'73 Holiday Rambler

I think it might all boil down to how much ability you and DH have as do-it-yourselfers. I have a '78 HR Statesman 27 foot and a '79 HR Imperial 5000 32 foot, and I love them. I bought the '79 as a fixer and will have less than $3500 in it when I'm finished. They're built like tanks. I expect them to be going strong at 50 years.

If the trailer you are considering is in decent shape, there is very little you can't repair or upgrade. Especially if you are able to do most of the work yourself. And when you're finished you have a custom trailer that is a classic. But if you're going to have to pay to have all of the work done, I think you'll be better off buying a newer trailer.

JP

thanks to all for your thoughts.
We are still mulling it over. DH is almost ready to make an offer, I'm not. Usually it's the other way around-I usually can make a decision quickly yes or no, and if I want to buy, he spends time trying to talk me out of it! This time we've switched roles. I really was not planning on a project, and while I don't doubt this could/will be a wonderful camper for some-one, I'm not yet convinced that some one is me.
Looked at an Avion today-too rough for both of us. Another nice project for someone. Nothing else we saw even comes close to the Holiday Rambler when it comes to quality contruction.
Maybe a Holiday Rambler is a good trailer for me, cuz I DO ramble on and on, don't I?
Anyway, Just wanted to thank everyone for there thoughts, and my search continues.
Martha

I have a 1978 Holiday Rambler (Ramblete). I have all original equipment...fridge,furnace,water heater, stove and oven. I had the furnace redone even thou it worked still. I didnt want to die with trying use the heat. I replaced the water over air pressure style tank with a demand water system because the old one was to troublesome. If it still has the old converter it will need a new type because the old one will hurt batteries very fast.
Mine had 15 year old tires on it when I moved it but I had no choice because the old owners said get it that day or it didnt go. I got the bearings checked and was amazed on how good they looked so I just had them repacked and everything was fine. The brakes are Dexters and all 4 of mine worked great. I have many hours in cleaning and replacing old 1970's era decore. My holiday sat in the woods for many years and doubt many brands would have lasted as well. Its built like a tank and dont think you will be sorry if the price is right.

Tires, bearing and brakes before you try to pull it 6". On that age trailer, look especially hard for water leaks. Check the floor for any soft spots, not just in the center, but around the edges and near the door(s).

Ken

weedlady wrote:
Thanks Doug,
Your info is extremely helpful.
We got a chance to look at the interior today. It is the Holiday Rambler, has twin beds and rear bath, sofa across the front.It is actually all still original, curtains, carpet and all original appliances.
I liked the interior layout and the roominess and obvious quality. The color scheme is just a little too harvest gold for my likeing, but I could work with that.

The owner's parents bought it new. Current owner inherited it and it has been sitting in his driveway for 15 years. He plugs it in and supposedly uses the systems every summer, but I am leery. I don't think he really knows anything about the trailer. He insisted it didn't have a gray water tank. There is no antifreeze sitting in the toilet-so I'd be concerned that the seal is dried out. I would guess the dump valves haven't been used in the last 15 years either. The owner was not aware that the fridge was two-way-has never run it on propane, but says it makes ice in about 2 hours on electric.
The trailer is not hooked up now, so we did not run any systems today.

His lack of knowledge makes me concerned that he has not maintained things properly. Any input?

Martha

15 years is a long time for an RV to sit in one spot. My guess would be that the tires are 15 years old then and I wouldn't move it off the drive way until they where changed. Even if they look good and are holding air they can rot from the inside out and it just not worth taking a chance going down the road. I would also have a complete brake and wheel barring service done, even if the brake work have them serviced. They have been siting for 15 years and who know what condition they where in before it was parked. You should be able to get a cost for this at any tire and RV service center and would make that cost part of my offer to the owner when I started talking money. One other thing I would do is get all the rubber hoses for the LP system changed. This isn't a big project since Holiday only had used rubber hoses from the LP tanks to the LP regulator and then in some cases down to the main supply line under the coach. The main LP line under the coach should be a heavy wall black iron pipe and the feed lines to the appliances should be copper. I would also have the LP tanks inspected before I filled them, you can have this done at most LP service centers but I wouldn't do it at an RV park or RV dealer. Find someone that business is selling LP and knows what to look for. Holiday used both steel and aluminum tanks in 73 and think you will need to have the valves up dated to the modern version if they have not been already. Again not a hard thing to have done but I'm not sure if they can just change the valve or if you have to replace the tanks

I would also fill the fresh water tank to the limit turn on the compressor and run water through all the sinks and shower. Look for leaks and that there isn't rust in the water if the original galvanized water tank is still installed. If there is rust in the water the tank is bad even if it doesn't leak. Holiday used a galvanized water tank that was porcelain lined. If there is rust the porcelain is cracked and the tank will fall at some point down the road. Figure the cost to replace it and change over to a demand pump set up if this is the case. If the pressure system is still installed check that the air compressor will pump up to 40 lbs and the water system will hold the pressure. The change over to a demand pump isn't something that is hard to do but I would look at the cost to have this done before I purchased. I would also want to see all the system running before I made any offer. Run the water system off the city water and the pressure tank separately and check for leaks every where. Have every thing up and working or if it isn't working find out why. Luckily you shouldn't have to many problems find parts or replacements for the appliances if need be.

