Boler # 099 - 1969 flat roof

[Kevin H.]

Hi all, I've just purchased my very first Boler. I always liked the look of the Boler, but had decided on a Trillium because of the interior headroom. But this past weekend I found a good deal on a Boler and managed to be the first to show up on a Mothers Day Sunday morning. We'd never actually seen one in person but my wife and 22 month old son liked the feel of it instantly.

Once I got it home I saw the vin number was 099 and realized it was one of the first 100 ever built, with the flatter roof - max. headroom is only 5'9". It also has no interior ensolite insulation.

A couple other quick observations:
- there is no bumper and no cutouts for one
- the door hinges are simple stamped metal
- the water tank is a fiberglass or plastic molded tank installed in the dinette seat storage compartment
- there is no waste water tank
- the roof vent is located above the stove area and is spring loaded, released or locked with a simple toggle chain
- there are no upper cabinet supports
- the colour was originally all white, but has been re-painted

I'll try to take photos and post this coming weekend.

Does anybody have any info/links on these early vintage Bolers?

thanks,

Kevin
(Toronto, Canada)

[Frederick L. Simson]

Have you visited the Bolerama site?

We have the link to the right, Under: Resources; Helpful Links; Trailer Groups

[Alf S.]

Hi: Kevin H. I thought that Mr. Ray Olecko took back all the original "Flat Roof Bolers" 1968-1969 and added the Ensolite to the interior walls due to the condensation problems. I know thats when the spring loaded roof vents first appeared over the stoves. Nice to know there are still some very early year Bolers in existence... and you've got one!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[james kent]

Congratulations. That's really a rairity.

Here's a poor picture of a flat roofed Boler. The owner added what looks like an early Ford bumper.



This is about the first year of the raised roof but it shows the taillights and a bumper.
I think that there has been one, in the past, at the Emily gathering first weekend in July. Hope to see you there.

[Lizbeth]

We need pictures! Very interesting find.

[Roy in TO]

Does anybody have any info/links on these early vintage Bolers?

Welcome Kevin,

There is a thread on the Boler history and various offshoots from it here:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/in...howtopic=21173

Seeing as how you are new here, I'll make this suggestion. Most times a word or phrase is underlined it provides you with a link either in this forum or outside to other websites. Both open in a new window. There is a lot of knowledge in the above thread and I have to thank Brian BP for keeping track of it all.

We hope to catch up with you one day.

Roy

[Kevin H.]

Thanks so much for the info. I have many nights of browsing this site ahead of me.

I'll take photos and post them this weekend. I've been spending time in the Boler every night this week and can't keep the neighbours kids out of it. The 11 year old girl has noted that it seems so small outside, but much larger inside.

We sat down to eat dessert in it a couple nights ago and the whole trailer tipped backwards... I guess I need to lose a bit of weight or get some rear support jacks.

Kevin

[Alf S.]

Hi: Kevin... Haven't seen the words Combi Camp for over 40 yrs. We toured Europe in a Combi Camp... 6 Adults and a toddler, pulled by an Opel Kadet(Slowly)!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Kurt in BC]

Kevin, I have a 1970 and have found several differences to the later ones as well. Mine is VIN: #283.

I have came accross another 1970 since and confirmed that our eariler ones are much different than the later ones including:


no bumper

no cabinet support.

no waste water tank

fresh water tank you speak of

Frame is not boxed....it almost looks not original the way they were done and then found
another 1970 to confirm that it is original

no recessed tail lights (they are flush mounted)

no side marker lights

no Boler emblems (aluminum ones)

Wheel arches hung down lower than the later ones too.

And these small VINs....I believe they were sequntial. They got mauch longer on later models....likely due to changes in regulations.


I had photographed a flat roof one in Hope once before then it disappeared ..... here: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.ph...580&hl=1970

[Kevin H.]

It's been raining most of the day and I haven't had time to take good photos but here are a few snaps from the last couple days.

You can see the interior roof brace bolted to the cabinets.

Underneath the hubcaps I found what I assume are the original baby moon hubcaps. The spare tire is mounted on the back via 3 stand offs which are bolted directly through the fibreglass body. The spare is a Falcon nylon special, looks like the original as it's pretty much rotten.

I've just about figured out the wiring harness, the previous owner had put a 6 pin square plug. They had also reversed the wires for the right turn signal and the tail light. I'm going to just put on a 4 pin for now. There are extra sockets inside the tail lights, maybe for backup lights?, but I'll leave them disconnected for now. I got the interior 12v lights working by plugging one of those car starting battery packs into the 12v accessory jack on the end of the cabinet. Doesn't look like there was ever a coach battery installed.

With this rain we've had I've managed to track down the sources of 6 of the 7 leaks I've found, above the door drip edge, door weatherstripping, door hinge bolts, front window seal, roof vent, water inlet and somewhere behind the sink backsplash, probably the window.

I just need to get a new spare then I'll be ready to go. Does anybody know if a standard 5 bolt trailer wheel will fit ok? I've got more questions but I'll post them in the problem solving section later.

Kurt, I saw the photo showing your VIN number, was it on the top rail right next to the tongue? The only tag I've found inside or out is the one above the AC power inlet. There is a newer wheel jack installed right behind my tongue so I may remove it to see if the VIN number stamp is there.

