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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 3, 2013 17:50:55 GMT -5
My name's Mike, and glad I found this board. Been lurking for the last day, and you guys seem great. A week ago, I had only heard of Shastas in passing. Saw this little guy sitting in a back lot in a bunch of much and leaves. Apparently has been sitting for the last 14 years. It was a must have it moment, and the owner was shocked that I came knocking. Seemed pretty happy to see it go to someone who would fix it up. The title says that it is a '65, but looking around online for the last week hints that this may be wrong. My guess is 59-61? Everything seems to be in moderately good shape, though the skin has been painted at some point. I'll look for a VIN when I can, haven't towed it home yet as I still have the tires off of it after getting new ST175 80R13's put on the original rims. Any initial thoughts on year? Anyway, its great to be here, and I love all the posts and build stories I've come across!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2013 18:36:15 GMT -5
So, That's where that has been! I have been looking all over the place for that exact trailer (and story), and you find it in a bunch of leaves...!!!Where are you located and how much do you want for it ?? Just kidding (sorta)... That is a great story, and I really can't wait to hear more of it as you go along. It really is amazing how fast you can get bit by this affliction... Your photos threw me a little bit, as I have been under the impression the Compacts all had the jalousie window in the front, and did not change over to the 2-panel awning windows till 1970 or so. It is definitely not a 1970 or so. Other features look correct to me for the time period, the water fill in the rear, and the taillights. 1965 was the year that Shasta started switching over their design to the flat-roof "toaster" shape. That would lead one to believe this one to be earlier. But I do think there was a time in the switching period where a model built in late '64 may have been sold and titled as a '65. Then of course there is the possibility that paperwork was lost along the way and it was re-registered at some point when it changed hands, and was re-titled with a wrong year of manufacture. When you get the chance, check on the bottom of the sink, and on the back of the mirror, if it is inside. They were dated with a manufacturing date, and that would tell the earliest the trailer was likely made. By now you probably know where to look for the VIN stamped on the tongue, and on the older models, may instead be a plate attached to the inner tongue on the streetside. The VN may help in narrowing down the age some too. I own an Airflyte (or should I say, it owns me...) that had a similar "lost paperwork" problem, it appears to be a '64. I recognize the years of leaves on the Compact... My Airflyte appears here: vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=yourshastaphotos&action=display&thread=6970Okay so, seriously, how much do you want for it? (Uh Oh, my wife is giving e a really dirty look---we'll have to talk later...)
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 3, 2013 19:04:47 GMT -5
Thanks so much for the advice on the mirror and sink, I'll definitely check that the next time I'm at the trailer (hopefully tomorrow!) There really seems to be so much subtle variation to the models... I'm having to look at where seams connect to windows, lighting positioning, etc, and cross referencing that to what pictures I see online, and some of them appear to be labeled with the wrong year too (maybe) I did find one other Shasta that appeared to be of the same year, and that was a '59 Compact decorated in Route 66 memorabilia, done by a woman named Nancy (found via google) I don't think I could really part with my little guy right now, the Shasta Bug worms its way in very quickly it seems! Eventually I'd love to own an Airstream Bambi, but haven't priced that out yet. I'm afraid to look. I'm thinking I got it for a decent price ($110) even though it did need new tires to even tow... my thanks to board members that led me to finding the correct tire sizing, I was initially hunting down modern trailer tires at Lowes and Walmart, and they looked like bicycle tires by comparison! :/ I'll get some interior pics as well the next chance I get EDIT: Forgot to mention, I live in Eastern PA, about an hour away from NYC.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2013 19:33:56 GMT -5
Mike, if you do decide not to tackle this, please get in touch. I'm near Rochester, NY, so probably within 4 hours or so, we could meet n Binghamton.....and I'll gladly give you what you have in it, including the tires. You really didn't get it for a decent price...you stole it. (Whoops, shouldn't have told you that...)
Those Airstreams you speak of are AAA-dorable. But they are also pretty pricey from what I've seen.
It is difficult to narrow down the years and even the models by google-searching. I was trying to find out what I had for sure when I first found this board. The resources of many owners and many restorations are much more reliable than random googles.
(The wife is really staring me down now....gotta slip away...stay in touch...)
