helpful hints on 69 wheel camper

[sxip]

The family and I have made the leap from a tent to a pop up- but we're doing it in an antique!  Anybody know anything about Wheel Campers- obviously they're not made anymore.  Looking forward to our first trip (although the boys and I have spent two nights in the back yard).

[deniski]

HI!  I haven't heard of a Wheel Camper.. sorry!  Could you post a picture of it?  Maybe that would help others ID it.

[mountainrev]

Wow, does that bring back memories!  My family owned a Wheel Camper when I was a kid.  We bought it when it was a year or two old, I believe back in '69.  There were five kids in my family, and we took that thing everywhere!  It was roomy, but very basic (no stove, heater, etc.).  It finally got damaged by a gust of wind when my parents were towing it across Montana in the mid '80s after all the kids were grown.  They replaced it with a Coleman.

Post a picture if you can.  I'd love to see it!

[4campinfoxes]

That might be the kind my parents had in the late 60's & throughout the 70's.  Brings back great memories - which is why I talked my DH into getting a PU!

Sharon

[TheViking]

I'd stay away from a 69 Wheel Camper.  You know how much tires will cost to replace for that thing?  

[tlhdoc]

I'd stay away from a 69 Wheel Camper. You know how much tires will cost to replace for that thing?

I was thinking the same thing.

[eagle4371]

tires for almost anything are expensive. enjoy your old camper. fix what you can, upgrade what you want and have fun. if nothing else, you'll have a great conversation starter when camping

[sxip]

The family and I have made the leap from a tent to a pop up- but we're doing it in an antique!  Anybody know anything about Wheel Campers- obviously they're not made anymore.  Looking forward to our first trip (although the boys and I have spent two nights in the back yard).

I think I read somewhere on this site about a camper opening like a dumpster- that's what this one does.  It's solid as a rock and ugly as home made soap, but if I can fix the wiring hookup between little league games this week, we'll test it out on the Skyline Drive this Saturday.  I'll try to get some pix once I set it up.

by the way...
2 boys
1 wife
2 jack russells

Shenandoah Valley, VA

[Trailman]

I would love to see pics of your WheelCamper.
I have a 1969 SE.Woods tent trailer, it is still in working order.
I also have a 1974 Apache Mesa which is now almost fully restored.
I seen a 1968 WheelCamper on ebay recently, it was wrongly advertised as an Apache, I liked the style of it, looked vintage and classic.
I am sure you will have fun with it, its nice to have something different, we have fun with our oldies
I get a kick out of the reactions of people as we roll in and set up, reactions vary as some don't get it but for the most part there is genuine interest and compliments.
I love it when someone comes over to the site and says they used to own one the same, we hear some great stories

[Trailman]

Found some pics of a 67 Wheelcamper for sale in Hatfield PA.
67 Wheelcamper

[sxip]

Found some pics of a 67 Wheelcamper for sale in Hatfield PA.
67 Wheelcamper

looks an awful lot like the one we have, although rougher.  We'll debut this weekend on the Skyline Drive- our first trip without a tent.  I need to be careful with the canvas, though- some of the stitching is loose.  A good needle and some duct tape will probably do the trick...

[wavery]

OMG :yikes:

[cyclone]

I want to see pics, too.  We had one that my parents bought used somewhere in the '70's.  I mostly remember the tenting days and not a lot about that camper, as they only kept it a few years.  I know I camped with them in that, but honestly can't remember what it looked like on the inside.  Apparently, I killed off too many brain cells with alcohol in college during that time frame.  

[Trailman]

Yes the one in the photo could use a clean-up but it does look straight and all original, i notice the price dropped to $165 so it has potential to be restored.
A new canvas is as we all know the pricey part.
The other one i seen a while back on ebay had small round tail-lights, corvette like, I think it was a 69, not sure if the tail-lights were original.

Looking forward to seeing those photos of one all set up and still camping  

[AustinBoston]

tires for almost anything are expensive. enjoy your old camper. fix what you can, upgrade what you want and have fun. if nothing else, you'll have a great conversation starter when camping

But you need to realize the scale of the problem.  Most pop-ups have two wheels (three including the spare).  A few have two axles and so have four (five including a spare).  Imagine the cost of maintining 68 wheels (69 incliding the spare).

So, does a 69 Wheel Camper have 34 axles, or do they put four wheels on each axle, making it 17 axles?  :eyecrazy:

I can just imagine the mileage.  :yikes:

I'll bet a 17 wheel camper would never sway!  :p

Austin