Any thoughts on the Serro Scotty?

[Liz Kissell]

I was surfing the net and ebay and found the Serro Scotty made by the Amish in Penn. Anyone have any thoughts on these? I am no where near that state but I just wondered. The website gave no info on how many were able to sleep in the small one. Liz

[Roger H]

They were a typical "canned ham" stickie of the era. I don't think they were any better or worse than the other trailers of their day, and they all shared similar problems. There are really only two types of canned-ham stickies left; those that have already had a frame-off reconstruction and those that still need a frame-off reconstruction done.

There is the occasional (vary rare) example that was stored in a barn for 30 years that may not have dry-rot in the framing. Like old wooden boats, they're lovely to look at, but plan on looking at it a lot in pieces as you restore it.

Roger

[Donna D.]

Yeah, old wood frame trailers bring on their own set of problems...but sure look cool. See this for an example: Camper Repair

[BOBSMITH]

Yeah, old wood frame trailers bring on their own set of problems...but sure look cool. See this for an example: Camper Repair

GREAT JOVE!!! Why would you even attempt such a thing, unless you're a masochist or just plain love showing off how handy you are??!!

My wife and I were visiting her mom in the north part of the county yesterday and we drove past one of her old neighbors who has two very, very, very old Serro Scottys sitting in his yard beside a shed. Looks as if they've been sitting there for a very long time.

[Bill Boone]

The Scotties are being made again using a lot of the features of the old ones except they come with bath and have more modern stuff insides them. I have seen them on ebay a couple times already. Made in Pa. by Amish. Dont have a link for them but they look just like the old ones.

[Gina D.]

My sister had one. She actually lived in it while her husband was going thru chemo so she could be close to the hospital. She had it fixed up cute as a button, all open inside, with the bed in back and she modded it to have chairs and a bookshelf on the side where she kept her tv and misc nick nacky things.

On the OUTSIDE, it was constantly covered in a big blue tarp, there was tape on the windows, and the floor mooshed when walking on it. Water was dripping inside the walls.

Hey, I told her NOT to buy it.. she wouldn't listen. During a particularly bad spell of rain that closed the hiway up here, I had hitched up the 13 and got out of dodge before I WASN'T allowed out of dodge. I somehow, by co-incidence, ended up at the rv park they were in. They were drowning, and they stayed in MY trailer to keep warm and dry. Real fun with two extra large adults, one with feeding tubes and stents, me.. and 3 very wet dogs! (They have a JRT)

That was my first pang for having a bathroom...

[Benita]

If you are looking at the 1976 Scotty, these ladies may be a better resource than this group. Lots of their members have vintage Scotties.

Sisters on the Fly


The Scotty reproduction company is called Yoder Toter


There are several newly made Scotty Reproductions on eBay right now.

eBay Scotties

[Liz Kissell]

I wouldn't want to give anyone the false idea that I knew what I was talking about here! I am trying to glean all I can from this group and I am so happy that you have been emailing about these things. My husband and I (and two kids) would really like a Scamp but have not been able to locate one in our price range or around our neighborhood. Thanks for the info. Liz

[George Cathcart]

[b] Made in Pa. by Amish.

Does the price include a team of horses or do you have to furnish your own?

<span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%">
****Sorry, Gina, I'll go sit in the other corner.</span>

[Gina D.]

Thats OK. No room for you!

I have always thought there was some sort of wierd oxymoron about having something with electrical systems built by the amish...and advertised on the internet....with photographs...

[Benita]

I have always thought there was some sort of wierd oxymoron about having something with electrical systems built by the amish...and advertised on the internet....with photographs...

Just because they don't use the electrical stuff doesn't mean they can't make things that do. When I tried sewing Renaissance garb I made codpieces. Need I say more.

[pjanits]

Yep, Been there done that.

My 82 Terry had the left front side wall blown out one spring when I showed up to camp. That was a long summer, much rotted poopy wood.
Got it fixed then sold it to a dealer before something else went wrong.

Tent camped for a while then found the Burro. Sweet.

I am still hoping that Gina gets fed up with her 17 footer and brings it over here.

[Gina D.]

Har! Not a chance!

You can come over and fix the toilet tho.. it's OK..

Not using electric stuff makes me wonder if these are all put together with hand tools.

They must be some mighty strong hombres to get things torqued safely!

[pjanits]

Ha
Maybe that's the problem. I've heard that toilets are a guy thing.

[Gina D.]

See? Yer good for sumtin!

[Roger H]

GINA! Go to your room!

Roger

[Frederick L. Simson]

I was surfing the net and ebay and found the Serro Scotty made by the [b]Amish in Penn. Anyone have any thoughts on these? I am no where near that state but I just wondered. The website gave no info on how many were able to sleep in the small one. Liz

I had always liked these! Before I found 'glass, I wanted to get one of the larger ones. But I was actually looking to buy a vintage unit... I would be tempted by one of these new ones if I could get it for the auction price instead of the Buy-It-Now.

It is buried in the small print; they claim to sleep 4.

[Adrian W]

Perhaps these were/are made by Mennonites?

[Cathy P.]

Concerning built by the Amish - I believe that manufacturers using this "slogan" should be avoided as I feel it is inappropriate. There are the old Amish wearing black and avoiding all the trappings of the modern world, the newer order which allow colors in their dress and use some of the more updated technologies. Many of the newer order have taken jobs on the regular economy because of the financial necessity. These manufacturers appear to employ some of the newer order Amish thus "built by the Amish". They use no superior methods over the other manufacturers but might give you a feeling that there is some sort of superb craftmanship is involved. I grew up in SW Michigan/N Indiana and we have had 7 RVs, lived over 4 years full-time in RVs and kept a close eye on the industry. Entry level units in your standard trailer (wood, aluminum, steel) shake apart at an amazing rate and then leak and a little water goes a long way. We had a brand new $10,000 Coleman pop-up in 1996 and had the roof replaced twice under warranty and was ready to have it replaced again when someone stole it from our yard with the lock in place on the hitch - that was really a break because the warped roof had pushed the ceiling on the inside down and the canvas was fitting right because of the many times it was removed. Other were no better - usually rood and floor related issues. We had seen many serious problems with even the most expensive units especially with weight issues . Additionally, these units do not hold value and many people find they owe more than the trailers are worth. Cathy

[BOBSMITH]

Went and pulled the cover off of my Casita on Sunday so that I could install my flat screen TV and DVD player. I had four days off this week and was really wanting to dewinterize it and take it to the mountains, but my wife talked me out of it.

I am really, really homesick for my Casita!

Our trip to the Keys in April can't come soon enough.