1955 Fiberglass Kencraft trailer - Craigslist

[Camilla]

I'm ill because it's far away VINTAGE ALERT!

Link to an OLD EGG

Sniff sniff wahhhhhhhhhhh

It makes me ill that this is so far away from me... It looks like an egg to me and if it is it's the oldest one I've heard about. I love vintage... 1955 is the year on this.

If any of you get it please - pics....

Rare 1955 Fiberglass Kencraft trailer - $4500 (Hemet, CA )

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Reply to: sale-779230961-Do Not Post Email Addresses-craigslist.org
Date: 2008-08-01, 1:38PM PDT

















Interior is in great condition with a working refrigerator, a working stove and oven combination, all lights work, and the heater's pilot light needs to be cleaned. Also in the kitchen area there is a double sink instead of one. There is a full size bed and a table that seats four. The exterior is fiberglass with no dents and needs a paint job. There is an electrical hook up cord that works all internal electric. There are two brand new tires as well. Also the registration is current. We are asking for $4500.00 or best offer. Contact me for more pictures.

[Frederick L. Simson]

VINTAGE ALERT!

It makes me ill that this is so far away from me...

If any of you get it...

I have emailed the seller requesting more photos and asked how I could view the trailer itself.
Stay tuned...

[Camilla]

I have emailed the seller requesting more photos and asked how I could view the trailer itself.
Stay tuned...

Oh GOOD!!!!!! I hope you get it - what a prize! Let us know

[Christi V.]

let us know if you get it... look at that friggie!! all the food you can put in it...LOL

[Frederick L. Simson]

what a prize!

He answered my email and sent more photos.

Good Morning, Frederick. My name is Frederick too, we have something in commom. The trailer is 19 feet is my guess, the weight is between 2,500 to 3,500. It is all fiberglass, needs very little work, but needs paint on the outside.
I go by Fred because my son is Frederick. Lets talk if you are very interested in the trailer.

This trailer is the same age I am, I was born in 1955. <cue the Twilight Zone music>

[Frederick L. Simson]

Here are some exterior pics:

[Jay Moeller]

There is a 1957 Kencraft for sale on the SAMBA website. It looks like it is pretty nice condition. There is a decription of the fiberglass/aluminum hybrid construction. See it at:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifie....php?id=625778

[Camilla]

Here are some exterior pics:

That's pretty neat. Will you be buying it? I would if it were nearby.

C

[Frederick L. Simson]

Will you be buying it?

I made an appointment to inspect it this coming Sunday afternoon.

I am torn, so I cannot say at this moment that I will buy it. Robert has not said [b]no.

Pros:

1. It was built in 1955; I was born in 1955
2. The interior is immaculate
3. everything is original
4. everything (except the incomplete gas light over the dinette) works
5. I could afford it
6. it sleeps 5 total (counting the upper cot over the rear bed) and has a separate bed and dinette

Cons:

1. It will be too heavy to tow with my Honda Odyssey
2. There is no 12 volt functionality, no battery (no water pump, no 12 volt lights)
3. The refrigerator is 110 volt AC electric only
4. No bathroom (there is a porta-potty in the closet)

It looks like it is a molded fiberglass shell from the pictures; but it was suggested to me that it could possibly be panel constructed.

[Frederick L. Simson]

I made an appointment to inspect it this coming Sunday afternoon.

Cons:

1. It will be [b]too heavy to tow with my Honda Odyssey

It looks like it is ... [b]panel constructed.

Robert and I, and our friends Roger and Bob, had a very pleasant afternoon meeting with the owner of this trailer. While it is an awesome piece of history, it requires more restoration work than I am prepared to give it. I am not going to buy it.
[b]It is not molded; It is a "stick-built" trailer with fiberglass skin. Each side is 1 flat panel. The front and rear are "end caps" and the roof is one panel. The panels were screwed to the wall frame, and then the seams were glassed over. The side trim is a metal piece, mimicking the chrome trim of a 1955 Buick. The trailer was originally Aqua blue, but everything has been painted white. There is stress cracking.

There is no water heater. The "hot" side of the kitchen faucet is capped off underneath.

The interior birch paneling has water damage at some windows and the roof vent. Not as much as some trailers I've seen, but enough to make me want to replace panels. I would want to pull all of the windows and hatches... etc.

I took the wheel weighers. It has a 2500 LB axle weight and a 460 LB tongue weight for a 2960 LB total weight... [b]DRY.

While I would love to restore it, I cannot commit to the time it would require.