Title: 1971 Nimrod Eldorado
Post by: heavyone on Feb 20, 2006, 07:29 PM
Post by: heavyone on Feb 20, 2006, 07:29 PM
I just bought this camper for 300 bucks. It is in remarkable condition. Has only a few small tears in canvas. Does anyone know anything about these campers? I cant seem to find info anywhere.
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Post by: PITPOP27 on Feb 21, 2006, 08:11 AM
Post by: PITPOP27 on Feb 21, 2006, 08:11 AM
:D I know nothing but find the name hysterical.....Like only a Nimrod would camp in folding campers.... :eyecrazy:
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Post by: Jeffrey on Feb 21, 2006, 08:34 AM
Post by: Jeffrey on Feb 21, 2006, 08:34 AM
Nimrod means.......... Hunter
So if your saying only a Hunter would camp in a PU.
I could live with that.
Nimrod brand has been gone for a long time, but I don't know how long.
So if your saying only a Hunter would camp in a PU.
I could live with that.
Nimrod brand has been gone for a long time, but I don't know how long.
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Post by: PITPOP27 on Feb 21, 2006, 09:48 AM
Post by: PITPOP27 on Feb 21, 2006, 09:48 AM
For real? Then why do people say you are such a Nimrod? It wouldn't be the same as You are such a hunter? :p
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Post by: wavery on Feb 21, 2006, 10:05 AM
Post by: wavery on Feb 21, 2006, 10:05 AM
I had a Nimrod PU back in the late 60s. I don't remember much about it other than it had nothing more than 2 bunks. If I remember correctly, it didn't even have windows, just screens.
I also remember that my young family was very happy to have it in those days. We didn't have it long and only camped in it a few times.
One thing that I would recommend in a trailer that age would be to replace the wheel bearings. It is cheap and easy. You will sleep better if you do it. One of the most common failures, on older trailers, is wheel bearing failure. If the wheel bearing fails, it can often result in the wheel falling off. That can sometimes happens on the freeway at high speed and causes a very serious condition.
I hope that you enjoy your PU :D .
I also remember that my young family was very happy to have it in those days. We didn't have it long and only camped in it a few times.
One thing that I would recommend in a trailer that age would be to replace the wheel bearings. It is cheap and easy. You will sleep better if you do it. One of the most common failures, on older trailers, is wheel bearing failure. If the wheel bearing fails, it can often result in the wheel falling off. That can sometimes happens on the freeway at high speed and causes a very serious condition.
I hope that you enjoy your PU :D .
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Post by: mike4947 on Feb 21, 2006, 01:35 PM
Post by: mike4947 on Feb 21, 2006, 01:35 PM
While I have seen Nimrod PU's over the years (mainly true soft top tent campers) my RV index doesn't show them as a manufacturer active, bought out or closed.
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Post by: Jeffrey on Feb 21, 2006, 02:56 PM
Post by: Jeffrey on Feb 21, 2006, 02:56 PM
I have a book Called "Sportsman on wheels" - 1969
It says...........
" One of the first (and perhaps the very first) person to offer a compact, collapible, fabric-topped trailer was Ash Ward in Cincinnati. That was in 1956 and he called his creation the Nimrod Camper. But to tell the truth, he had a very hard time selling very many units - for a few years, that is. Only 196 of the original edition were bought, although some of these are still in use."
Then it goes on talking about them, and showing pictures of a 60's model. That has a hard top (fiberglass?).
Most Nimrods that I have seen pictures of are all tent tops.
It says...........
" One of the first (and perhaps the very first) person to offer a compact, collapible, fabric-topped trailer was Ash Ward in Cincinnati. That was in 1956 and he called his creation the Nimrod Camper. But to tell the truth, he had a very hard time selling very many units - for a few years, that is. Only 196 of the original edition were bought, although some of these are still in use."
Then it goes on talking about them, and showing pictures of a 60's model. That has a hard top (fiberglass?).
Most Nimrods that I have seen pictures of are all tent tops.
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Post by: wavery on Feb 21, 2006, 03:52 PM
Post by: wavery on Feb 21, 2006, 03:52 PM
Quote from: JeffreyI have a book Called "Sportsman on wheels" - 1969The one that I had, had a hard top. It was aluminum and I remember cranking the thing up too.
It says...........
" One of the first (and perhaps the very first) person to offer a compact, collapible, fabric-topped trailer was Ash Ward in Cincinnati. That was in 1956 and he called his creation the Nimrod Camper. But to tell the truth, he had a very hard time selling very many units - for a few years, that is. Only 196 of the original edition were bought, although some of these are still in use."
