May 2014
News Release
What: Tin Can Tourists 17th Annual Gathering and The North American Vintage Trailer and Motor Coach Show
When: May 15th –18th, 2014
Where: Camp Dearborn,
1700 General Motors Road
Milford, Michigan 48380
Contact: Forrest Bone, Tin Can Tourists
Phone: 941-302-2415
E-mail: tincantourists@gmail.com
Website: www.tincantourists.com
Tin Can Tourists are holding their 17th Annual Gathering at the Milford, Michigan campground this month. Nearly 200 travel trailers of all vintages will camp out from May 15 through the 18th.
Folks have been finding ways to hitch the wagon to the back of the family car since family cars first rolled off the lines. Michigan’s automotive history wouldn’t be complete without a good travel plan. And one group has been coming to Camp Dearborn to celebrate the rich and colorful history of the travel trailer.
The North American Vintage Trailer and Motor Coach Show on Saturday, (May 17th from 11 to 3pm) will feature trailers and mobile mansions from days gone by including a 1948 Spartanette, with its polished wood interior and Art Deco curves, a 1936 Bowlus Road Chief, and a rare 1937 Curtiss Aerocar towed by a custom built 1938 International Truck. The show also includes shiny 1960s Airstreams, as well as Scotties and Shasta’s of every description and unique campers from GMC, Flxible and Travco.
Saturday’s open house includes a visit from RV historian Dan Hershberger who will talk about his 1927 Kamp Kar and his collection of artifacts from early Autocar and camping (2 PM – Site #50).
Brian McCool of Delton says he’s been going to the gathering for more than a decade. He says he first got interested in restoring vintage trailers after he bought and partially restored a 1948 Spartan Manor as a prop for his 1948 Pontiac convertible. Now he owns 4 vintage campers, including a fully restored 1946 Spartan Manor and 1954 Tiny Home, also called the “canned ham” because its profile is very similar to a canned ham.
McCool says the Tin Can Tourist event is about more than the nostalgia vintage trailers, it’s also about friendship and camaraderie.
“We use the trailers like anyone would use a new RV, we take them on vacation and everywhere we go we make friends as people ask questions and relate their stories to us.”
Tin Can Tourist was started nearly 100 years ago, but the club had been inactive for some time when Forrest Bone and his wife, Jeri, reestablished TCT in 1998. Bone says the club has been growing ever since. He says this will be the largest Annual Gathering held at Camp Dearborn.
Contact:
Forrest Bone – 941-302-2415, tincantourists@gmail.com
Dan Hershberger – 734-764-8219, gfldh@yahoo.com
Brian McCool – 269-330-8039, ksmcool@gmail.com
The Tin Can Tourists is an organization committed to the preservation and celebration of classic trailers and motor coaches. The original Tin Can Tourists were organized in Tampa Florida in 1919. Forrest and Jeri Bone renewed the club in 1998 as an all make and model vintage trailer and motor coach club. The Tin Can Tourists holds annual gatherings in Florida and Michigan with regional rallies throughout the U.S. In addition, TCT has regional representatives in Canada, the Netherlands, France, Australia and Japan.
The Tin Can Tourist 17th Annual Gathering will give members networking opportunities and new ideas for trailer and motor coach preservation.
Photos and credits:
PR Photo 1: 1948 Spartan Manor and 1954 Tiny home restored by TCT Member Brian McCool. – Credit: SouthRiver Media
PR Photo 2: Brian McCool Tows his 1948 Spartan Manor with his 1948 Diamond T Truck – Credit: SouthRiver Media
PR Photo 3: Brian McCool and his faithfully restored 1956 Tiny Home. – Credit: SouthRiver Media
PR Photo 5: 1973 GMC Motor Home. – Credit: Tin Can Tourists
PR Photo 6: Custom “Wayzless” cedar cabin. – Credit: Tin Can Tourist