Posted in the TCT Facebook group by Michigan Representative Brandon Morrison:
I’m going to do a post on each of the 5 vintage trailers we have on display this year at the Grand Rapids RV show representing the Tin Can Tourists! I will start with our 1951 Lutes Coach built in Kalamazoo. This is Lutes Coach #1, the first one ever built! Clarence Lutes had started and ran Kozy Coach in the 1930s and sold out when WWII started. After the war he decided to get back into the trailer business and in 1951 started Lutes Coach, this trailer is nearly identical to a pre war Kozy Coach. 25ft long overall weighing about 4,000 pounds, it’s almost completely original. After the RV show the windows and the rest of the exterior trim will be restored, along with a new axle and a few other small hidden upgrades and then it will be ready for another season of fun behind the Mercury Wagon or our 48 Pontiac Convertible!
Our next Grand Rapids RV show entrant is Don Ferrier 1951 Boyertown factory-built motorhome! This mostly original coach was built in Boyertown PA, they built these for over 10 years but less than 200 were ever built. The cabover bunk was added sometime later. Don plans to put this Coach on a Sprinter chassis with a Diesel drive train so it’s drivable cross country!
Trailer number 3 from the Grand Rapids RV show is Matt and Cassondra Lou 1971 Avion Voyager, this unit is 25ft long and was built with a double door opening to accommodate a motorcycle! Matt and Cassie have done a great job with the restoration of this beautiful Avion and enjoy camping in it all summer long!
Entry number 4 from the Grand Rapids RV show belongs to Julie and Mark Vermeer, and is a beautiful 1968 Airstream Sovereign of the Road. This 31ft trailer has been lovingly restored by Mark and has been enjoyed on trips all over the country. Shortly after the show they will be enjoying an extended trip to Florida in this trailer, how about that polish job!
Our 5th and final trailer from the Grand Rapids RV show is Mark and Julie’s “project” Airstream. This 1953 built Flying Cloud is 21ft long and in remarkable shape. This is literally untouched as found, they will be doing a full restoration on this unit but what a great trailer to start with. The big question is to polish or not to polish? The skin is perfect! Notice the cool bathroom sink with no drain, it flips back and drains that way.
I really enjoyed the photos and the information about these trailers and their owners. Thank you, Tin Can Tourist for putting this all together for us!
AWESOME! When is this? Love to show our Georgie Boy, all original.
It was Jan 21-23, 2022 – Maybe next year!
Great share!
Thank you for taking the time and posting- great information and photos!
Great pictures and enjoy hearing about their new travels!
Thanks
Thank you for posting the pictures and information. Perhaps vintage trailers should show up at other trailer shows in the future. Good publicity.
We’ve done it fairly often. We can’t just “show up” but will consider it when invited and the circumstances are right. It is a big commitment for those that bring their trailers because these shows typically happen in the winter and it requires our members to dig their trailers out of storage and potentially pull them on snowy roads to the event, then spend a long time getting the show ready. It’s not as easy as it looks.
The other challenge is that these events are long days without any breaks and the attendees sometimes don’t have an appreciation for the vintage trailers. There were a few stories of challenges from this event. People often look at these events as entertainment and a playground for their themselves and their kids.
So yes, good publicity but not something you want to do often.
Love to see you all enjoying the best way to see the USA!
Brandon
Excellent job putting these vintage units together for the RV show. We couldn’t make it this year so it was great to see the pics…
Onward, Morrison Speed Shop!
Wonderful and very informative article!