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Post by 65callie on Mar 3, 2013 21:53:40 GMT -5
The VIN will be stamped onto the outside of the tongue of the trailer on the door side. May be hard to see but it will be there. With the VIN you will be able to determine the year. The one we got was registered as a 1952 home-made because nobody could see the VIN but when you know where to look you can find it. Ours didn't have a date on the sink (mirror was missing). All that date will tell you is that the trailer can't be older than that date.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2013 8:42:08 GMT -5
I should clarify about the date stamps. I have not yet found a mirror with a stamp on it, but read other owners' posts where they did find it there, so it is possible it may be there. The later models with the stainless sinks did not have any stamp on them that I have found. My Airflyte (and a couple others I could point to) with the porcelain sink, has the date stamped across the end of the outer bowl. As callie points out, the stamp is only the manufacture date of the part, not necessarily of the whole. The VIN combined with such a stamp may really be most accurate for pinning the year down.....or not.
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Mark
New Member
1961 Compact
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Post by Mark on Mar 4, 2013 11:39:19 GMT -5
Front window looks different than any I've ever seen-- my '61 Compact has a 4 glass panel type. Definitely before 1965. Best of luck and let us know how the tow with the new tires go. I'm about to commit to a similar tire upgrade for mine.
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Mar 4, 2013 15:31:39 GMT -5
WOAH! Can't wait until you find the VIN on this and get it dated. The aluminum on the roof has no breaks and the side markers are round. If these and the front window are original, this is way different from later Compacts. We were told that Hamlet is a '59, but since he was in such bad shape we couldn't make out the VIN, we really don't have any way of verifying this. We do know that a small number of Compacts were made in '59 - with the '60 model year - but this one may be the only real one around. Can't wait to see more pics!
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Post by LittleVintageTrailer on Mar 4, 2013 17:35:51 GMT -5
Congratulations!! I love the story of how you spied it and bought it for such a steal. It will be fun to watch the progress of you fixing him up. (sounds like it's a boy).
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 4, 2013 19:19:19 GMT -5
So a bit of an update, I didn't have time to get the as-of-yet unnamed canned ham home yet, but I did stop by for a couple quick pictures. He'll be home tomorrow afternoon, on my 30th birthday. Ideal present for myself I believe I did get the VIN off the tongue. There's a picture below of it, from what I can tell it's 13_998 which seems a little short to me. Are we sure this is a Shasta? Here's another odd thing. In the bathroom wall there is a Z cut out. Looks factory, and I don't know what it is. Picture of that included. There's also a picture of the stove, sink area, and a terrible shot of the back end. I was running out of daylight at that point and it seemed like the pictures were coming out much worse that they actually did... I would have taken some more of the cabinetry and shelving. I'll get some better shots tomorrow.
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 4, 2013 19:21:39 GMT -5
The VIN: Fresh side pic of the door side (truck was previously parked in the way) Odd "Z" in the bathroom wall
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 4, 2013 19:25:46 GMT -5
Stove (rough shape) Sink (brown) Terrible shot of the rear end, but its something for now
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 4, 2013 19:35:19 GMT -5
I think I just found my answer... it's a Zipper, not a Shasta! vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=sob&action=print&thread=1282That looks exactly the same! EDIT: Mystery solved, guys, and thanks for all your help. Maybe a mod needs to move this to SOB? I'm a little sad that my guy isn't a Shasta, but I'm intrigued by the backstory of Zippers as well. He has been named "Velcro"... Velcro the Zipper. You guys mind if I still hang about on the forums, despite my keen lack of a Shasta?
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Hamlet
2K Post Member
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Post by Hamlet on Mar 4, 2013 20:59:14 GMT -5
Hey, Hamlet welcomes another boy - ANY boy! It's pretty much mostly girls around here. And regardless of maker, Zipper is majorly cool. Taking another look, the skin is arranged slightly differently in the front and back from a Shasta. Another giveaway is the lamp over the bench on the side in the back, Shastas didn't have one there. We can't wait to see your progress on this wonderful little piece of history. Post lots of pics!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2013 21:17:01 GMT -5
Great detective work! (And for those who know, SB bird-dogged another one!...)
Mind if you hang in?? You are kidding right? This story is getting cooler by the moment. Obviously you know the back-story now about how the "Zipper" came to be. The design is close enough to a Compact that kit is really hard to tell the difference. I am not even sure that it should be considered another brand... Be careful of that VIN #, don't rub it too much more... a little bit of white crayon might just shoe it off better, but you don't want to obliterate the stamp.
Oh and by the way...Happy Birthday!
By the way I still think you should sell me that one...
