Looking to Buy a 1953 Spartanette 29'

First, that is not a 29' Spartan, they never made one that length.  I believe you will find that it is a 30' Spartan Spartanette Model #130.  This model is commonly called a Spartanette Tandem.  The serial number plate is screwed to the inside of the front door jamb on the left side as your entering.  The number will be stamped 53-130-xxxx with a sequential serial number.  They made this same model up to 45' long.  They are all what we would call today, Park Models.  They did not have any holding tanks, no battery systems, they were intended for stationary hook ups originally.  Note that the serial number plate attached to the door jamb is what you use to register the trailer with your DMV, the serial number on the trailer body door jamb does NOT match the number that you will find stamped into the frame side rail near the jack.  Your title should show the door jamb number.  Do not buy the trailer without a title, no matter what state you live in, if you plan to resell it.  Without a title, it's called a Parts Trailer.

I have two different friends that are currently rebuilding 1950 Spartanette Tandems.  One was purchased for $26,000 and needed a full rebuild.  The other was purchased for $15,000 and needed "more than" a full rebuild.  Both trailers were purchased with full interiors, all the cabinet hardware, interior and exterior lights, original applicances, etc.  Both trailers had been in storage (not moved) for over 15 years, the lower priced one sat outside in the Portland rain "with no windows and open roof vents".  After doing the vintage trailer thing for the past 15 years, one thing I have learned, I would never buy a stripped/gutted trailer.  Yes, you have to strip and gut everything out of it to rebuild it, but you NEED THE PARTS to put it back together.  I rebuilt my first Spartan, a Spartanette 24 about ten years ago.  I can assure you that the trailers are in heavy demand, the prices for restorable trailers has escalated, and the "special unique" Spartan small parts have become very expensive, "if you can even find them to buy".  The $3800 might be a good price, but IMO, it's not a good deal for any trailer missing all of the parts.  For example the correct four KD brand side marker lights are selling for more than $500. today.  I have been looking for the past year for a couple of wide Air-o-Lite side windows without any success.

You state the frame is sturdy, which I would highly doubt having done several Spartan rebuilds.  The frame rails are a "C" channel made from flat metal on a press brake.  In theory it's a good design except for 70 years of sitting outside in the rain.  The inside lip on the open "C" channel catches the rain and the water runs back to the lowest point and causes the frame rust.  Unfortunately, the trailer was originally built with a belly pan which holds the wet moisture and further rusts the frame.  I have never seen a Spartan that did not have frame weld "stress cracks" behind the axle to the rear of the trailer.  Any larger/long trailer has frame stress when they are driven over curbs and driveway dips.  The frame holds up well from the axle forward to the coupler but suffers large stresses from the axle to the rear from the twisting.  Again, the belly pan hides any good visual inspections and needs to be fully removed.  The length of the frame tongue needs to be lengthened a minimum of 6" to 8" so you can tow, and back up the trailer using a modern pick up without jack knifing the trailer body front panel.  I have replaced the front panel on three Spartanettes in the past 12 months for friends trailers.  This trailer can be safely towed by any full sized half ton pick up.  A weight distribution hitch is mandtory.

All insulation (rodent pee) needs to be removed from the belly pan, the walls, and the ceiling.  I replace this with 1 1/2" of ridged Styrofoam which does not soak up future water like the original Kimsel or Fiberglass.  The original cloth Romex wiring is a fire hazard if used with any kind of higher amperage appliances.  The original electrical system was very marginal even in 1950.

Resale value is based on many factors.  It's been my experience that the Spartan trailers in the highest demand, the ones that bring the highest sale prices, the ones that sell the quickest LOOK ORIGINAL, yes buyers like to have all of the modern amenities, but they need to be well hidden.  A fully restored Dixie Stove, and a restored GM Frigidaire Refrigerator is what sells trailers.  Yes, you can use modern replacements, but you will loose thousands in resale value.  My friend Denis sold his 1953 Spartanette Tandem at one of the Scottsdale Car auctions a couple of years ago for $127,000.  After commissions, and sales taxes were paid, the buyer paid close to $145,000. for a very original, in very nicely restored condition.  We are talking about a trailer that won the Peoples Choice awards at the Palm Springs Modernism Trailer Show "Twice".  In comparison, a 1949 Spartanette 24' trailer that was restored by a local professional restoration shop was for sale for a couple of years at $90K.  It finally was sold recently on the Bring-a-Trailer Auction Site for only $60,000 I believe.  I'm sure the owners had over a $100K in it.  Why the difference?  IMO, it was because everyone that looked at the restored 24' trailer made the same comment.  It was restored to the owner's desire of having everything MODERN in a 70 year old vintage trailer.  Yes, it can be done, but it will make it harder to sell, and the resale price will suffer.  In the Hot Rod hobby the rule is if your building it resell, paint it RED.  Basically you want to build, what buyers desire to buy.  No point in paddling up the river

Not counting any labor cost you are looking at $50K in materials to rebuild one of these trailers, add the cost to acquire a decent restorable core trailer at say $20K to $25K you could build a trailer that would resell in the $100K plus range.  It's really hard to justify the small profit potential for the six months of work required to build a nice trailer to resell.

The Spartan Trailer Reunion was held at Casa de Fruita in Hollister, CA this year, and will be held near Eugene, OR next year.

Good luck with your choice.

John Palmer

I'm not a fan of a vintage trailer being contemporary inside. I believe it is possible to make one newer inside valuable if done with taste, but that taste has to represent a vintage trailer in the best way possible. Very little room for error in the newer design. If doing so I think the target market would be more of a guest house, rental or tiny home type etc. not a camper. I imagine there may not be enough of a profit margin to be worth it though as it would need to appear high end, not common contemporary.