Starting the restoration of a lifetime, 1954 Shasta 1400
Feb 15, 2017 15:25:25 GMT -8
mobiltec and mel like this
Post by shastatom on Feb 15, 2017 15:25:25 GMT -8
Hello everyone,
I thought I would introduce myself and tell you about my new project.
In 1972 I went with my dad to pick up a 1954 Shasta camper in Iowa. I wasn't even a teenager then. I remember very well because it was early spring and on the way home some minister coming home from church crossed over the center line on a backcountry Iowa road and force my dad to go in the ditch with the car and camper. The ditch was full of snow and it stopped us pretty quick. The only way we got out was for the tow truck to tow us across the corn field.
Needless to say our life with the camper started off kind of shaky.
We bought the camper from a cousin and planned to put it on our newly purchased land in Northern Minnesota. The camper made it to the property and was parked at the top of the hill of the property from 72 to 79 when we finally go the road cut and cabin built. That camper every summer weekend was our home while we cut trees with a 12 inch chain saw. We had to cut about a 1/4 mile road to the site we wanted the cabin built on. The ceiling vent came in handy since we smelled of pine sap, gas, oil, sweat and bug spray. It was a time I will always remember and think of everytime I go to the cabin and it also brings back good memories of my Dad.
Fast forward over the next 38 years and the camper has sat in that spot without really anything being done to it. My kids and I slept in it when the cabin was full, and most others have at one point or another. In the last 5-8 years the camper has really gone unused since it has a smell to it from the wet front and back paneling and a mattress that has been in it since time began.
So now there may be new life.
For years Dad wanted the camper gone and since my wife and I never really camped we just didn't have an interest. But now we are thinking with the kids gone and our friends wanting to camp maybe it is time to look at restoring this little beauty.
We have looked at new campers and just find they have no charm or character. We really like this little camper and don't want a rv that is 30+ feet long that will kill me every time I have to tow it and set it up.
Here is the general plan:
-Put tires on it this spring and roll it onto a flat bed and pull it home
-Look the rest of the trailer over and start the restoration if worthy
-Add some new items to it like 12 volt wiring and lighting, fresh and grey water tank, 3 way fridg, porta potty, new front and back wall, floor, counter top, and maybe a few other new items.
-Make it comfortable for today's living but leave the charm of the 50s.
The one thing that is missing is the original stove/oven. It stopped working at one point so we through it out 25 years ago. If only I was thinking back then.
I will have to wait until May for the snow to melt and the road to dry up a bit. So until then I will be reading and planning and asking questions. Here is a link to a picture I took a couple weeks ago. If you can point me in directions to tell me more about this type and year of camper it would great.
goo.gl/photos/RvYKZrEVRiyeVKbd8 you may have to put a https at the front of this along with a :
Trying a google photo link
IMGP1390-2 by Tom Ress, on Flickr
IMG_1098 by Tom Ress, on Flickr
Thank you everyone and I look forward to my new adventure. Tom
I thought I would introduce myself and tell you about my new project.
In 1972 I went with my dad to pick up a 1954 Shasta camper in Iowa. I wasn't even a teenager then. I remember very well because it was early spring and on the way home some minister coming home from church crossed over the center line on a backcountry Iowa road and force my dad to go in the ditch with the car and camper. The ditch was full of snow and it stopped us pretty quick. The only way we got out was for the tow truck to tow us across the corn field.
Needless to say our life with the camper started off kind of shaky.
We bought the camper from a cousin and planned to put it on our newly purchased land in Northern Minnesota. The camper made it to the property and was parked at the top of the hill of the property from 72 to 79 when we finally go the road cut and cabin built. That camper every summer weekend was our home while we cut trees with a 12 inch chain saw. We had to cut about a 1/4 mile road to the site we wanted the cabin built on. The ceiling vent came in handy since we smelled of pine sap, gas, oil, sweat and bug spray. It was a time I will always remember and think of everytime I go to the cabin and it also brings back good memories of my Dad.
Fast forward over the next 38 years and the camper has sat in that spot without really anything being done to it. My kids and I slept in it when the cabin was full, and most others have at one point or another. In the last 5-8 years the camper has really gone unused since it has a smell to it from the wet front and back paneling and a mattress that has been in it since time began.
So now there may be new life.
For years Dad wanted the camper gone and since my wife and I never really camped we just didn't have an interest. But now we are thinking with the kids gone and our friends wanting to camp maybe it is time to look at restoring this little beauty.
We have looked at new campers and just find they have no charm or character. We really like this little camper and don't want a rv that is 30+ feet long that will kill me every time I have to tow it and set it up.
Here is the general plan:
-Put tires on it this spring and roll it onto a flat bed and pull it home
-Look the rest of the trailer over and start the restoration if worthy
-Add some new items to it like 12 volt wiring and lighting, fresh and grey water tank, 3 way fridg, porta potty, new front and back wall, floor, counter top, and maybe a few other new items.
-Make it comfortable for today's living but leave the charm of the 50s.
The one thing that is missing is the original stove/oven. It stopped working at one point so we through it out 25 years ago. If only I was thinking back then.
I will have to wait until May for the snow to melt and the road to dry up a bit. So until then I will be reading and planning and asking questions. Here is a link to a picture I took a couple weeks ago. If you can point me in directions to tell me more about this type and year of camper it would great.
goo.gl/photos/RvYKZrEVRiyeVKbd8 you may have to put a https at the front of this along with a :
Trying a google photo link
IMGP1390-2 by Tom Ress, on Flickr
IMG_1098 by Tom Ress, on Flickr
Thank you everyone and I look forward to my new adventure. Tom