Fiberglass Travel Trailer Documentary

[Tom U]

Is the Fiber Stream a molded fiberglass trailer?

The Fiber Stream is a molded bubble - one part, no seams. 16' overall -- 13 foot box with three foot tongue.

We are new to the fiber glass RV scene. Frederick Simpson, a moderator on this forum, would be a great source - He owns a fairly stock '78 and lives in San Diego.

This is ours

[Frederick L. Simson]

In his book: Teardrops And Tiny Trailers, Douglas Keister has a chapter devoted to molded fiberglass tralers called, "Glass Houses" beginning on page 110. He features a Fiber Stream on page 115.

[Frederick L. Simson]

[quote]This is ours
Attachment 23012

I forgot that you bought the Fiber Stream that Ron Wrighton had modified to carry his Motor-Bike on the extended tongue.

[Matt, H]

Judging by the list of nameplates selected, it appears that Matt is focusing on the Boler (& Cloud) 13' designs and their variations... Fiber Stream (made in Mira Loma, CA) was a completely different design, made only in the 16' length.

Well I guess I should clarify what I am looking for. I want to find the history of fiberglass trailers and the connections between the different companies. My main focus is on small 13 foot fiberglass trailers. For example why do most of the 13 foot trailers look like a boler or cloud?

I am interested in the history of all molded fiberglass trailers especially ones that were made in the 1970s or earlier. For example Trailerboat, Geographic, Play Pac, Compact.

The documentary is not just about the history of fiberglass trailers. It is about the people who own them and the culture that surrounds them.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Frederick Simson ... owns a fairly stock '78 and lives in San Diego.

This is my 1978 Fiber Stream at The Oregon Gathering in July.

[Joy A]

Well I guess I should clarify what I am looking for. I want to find the history of fiberglass trailers and the connections between the different companies. My main focus is on small 13 foot fiberglass trailers. For example why do most of the 13 foot trailers look like a boler or cloud?

Because the fellow who designed the Boler started it all with the 13 footer. Boler attempted to franchise in the US with only Scamp continuing to this day. All the others went defunct within a couple of years. Casita is a spin off of Scamp.

Trillium and others came along in the early/mid 1970's simply with a more square look and some with pop tops.


Oh and did you know that Boler got it's name because someone told the designer that it looked like a Boler hat. I can't see that as I have a Scamp which looks like a Boler but not a Boler hat rather a Marshmallow.

[terryjeffers]

I guess I should give everyone a quick update. I have been able to contact people associated with the manufacturing of the following trailers:

Boler Canada
Boler American
Eco
Love Bug
Scamp
Perris Pacer
El Macho
Trillium
Play Pac


Here are the top 3 things I am looking for right now:

1. Name of the person who started Cloud 9 is St Cloud MN. Any information about Cloud 9 would be helpful.
2. Name of the person who started Casita in Backus MN
3. Info on following companies:
   
   Vanguard Trailers - Winfield, BC
   Midhurst Fiberglass - 151 Tiffin Street Barrie ON
   Advanced Fiberglass - ? ON
   Minit - Southern California
   Tote N Tarry - ?
   Trek - ?

Hello Matt,

Thanks for all of your research on this. In regards to the Trek (which I feel is closer to the Scamp than anything else), the nameplate shows the full name of [b]Trek, Inc.. Also, at least in the state of Illinois, the DMV also shows the Trek, Inc. name in their list of known RVs. I, like you, have found nothing whatsoever about any history of Trek. My nameplate does show a manu date of 3/78. If you look closely at the work Trek on the decal, you can see a star in the middle of the R. Of course, the obvious is Star Trek and the pinstriping on the camper sides does have an abstract shape similar to the profile of the 'Enterprise'.

I'm hoping that maybe you could fill the gaps on the history of this one. Unfortunately, also, is the fact that my title lists this camper as a 'Homemade unit' since the original title was lost years before I acquired it.

I was also quite pleased that Frederick Simpson posted that he saw another 'Trek' in California last year. So at leasrt I know that I'm not alone now.

Terry Jeffers

[Roger H]

Matt, as you have probably gleaned, the Boler was the original top/bottom half (belly-band) molded fiberglass trailer. Most of the current top/bottom style trailers are what they are because when Boler American went under, the various companies who had originally licensed the Boler American molds produced trailers under whatever their corporate name was... and there were several.

