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Early Factory-built Campers


Crusty Trucker

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On 12/29/2022 at 5:38 PM, jwilli43 said:

The Crawford Auto Aviation museum in Cleveland has an incredible 1926 RV.  Based on a 1926 Jordan sedan, it was sent to Wiedman Body Company in Tonawanda New York. The RV model is the Sport Camp Body.  The engine and driveline is original Jordan (Continental Motors). The suspension was modified by Wiedmen for the additional weight. 

John

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I love it! Wonder if anyone is taking the time and effort to restore one of these? Would like to see one in use today!

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8-18-1921

I'm not sure but I believe I've stumbled onto some original RV Dodge/Graham Brothers docs. Could this be one of the early campers? 
If so, this has to be some of the earliest docs for the DB Buses and it looks like the buyer got a pretty smokin deal all things considered.

 

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Edited by 30DodgePanel (see edit history)
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On 2/5/2023 at 8:02 PM, arcticbuicks said:

love the gooseneck campers on a coupe......didnt henry ford and a tire company owner have a very cool rv.....Studebaker maybe ?

Ford, Firestone and Edison called themselves "The Vagabonds" and camped together for 10 years.  It was by no means primitive as their entourage included a professional chef and a Lincoln refrigerated truck.

 

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Camping with Henry Ford and the Vagabonds

 

1922 Lincoln Vehicle Used by Henry Ford on Camping Trips

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From a 2012 Hemmings article by Tom Comerro

From the Archives: 1916 Packard Camp Car | Hemmings

 

 

This photo of an early recreational vehicle was found in our files. The camp car was owned by Henry B. Joy, president of the Packard Motor Car Company from 1909-1926.

From the description:

 

At 5 PM on Monday, March 20, 1916, the Packard Motor Company received a telephone order from the War Department for 27 Packard “war trucks.” An emergency shift of workmen labored through the night to build the vehicles, and within 22 hours they were aboard a 14-car train headed for the Mexican border. A Pullman car carried 33 expert mechanics and drivers.

 

Eleven days later the president of Packard, Henry B. Joy, decided he wanted to see how the trucks were faring in General John J. Pershing’s chase of Pancho Villa. After shipping this “camp car” to El Paso, he left with William R. McCulla, Packard engineer. The two drove the truck into Mexico. Later it was used for camping trips by the Joy family. It is equipped with cots, stove and cooking utensils.

 

March 20 was eleven days after the Villistas attacked Columbus, New Mexico, in an attempt to raid the town for supplies and horses. It was a costly battle for Villa, as over 80 of his men were killed in action or died from their wounds, and over another 100 escaped with non-fatal wounds.

 

The Packard camp car was powered by a 12-cylinder 424-cu.in. engine rated at 43 hp. The original price of the chassis was $2,650.

 

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Love the description of the "Gypsy" cruiser. The word gypsy is rarely used now . It was at one point deemed derogatory to a certain number of  people . I never thought it was nor did anyone I knew but everything seems to be offensive eventually by some people for some reason. I am not defending its meaning nor definition.

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On 1/1/2023 at 10:31 AM, 29 Chandler said:

I love it! Wonder if anyone is taking the time and effort to restore one of these? Would like to see one in use today!

There is a camper very similar to this only on a chevy chassis for sale at the classic auto mall in PA. Not trying to plug the place just an observation of seeing it last week when I was there for the camaro nationals.

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Interesting Gilke camp trailer brochure . The trailer is being pulled by a Graham "Blue Streak " sedan . The Graham brothers were from Washington Indiana and the Gilke trailer was manufactured in Terre Haute Indiana Thanks for posting the brochure

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On 12/29/2022 at 7:49 AM, TAKerry said:

I know a fellow that has a field full of Westphalias. I was at a car show a couple of years ago and a guy had a nova with the tent. I knew about the hatch backs but did not know there was a tent option. 

Not only NOVA, but almost all GM X bodies 

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Even the Vega got oneimage.jpeg.f409fdf1d4d9c588a0aa7181245547b4.jpeg

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