Then it goes on talking about them, and showing pictures of a 60's model. That has a hard top (fiberglass?).
Most Nimrods that I have seen pictures of are all tent tops.
I'll have to go back through some old albums and see if I can find a picture.
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Post by: mbopp on Feb 21, 2006, 06:50 PM
Post by: mbopp on Feb 21, 2006, 06:50 PM
Sheesh, that brings back memories. My parents had a Nimrod in the late 60's / early 70's, towed by '66 & '69 9-passenger Pontiac station wagons. It had an electric lift & the galley flipped over & pushed out something like a slider does today to give you extra room. Dad added a convection propane heater in the floor. 5 kids in the family, we went from Buffalo to Florida one Christmas, also the Adirondacks, Vermont, then Boston / Gloucester. When I was a teenager I took it with friends to Allegheny SP. DB & his buddies went to the Adirondacks a few times with it also. Can't remember, but I think it was a hard top.
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Post by: mike4947 on Feb 21, 2006, 11:33 PM
Post by: mike4947 on Feb 21, 2006, 11:33 PM
My listing for manufacturers only goes back to 1978 for orphaned builders so Nimrod (Ash Ward) must have went out of business before that.
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Post by: stateparkgrl on Feb 22, 2006, 09:31 AM
Post by: stateparkgrl on Feb 22, 2006, 09:31 AM
Back in the early 1970's, my parents owned a hardware store and rented Nimrod campers. They had 4 of them at one time. We took annual vacations each summer to Oklahoma to visit relatives, and camped all the way back and forth. Ours was stripped...2 bunks and a folding table. The bunk ends pulled out and the canvas top popped up and was supported by three horizontal poles that popped up with the top. There was a soft vinyl top that snapped down over and all around the camper when it was down.
My one scary memory was one summer in Kansas when we got caught in a terrible storm and dad jumped out of bed and ordered us to pack up...NOW! My parents, and my brother and I got the thing down and on the road in 10 minutes flat. 10 miles down the road we heard on the radio that the campground had been hit by a tornado. WHEW!
We grew up in that Nimrod...and most of the reason I still camp in a popup is because I want my grandchildren to have the same great memories.
My one scary memory was one summer in Kansas when we got caught in a terrible storm and dad jumped out of bed and ordered us to pack up...NOW! My parents, and my brother and I got the thing down and on the road in 10 minutes flat. 10 miles down the road we heard on the radio that the campground had been hit by a tornado. WHEW!
We grew up in that Nimrod...and most of the reason I still camp in a popup is because I want my grandchildren to have the same great memories.
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Post by: zamboni on Feb 22, 2006, 08:26 PM
Post by: zamboni on Feb 22, 2006, 08:26 PM
Quote from: stateparkgrlI want my grandchildren to have the same great memories.
What... like this? :)
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Post by: Trailman on Feb 23, 2006, 05:14 PM
Post by: Trailman on Feb 23, 2006, 05:14 PM
Nimrod camping trailers were built by Ward manufacturing, Hamilton Ohio.
Not sure when they stopped making them but I have seen ads for the Eldorado model before.
There is an ad for sale on ebay at the minute for a 65 Nimrod trailer.
Here is the photo from it.
(http://www.datazap.net/sites/johnseller/12-03-05/8965NIMROD.JPG)
Here is the link to the ebay ad.
Nimrod ad (http://cgi.ebay.com/1965-AD-NIMROD-TENT-CAMPING-TRAILERS-FANTASY-COME-TRUE_W0QQitemZ8770558483QQcategoryZ2020QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
Not sure when they stopped making them but I have seen ads for the Eldorado model before.
There is an ad for sale on ebay at the minute for a 65 Nimrod trailer.
Here is the photo from it.
(http://www.datazap.net/sites/johnseller/12-03-05/8965NIMROD.JPG)
Here is the link to the ebay ad.
Nimrod ad (http://cgi.ebay.com/1965-AD-NIMROD-TENT-CAMPING-TRAILERS-FANTASY-COME-TRUE_W0QQitemZ8770558483QQcategoryZ2020QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
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Post by: wavery on Feb 23, 2006, 05:24 PM
Post by: wavery on Feb 23, 2006, 05:24 PM
WOW!!! Does that bring back memories :eyecrazy: . That is exactly the one that I used to have. I was wrong, I remember now. The top was hard but the beds just hinged over the trailer and met in the middle. It wasn't a crank up (obviously :p )
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Post by: unitydnk on Feb 25, 2006, 09:26 PM
Post by: unitydnk on Feb 25, 2006, 09:26 PM
gee maybe it is worth a lot because its an antique...LOL ask the smithsonian
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Post by: heavyone on Feb 26, 2006, 11:46 PM
Post by: heavyone on Feb 26, 2006, 11:46 PM
The Nimrod I bought does crank up and also has a hard top. The beds slide out on the sides rather than on each end, also at the rear it has a tailgate that flips down and the canvas comes out to form a extra room or screened porch. It does have plastic windows with screens. It also has electrical hookup,110 and a gas stove, fridge, and a sink. I will try to post a picture in the near future.
