"Bigger" trailer

[Casandra F]

This thing is in such awesome shape. It's totally original... It's neat looking at my trailer but one that's all stock and in such great shape. Very nice.

[Gary Nelson]

I have a Biggar, and all the manuals for the unit and appliances. They were made in Winnipeg Manitoba, and were named after the owner of the company, Bob Biggar. Apparently he had worked for Bolar and decided that he could build a better trailer, which he certainly did. Double walled, including the floor with insulation in walls, ceiling and floor. We bought the Unit last year with the paln of parking it on a seasonal site; We have a 15 foot Trillium as our daily driver, lol. But this spring my wife found a 30 foot unit with a bump out and decided if its going to be parked anyway why not go large. Doesn't make sense to keep three trailers so the Biggar will be going up for sale.

[John J. M]

I have a Biggar, and all the manuals for the unit and appliances. They were made in Winnipeg Manitoba, and were named after the owner of the company, Bob Biggar. Apparently he had worked for Bolar and decided that he could build a better trailer, which he certainly did. Double walled, including the floor with insulation in walls, ceiling and floor. We bought the Unit last year with the paln of parking it on a seasonal site; We have a 15 foot Trillium as our daily driver, lol. But this spring my wife found a 30 foot unit with a bump out and decided if its going to be parked anyway why not go large. Doesn't make sense to keep three trailers so the Biggar will be going up for sale.

Heres a pic of ours to show the size difference !

http://pic60.picturetrail.com/VOL1688/8319...6/379381850.jpg
http://pic60.picturetrail.com/VOL1688/8319...6/379381855.jpg
http://pic60.picturetrail.com/VOL1688/8319...6/379380977.jpg

[Jake]

Brian:

The black water tank and the gray water are located along the rear of the trailer. Part of the blackwater tank and all of the graywater tank is under the rear cabinet. The potable water tank and pump are located along the curb side beside the wheel well.

The toilet area is 48 inches long at the beltline but the ceiling is 36. Note in the side view of the trailer the sloping rear. That acounts for the difference.

Likely, when comparing a 17' Boler to a 19' Biggar the differences in dimensions are not so drastic. According to a classified ad in a December 1978 Winnipeg Free Press the Biggar trailers were described as "Winterized" in a factory year end clearance sale. When I removed a side window for resealing I noticed that it had about a 2" inner frame that was well insulated. As well, when wiring the ceiling vent the roof thickness at the vent was about 3". The fiberglass shell is aproximately 3/16" thick fiberglass. With these thicknesses the inside of the two trailers should be comperable in size but not in overall weight.

The lower cabinet has a top surface that is 23 inches deep but the shelf inside the cabinet is is only 13" deep. The space behind the cabinet is used primarily for plumbing.

Wow, they look like very solid, insulated trailers.
I would assume with the dual axles, it must tow very well, without the need for sway bars?
Just curious what the empty weight/ hitch weights of the Biggar are?

Another question for you Paul: When the couch is folded down into a bed, can you still walk past it to the Washroom, or does it take up all the floor space?
I am curious, if it might be an option to leave this down as a bed, and use the front dinette, as the eating/ sitting area?

I really like to the look of them, and the layout as well.

IF and when Gary Nelson decides to sell his Biggar, I may be interested, again, dependant on the weight, as I am pretty much restricted to 2500lbs towing weight, and 200 lbs hitch weight.

Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays!
Cheers, Jake.

[Cory Lewis]

Hi

With the couch pulled out there remains some room for walking to the bathroom. Can't recall if it is as much as two feet or so. Currently stored for the winter.

Gary Nelson was kind enough to sell his Biggar to our family last summer.

An interesting point is that although equipped with a shower, the shower drain runs right into a 12 inch long pipe that leads to the end of the pipes. So, to take a shower, without modifying the plumbing, you just put one of those portable gray water tanks at the end of the pipes and open that particular one.

[Cyndivg11]

I want one!

[John J. M]

There's one sitting about an hour west of here , not sure if it is for sale ! it has been there for years !!!! SOLD ours last year ,just one fiberglass rv left !

[Marinab]

I got my Biggar this March and I love it. It has the perfect amount of space for myself and one big dog. I put the dinette down into a permanant bed and the dog gets the couch, that way I can get into the bathroom at night. If the weather is bad, I have an antique metal tv tray I use indoors as my table. I had a lot of work done to it this year and more next but it's slow going as I'm out camping alot.

