Earliest Fiberglass RV Manufacturer

[Brian G.]

I wonder what manufacturer first successfully sold camper trailers constructed of fiberglass.

[Mikmay]

Although there were some early molds made in the sixties and possibly the fifties such as the geographic and even the original molds from the recently discovered relic which are from 1960 the first successful fg trailer would be the late 60s boler which is really the grandfather to most fg trailers made today. It was the template for many trailers to come including trailers made today such as scamp,casita and even the HC1 which get there lines from the original boler. Shortly after the bolers arrival trillium made a similar sized trailer but a little less egg shaped which also morphed into the larger 4500 and 5500 and also the outback and the escape which is still using the same lines as the original trillium. There were also many fg trailers made that used a combination of the lines from the original boler and trillium. This is just a general summary from my perspective but I don’t think anyone can disagree on the boler being the first successful fg trailer.

[k0wtz]

mike thanks for posting this very interesting. I can remember seeing those rare campers in the 60s but never in my life did I think I would be driving one.

I love my 13f scamper!!

thanks

bbo

[Brian G.]

I saw those amazing pictures of the Geographic. And then I saw an advertisement for a 1965 Traveleze that is made of a material called royalex. While researching the differences between royalex and fiberglass, I wondered just how long fiberglass trailers have been around. Thanks for the information.

[rova]

My brand new history of the boler trailer is here:

History of the Boler - Boler-Camping

[Brian G.]

I enjoyed reading your article. Thank you for sharing it.

[rova]

Your comment is much appreciated

[rova]

I agree that a more complete history of fibreglass trailers would mention those earlier brands. I decided that boler history was as much as I could handle.

[Gilda]

I saw a small fiberglass camping trailer with a removable rowboat on its roof in a vintage car show locally, San Rafael. It was originally made in San Rafael, CA, just north of San Francisco.

Here is a photo of one:



Here is a comment regarding one on another forum:

"Originally, the trailerboat was modeled after a 1953 Ford station wagon licensed by Ford to commemorate 50 years. Later, they were more conventional design ( into the 60s). A company in CA has the molds and is planning to produce parts as the boat part is rare. They had a canvas top supported by ribs. It was a basic unit meant for a sleeping area."

I'm sure there is lots more to learn about its history.

The American Dream Trailer is currently being manufactured in Portland, Oregon. The American Dream Trailer Company | Teardrop Camper Trailers

[trainman]

I also wonder about the quality of the first fiberglass developed as I worked for Chevrolet Motor Division for some 35 years and many times the discussion of older Corvettes came up and how many restorations the fiberglass had to be totally redone. Mostly there were a lot of spider cracks in the fiberglass as well as around all the body mounts, etc., basically you had to re-fiberglass the whole car, I would think these older trailer would have the same problems.

trainman

[RobertRyan]

If you are talking about North America, late 1960's to early 1970's would the agreed date. Outside NA in Europe, Australia and South Africait was the early 1950's
A 1959 Australian Sunliner
https://s15.postimg.cc/3uqaf53rv/image.jpg

[RobertRyan]

In the US it was roughly the very late 1960's. Outside NA in Australia, Europe and South Africa the mid 1950's
A 1959 Australian Sunliner
https://s15.postimg.cc/3uqaf53rv/image.jpg

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by Gilda

I


Here is a comment regarding one on another forum:

"Originally, the trailerboat was modeled after a 1953 Ford station wagon licensed by Ford to commemorate 50 years. Later, they were more conventional design ( into the 60s). A company in CA has the molds and is planning to produce parts as the boat part is rare. They had a canvas top supported by ribs. It was a basic unit meant for a sleeping area."
I'm sure there is lots more to learn about its history.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ler-39627.html

Gilda, think this is the one for the 53 wagon .

[Donna D.]

We have to be very careful about making assumptions. Just because you've never heard of 'it,' never seen 'it,' doesn't mean 'it' never existed or 'it' wasn't wildly successful for its time. (Google Black Swan).


The earliest production all-molded-towable travel trailer produced in the USA, I've been able to find documented is the 1957 Lil Champ (http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...amp-50320.html). How many were built? Don't know. How many still exist? Don't know. BUT that doesn't mean there aren't still some out there... maybe one tucked away in a barn somewhere.


Think back how news and information was implemented in 1957. Radio, newspapers, (limited) television, magazines, postcards, etc. And 'national' meant news, very seldom advertising. That was typically regional. Doubtful anyone in Yreka, California would have even heard about a fiberglass trailer built in Dryden, Michigan.


Too check out these threads about the 1958 Pleasurecraft brand:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ook-31643.html


http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...his-45276.html


http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ler-42438.html

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Donna
As my memory function isn’t getting any better, I continue to learn and get my clues in different ways. One thing I find interesting is examination of old magazines. For example if I happen onto a stack of old sporting magazines at a garage sale, say from the 50’s, I look at the advertisements. Many times those small ads towards the back of the magazine will feature “start up” innovations that are related but not the direct focus of the magazine. Maybe the product was produced for only a few years or even months but still had innovative significance It is my belief that there are thousands of undiscovered treasures in garages, barns and sheds across America and Canada. I always like to say “ It’s out there”.
Iowa Dave

[Brian G.]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Hi Donna
examination of old magazines . . .

… and what you can find that way is often not discoverable with an internet search ...