BC-1979 Biggar $3000

[Marinab]

Congratulations Gina and Clayton. From the low price I had thought it might be pretty bad inside but it looks great!!! You have a newer toilet
than mine has and a cover over your stove that I'm already coveting.
Will you be coming out to the Rally in Mission in June/ Would love to see it in person. Welcome to the Biggar family. Marina

[Evergreengirl]

Congratulations! It looks to be in quite good shape from the pictures you've posted. I too got to tour Marinab's Biggar at the Oregon Gathering last year and thought it was a great trailer. And of course her decorating of it was awesome. Have fun with your new baby. Will you be coming to this year's Oregon Gathering to show it off?

[calindor]

Originally Posted by Evergreengirl

Congratulations! It looks to be in quite good shape from the pictures you've posted. I too got to tour Marinab's Biggar at the Oregon Gathering last year and thought it was a great trailer. And of course her decorating of it was awesome. Have fun with your new baby. Will you be coming to this year's Oregon Gathering to show it off?

Are you referring to the eggNOG at Nehalem last year? We had our 17' 1980 Boler there last year on our way down to California. Y'know, I don't recall seeing a Biggar there! I probably didn't know what a Biggar was at that point, though.

I don't think we're going to make it to the Oregon nog this year but hopefully the one after!

Originally Posted by Marinab

Congratulations Gina and Clayton. From the low price I had thought it might be pretty bad inside but it looks great!!! You have a newer toiletthan mine has and a cover over your stove that I'm already coveting.
Will you be coming out to the Rally in Mission in June/ Would love to see it in person. Welcome to the Biggar family. Marina

We're quite pleased that it's in pretty good shape! It needs some of the things you would expect like new cushions covers/drapes/etc, but those are also style things and some people might be happy with it the way it is.

We tried out all the gas appliances tonight and aside from a faulty furnace thermocouple, it looks like everything is good to go! We're very happy as our last fridge was AC only and this 3-way seems to work.

Clayton

[calindor]

On a side note... Gina noticed that this is actually a 1977 Biggar, not a 1979 as described in the ad and as it is registered!

The original French data sheet inside the cupboard door says October 31, 1977. Funny thing... the English sheet says Nov 1977. We figure someone typed up the French one at the end of the day on Halloween and had to get home to take their kid trick or treating.... so the next day, November, they typed up the English one!

Now we have to change our signatures and trailer info in our profiles.

[Bolero1780]

We plugged in the Biggar tonight and discovered a few things:

-Original Data Sheet on the inside of cabinet door says it's actually 1977 not 1979
-Stove works, all 4 burners
-Oven works door needs 1 new hinge, or repair
-Fridge works
-Furnace pilot light works but thermocouple needs replacing
-A few fiberglass interior repairs, and adhesive from hooks on fiberglass that needs to be cleaned with Goo Gone.
-Lots of cupboards including 2 drawers under the sink for utensils that I didn't notice when we first got it. Happy about that because we didn't have drawers in the Boler
-All Cushions/covers/curtains are in good condition but will replace. I will start fabric/seamstress shopping tomorrow!

We will connect to water this weekend and check out the faucet and toilet.

Anybody have any ideas on above? Any help is appreciated.

Thank you!

[Marinab]

Hi Clayton, my furnace works great, it's so nice to just set the temp and walk away, quiet too. The only thing that I have not tried yet is the oven.
Looking forward to nachoes. I'm sending all my documents to Donna
this weekend so she can put them in the Document Center. The Nor-west
Egg Rally is in Mission in June, close to you if you are interested. Could you take a closer picture of your stove cover for me? That is one thing that I would love to get for mine. Thanks, Marina

[Francesca Knowles]

Was there a difference in the model years, style-wise?


Francesca

[calindor]

Originally Posted by Marinab

Hi Clayton, my furnace works great, it's so nice to just set the temp and walk away, quiet too. The only thing that I have not tried yet is the oven.
Looking forward to nachoes. I'm sending all my documents to Donna
this weekend so she can put them in the Document Center. The Nor-west
Egg Rally is in Mission in June, close to you if you are interested. Could you take a closer picture of your stove cover for me? That is one thing that I would love to get for mine. Thanks, Marina

We got lucky with that stove cover. The previous owner made that himself with some sheet metal! I'll try to remember to take a photo in the next couple days.

[Marinab]

Clayton,
When I bought my Biggar, it was also advertised as a 1979 but
the sticker in the cupboard said Nov 1978. I was wondering if mine was because it was made in 1978 but sold in 1979. I kekpt my cushions the original colour (orange) because they were in such good conditioning, the curtains my girlfriend made for me and I did the valance myself.
Marina

[Marinab]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Was there a difference in the model years, style-wise?


