Silverdome
Manufacturer Information
Second largest manufacturer (behind covered wagon) is Detroit’s Silver Dome, Inc., which last week tripled its floor space to 72,000 sq. ft. Producing 15 trailers a day, it was unable to fill three-fifths of its orders. President is slight, 38-year-old Norman Christian Wolfe, who, like Trailerman Sherman, pioneered in trailer advertising.
Silverdome, Inc., A division of Kozy Coach, Was established in 1924 and began production in 1931, in Berrien Springs Mi. Sometime, post world war II, production was moved to Kalamazoo Mi. They shipped about twenty five coaches a month and in 1961 production was completely discontinued.
Excerpt from Fortune Magazine March 1937
“Silver Dome is dominated by Norman Christian Wolfe, blond, nervous, and thirty-nine, who had worked up a nice business building truck bodies for Ford and Chevrolet chassis. Around 1932, when those companies decided to supply their own commercial bodies, Wolfe dived into the trailer business.”
Models
There were four models offered in 1936
- The Hyway a 16 footer for $465.00
- The Deluxe Hyway another 16 footer for $645.00
- The Suburban an 18’6“ model for $890.00
- The Country Club another 18’6” model for $975.00
Interiors
Silverdome used a variety of heating systems over the years. Beginning with wood and coal burning heaters in the thirties and early forties, then fuel oil fired space heaters into the mid fifties and finally graduating to propane Panelray brand heaters. There may have been others that I am not aware of. My 1954 was equipped with an International brand fuel oil space heater but was changed to a Panelray propane heater. (J.C.)
Prices
Prices were average to low for the times.
Pictures
Clubs/Links
J.C.s Silverdome rebuild