Guest Kev1940 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 (edited) Im looking for information on auto-camps and camping doing a lot of research if you have photographs memorabilia camping items for cars please send photographs scans or anything that might pretain thanks Edited February 14, 2011 by Kev1940 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcarfudd Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 The Model T Ford Club of America has a specialty chapter called Tent Topped Touring Ts. Try Jeff Kochis, 33 Rolling Meadow Rd., Madison, CT 06443. They tour this way.Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 There is an organization called Tin Can Tourists that dates back to 1919. It was revived a few years ago and has a lot of members who are into old time trailers, campers and the history of camping. They may be able to help you.Tin Can Tourists Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Not too often one hears or sees the term "Auto Camp" these days outside the realm of nuts like me who collect old highway maps, road atlases, and historical data about the creation of the Federal Highway System. I would suggest you visit the many historical highway and map collector sites. Most of the more traversed U.S. Highways that started out as basically wagon roads in 1900 have some sort of following.Interesting history on how basically roadside camp grounds evolved into a combination of cabins and camp grounds and into motels and facilities to accommodate travel trailers. Some of the first "Motor Homes" appeared around WWI as custom vehicles created from truck and early bus chassis. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 (edited) "What do you think this is, an auto camp?"Cary Grant and Constance Benett tangle with a fresh cop in Topper (1937).YouTube - Topper (1937) YOU CAN'T SLEEP HERE Edited February 19, 2011 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john2dameron Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I can remember in the 1940's and 1950's when members of a certain ethnic group from the southern states would show up in the two Virginias every summer bringing tents and small trailers. They utilized the same spots each summer and just about stayed the entire summer. They'd park where ever there was a wide spot on the shoulder of the road or places where the road had been straightened and a portion of the old road bed still existed. They weren't popular people. It seems people didn't want them around but were afraid of them so they let them squat to avoid a war. About May word would go around the neighborhood, "the ------- are back" and sure enough there would be six or eight camps set up in about a 15 mile radius. My parents said before they got automobiles they'd come with horses and wagons. Does anyone else remember this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bofusmosby Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Kev1940I might be able to help you with some scans. I have collected old photos for most of my life, and years ago, I bought a box of old B & W negatives. I put some on the scanner to bring them back to positives, and was surprised to see some of them with campers. I believe that these are dated 1927 or 1928 (by the license tag). I've got them put up somewhere right now, but I'll make it a point to look for them. I remember seeing at l;east 2-3 of camping, but I only looked (scanned) a small number of the negatives.Yes, down here in Tampa, there is a park that still exists that used to have the Tin-Can tourists camp there quite a bit. I have a Tampa history book that shows some of these gatherings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Rat Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I can remember in the 1940's and 1950's when members of a certain ethnic group from the southern states would show up in the two Virginias every summer bringing tents and small trailers. They utilized the same spots each summer and just about stayed the entire summer. They'd park where ever there was a wide spot on the shoulder of the road or places where the road had been straightened and a portion of the old road bed still existed. They weren't popular people. It seems people didn't want them around but were afraid of them so they let them squat to avoid a war. About May word would go around the neighborhood, "the ------- are back" and sure enough there would be six or eight camps set up in about a 15 mile radius. My parents said before they got automobiles they'd come with horses and wagons. Does anyone else remember this?I have lived here in the Charleston, W. Va. area my entire life, nearly 60 years, and my father was a newspaper reporter, then City Editor and finally the Executive News Editor of the Charleston Daily-Mail and I never heard him mention anything like this nor did we see it when we started camping when I was fourteen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Silverghost Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I have seen old newsreels on TV of old Henry Ford, T. Edison, H. Firestone, and their friends camping out of their cars in the early automobile years. It was said they did this quite often ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 My parents had a 1929 Buick and a Palace "split coach" trailer when I was 4-5 years old (1937-38) and we camped all over Michigan. The " split coach " was unique , in that it was 7 feet wide, and when you reached your destination, you cranked it apart in the middle. The door went in one end ,and a panel went in the other. This left an aisle down the middle ,and 2 sets of bunk beds on either side of the aisle. I wish i had some pictures of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Check out this 1908 Camping Auto owned by the Dupont family. Dupont's camping auto (LOC) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I don't remember any migrations like John mentioned either, but I do remember a small two-cabin "Motel for Colored" on US 29 near Charlottesville VA. The weathered hand-painted metal sign finally disappeared sometime in the early 90s. I have often wondered if the elements got it or a collector or historian. I would hope someone saved it for historical value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphicar BUYER Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I have used my 1963 Heilite tent camper (NOT a pop-up) many times along with my Amphicar. Tons-o-fun!I