They gary tank in 73 was an option so he is correct in his thinking that there wasn't one. The only problem with the all in one tank is there can be a smell if the p-traps don't have water in them and you need to keep the tank empty and all the drain plugs in the drains of the sinks and shower when traveling. The water in the P-traps can moved around as the you go up and down hills hit bumps and then the odor from tank can get into the trailer. I

I do know what you mean about the gold interiors, just be happy it isn't avocado that was popular back then. All I can say about that interior color is YIKES!!!

Let me know if you make the purchase and I hope this or some other RV is in your future.

Doug

Thanks Doug,
Your info is extremely helpful.
We got a chance to look at the interior today. It is the Holiday Rambler, has twin beds and rear bath, sofa across the front.It is actually all still original, curtains, carpet and all original appliances.
I liked the interior layout and the roominess and obvious quality. The color scheme is just a little too harvest gold for my likeing, but I could work with that.

The owner's parents bought it new. Current owner inherited it and it has been sitting in his driveway for 15 years. He plugs it in and supposedly uses the systems every summer, but I am leery. I don't think he really knows anything about the trailer. He insisted it didn't have a gray water tank. There is no antifreeze sitting in the toilet-so I'd be concerned that the seal is dried out. I would guess the dump valves haven't been used in the last 15 years either. The owner was not aware that the fridge was two-way-has never run it on propane, but says it makes ice in about 2 hours on electric.
The trailer is not hooked up now, so we did not run any systems today.

His lack of knowledge makes me concerned that he has not maintained things properly. Any input?

Martha

weedlady wrote:
Current owner says it's 31ft. I don't know if that's living space or includes the hitch.
That's all I know until we look at it a little more closely.
Where on the trailer do I look for the "series" name?
thanks for your help,
Martha

Martha

Holiday Rambler produced 5 series of travels in 1973. These where the Holiday Vacationer, Holiday Traveler, Holiday Rambler, Royal Holiday and the Holiday Rambler Park Model. All models where very well built with the Holiday Rambler, Royal and Park Model having Aluminum frame construction and the Traveler had Aluminum frame construction as an option other wise it was a wood frame trailer. The vacationer series was a wood frame but it had the distinction with in the industry of not using what is called stick and tin construction.

What I can tell you about their products is they where very strong and well built. All frames at that time use heavy wall 6" box steel from the hitch to the rear bumper with heavy cross member from front to rear. Solid floor construction with insulated underbelly except on the Vacationer. The side wall use Holidays rambler Alumaframe Construction, which is made up of an aluminum frame that increased strength, eliminated the problem of wood rot and improved drastically the ability to heat and cool the unit. To the aluminum frame was laminated a 1/2" fome-cor insulation, vapor and frost barrier to the inside of the coach and a thermolite barrier to the outside with the aluminum skin mechanically fasten to the frame. In the cavity between the studs would be filled with fiberglass insulation that specially made to not sage over time. It made for a quiet and warm or cool unit to be in. In 1973 all exterior surfaces on all Holiday products had side walls, roof front and rear caps and underbelly of aluminum. The Vacationer had the same but was a wood framed side wall and did not have an underbelly but an exposed frame. Since this is an older unit it likely their have been modification made to it over the years but it should have all the livability features of todays RV.

My spec book for 1973 shows that the 31' holiday Rambler had a weight of 5145lbs from the factory and a hitch weight of 680 lbs. The fresh water system at this time used a pressure tank instead of a demand pump like units being built today. Typical these water tanks where 30 gallons but there was an option for a larger tank of 45 gallons. The black and gray tanks where 30 galloons and the water heater was 8 gallons.

Some of the Rambler and Royal had Mor Ryde Suspension which was a very good system even by todays standards. All Ramblers and Royals series unit had active sway control referred to by Holiday Rambler as ASCS. You might be able to use that method of sway control if you can find the parts of the system that need to inside the tow vehicle. Holiday Rambler stop producing that system in the mid 1980 since the move was at that time way from travel trailer and 5th wheels to motorhomes. If you purchase this unit see if the present owner has the control head and processor for the tow vehicle. If he does and they still work you got the very best active sway control ever produced.

I would think this trailer has had modification made to over the years and I would expect the appliances to ether have been changed or show a pretty good amount of use by now. The advantage you have is the structure of this coach will be strong even after nearly 40 years of use and should give you many year of service into the future with some care. Frankly if the price is right and it looks good I wouldn't hesitate to make the purchase.

I have the complete product information books on Holiday Rambler product of this year and all the technical drawing and many of the build orders at my finger tips if you find you need more information.

Doug

Current owner says it's 31ft. I don't know if that's living space or includes the hitch.
That's all I know until we look at it a little more closely.
Where on the trailer do I look for the "series" name?
thanks for your help,
Martha

Do you know the series and length of the unit you're looking at? I still have some information form my past with Holiday Rambler and might be able to help you