Post by Alecia on Sept 27, 2021 19:16:33 GMT -8
I have been recently given ($0.00) a vintage trailer that after some investigating around the exterior and inside discovered from a faded registration form and faint decal that it is a 16 ft 1962 Corsair "mobile home", product of Vought Industries, Inc.
I am at odds on what to do with this vintage trailer that seems to have very little information on this particular travel trailer online. Most of the information I am finding relates mostly to Chance Vought and the Corsair aircrafts. NadaGuide has no information when I searched using several business names: Corsair, Vought Industries, Divco-Wayne, Ling-Temco-Vought, or LTV Corporation.
The trailer has been sitting outside in the Midwest winters for 5 years on a family wooded lot and has had almost half the windows broken including the large front windows. I have a side pic as my avatar with some of the sheet metal still attached to protect other windows and block broken windows. There is obvious water damage to the passenger side ceiling from front to rear to also include visible water damage to the bare window frames in all front windows. Wood rot has occurred visibly on the driver's side from the window being broken into. Due to the trailer's location and distance from my residence, I was not able to inspect under the skin to see the extent of the wood rot. The siding has very few dents, mostly on the back from what could be knee prints or being backed into something round. There are a few drill holes from the sheet metal wrapped around the front of the camper. The J-rails seem to be in great condition and will definitely need to be taken off to be re-sealed (butyl tape) and maybe polished.
The trailer's metal frame is rusty, but I was not able to locate any cracks or severe rust spots from looking under it around the tires and edges. The underlayment/underbelly cover seems to be mostly attached with no visible damages except where the gas and electrical line runs. The subfloor seems to be a plywood in great condition in the spot located below the fridge. I could not feel or notice any soft floor spots from where I stepped or could step on the inside of the trailer. I was not able to test or get a good look at the front of the camper due to the table-bed setup and covered with sheet metal.
Ultimately, I am trying to determine if this vintage camper is worth my time and money in updating, junking, or selling for a true restoration. The interior appears to be in good condition minus some of the more damaged birch panel, but as some posts and videos have demonstrated, the things behind the walls are where the scary parts will be. I plan to just make the trailer safe, clean, and usable for sleeping for personal use should this be an undertaking I can handle.
This forum and the multitude of youtube videos have been extremely helpful on opening my eyes on the Do and Not to Do when repairing vintage travel trailers. Please note I am a newbie to this and all the terms I am using were pulled from all the helpful posts in the forums. I am still searching for helpful tips and videos as I write this).
What I am curious to know is how high quality are Corsair vintage trailers built, is there any new information about Corsair travel trailers other than the below links, and should I be concerned with asbestos materials in this vintage trailer?
What I uncovered about the camper from inspecting it quickly:
1962 Corsair
16 ft (will need to measure to confirm)
square/angular body (see avatar)
Horizontal siding (aluminum?)
Trailer Axle: Leaf spring
Tires currently on it: ST225/75D15 (dry rotted)
Moon hubcaps
Wired to 10/125 volt ac service
Equipped for use of petroleum gas
4 rear jalousie/louvered windows (two with no glass)
2 front side windows (single pane on passenger side, broken on drivers side)
No front shield
Wooden screen door
Small,rear, passenger side, cargo door lock missing
No bumper (missing)
No bathroom
Birch paneling on all walls and ceiling (water damage on ceiling along passenger side)
Small sink
Morphy-Richards Astral mini fridge
L.P. Gas stove manufactured by Ward & Son, Inc
Formica countertops (?)
No manuals secretly hidden in cabinets or closet
Mouse nest in 2nd kitchen drawer (consists of paper I hope is not important...)
Dead lady bugs in closet and under sink cabinet
ID # and Title # (luckiest find on this quick check!)
Links I visited:
1961 Corsair (Vought Industries) tincantourists.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/TCT-Fall-Newsletter-2017.pdf (faded decal matches the one in the tincantourist newsletter)
1966 Corsair Compact 13' brochure image:
1966 Corsair brochure image: www.popscreen.com/prod/MTgwODY0MzQy/1966-Corsair-Travel-Trailer-RV-camper-Brochure
1968 Corsair (Divco-Wayne) vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/11273/1968-corsair-first-post
Thank you!
