I'm new to all of this...
I spent the first 3rd of my life camping in Bolers (when I was born my parents owned a 13' and as I grew they bought a 17')....when it was time for me to graduate from a tent, I decided owning a Boler was my first desired upgrade as well.
I've been on a local waiting list for years...I search the classified adds weekly...they are very hard to come by here!!! (when I find them there is usually something severly wrong and of course it's over priced OR by the time i contact people they're already sold).
It's been 7 years...in less than a month I'll be 30... and as of yesterday, I am officially (and finally) THE PROUD OWNER OF A 1969 13' BOLER!!!!
I've attached some pics (I hope I did it right) - just wanting to show off a little because I'm so excited )
I'm also starting this thread because I'd appreciate any advice people can give me. I'm not only new to Boler ownership, I'm new to trailer life in general...
My baby needs some love and care *hint* I'm looking for an awning if anyone is selling.
Anyways - I hope to learn alot from everyone on this site!!!!

Ooops - the numerous dancing bananas were a mistake )

I didn't mean to post under the "Modifications, Alterations and Neat Update" secion either.

I fixed 'em for you Erin

BTW: Nice trailer!

A flat-roofed Boler? SCORE!!!
That would be one of the earliest ones made!

Thanks Donna )

Frederick from what I've read they made 100 in 1968 and 150 in 1969....so for sure maybe one of the first 250!!!! (whoa)

Boy, you are amazingly patient!!!!! So glad your searching and waiting has paid off! Congratulations!

Hi, Erin and Your determination sure paid off, bringing you "full circle" to ownership of your own Boler! We know you will enjoy the challenges of fixing up and personalizing your Egg. We wish you safe journeys and many happy memories! L 'n D

Congratulations. That is one pretty trailer. It looks like the cushions and curtains may even be original.

Well, Welcome, Congrat's, Happy Early Birthday! Wow you are patient! I would have cracked long before you. I need some of your patients cause it's not one of my traits. Cute Trailer! Enjoy!

A flat top. The rarest of the breed. Other Bolerites will be all over it.

When you score, you score big.
Way to go!

Welcome Erin
I love your little Boler, super cute and in great condition.
I too grew up with my parents taking us out in rental Bolers and Trilliums and know how you feel about getting your own....it's like recapturing a piece of your childhood....Good job!
I'm like you am new to this whole trailer ownership thing so I'm sending good vibes to both of us!
Have fun and good luck on your adventure

Sweet trailer I love how vintage it is. I noticed the vanagon (looks like a westy?) in the background is that gonna be your tow vehicle?

Thanks everyone I haven't stopped smiling for days and every time I look at it I just giggle.

Jason - the van isn't mine (I wish it were!) - those were the pics that were posted online to advertise it's sale.

Emily - thanks much - I wish us both nothing but fun times!!! Can't wait for spring, how 'bout you?? LOL

James - until Frederick comment on the flat top below I had really no idea about that!!! I'm learning new things already Bolerites can stay the heck away though, this one's all mine (for a long time)!

It's pouring rain here today...think I might head outside to check on ... on ... (OH MY I NEED TO NAME HER!) just to confirm she don't leak!!!

Besides the top, I think that also it has a different door handle. There is no back bumper as the others have and your tail lights are completely different. I think that your frame is also much lighter than later models. You may want to check it carefully. You will have to bring it to a rally to show it off.
I think that we are each happy with ours but we definately want to see the rare, the unusual and the original. We also like as many pictures as we can get. We won't take it but we will oo and ah.
Jim

The door hinges are different too.

I can't wait to see more

Congrats!

Good obsevation.

Hi Erin.....CONGRATULATIONS.Thats one great looking Boler and a great find.I know you are going to make lots of happy memories with it.Where are you in Northern Ont.We are in Elliot Lake.Sure would love to see your baby....Pat.

Wow what a good find! Congrats!
We have a 13' '83 that we recently installed a 7' trimline awning on, it works great and fits just right. Here is a link to their site:
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/...e-awning/20025d

best of luck to you!

Congratulations and welcome from another flat roofed boler owner. There are a few of us on here now. I too had brought mine home before realizing it was one of the early ones.