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Mar 4, 2013 22:16:06 GMT -5
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 4, 2013 22:18:29 GMT -5
crw, thanks for the tip on the VIN, I hadn't realized the tongues were so soft! Also, if life ever throws a crazy twist in my storyline and I need to rehome Velcro, I'll certainly run it by you before he hits the open market And if anyone is curious, here is a picture of a 1965 Zipper in better shape that gives a better impression of what they look like. It's from the thread that identified my little guy, linked up a post or two ago. I'm thinking of putting together a photo reference by year of the various compacts, unless there's one floating around somewhere? *crosses fingers* I whiffed when I searched for one.
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cowcharge
1K Post Member
I suffer from Shastasomiasis.
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Post by cowcharge on Mar 4, 2013 22:31:58 GMT -5
Just tell people it's from Shasta's Russian subsidiary, it's a Zhasta!
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 4, 2013 23:04:19 GMT -5
Hamlet, the 12' fiberglass egg trailer (was that the dome you mentioned?) in that thread is just... just... I want it. So bad. Add that to the list of campers I never knew existed a few weeks ago but now desperately need along with an actual Shasta compact and an Airstream Bambi.
Love the name, by the way.
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Post by schweetcruisers on Mar 4, 2013 23:10:41 GMT -5
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 4, 2013 23:53:40 GMT -5
Oh, that one is amazing! I'm guessing they rented them out and didn't manufacture them?
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Post by paigenmarc on Mar 5, 2013 13:56:24 GMT -5
Loving the Zhasta!
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 5, 2013 16:11:55 GMT -5
He's going to be a naked Zhasta soon... have some interior work to do, and the skin has got to come off :/
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Post by joecamper on Mar 5, 2013 17:04:50 GMT -5
First and formost welcome and congrats
Second would you be willing to explain how you get your photos up without attatchment and how you get multiple photos into 1 post??
I would give you a dollar.
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Post by LittleVintageTrailer on Mar 6, 2013 0:35:53 GMT -5
I was wondering why that window was different. Now we know! Maybe not a Shasta but it's just as cute!
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offspringin
1K Post Member
Never question the engineer's judgement!
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Post by offspringin on Mar 6, 2013 16:35:49 GMT -5
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Post by troy on Mar 7, 2013 0:31:32 GMT -5
Great find... I to found a Zipper behind a barn , it was basically complete... I have almost finished redoing the inside . Waiting on warm weather to finish the outside. It's been a blast... can't wait to camp.
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Post by desertrefinisher on Mar 8, 2013 15:10:34 GMT -5
Updates! Had a few hours on two days so far to do some work. But first, joecamper: I'll shoot you a PM on the image issue, its real easy And troy... welcome to the forum and it's great to have another Zipper owner out there, it seems that there are very few of us :/ I've only seen pictures of around 5 (I think). Hope the weather warms up for you soon! And as for Velcro, I got him home to the shop, and have commenced pulling him to bits. So far so good, I got to see his original lower color (powder blue) after I pulled off the taillight base and saw factory fresh blue. He is officially a, well, "he". Another enjoyable find was the original hubcaps stored under the sink. They'll have to be stripped and powdercoated, but there's no corrosion to fill like there is on a few other parts of him (looking at you, rear bumper!!) So far I've gotten all his windows out and nearly finished pulling out the kitchen. What I've learned from this experience: 1/4" nutdriver is a MUST! Aaaaaand pics: Velcro the 1965 Zipper. Windows out, kitchen in progress. Hubcaps: Corroded Taillight Plate Some corrosion in areas remain after grinding, will need to fill. Most metal remains solid. The rear bumper and the taillights are the worst. Kitchen nearly out. Was quite happy to get the Humphrey lamp out with no damage. It's in great shape with original globe. Cabinetry is being removed with minimal damage in the process, but there is water damage. Certainly some very usable pieces, but simple refinishing and reinstallation is not viable. Thankfully, I'm going to be creating the entire interior custom (don't hate me purists, the outside will be original... ;D) More to follow
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Mar 8, 2013 21:24:19 GMT -5
OK, you say you're going to customize the interior. Don't keep us in suspense! What are you going to do?
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Gone Kayaking
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long live the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum....we're gone but you are not forgotten!
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Post by Gone Kayaking on Mar 9, 2013 20:17:46 GMT -5
Looking forward to the thread.....and like Hamlet, please give us a clue on your plans. By now you must have seen that we celebrate diversity here on the VSTF we even welcome our members who "trans" their domes into airflytes.
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