made for kids. No fridge, a ice box and it leaked. There was a fresh tank but no grey. The sink ran out to the ground back then. No bath, no brakes and there wasn't a fan big enough to cool it down once it heated up. On the flip side, make a pot of coffee in the morning or run the lantern while you got ready for bed and you were toasty.

One thing to consider is OLD can mean hard to find parts for.

 

[LeeRevell]

The Chrysler/Dodge minivan with 3.8L motor and full towing package has a 3,500lb. tow limit. A light weight trailer is quite manageable.

 

[highdesertranger]

when towing the old saying "big is better" is true. not saying it's an absolute but you will have a much better towing experience with a bigger truck. highdesertranger

 

[MindyLee]

Thanks, folks all your insight is really helpful. I've never towed a thing in my life. I did drive am ambulance for four years, lol...but I am a towing newbie.

 

[ArtW]

do yourself a favor
If your current vehicle has a hitch and connector, rent your self a U Haul trailer and stick some stuff in it and just pull it around some, and try backing it, too, it's good practice, with somebody else's trailer
Tip: when backing, grip[ the steering wheel at the bottom, then move your hand in the direction you want the trailer to go
Oh, and back s-l-o-w-l-y, and be willing to pull forward and try again
it's not really that hard once you figure it out, but doing it with a new to you trailer you don't want to damage will have you so stressed your seat will develop a mohawk
I totally panicked the first time I tried backing a trailer

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I'm with HDR. Bigger is def better when it comes to a more comfortable towing experience.

 

[Headache]

I will third this is regards to pulling AND backing.  I drove semis pulling trailers for over 15 years.  I can back in a 40-53 ft trailer almost with my eyes closed but give me a 20 ft trailer and I look like it's my first day pulling one!

Unless you have the money to buy one that's been restored/refurbished(I do not) be careful of what you buy regarding "vintage" because it can quickly add up to a miserable experience.

 

[poncho62]

An older 15 ft house trailer is going to weigh 3000-3500 lbs minimum.....Get yourself a real truck, full sized 1/2 ton would do....Chevy, Ford or even (yuk) Dodge. 

Also, make sure the trailer brakes work and you have a  good brake controller in the truck

 

[renovader]

What is a good price? Good question.

A sale is defined as an exchange of perceived values. Don't pay more that you Think it is worth.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

As far as a "fair" price goes, try going to ebay and searching for the trailer you are interested in by brand name.  Instead of looking at the ones currently being offered for sale, try checking the history of the ones that were recently sold.  That will give you an idea of what people are really paying, rather than the possibly over-optimistic asking prices the current deluded owners are hoping to get.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

You know, if you've got an extra $30 laying around, it might not be a bad idea to buy this:

http://shop.rveducation101.com/mark-s-rv-garage-17-episodes-on-dvd-p345.php

Give you a real idea as to what you are getting yourself in to . . .

 

[Txjaybird]

 My current truck is a 1991 Ranger 4x4 with 4.0 V6 It replaced a 1981 1 ton Ford 12 years ago.  That truck had no problem pulling my Vintage 28ft Silver Stream T.T.

These days "vintage" seems to = $$$$$ added to the value of anything with wheels on it.

I just traded a Viking pop up tent camper in on an Aliner, it's not as hard to set up and I can do it by myself.  It's big enough for myself and my attack Chihuahua  "Queenie"  It will sleep two + her.

I wonder if you have camped any in the past?

I agree with others re: a full size 1/2 or 3/4 ton pick up might be best, also an ext cab with additional seating would be good for travel as 3 in the front seat of a pick can seem crowded to me for any distance traveling. 
 Also renting a trailer to practice sounds good to me too.  The first time a family member towed a trailer the city water guy took a front end loader to lift the trailer out of the mud and drag Crew Cab Ford 1 ton and it onto solid ground.  Damn I wish I could of seen that
 
There seem to be some good buys at times on newer lite or ultra lite Travel Trailers.  A lot depends on what you have to spend.  I decided to repair/replace/rebuild my Ranger as needed and find something lite weight and low wind resistance to tow.  This way I only have a small pmt each month on the Aliner and after 12 yrs the Ranger needs very little more work to be ready for long trips.  To RTR I Hope!

 OH Yeah WELCOME!

Jewellann

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

These days "vintage" seems to = $$$$$ added to the value of anything with wheels on it.

Honest John's Used Camping Trailers.
We buy old junk trailers.
We sell Classic Vintage Trailers.

 

[CottonTexas]

Funny, but it's very true!  A lot of people sell garbage under the "classic" façade.

As far as pricing goes (for vehicles), there's always Kelly Blue Book and NADA that will help you get a base-line of what to expect.  Personally I always assume "book value" to be high, so I only use it for establishing loan value and where to begin negotiations at purchase.

I currently own a Ranger 4-cyl. 5-speed with the highway gears - I forget what they are numerically (3.23?), but it's unique to the regular-cab and gives it 30MPG, but makes it terrible for towing.  My buddy's Toyota Tacoma is a Pre-Runner & extended cab, but even still with the 4-cyl. 5-speed, it tows a LOT better than my rig and still gets 25+MPG.  According to PickupTrucks.com a Toy Taco can tow 6,500lbs when properly equipped which should be plenty for a 15', though a Toyota can be expensive, so price-wise you may be better off getting a half-ton truck or SUV.  Again, as been said, it's always better to have extra towing capacity, and trust me, you don't want to get too close to overloading.

As far as condition goes, I always get a history report whether it be CarFax or whatever, it always helps to know what the previous life of the vehicle looked like.  When inspecting it, look under the hood even if you don't know what you're looking at.  Paint coming off around fluid caps can tell you that there has been an ongoing addition of that fluid, and even if everything is all good under the hood, don't be afraid to look under the vehicle.  I know most people don't climb down there, but most leaks are not going to be visible from the top, and a lot of dealers clean the engine bay anyway, but neglect to clean the undercarriage (because most people don't get down there to look).  This combined with common sense inspection (looking for rust and/or any driving issues) should help you get a good feel for what you're buying.  If you can afford it, I always recommend having it looked over by a shop.

I know I've been a bit wordy, but I hope I've been helpful, and I wish you all the best of luck with your new outfit.  Cotton

P.S. I think it good advice to learn to back up a trailer with a rental

 

[MindyLee]

Thanks for all this great info! I am realizing I have NO idea what I'm doing here, lol. But I'll get there with the help of you lovely folks!

 

[highdesertranger]

you got to find the right deal. I bought a 1972 Prowler for 300 bucks and it was in great condition no leaks and everything worked. this was in the late 90's. unfortunately I left it parked in the desert at my gold claim and someone stripped all the aluminum siding. if it wasn't for that I would still have it. shop around you can find a deal. highdesertranger

 

[rvpopeye]

OK , a different point of view .....
Don't think what do I need to tow a particular trailer but what do I need to stop it.

 

[highdesertranger]

popeye you hit the nail on the head. stopping is more important then going. highdesertranger