I always wanted a birchwood camper trailer and mostly put it out of my mind. Then one day I stumbled upon a Spartan website and fell in love. The Spartan is the finest travel trailer ever 
built and was the top of the line back in it's day.
I put out ads on craigslist for a Spartan wanted and had no luck. I searched high and low on craigslist and ebay and found a few but most were located on the west coast, and since I am in Chicagoland and the camper would reside in Central Wisconsin the cost of transportation would be cost prohibitive. I found a yahoo group for Spartan Travel Trailers and joined. I figured I had nothing to loose if I posted a message seeking a Spartan in a close proximity to Wisconsin. Almost immediately I received a message from Kirk. He acquired a 1956 Spartan Royal Mansion with a length of 40 ft including the tongue. He posted some pictures of the exterior on the Yahoo site and it looked like it was in good condition. I asked for the interior photos and he said he could not send them until he cleaned it out.
After a few weeks I decided to go take a look at Kirk's Spartan which was located about 2 hours west of Chicago. When I found the "farm" the Spartan was a hulking thing of beauty sitting out behind Kirks ramshackle mix of connected mobile homes. The dull finish and exterior was nearly flawless with the exception of the large dent in the front round corner where Kirks makeshift hauling truck put a large dent in it from a too sharp turn on it's way to his farm. I asked Kirk if I could look inside. He said " Sure but there is allot of junk in there" I had my camera ready to snap as many pictures as I could so I could go home and study them. I opened the door and the interior looked like some of the foreclosed homes I see in my real estate business, full of junk furniture, bottles, a couch, extra fridge, old curtains, and lots and lots of mice poop. I made my way over and around the junk surveying ever inch. Snapping pictures of everything I could see. I spoke to Kirk for a few hours about Spartans and he told me he bought it to scrap for the aluminum, but discovered it was worth more then scrap. I left thinking about the Spartan all the way home.
This Spartan was originally all birch on the interior with a 8x8 floor tile throughout. The previous owner painted the entire trailer a mix of colors that I could only guess was from the "oops" shelf at Home Depot. This particular trailer had the blond wood upgrade. Not that this would be a "upgrade" today. The original price of my Spartan in 1956 was $5775.00 base price. In today's dollars this would be approximately $60,000.00
built and was the top of the line back in it's day.I put out ads on craigslist for a Spartan wanted and had no luck. I searched high and low on craigslist and ebay and found a few but most were located on the west coast, and since I am in Chicagoland and the camper would reside in Central Wisconsin the cost of transportation would be cost prohibitive. I found a yahoo group for Spartan Travel Trailers and joined. I figured I had nothing to loose if I posted a message seeking a Spartan in a close proximity to Wisconsin. Almost immediately I received a message from Kirk. He acquired a 1956 Spartan Royal Mansion with a length of 40 ft including the tongue. He posted some pictures of the exterior on the Yahoo site and it looked like it was in good condition. I asked for the interior photos and he said he could not send them until he cleaned it out.
After a few weeks I decided to go take a look at Kirk's Spartan which was located about 2 hours west of Chicago. When I found the "farm" the Spartan was a hulking thing of beauty sitting out behind Kirks ramshackle mix of connected mobile homes. The dull finish and exterior was nearly flawless with the exception of the large dent in the front round corner where Kirks makeshift hauling truck put a large dent in it from a too sharp turn on it's way to his farm. I asked Kirk if I could look inside. He said " Sure but there is allot of junk in there" I had my camera ready to snap as many pictures as I could so I could go home and study them. I opened the door and the interior looked like some of the foreclosed homes I see in my real estate business, full of junk furniture, bottles, a couch, extra fridge, old curtains, and lots and lots of mice poop. I made my way over and around the junk surveying ever inch. Snapping pictures of everything I could see. I spoke to Kirk for a few hours about Spartans and he told me he bought it to scrap for the aluminum, but discovered it was worth more then scrap. I left thinking about the Spartan all the way home.
This Spartan was originally all birch on the interior with a 8x8 floor tile throughout. The previous owner painted the entire trailer a mix of colors that I could only guess was from the "oops" shelf at Home Depot. This particular trailer had the blond wood upgrade. Not that this would be a "upgrade" today. The original price of my Spartan in 1956 was $5775.00 base price. In today's dollars this would be approximately $60,000.00
I have a 56 royal manor for sale. we still use it and it is in good shape. original stove,many original light fixtures, countertops,sinks and the interior still looks great. could you give me an idea of what we should ask? any info would be great.loated in a campground in the catskills.i can forward photos if you or someone is interested.
ReplyDeletethanks,phil
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