also have a 1964 California Teardrop that I haven't used yet as the inside needs a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Here are a few early camping photos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest South_paw Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 How about Wally Byam on one of his caravans? This one was in 1956 through Europe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I can't find Lucy and Desi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john2dameron Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Susan, a little more on the subject. Mom saw them coming one day (this would have been in the 1930's when mom and dad had only two girls) and mom locked the doors and closed the curtains. She said they pounded on the door and she pretended not to be home. One of the little girls piped up and said to her sister, "Open the door and let Dada in" and one of the women said to another, "Somebody's in there. I hear children talking." I rode with Dad on the mail truck in the '40's and '50's until I got big enough to go by myself and I vividly remember trailers that were about 30 feet long painted in gaudy colors parked by the road and there were always lots dark skinned children playing around them. When I got married and bought my first house, my driveway was an old state highway roadbed where they used to park their trailers. The trailers stood out in my mind because other than when the fair came to town trailers were rarely seen in this area. Some sites would have maybe 2 or 3 trailers and a tent or two at the same place. In later years I think they stayed in motels and they'd come around in pickups selling rolls of linoleum floor coverings or with a paint sprayer and air compressor and wanting to paint roofs with aluminum "colored paint". They always had North or South Carolina license plates. Daddy had them paint a shed roof and it washed off the first time it rained. A neighbor let them paint his whole house, roof and sides, and he was the only person in the neighborhood with gray vertical stripes on the sides of his house. My guess is that because of law enforcement they did not stay in cities such as Charleston but squatted in rural areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kev1940 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I can't find Lucy and Desithe long long trailer....i own a 53 mercury convertible like they drove....thanks for all the response sorry i havent gotten back in a little bit i broke my arm working on a car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Rat Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 .....I havent gotten back in a little bit i broke my arm working on a carWow, very sorry to hear that you got hurt. Hope it wasn't too serious, as broken arms go if you know what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kev1940 Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Wow, very sorry to hear that you got hurt. Hope it wasn't too serious, as broken arms go if you know what I mean.yeah it only broke one bone in the lower left arm but i may still have to haave surgery if it doesnt heal right...i was working on a40 ford sedan delivery i just bought the rear axle kicked out and knocked out the jack stands th body and frame smashed my arm between the axle and frame/body i was able to pull the arm out but had to call my sister to take me to the hospital...my parents werent home at the time and i was working at their house very scary happenin if it werent for the axle id be dead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Rat Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Now you know why the folks here with "a bit of age on them" strongly recommend that something very solid be under vehicle frames/axles/etc. so that what happened to you doesn't happen at all. It is always good to have more than one method of support in place when working under something that heavy.Many use large pieces of solid hardwood. Cinderblocks can break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kev1940 Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 yeah probably a good idea im only 26 so its kind of the nothing bad well happen to me thinking stupid yes and ive seen what happens....i take stupid risks all the time just t get the job done faster its the only place i ever cut any corners and i know i shouldnt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Rat Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 ..... i take stupid risks all the time just t get the job done faster its the only place i ever cut any corners and i know i shouldntThere is a name for folks that do that. Natural selection. :eek: Sooner or later you will be someone else's "somone else" that something bad happens to if you continue to cut corners. Don't fall victim to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 I hope you don't cut corners at work. Your boss won't thank you for it, in fact won't even know until you hurt yourself then you are on your own. The job will soon be gone but the injury can affect you the rest of your life. So, respect yourself and don't cut corners.A lot of guys find this out the hard way but then it's too late. So take it easy, take the time to work safe and use the recommended procedure and safety equipment. If there is no safety equipment or safety training start looking for a better job. If they don't care what happens to you on the shop floor what do you think they are doing behind the scenes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Paul Christ Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 hey Kev - is this you? :eek:.Seriously, be careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kev1940 Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 no i dont take shortcuts at work....we do have our small accidents...worst was a hand cut that required sititches...and every now and then we get a piece of metalin the eye with the die grinder(yes even with face shields)...but for the most part we have a great safety record...and if youve been on the show field at hershey youve seen some of our work...as far as the boss getting getting mad and firing me dont thing i gotta worry about that since i am the boss...as far as the picture goes nope not me...haha i had jackstands under just enough force to knock them out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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