Francesca

Hi Francesca, from what I have seen in pictures, everyone of them seems to be the same. The only difference I have ever noticed was on one, 1979 there was no carvings on the cupboards or doors. Marina

[calindor]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Some fun!

Do be sure to check the age of the tires...I didn't see any mention of them in the ad, so presume they're not new. Since most trailer tires die of old age before they show visible tread loss lots of folks fail to recognize when they should be replaced.

Thanks for the tips, Francesca! Good to know... they are a bit old, but how old is too old?

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by calindor

Thanks for the tips, Francesca! Good to know... they are a bit old, but how old is too old?

Some replace them at three years, some at 5.

[calindor]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

Some replace them at three years, some at 5.

So the two out of the four tires that are 14 years old should probably be changed, huh? LOL

Yeah, I knew those were being replaced as soon as I saw them, but wasn't sure about the others.

[Evergreengirl]

Gina and Clayton - no, I'm talking about the big Oregon Gathering. This summer it will be at Bullard's Beach State Park down by Bandon, OR. It's in July. Specific dates and more information are in the Rallies forum. Check it out. Last year I think there were a hundred eggs or so! Lots of fun. And now that I see Marina's post, we may just think about that Nor-west Egg Rally in Mission. That's not too far away for us at all!

[theresa p]

wow! you sure got a very nice trailer.....it is in great condition!

the orange curtains do add a nice "glow" to the interior but i agree with you about changing them up. keep us posted on what fabrics you choose...

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by calindor

So the two out of the four tires that are 14 years old should probably be changed, huh? LOL

Yeah, I knew those were being replaced as soon as I saw them, but wasn't sure about the others.

Sounds like they're mismatched to boot. On a dual axle setup that's especially bad news! Are they even all one type (ST/P/LT-?)?

Francesca

[calindor]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Sounds like they're mismatched to boot. On a dual axle setup that's especially bad news! Are they even all one type (ST/P/LT-?)?

Francesca

They're all ST's of the exact same type, same manufacturer, size, class,etc, but purchased some time apart.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by WildBirder

John Biggar was a Boler employee that left the company to design and produce his own improved travel trailer. At Biggar Manufacturing Ltd., 401 Chrisland St, Winnipeg, Manitoba, His designs were unparalleled with a unique "double fibreglass shell" that completely encased and insulated the unit.

Thanks for sharing Biggar information, which includes some details that I had not seen before.

Question for Biggar owners:
Does a Biggar really have a double-wall body, or "double hull", or was this just a reference to the two pieces (top and bottom) of the single-wall shell? Previous discussions seem to describe a single-wall shell with extensive wood framing and paneling, like a typical Bigfoot. With a double-wall shell, there would be little need for interior walls, and the inner shell would likely be extensively visible.

[calindor]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Thanks for sharing Biggar information, which includes some details that I had not seen before.

Question for Biggar owners:
Does a Biggar really have a double-wall body, or "double hull", or was this just a reference to the two pieces (top and bottom) of the single-wall shell? Previous discussions seem to describe a single-wall shell with extensive wood framing and paneling, like a typical Bigfoot. With a double-wall shell, there would be little need for interior walls, and the inner shell would likely be extensively visible.

It is not just a reference to the two top and bottom pieces.

I wouldn't call it a full double hull. If it was, I would expect to see fibreglass everywhere for the inside hull and then millwork/paneling set on top of that. The ceiling, for example, is wood paneling with insulation between it and the fibreglass shell. The floor has the flooring material (tile, etc), then plywood, then insulation, and then the outer hull underneath. I have also found a couple spots where I can see the outer fibreglass hull and the insulation that is between the two hulls.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by calindor

It is not just a reference to the two top and bottom pieces.

I wouldn't call it a full double hull. If it was, I would expect to see fibreglass everywhere for the inside hull and then millwork/paneling set on top of that. The ceiling, for example, is wood paneling with insulation between it and the fibreglass shell. The floor has the flooring material (tile, etc), then plywood, then insulation, and then the outer hull underneath. I have also found a couple spots where I can see the outer fibreglass hull and the insulation that is between the two hulls.

Thanks, Clayton.

With a single hull at the floor and roof, what is there of double hull? The traditional egg designs - Boler and Trillium - had interior furnishings moulded in fiberglass, and including small patches of what served as interior walls (such as between the base and overhead cabinets of the galley); is that what the Biggar has?