Oldest Fiberglass Trailers - ?? First produced?? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 01-16-2012, 06:05 PM   #1
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Oldest Fiberglass Trailers - ?? First produced??

Way back in the olden days of 1952, Wally Byam produced the "first plastic trailer" or "fiberglass plastic" Airstream. Due to the overwhelming cost, Wally only produced ONE trailer. He said more than the aluminum models and just had too much weight.

So I was wondering when did the FG trailer revolution actually begin? When was the first FG trailer produced and sold? Are any of them still around??

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Old 01-16-2012, 06:18 PM   #2
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We have a couple of pictures of the 1956 Airstream prototype in the Albums: Airstream
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Old 01-16-2012, 06:41 PM   #3
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I'm checking out the Boler history now. I wonder what is the oldest FG trailer in this group or the oldest anyone knows that is still being used/enjoyed?
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Old 01-16-2012, 09:06 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Donna D. View Post
We have a couple of pictures of the 1956 Airstream prototype in the Albums: Airstream
There were two fiberglass Airstreams, neither of which actually ever made production...I think. Here is a quote from Dale Schwamborn regarding the fiberglass Airstreams. Dale's mother, Wally's cousin, ran the WBCCI club from the formation of the organization for several decades.

"I believe that the Wally Bee is actually from 1960 or 1961. It was being planned by Wally after the African Caravan. The 1952 Glass Job was used by Mother and I on her first Caravan in 1955, the Eastern Canadian Caravan, when Wally and Stel went to Europe planning the 1956 European Caravan, also on the 1955 Caravan the Wally Byam Caravan Club was formed by Airstream owners."

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Old 01-16-2012, 09:23 PM   #5
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Main stream fiberglass building started around 1969- 1970 .

Trillium, Boler, and one other I don't remember off hand.
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Old 01-16-2012, 09:55 PM   #6
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Hi Don, here's a couple of threads on the topic. Bolers started in 1968 and as far as I can figure from threads and other reading there were one hundred '68s. They were numbered. "howIbole" member has #40. There may have been other manufacturers pre-boler in NA but the history is vague. There are also some great pics and discussions on even earlier FG trailers from Australia.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ler-37138.html (haha, far from short)

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ory-46978.html

and Ed's #40 http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ler-48847.html
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Old 01-16-2012, 10:33 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CallDon View Post
There were two fiberglass Airstreams, neither of which actually ever made production...I think.

"I believe that the Wally Bee is actually from 1960 or 1961.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ain-27041.html

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I am the lucky owner of the 1960 Geographic.

The Geographic was built in Oregon, USA in 1960.
Bardy posted that in October of 2006. He has since sold the Geographic.
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Old 01-16-2012, 10:44 PM   #8
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Hi Don, here's a couple of threads on the topic. Bolers started in 1968 and as far as I can figure from threads and other reading there were one hundred '68s.
Thanks, I had been reading those. I should have looked before I asked. Still, those are good threads. Dale Schwamborn is one of my Facebook "friends" and he is a wealth of Airstream history, including the fiberglass Airstreams. The one Donna refers to above was the Wally Bee. Yes, with the technology of the day, they just cost too much to produce.

Here is a better photo of the Wally Bee that Dale sent me. I added it to the gallery under Airstream.
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Old 01-16-2012, 11:27 PM   #9
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Looks like the Willerby's got the Wally Bee by a few years.
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Old 01-17-2012, 10:49 AM   #10
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I believe the UK years would be 1955 for Berkeley Caravans and 1956 for Willerby Caravans.

The Berkeley Fibra Form below is described as 'a fibreglass bodyshell built in two halves' whereas the Willerby Vogue is called 'a fibreglass one-piece moulded bodyshell'.
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Old 01-17-2012, 02:07 PM   #11
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I posted a bit on a vintage caravan site in Australia. They have fiberglass dating back to at least the late 50's. They are called Sunliners.

Had to look it up..here is a link to a thread on their site about restoring a Sunliner with loads of pictures. Bless the people who took that trailer on!

Vintage Caravans - Joey's Sunliner
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Old 01-17-2012, 08:28 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Lizbeth View Post
I posted a bit on a vintage caravan site in Australia. They have fiberglass dating back to at least the late 50's. They are called Sunliners.

Had to look it up..here is a link to a thread on their site about restoring a Sunliner with loads of pictures. Bless the people who took that trailer on!

Vintage Caravans - Joey's Sunliner

Great link. Nice "van". I like the way they did the windows.
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Old 01-17-2012, 08:33 PM   #13
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What an absolutely amazing transformation. Love the colors... really bright!
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Old 01-20-2012, 09:42 AM   #14
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Hey everyone,
I've been away for a while, but am ready to get back into getting out. I saw this thread and of course can't help but chime in about our sweet little Play Pac.

According to the owner, they were made around 1971 (if my memory serves me). While not the earliest, again - if memory serves ... the owner stated here on the forum in a thread chronicling the history of the Play Pac, that they were the first fiberglass trailer made in the U.S. (as the Bolers actually hail from our fine friends in the north - Canada). Only about 75 ever made before his business got caught up in an unfortnuate business collapse. From my research, a little over a dozen are accounted for. Meghan and Jim are fellow Play Pac'ers and are friends among us here at the forum as well.
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