[Jon Vermilye]

I swore I posted this - I'll try again...

Saw my first Bigger at the Oregon Festival last summer. Beautiful woodwork, nice layout, but I suspect a fairly heavy trailer. Took a couple of photos -
(Sorry about the quality of the second one)

[Donna D.]

Jon, that's Marina's Biggar... she posted JUST before you. I recognize the trailer from the chandelier!

[Marinab]

LOL, that is definitely my trailer Donna! The chandaliers give it away every time. But that isn't me in the picture, just another FG owner.

[Craig Broughton]

A few years ago I was at the Cambrian Construction yard on the #1 HWY east of Winnipeg and they had the mold for the Biggar trailer...If someone had the money and time???

Originally Posted by Manitoba Paul

Biggar Manufacturing Ltd., 401 Chrisland St, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
These trailers are 19 feet long, usually 2 tone brown with a tandem axle (torsion bar) suspension. They seem to have come equipped with a fridge, furnace, water heater, stove- oven combo, converter with battery charger, potable, grey and black water tanks. Gross vehicle weight 4000 lbs. The trailers were made around the late 70's early 80's. I have seen a reference to both Biggar Manufacturing and Boler Industries in the same sentence which gave the impression of a connection, but that is purely speculation. The windows in this trailer are apparently manufactured by Storm-tite(Winnipeg). These windows are the same as those used on the early 80's Triple-E motorhomes. I was able to obtain replacement sliding window channel, water shed rubber moulding and window latches.

Hope this bit of info helps.

[Big_R]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Ah, the magic of Google - but that ad seems to be the only Biggar trailer that comes up in a search for "Biggar travel trailer", the rest being connected to the Town of Biggar, Saskatchewan, and various people having the last name "Biggar". I wonder if the trailer is named after the town or the family?

The biggar name came from the fact that the shell was molded in Biggar saskatchewan for a few years. The builder was a former boler worker then left and started the Biggar camper co. in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada. he apparently built a few over two years -1978 to 1980 then died.
I am restoring one right now. has anyone painted the outside shell, what proceedure did you use? Hope this help[ed some.

[Marinab]

Hi Terry, my Biggar was already painted when I bought it. A few run marks but not too bad overall. The PO painted it white, at least I don't have to repaint it because of some awful colour. Now I'm looking at painting the interior, I find the wood paneling way too dark for my taste.
Marina

[Evergreengirl]

Randyl, there's one posted for sale on the "Fiberglass RVs for Sale" website, 1979 Biggar Fibreglass Trailer | Surrey, BC, Canada | Fiberglass RV's For Sale, and it's in Surrey, B. C. I got to see inside Marina's trailer last summer at the Oregon Gathering. These are neat trailers!

[John J. M]

Definitely miss the extra space our Biggar provided !

[Marinab]

Originally Posted by Evergreengirl

Randyl, there's one posted for sale on the "Fiberglass RVs for Sale" website, 1979 Biggar Fibreglass Trailer | Surrey, BC, Canada | Fiberglass RV's For Sale, and it's in Surrey, B. C. I got to see inside Marina's trailer last summer at the Oregon Gathering. These are neat trailers!

Kathy, that trailer sold to Clayton (Calindor) in Vancouver BC. I don't think
that the PO knows how to delete the ad. I have talked to Clayton and gave him copies of my manuals, I'm hoping they come out to the Sons of Norway in June.
Marina

[calindor]

Originally Posted by Big_R

I am restoring one right now. has anyone painted the outside shell, what proceedure did you use? Hope this help[ed some.

Hey Terry. I'm interested in this as well. It's a good question for the general forums as it would be the same for any trailer. Has yours been painted before? Ours has, so we are going to have to do a lot of prep, I think!

Originally Posted by Marinab

Now I'm looking at painting the interior, I find the wood paneling way too dark for my taste.
Marina

Hey Marina! We're in the process of doing that now. It's going to REALLY open it up inside and make it seem biggAr than it already is!


Clayton and Gina

[Evergreengirl]

Marina - thanks for the update.

[Marinab]

Hey Marina! We're in the process of doing that now. It's going to REALLY open it up inside and make it seem biggAr than it already is!

Clayton and Gina[/QUOTE]

Hey Clayton, what colour are you doing your interior? I'm doing mine in a light tan/beige but I'm hoping that a sample that I ordered will come in for the side wall. Gold chrome would look beautiful...if it works. And stays on the wall.

Your welcome Kathy.