Does anyone make 'em anymore?

[_tiredTeacher]

I need a one-man camper for boondocking and don't want to bother with any inverter or converter, generator or solar. I'd just as soon not bother with electricity at all.
Water from a tank that is pressurized with a hand or foot pump. Heat from a radiant, propane heater. Refrigeration from a manually lit and controlled propane refrigerator. Propane mantled gas lights for illumination and a stove for cooking.
All the trailers I see today are chocked full of power-needy appliances. Even the teardrops have microwaves and electric coolers. What's a boondocker to do? Having a TT custom built is out of this ol' retired school teacher's means.

'tiredTeacher

[_tiredTeacher]

Lwiddis wrote:
"Old school" is fun for about 20 minutes. NObody makes them because you are nearly the only customer.

Hmmmm…... you may be right.:S

[lots2seeinmyrv]

Casita $5800

Here you go!

Looks really nice!

[Grit_dog]

Unique Off Grid offers the appliance types you're looking for, but I don't think you'll get away without either battery/LP self contained or 12V/LP typical RV fridge.
But that's ok. Pretty tough to roll with NO electricity at all, so install a simple 12v system with solar charging.
Be a sweet project.

[Grit_dog]

Good luck finding a 50 year old camper that meets your amenities requirement at all, much less one that is serviceable and certainly not one that is in great shape.
From your posts, guessing the diy build your own from a cargo trailer idea is not within your skill set. But if it is, you say you have no room to work on it. Presuming city apartment living.
If you bought a trailer you'd have to park or store it somewhere, so that is where you'd build your project.
Getting creative, presuming you have tools, you could outfit a small cargo trailer. Like a 7x14V nose or even smaller, including the new trailer, for maybe $7-8k all in.

[gmw_photos]

'tiredTeacher wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:
Sounds like you want a 1960s era camper/trailer.

You got it. And since I live in the inner city with no place to work inside, doing conversions is difficult and costly. Especially adding a shower and toilet.
I was hoping I'd overlooked a retro manufacturer in my search, but apparently finding an old unit is my only hope.
I certainly can't afford to have a Scamp, Casita, Oliver, etc. special built.
Alrighty then, Craigslist it is.

Teach

The biggest problem with an old unit is at this point it's most likely going to need to be rebuilt/restored. Restore projects typically take much longer and require more material than you initially think. See if you can find the videos of Mark Polk rebuilding the old Yellowstone trailer. It's a good source of info on the resto of an old trailer. Came out awesome.

[GrandpaKip]

Most older canned hams and such didn’t have a head. Porta-potties work well. We used one for years in our pop-up and cargo trailer conversion.

[normal_dave]

I echo a cargo conversion, most all the work is done inside the trailer anyhow, you could get the windows, rv door, etc. installed at the factory. Mine is a Cargo Craft nade in the Georgia plant. Homesteader in Tennessee will also do basic conversions for you to finish out the interior the way you want.
7x16 Toy/hauler camper conversion

Here's one from IntechRV you could configure it to cover most of your needs. Very well built trailer.
IntechRV Explore

I've also been following these folks lately, very impressed, I think they could set you up with whatever you wanted in a conversion, all aluminum, yes they are in Canada, but the exchange rate looks good right now...
Canadian Trailer Company

Here's one pretty well ready to go, more options than you wanted, but I'd guess you could order one "bare bones".
7x16 Lightning Tent trailer

[patperry2766]

Can't get any easier or cheaper than this

The US has 3,531,905 square miles of land, so surely peeing won't be a problem

[colliehauler]

Craigslist or ebay might have a vintage unit. Some of them didn't have holding tanks so no shower of toliet. Most had a stove, refrigerator, heater and gas lights if you go back far enough.

[_tiredTeacher]

Jebby14 wrote:
convert an enclosed utility trailer. Good luck finding a fridge with no controller though. everything else should be easy to come by.

I still won't have a toilet. Trying to get away from taking a s**t in the rain.

[_tiredTeacher]

Chris Bryant wrote:
My ‘69 VW Wetfalia pop top would meet your needs.

No toilet. I had a 1970 VW bus for 20 yrs. and camped out of it until 1990.

Teach

[trail-explorer]

the bear II wrote:
Most manufacturers will build the interior to meet your needs.

I haven't found this to be the case with mass produced units. Manufacturers cater to the dealers, and don't do custom builds for a given customer.

[_tiredTeacher]

beemerphile1 wrote:
Sounds like you want a 1960s era camper/trailer.

You got it. And since I live in the inner city with no place to work inside, doing conversions is difficult and costly. Especially adding a shower and toilet.
I was hoping I'd overlooked a retro manufacturer in my search, but apparently finding an old unit is my only hope.
I certainly can't afford to have a Scamp, Casita, Oliver, etc. special built.
Alrighty then, Craigslist it is.

Teach

[colliehauler]

Jebby14 wrote:
convert an enclosed utility trailer. Good luck finding a fridge with no controller though. everything else should be easy to come by.

^^^This, you can put in whatever you want for a lot less money. Neighbor converted a cargo trailer but did add A/C, 110 volt frig, microwave, and generator. Has a queen bed that folds flat against the wall. He uses a Coleman stove to cook,on.

Point is you can put in as little or as much as you want.