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Post by: Trailman on Feb 27, 2006, 03:04 PM
Post by: Trailman on Feb 27, 2006, 03:04 PM
Found a pic of a 73
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/Dendrz/73NIMROD.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/Dendrz/73NIMROD.jpg)
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Post by: Kelly on Feb 27, 2006, 04:15 PM
Post by: Kelly on Feb 27, 2006, 04:15 PM
Quote from: TrailmanFound a pic of a 73
Is that a Pinto towing that thing??
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Post by: wavery on Feb 27, 2006, 04:23 PM
Post by: wavery on Feb 27, 2006, 04:23 PM
Quote from: KellyIs that a Pinto towing that thing??Ya, it looks like me towing my 12' Coleman Tahoe with my Chrylser Concorde :p
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Post by: heavyone on Feb 27, 2006, 07:44 PM
Post by: heavyone on Feb 27, 2006, 07:44 PM
i tried to post a pic, but i got a message that the file was too big
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Post by: ForestCreature on Feb 27, 2006, 08:05 PM
Post by: ForestCreature on Feb 27, 2006, 08:05 PM
Quote from: heavyonei tried to post a pic, but i got a message that the file was too bigyou can upload it to http://imageshack.us/index.php
follow their directions of copy and pasting their link into your post here. If it's done right your pic will show up in your post.
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Post by: heavyone on Feb 27, 2006, 08:45 PM
Post by: heavyone on Feb 27, 2006, 08:45 PM
http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image0277qd.jpg
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Post by: ForestCreature on Feb 27, 2006, 09:05 PM
Post by: ForestCreature on Feb 27, 2006, 09:05 PM
Thats a very cool looking camper!
(http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/2954/image0277qd.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
(http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/2954/image0277qd.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
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Post by: Kelly on Feb 27, 2006, 09:30 PM
Post by: Kelly on Feb 27, 2006, 09:30 PM
Quote from: waveryYa, it looks like me towing my 12' Coleman Tahoe with my Chrylser Concorde :p
phhhhhhhhhhhtttttttttt :J
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Post by: Trailman on Feb 28, 2006, 05:57 PM
Post by: Trailman on Feb 28, 2006, 05:57 PM
Interesting looking camper and in great shape, hard to believe that is 35 years old :eyecrazy:
Looks like it was well cared for and is still original.
You sure got a bargain!
Looks like it was well cared for and is still original.
You sure got a bargain!
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Post by: wavery on Feb 28, 2006, 06:02 PM
Post by: wavery on Feb 28, 2006, 06:02 PM
I've just gotta ask the obvious question here............How long did it take to set that thing up???? :eyecrazy:
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Post by: heavyone on Feb 28, 2006, 06:42 PM
Post by: heavyone on Feb 28, 2006, 06:42 PM
it takes me about 15 to 20 min. if i do it by myself
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Post by: wavery on Feb 28, 2006, 06:44 PM
Post by: wavery on Feb 28, 2006, 06:44 PM
Quote from: heavyoneit takes me about 15 to 20 min. if i do it by myselfThat's faster than mine. Wanna trade? :p
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Post by: heavyone on Feb 28, 2006, 07:08 PM
Post by: heavyone on Feb 28, 2006, 07:08 PM
its going to be hard to part with my "classic"
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Post by: Trailman on Feb 28, 2006, 07:49 PM
Post by: Trailman on Feb 28, 2006, 07:49 PM
I like it!
These little tent trailers are fun and can only gain in value if looked after, the canvasses are the expensive part but well worth renewing to keep a classic camper camping.
I have a 69 Woods Tent trailer, they are different and fun, easy to tow with a small car.
Do you have any photos of the inside of your Eldorado?
These little tent trailers are fun and can only gain in value if looked after, the canvasses are the expensive part but well worth renewing to keep a classic camper camping.
I have a 69 Woods Tent trailer, they are different and fun, easy to tow with a small car.
Do you have any photos of the inside of your Eldorado?