That motorhome is not that old because it was built the year I was born and I ain't that old.

But hey, check this out..

http://www.vintage-vacations.com/46_manor_frnt_kit.htm

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Dave,

Same age, huh?......Then I'd guess that you, like the motorhome, may have a few creases and wrinkles here & there....maybe even a loose screw or two?....

I think it would be a hoot to take something like this, restore the coach portion & plunk it down on a P-30 chassis.....Then show up at the national FMCA rally, park it among the Prevosts & Newells and enjoy all the stares & glares.......

The front end treatment caught my attention....Then I realized from my farm boy days that the hideous grille & headlights come from an International Harvester pick-up truck!

Spartan knew how to build aircraft though....Totally top drawer. Their 7W Executive model sold for over $23k....in 1937! Only about 40 or so built, and today you need 1/4 to a 1/2 mil to buy one.

Sidebar: Spartan also made aircraft wheel pants under subcontract to other mfgrs....Basically, start with a sheet of aluminum and hammer it over a wooden mold to rough shape, with final shaping on an English Wheel. During a restoration project, we discovered that one wheel pant was .040 larger than the other one....Found out that the tradesmen/artisans of the day were paid piece work, so they just started out with two sheets and shaped them together, one on top of the other... TWO wheel pants produced in less time........

Ah, what ever happened to good old American ingenuity?........

quote:

Originally posted by Lee:
Dave,

I think it would be a hoot to take something like this, restore the coach portion & plunk it down on a P-30 chassis.....Then show up at the national FMCA rally, park it among the Prevosts & Newells and enjoy all the stares & glares.......

They wouldn't let it near the Prevosts etc. They practice strict segregation at their rallies.

I wonder if that rig started life as a motor home, or if it was converted. Years ago I saw a Spartan trrailer with a Toronado or Eldorado front end grafted on, but I didn't look closely enough to see how they dealt with the controls..

More thread drift. Well, segregation may happen at FMCA rallies, but I may be too dense to be aware of it. They park me by choice, with the singles group, and no Provost’s there. But.... at the bluegrass events, we all get along, and here is some evidence. Not only was I beside a Provost, but they were from Canada, and we all got along quite well (first time that my Barth was outclassed).
Blistered Fingers Bluegrass Festival, Sidney, Maine


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89 Barth Regal 32
Runs like a Deere
New Hampshire

Even more thread drift,

I see there are even a lot of Bluegrass Festivals here in Minnesota, Wisconsin etc. Are they all pure Bluegrass or do they let some classic country in. If you know what I mean.

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Continuing the drift
In most cases, the festivals restrict performers to acoustic string instruments only. Sometimes it hard to tell if it is bluegrass or country (not ever new country)
An example would be Alecia Nugent and Del McCoury, which I think are more country than bluegrass, but still great entertainment.
Most all festivas are now in warmer climates for the winter. Fingers don't move well in the cold.

Jack, What a great picture! If I've ever seen a picture that depicts what the motorhome lifestyle is all about, that's it. It isn't about money or prestige. It's about enjoying each other's company and shared interests.
Jim

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Drifting along. What would be the perfect Toad for this motorhome? MGA, Mini, A, Duce coupe, BMW2002, King Midget, 300SL Gullwing, Nash Metropolitan,57 T Bird, ect???? JKB All who wander are not lost

MG TC or a Crosley Hotshot for the sporty crowd, war surplus Jeep or Crosley Farm-O-Road for the off-roaders, a T-bucket with Columbia bus & Rajo head for the hot-rodders, or maybe a belly-tanker for serious racers. A deuce coupe is a possibility too.

A non-enthusiast would probably tow a '36 Ford coupe with a V-8-60. If you're too young to know what all this stuff is, I'm probably too old to remember.

I don't know who would tow a King Midget, but most of the other suggestions weren't around yet in '48.

[This message has been edited by olroy (edited November 03, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by olroy (edited November 03, 2005).]

.....King Midget would be a blast, if the wheel bearings could handle a 60mph tow.......

I'm still looking for the "right" Type 181 VW THING...(low miles, less than 75 lbs of rust and/or floorpan holes less than 6"!)....

Fold the windshield down, pop-off a detachable rollbar and install a tonneau cover over the pax compartment to reduce wind profile while on-the-hook....at about 1500 lbs, you wouldn't know it was there..not to mention JC Whitney parts support......

Other silly nominations: Isetta on a trailer?.....AmphiCar?......Fiat 500?

For the '48 Spartan motorhome that started this thread, I'd suggest a Citroen 2CV as the appropriate tow car...Pulling up in the Spartan with a 2CV in-tow would probably get the local zoning laws amended immediately...

Oh, heck, a T-model speedster with a Frontenac head.

I vote for the Isetta, I didn't know what they were called, thanks Lee.



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Dave, The trouble is, an Isetta that sold brand new, in-the-box, in the late '50's for about a grand is now going in the mid-teens semi-restored......Seems like you could motorize something from Tonka for a lot less.

We now turn the thread back over to blue grass vs. country & western............