Can you check your registration for the trailer's model year and VIN number? Supposedly the early bolers were numbered sequentially, presumably from #1, so your VIN should be the number of your trailer. Others have found the serial number stamped in the frame on the tongue close to the body or propane tank tray, but I haven't been able to find mine yet.

It's often stated that the first 100 produced had the flat roofs and the first 40 were sold without ensolite insulation and later recalled to have it added. However, there's another member here with a higher serial number flat roof (around #159 or so) and mine as well as a couple others I've seen with numbers higher than 40 never had the insulation installed. I'm pretty sure these numbers are inaccurate and I doubt many of the original owners would have actually sent their trailers back if they actually were recalled. We'll have to do a bit more investigation to figure it out.

And since we all love looking at photos and noting the smallest of details, I'll throw in my thoughts and observations too...

- I think it's been painted as it looks like the taillight base and maybe some rivets have been painted the same colour. For some reason I think the first ones were all white as well. The inside of mine was painted flat white at the factory. You should be able to tell by searching around inside the cabinets with a flashlight.

- yours doesn't have the ensolite insulation inside either.

- I would say the taillights and door handle are not original.

- the bumper brackets are interesting. The earlier ones never had any sort of bumper installed and I think they added them after changing to the curved roof, but I'm not sure. Possibly yours were added after the original owner got tired of breaking the taillights...

- cushion covers would be newer replacements, different fabric than on others and no piping.

- and of course the wheels are newer too.

Overall yours looks in great condition, I'm quite envious and from the sign in the window it looks like you got it for a great price.

Kevin

Small world, I'm in the Soo Pat...thank you for the kind words. How's your weather looking outside? I'm a little worried my baby might get picked up and taken away by all this wind!! Yuck.

April - thanks for the awning tip!!! I'm sure that'll be one of my first major projects/purchases.

Whoo Hoo wealth of information Kevin!! Thanks I had read some of that too and was starting to think that maybe the sellers were wrong when they said it was a 1969 and assumed maybe it was '68. First thing in the morning I'll be checking that tongue for a number.

Are those the male part of snaps running down the outside at the back on the same side as the door? If so, and if there is a similar row ahead of the door, then your trailer probably had an "Add-a-Room" at one point in time (screened porch/awning thingie that snapped to the outside of the trailer).

Nice catch Raya - I think you must be right! Awe. now I wish I had that add-a-room LOL

I haven't checked the tongue yet, but according to my ownership papers, the VIN number is 068....

Kevin - whatcha think about that? Seriously that might be one of the first 68???? The ownership says it's a '69 though...flat tops in '69??? What are your thoughts?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN ALL! I'm spending the evening with my best chick friend watching scary movies outside in my new toy LOL - should be creepy!!!!

Raya, good eye for the add a room. I just checked a photo of another flat roof boler which was being sold by a member here last year and it has similar snaps, or what looks like a type of twist-lock connector, in pretty much the same location. I wonder whether these were factory installed or dealer options?

Erin, that's great, my registration lists mine as a '69 as well with my vin number being #099, so now we have two similarly registered Ontario bolers.

We'll figure out the numbers a bit better later, but I would definitely say that at this point you're official new owner of the 68th boler!

There's an article and interview on the bolerama website where it states that only 40 were built in the first year and the first 100 had flat roofs, so that means #041 - 100 would have been manufactured in 1969.

I don't believe the numbers in that interview are completely accurate, but I think it's safe to say that our bolers were probably made in '69. Another member had also mentioned that it's possible a trailer might have been manufactured in one year, say '68, but sold as a '69 model year.

Hope the movie wasn't too scary and it wasn't too cold!

Kevin

Awesome!!
Kevin - I didn't even notice you were from Ontario

That's super cool. I'm loving my new past time/interest and I haven't even taken her out yet!! Slept in her for the first time last night though (cozy!) and creepy with the scary movies and all LOL (fridge works well, beer stays cold)

68th eh? Wow I knew I bought gem but I didn't realize how special she really was. I wonder how many of the first 100 are still around (crazy that 2 are within 700km of each other!)

p.s. it was super cold - spaceheaters are a beautiful thing