Bond Trailer Tent

Right first off we’re classing this as one of the largest optional extras I suppose you could get, it’s also one of the rarest!!!!

Spartan Starcraft Camper

This had to one of the coolest retro campers out there, and to be honest if I had a few grand free I’d seriously be tempted by the two currently for sale on ebay. What’s not to like, cool looks, over cab sleeping compartment, 4 berth and oh 6 wheels. To the fair it’s all about the wheels.

Random Picture: The Extensible Caravan

If you thougt transforming and extending caravans and motorhomes were something new then just take a look at this one from 1934-

Sportswagon

Thanks to Kuba Rekas for the e-mailing pointing me in the direction of this 1973 camper concept. Designed to be a cross over before the term had been penned, it was a family vehicle that in the week was an extended estate that could seat 8, but at weekend could be converted to a full camper with beds, kitchen with that pop up roof. The design apparently had the involvement of Alex Tremulis who had a hand in the design of the Tucker Torpedo.

Ford Country Squire Camper

Back in the late 50’s Ford were keen to find out what campers wanted out of a station wagon. The result was this unassuming Country Squire in 1958. To the uninitiated it looks like a normal car with a boat on it, but Ford had been playing with fitting everything a potential camper could want while transporting the whole family day to day.

Random Picture- More than the sum of its parts!!!!!

I posted this over on the Retrobeutes Facebook page and it created quite a stir, mainly trying to work out how many different cars were in it!!!!!

Boaterhome

Like many who saw this viral video last week I was just blown away with it and needed to know more, was it a one off? Was it for a film? etc questions were running through my mind, so after some time on Google to my surprise it turns out that this is a production vehicle!!!!

Toyota RV-2

In the world of car design the term “surprise and delight” is now key to selling to the public. Today this means taking something mundane and making it a talking point or simply tactile. In modern cars this may be as simple as the retractable cup holders that come out of the dash and pirouette down. But compared to this concept from the 70’s it’s clearly lacking. Why just have a small feature when you can have the whole rear of the sleek shooting brake GT open up into a camper!!!!

The Decoliner

Looking like something out of 30’s comic or Flash Gordon, this is ones man’s vision of a futuristic mobile home from the 30’s/40’s, the ultimate land yacht. From concept to realisation the skill involved cannot be under estimated. Taking a humble 1973 GMC Motorhome due to its front wheel drove layout then combining it with a modified cab from a 1955 White COE and fabricating the whole structure and body by hand is no mean feat.

Mini Wildgoose

Wild is definitely the right description for this, anyone who decides to take a Mini van and turn it into a camper must be thinking outside of the box. The conversion kits were sold by a Sussex company during the 1960’s with a price tag of between £445-601 depending on size of kit etc. It was possible to buy a completed car ready to go!!!!!! It came with a 4 seater dinette in the back which would convert in to a 6” bed. I’ve attached the brochure for it and as you will see it looks surprisingly spacious. But with all that extra weight and only a 850cc engine as standard the suggested cruising speed of 70mph, seems quite optimistic.

Star Streak

If you had the skills at hand and wanted a camper van you would surely build something extra special, so when Lt Colonel Paul Jones from Florida decided to build one that’s exactly what he did. Using aircraft construction techniques he built the Star Streak on top of an Oldsmobile Tornedo chassis and running gear using aluminium. The windows are also bullet proof to resist scratches. It’s no half-done job either, fitted with an interior that can be switched to provide 2 beds, AC/DC/Gas appliances, TV and hot and cold running water from its own reservoir.