P.S. This is my first thread.
I am at odds on what to do with this vintage trailer that seems to have very little information on this particular travel trailer online. Most of the information I am finding relates mostly to Chance Vought and the Corsair aircrafts. NadaGuide has no information when I searched using several business names: Corsair, Vought Industries, Divco-Wayne, Ling-Temco-Vought, or LTV Corporation.
The trailer has been sitting outside in the Midwest winters for 5 years on a family wooded lot and has had almost half the windows broken including the large front windows. I have a side pic as my avatar with some of the sheet metal still attached to protect other windows and block broken windows. There is obvious water damage to the passenger side ceiling from front to rear to also include visible water damage to the bare window frames in all front windows. Wood rot has occurred visibly on the driver's side from the window being broken into. Due to the trailer's location and distance from my residence, I was not able to inspect under the skin to see the extent of the wood rot. The siding has very few dents, mostly on the back from what could be knee prints or being backed into something round. There are a few drill holes from the sheet metal wrapped around the front of the camper. The J-rails seem to be in great condition and will definitely need to be taken off to be re-sealed (butyl tape) and maybe polished.
The trailer's metal frame is rusty, but I was not able to locate any cracks or severe rust spots from looking under it around the tires and edges. The underlayment/underbelly cover seems to be mostly attached with no visible damages except where the gas and electrical line runs. The subfloor seems to be a plywood in great condition in the spot located below the fridge. I could not feel or notice any soft floor spots from where I stepped or could step on the inside of the trailer. I was not able to test or get a good look at the front of the camper due to the table-bed setup and covered with sheet metal.
Ultimately, I am trying to determine if this vintage camper is worth my time and money in updating, junking, or selling for a true restoration. The interior appears to be in good condition minus some of the more damaged birch panel, but as some posts and videos have demonstrated, the things behind the walls are where the scary parts will be. I plan to just make the trailer safe, clean, and usable for sleeping for personal use should this be an undertaking I can handle.
This forum and the multitude of youtube videos have been extremely helpful on opening my eyes on the Do and Not to Do when repairing vintage travel trailers. Please note I am a newbie to this and all the terms I am using were pulled from all the helpful posts in the forums. I am still searching for helpful tips and videos as I write this).
What I am curious to know is how high quality are Corsair vintage trailers built, is there any new information about Corsair travel trailers other than the below links, and should I be concerned with asbestos materials in this vintage trailer?
What I uncovered about the camper from inspecting it quickly:
1962 Corsair
16 ft (will need to measure to confirm)
square/angular body (see avatar)
Horizontal siding (aluminum?)
Trailer Axle: Leaf spring
Tires currently on it: ST225/75D15 (dry rotted)
Moon hubcaps
Wired to 10/125 volt ac service
Equipped for use of petroleum gas
4 rear jalousie/louvered windows (two with no glass)
2 front side windows (single pane on passenger side, broken on drivers side)
No front shield
Wooden screen door
Small,rear, passenger side, cargo door lock missing
No bumper (missing)
No bathroom
Birch paneling on all walls and ceiling (water damage on ceiling along passenger side)
Small sink
Morphy-Richards Astral mini fridge
L.P. Gas stove manufactured by Ward & Son, Inc
Formica countertops (?)
No manuals secretly hidden in cabinets or closet
Mouse nest in 2nd kitchen drawer (consists of paper I hope is not important...)
Dead lady bugs in closet and under sink cabinet
ID # and Title # (luckiest find on this quick check!)
Links I visited:
1961 Corsair (Vought Industries) tincantourists.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/TCT-Fall-Newsletter-2017.pdf (faded decal matches the one in the tincantourist newsletter)
1966 Corsair Compact 13' brochure image:
1966 Corsair brochure image: www.popscreen.com/prod/MTgwODY0MzQy/1966-Corsair-Travel-Trailer-RV-camper-Brochure
1968 Corsair (Divco-Wayne) vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/11273/1968-corsair-first-post
Thank you!
P.S. This is my first thread.
