For many of us the sight of gleaming aluminum bodied travel trailer cruising down the road invokes fond memories of camping with our parents.  Relive those memories and share them with your children and grandchildren by purchasing and restoring a travel trailers from a bygone era.  Modern travel trailers are nice with all off their modern amenities; satellite dish, plasma TV's, microwave, etc. but there is something special about a game of cards with your family in the warm glow of a propane light in a birch wood interior trailer.

The term "vintage" is subject to debate when it comes to travel trailers but any trailer from the 1960's or earlier is sure to qualify.  Just about everyone is familiar with makes such as Airstream, Silver Streak, Shasta, Spartan,  and Boles Aero but during the travel trailer heyday there were literally dozens of makes to choose from.

Owning a vintage travel trailer is a labor of love.  Like any vintage item, there is always something that needs repair, restoration or replacement.  If you have some basic skills, patience and time...you have what it takes to hit the nearest campground in your home away from home.

Buying factors:

1. Trailer length and weight.  If you plan on towing your trailer then you will need to be sure your tow vehicle is capable of pulling your rig.  Look for a trailer that meets your needs and can be safely towed by your car or truck.  If you find your dream trailer and it is more than you can tow, put the cart before the horse and buy a tow rig capable of pulling your trailer.

2. Buy for your needs.  I have friends that have purchased vintage trailers to permanently park in the mountains or to park  next to their swimming pool as a retro changing room. Others have bought them to use with their 5 kids.  Decide what layout works best for you and remember that many early trailers were not outfitted with toilets or showers.

3. Condition, condition, condition.  Buy the best condition trailer you can afford unless your are handy and enjoy restoration.  It can be costly dealing with new tires, brakes, wiring, propane systems, iceboxes, etc.  Many cheaper trailers have wood frame construction and can be a rats nest of dry rotted wood (literally).  More expensive makes have steel or aluminum frame construction and are more likely to have fared well through the years.  Stains from leaks, soft floors from water damage, smells  from chain smokers are just a few of the things to look for.

4. Safety first.  Be sure that the key safety systems are in good order before you put your trailer on the road.  Brakes, tires, lights, break-away system, and frame integrity are a good start to your safety checklist.  Modern smoke detectors and carbon monoxide sensors are a good investment and can be tastefully and discretely installed.

5. Location, location, location.  Trailers stored indoors are usually in the best condition.  Trailers from areas with severe weather can be subject to leaks, flooding, hail storms, broken pipes from freezing weather, etc.  It is best to buy from an area that has been gentle to the trailers.

I hope this short guide helps you to get the wheels turning, figuratively and literally.  See you on the road and take care!