Strangest PU I've ever seen (Picture)...

[Gone-Camping]

Ok folks, I first spotted this a few weeks ago out in the BackBay area of Virginia Beach, but figured no one would believe me. So I've held off posting about it. This morning I was informed I had to make a run to Pungo, which meant driving past the PU again, so I zipped home real quick and grabbed the digital camera...
 
This is the strangest PU I've ever seen! Looks like it would be monster to tow down the road...we're talking a lot of potential for sway here! I'd hate to the be the person that had to load this thing and try and figure out how to keep it from swaying!!!
 

[Tim5055]

OK Cliff, I have to ask - what is it??? :confused:

[Gone-Camping]

I don't know, I was hoping someone could tell me!! Maybe I'll just have to call that number and ask! Strange isn't it???

[YellowXterra]

Looks like a Coleman body.

[griffsmom]

But it's backwards!???  :eyecrazy: :confused:

[Pupeyemom]

I am a newbie as far as towing a PU. Does the cargo area at the back as well as the luggage rack cause the difficulties with towing??  We have a  Bayport that we always tow with a sway bar but we are also careful to load most weight  according to instructions . (Yup I still have to read instructions)
My husband is much more experienced camper but has never towed before. I grew up towing Boats and u-hauls but not PU>
I am excited it's finally cooling  down around here as we don't have air conditioning  and can't afford it right now. We want to go camping  but  can't tolerate the HOT humid  weather.  SOON we can get out and go!!! I miss my pop-up!!!

[bearbait]

Obviously an owner at some point had a reason to turn the box of this pop up around.  Then mounted the spare tire on the trunk.  I would be interested to know what the reason was,  my best guess is that they carried something in the back of their tow vehicle that overhung and interfered with the box on the trailer when in tow.  If this is a stripped down model of a pop up,  that wouldn't be very hard to do at all.

[tlhdoc]

It looks like the access door is still on the curb side of the PU.  If it is a trailer that was turned around they moved the door too.  If that is a door latch to the right of the for sale sign.  The door latch looks like the latch on a Coleman/fleetwood stepper door.  It sure is different.

[oldmoose]

Maybe it's a push-me pull-you?

Moose

[Papaso]

I gotta agree with bearbait, somebody worked at turning it around for some reason. Also looks like they moved the door. Looks to be in decent shape. The roof looks straighter than mine, LP tank is a little rough. Only they who did the work knows why.

[mike4947]

In the late 80's ,early 90's there were a slew of one year production models. Seems the makers tried all sorts of variations on a theme during those years. A lot of them looked good on paper, but failed when built. That definitely looks like one of them.

[MommaMia]

Not being an engineer, I can't say this all for a fact but here is my observation:


The running lights position seem to indicate the the hitch was reversed.  Normally the side running lights are at the very end of the camper so that they highlight where the end of the camper is to other motorists that may choose to pull in behind the camper and so when you look into the rearview mirror you have a good idea where the end of your camper is.  With the hitch reversed to the likely original position, a light would have been very near the end of the camper.  The way it is now, the most rearward lights (the red ones) are really much farther forward from the rear of the camper than they normally would be.

The thing that makes me second guess whether the hitch really was moved though is the color of the running lights.  As far as I know, all the most forward running lights are yellow (or orange)  and the ones closest to the rear are red.... as is shown on this camper.  But this doesn't mean the hitch wasn't moved.  Maybe the person doing the mod was astute enough to know to switch the lights.

Anyway... going on the assumption that the hitch was moved,  I  think the luggage rack is the explanation for why the hitch was turned around to the other end.

The only way to mount the luggage rack on the camper as it originally was puts it in a position so that almost all the weight added to the luggage rack would have ended up behind the axle, causing a lot of sway.  So they flipped the hitch to the rear.

 By doing this,  the luggage rack is now in front of the axle.  Now, with the luggage rack fully loaded (provided storage trunk is only packed with lightweight items... blankets maybe or paper goods) the trailer is most likely tongue heavy and not subject to a lot of sway.

[Gone-Camping]

Obviously an owner at some point had a reason to turn the box of this pop up around

Nope, door is still curb side... The sides of unit wouldn't allow for a turn-around and still have the door on this side of the trailer.
 
Here is another angle, the stepper door is pretty clear, so to me I'd say this is definately a Coleman. Not sure what the silver thing mounted to the side is.
 
Also, Hi Res picture of image below is here...
 

[MommaMia]

Not sure what the silver thing mounted to the side is.
 

The silver thing looks like a table to me.  See the hinges on the top?


I'll call them to ask... What's the area code Cliff?  757?

[bearbait]

I've seen a few pop ups with the access door on the road side of the trailer in campgrounds,  so some manufacturers used to do that.  Thats why I wonder if it was one of those models that they flipped.  I don't know,  I'm just guessing..........
 
Next question,  is that a true coleman or an early fleetwood model?