The left/right side trailers (top seam) do appear to have originated with the Cloud, manufactured in St. Cloud MN originally, but no one (to my knowledge) has a definitive history of the Cloud or how (or if) it morphed into the original Burro manufactured in Plymouth, MN. I presume that there is some legacy between the two trailers because of their design and the proximity in which both companies were located.

I'll be interested to see if you manage to run that connection down!

Roger

[Raya]

I agree! As a native Minnesotan, I'm quite interested.

I do hope you'll report back here so that we can keep the information pathway going on our board (even for folks who may not see your film).

Raya

[DonDeutsch]

As a Cloud owner I would be interested to know the production numbers. I hear this was quite low 300 - 400?
Also wondering how many are still onthe road!

[Matt, H]

Hello Matt,

Thanks for all of your research on this. In regards to the Trek (which I feel is closer to the Scamp than anything else), the nameplate shows the full name of [b]Trek, Inc.. Also, at least in the state of Illinois, the DMV also shows the Trek, Inc. name in their list of known RVs. I, like you, have found nothing whatsoever about any history of Trek. My nameplate does show a manu date of 3/78. If you look closely at the work Trek on the decal, you can see a star in the middle of the R. Of course, the obvious is Star Trek and the pinstriping on the camper sides does have an abstract shape similar to the profile of the 'Enterprise'.

I'm hoping that maybe you could fill the gaps on the history of this one. Unfortunately, also, is the fact that my title lists this camper as a 'Homemade unit' since the original title was lost years before I acquired it.

I was also quite pleased that Frederick Simpson posted that he saw another 'Trek' in California last year. So at leasrt I know that I'm not alone now.

Terry Jeffers

Thanks for the info on Trek. I have not been able to find out where they were made. Trek, Tote 'n Tarry, Minit and other rare trailers have very little info posted online.

[james kent]

Hi Matt


While at Emily this year I was informed that the molds for the Boler did not go to Midhurst, Ont., near Barrie, but only the finished product that was on hand when the Earlton plant closed and that this was an assembly plant only.
This was during the petroleum crisis in the 80's and the plant at Midhurst changed names several times. One of these was Advanced Fiberglass which made the '84 model that we have. BTW I believe that there were 5 Bolers of that model year at this years gathering.
I do find it difficult, though, to believe that they had enough pre-manufactured bodies to last for the number of years that they were in business until the last one was made about 1988.

[SherLynn]

Hi Matt

Another piece of trivia. My grandfather's company in the 1970s was Structural Glass. They were the leaders in fibreglass at that time and created the prototypes for the septic tank. Ray Olecko who is publicly credited for inventing the Boler was an employee there in the late 60s early 70s. The Boler concept came about during his time at the company as I have understood it from employees who are still around. I can't say 100% if any of the early prototypes were made there but that was what family members recall having been discussed. Ray left the company and since the trailer development wasn't something that my grandfather and his partner were interested in, he got partners and developed it on his own. We have always considered this connection with the Boler trailer fondly. Unfortunately the original owners of the company are all deceased.

My mom and family remember all of the funky creations that came about in fibreglass. Luckily for us we got to try a lot of their creations including boats, portable saunas etc all made from fibreglass. One of my uncles designed his own pop up trailer and made it at the Structural Glass plant in Winnipeg too. My grandfather's partner and family all died in a plane crash, and my grandfather continued building the company until he retired in 1981.

Apparently there were other fibreglass trailers made I believe at Monarch Fibreglass in Winnipeg in the 70s and 80s. There are still people around who worked there. The plant was at the west end of the city on Portage Avenue.

[Highway68]

I am filming a documentary on fiberglass travel trailers this summer.

[Frederick L. Simson]

I am filming a documentary on fiberglass travel trailers this summer.

Here is a youtube link:

A short promotional preview of an upcoming film is known as a Trailer.

So... that YouTube [b]video might be called a "Trailer trailer."

[Green Frog]

While doing research on the Cloud ~ Burro connection, I came across this thread. Has anyone heard any current rumblings about this project and any recent progress that may have been made?

Froggie

[Donna D.]

It's been more than four months now since Matt logged into FiberglassRV (Last Activity: 04-19-2011 06:56 PM). I hope the economy hasn't hit his plans to develop this documentary

[Green Frog]

Thanks, Donna. I would even like to just see some more of the discussion if the documentary is delayed... I just found out about the Cloud connection today, for instance!

Froggie

[Matt, H]

I am going to blame the delay on the economy.

[Matt, H]

Guess what this is.