1969 Boler, all original?

[WildBirder]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new owner to a 1969 Boler. Flat top. I've been told I'm third owner and it's alway been indoors. I was pretty skeptical when I bought it but looking it over I'm pretty impressed and can't find any mods to the trailer. I'm going to post pics here and invite feed back to it's features. Cushions have been recovered. Electric plug-in replaced but it came with the original as well, hand done paint job (with faint brush strokes). New axle and newish tires this year. The seams are taped with double sided tape (as per the originals) but it is still tacky in places. Could tape be sticky after 42 yrs?

I'm verily positive there are no ID marks on the trailer beside the "made in canada" one pictured. The last owner just copied the info from their form to mine. VIN 183. Does this indicate anything regarding production line? There is evidence of sticker under the belly seam on the rear left corner.

Any help or just general comments are welcome.

Cheers,
Mark

[WildBirder]

Sorry dark parkade, crummy camera. There is no rear Bumper. There is piece of brittle trim over the lower rear fiberglass edge. Riveted on. Almost everything is riveted. Including cupboard door hinges. Door handle orientation was changed by last owner. Interesting handle but saw it on another "69 pic in Ontario.

[WildBirder]

Again saw these Hinges on the same '69 pictured in Ontario. Never seen them anywhere else though. Water tank.. 10Gal? ALso all of the door hatches were thick old plywood and were originally hinged with heavy fabric straps. Spanning the ceiling is a support that bolted to both the closet and over head cabinets. It's the same tubing that is used on the table leg. There is no support from counter to cabinets. Lino is toast unless someone can recommend a good safe solvent. (also riveted down).

[WildBirder]

There is a 12V Cigarette lighter behind the side lamp by the bunk. Even if it's a mod it's old. Will look into when these came into production.

Cheers and thanks for looking. Want to see anything else and get you a pic.

Mark

[Barbara Gardin]

Your Door Handle and lino are the same as was in our 72 Earlton made.

[Carol H]

Mark, I cant say one way or another if its orignal re the support tube running over the ceiling but I dont recall seeing one on another boiler - most I have seen have the supports on the end of the counter going up to the upper cabinets.

[Kevin H.]

Hi Mark, I've got a '69 flat top as well. I'll note a few similarities and differences.

First thing to think about is that your's is #183. It's commonly mentioned that only the first 100 were made with the flat roof and the first 40 were made without insulation but all of those were recalled to have in installed. This info is really based on just one article which you can find either here or another boler site. I haven't been able to find any other reference to these early numbers. Someone else here has a flat top in the hundreds as well and the lowest vin I've heard about is #92 I think. I think these numbers are not totally accurate, that they really made more than 100 flat tops, or, without hearing about a lower or higher vin #, it's also possible they started the numbering at a higher number.

Mine has a centre tongue jack like yours as well, which is not original, on mine there's a mounting ring welded onto the door side of the tongue. I think my vin number is stamped into the frame just under the mounting plate for the jack, one day I'll un-bolt it to check.

We have the same roof vent, except that yours is located over the sink while mine is right over the stove.

We both have the metal support bar across the roof between the closet and kitchen cabinets. Every flat top I've seen has the same support.

We don't have the side support between the upper and lower cabinets beside the sink, I think this was added with the raised roof.

Your bunk support poles extend up past the top bunk while mine are flush with the bottom of the bunk. I imagine they got a few quick complaints about not being able to easily put a board up there to keep the kids in.

My water tank is exactly the same as yours, except it looks like somebody painted yours black, mine is white.

I'll guess your door handle is a replacement, it looks in good condition and they probably rotated the cover plate because the original screw holes were worn out and/or the more commonly available replacements I found had slightly different screw spacing, something like 1.5" vs 1.75" for the original, not sure of the exact numbers. My handle is quite pitted, the shaft had completely rusted through, and while the shape is almost exactly the same, mine has a sharper edge and is flatter on the sides.

Door hinge is original, except you'rs has bolts installed at the pivot joints. They originally were held together by some sort of large flat head rivet. Mine are both very worn and it looks like they might pop out so I'll be adding bolts similar to yours soon.

I don't have the trim along the back bottom edge, could be original or added? I've got a few dings there from accidently tipping the trailer back, with no bumper it lands right on that exposed edge.

Mine never had the insulation installed and I'll guess your sticky seam tape has been replaced - get out the talcum powder.

I've got the same 12v cigarette power supply by the cupboard light too.

Your sink colour looks lighter than mine, but that could just be the lighting.

Otherwise everything else I can see looks pretty much the same as mine.

Mine is in rough shape but we've been enjoying it as is for the last few years

Kevin

[Kevin H.]

oh, also my propane regulator was just a simple bbq style attached to the tank. Your's looks like a two stage? attached to the body.

[james kent]

Mark and Kevin
Do either of your trailers have a rear bumper? On one that I saw the frame ended just short of the body. On another the owner had added an early [30's?] rear bumper.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Kevin H.

We both have the metal support bar across the roof between the closet and kitchen cabinets. Every flat top I've seen has the same support.

Kevin

Intreasting! Was the support bar across the roof only done on the flat tops?

[WildBirder]

Hi, Kevin thanks for the input.
I finally found my stamp under same paint on the top of the right arm of the tongue. Confirmed as 183., (only had it on new registration papers before). I think your right a bought being more than 100 flat tops. The article states one hundred flat tops where made in '68. Then they changed to raised roofs. Doing extensive searches I've found a couple of old ads with the numbers. It looks like the "68's are numbered 0XX and the '69 flat tops are in the 1XX. The interview was quoting Ray Olecko but could be amiss qoute are it was over thirty years ago and know my memory over that period is shady. So still rare maybe just a couple of hundred. I'm going to start keeping a log as I see them.

[WildBirder]

Oh and the electric and propane hook ups have been changed. I did find the old electric hookup under the sink though.I contacted the prior owners (nice people) and grilled them on some things. The door handle is off an old ford. Looking to see if the ones scamp sells are originals.

[WildBirder]

James, Mine doesn't have area bumper. I recently crawled under neath with a damp rag and wiped it all down looking for patches and it's all original fiberglass and glassed over plywood. So never had one.