Alf, just got the Combi-Camp last year, still needs patches and waterproofing. We've generally been back country/canoe campers but I figured it would be much easier car camping with our infant son with one of these folding tent trailers. And then this year I discovered the wonderful world of Bolers. Will probably still take the combi-camp on long distance trips due to the easier towing.

Roy, let me know if you're ever around the east end and would like to drop by for a visit.

Looks like we should be able to make it to the BolerRama at Emily park this summer too. Hope to meet some of you there.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Kurt in BC]

Kurt, I saw the photo showing your VIN number, was it on the top rail right next to the tongue? The only tag I've found inside or out is the one above the AC power inlet. There is a newer wheel jack installed right behind my tongue so I may remove it to see if the VIN number stamp is there.

Here is the location of the VIN on my 1970. It is stamped in on the top of the frame rail. I could not see mine either until I removed all the old paint and rust when I prepped it for painting.

(Click on the photo to blow it up larger)

- Kurt

[Roy in TO]

Does anybody know if a standard 5 bolt trailer wheel will fit ok?

Roy, let me know if you're ever around the east end and would like to drop by for a visit.

Looks like we should be able to make it to the BolerRama at Emily park this summer too.

Kevin, some of the early axles were 4 bolt. If you have a 5 bolt there is a PDF here that prints out to make a template to determine your bolt pattern.

You are welcome to drop by if you are out in the west end (400 & 401)

We will see you at Emily for sure.

Roy

[Mooney]

I have Boler #92. Someone added a small square bumper.
Janet

[Kevin H.]

I have Boler #92. Someone added a small square bumper.
Janet

Hi Janet, great to hear of another pre-100 Boler. Our Bolers were probably being made in the factory at about the same time. Do you have insulation in yours? Can you post any photos?

Have you seen your VIN number on the frame? I wire brushed the paint off where Kurt's number was but didn't find anything, I'm just going by the VIN number on the registration.

I'm still getting ours road worthy for our first trip this weekend.

Kevin

[james kent]

What a great little trailer. Those door hinges sure are different. I wonder how long before they switched to the moulded style? Thanks for the pictures. I'll look forward to seeing it at Emily.

[james kent]

What a great little trailer. Those door hinges sure are different. I wonder how long before they switched to the moulded style? Thanks for the pictures. I'll look forward to seeing it at Emily.

[Kurt in BC]

my 1970 has the "chunkier" door handles commonly found on the newer ones.

[Kevin H.]

sidney lewis has just posted "Boler flat top, share info" in Care and Feeding of fiberglass trailers. I just replied with some info. I've found. Many thanks to the FGRV users who have replied so far. Hopefully we'll be able to compile more details about the early history of our Bolers.

As far a my Boler goes, I've finally figured out my tail light wiring problem, turns out a little tab in the socket had broken, allowing the two contacts to rotate - a quick fix with a $4. Canadian Tire part once I tracked down the problem. We will take our first trip this weekend. I have more photos, but we're having internet problems so it may be a while before I post them.

I've been spending many hours reading FGRV posts and really appreciate everyones responses.

Thanks again,
Kevin

[Brent Lorge]

From the pictures it looks like your #099 boler is pretty much the same as my #161 flat roofed boler that I recently purchased. (It had been sitting in a driveway for the last couple of years and I finally just went to the door and asked if it was for sale.) We have the same green enamel sink and green 2-burner stove, but also an ice box that has a matching green front door. The only differences that I can see from your pictures is that our spring loaded roof vent is above the sink instead of the stove.

Our door was really sagged and warped at the bottom. From the wealth of information on the forum we drilled a tiny hole in the bottom and found that it too was filled with water. A few weeks later I removed the door and decided to cut a 1' square window through the inside shell at the bottom to see what was going on. I found that between the two door shells were a bunch of 4" x 4" x 1" thick peices of wood chips. They were soaking wet and had all dropped to the bottom of the door.... obviously causing the warping at the bottom. Plus the weight of the wet wood probably caused much of the door sagging on the hinges. Needless to say I removed the window and resealed it. Removed all the wet wood chips and re-fiberglassed the bottom using a few outside supports to hold the door in its proper curve until the fiberglass dryed. The bottom door curve is now back to normal but I still have work to do on the hinges to fix the sag.

So far besides the door we've redone the inside seams and painted the walls. Had new cushions made. Plus sanded and painted the cubbord doors and redone the front and back windows. This weekend we're hoping to subfloor and lay some new lino. (our boler was used as an ice fishing shack and has hinged holes cut in the floor) And we need to reseal the side windows and remove silicone from the roof vent and seal it properly.

Here are some before reno pics from the day the boler came home. (if I can get the attatchments to work)

[Kevin H.]

Hi Brent, it's great to see another flat roof. Have you found your serial number on the actual frame? I haven't been able to find mine yet, might be under the paint.

The differences are interesting. I notice yours has the newer style door hinges as well. Can you tell if they were replaced at some point or do they look like the original installation. Your bunk bed posts are a little taller than mine as well.

The most interesting thing though is everybody has always said that only the first 100 bolers were made with flat roofs, with yours being #161 with a flat roof we'll need to re-write the history books so to speak.

Can you post some photos of your reno's when you get a chance.

thanks,
Kevin