--- On Thu, 4/26/12, Denis <dadevlin@comcast.net> wrote:
From: Denis <dadevlin@comcast.net>
Subject: Fw: The First Motorhome]
To: "DON BIRRER" <donbirrer@comcast.net>
Date: Thursday, April 26, 2012, 1:25 PM
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From: Bill Anderson
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 3:58 PM
To: Bill Anderson
Subject: The First Motorhome]
The Ford
House-Car
This is one of
only six Ford House-cars said to have been made per
year in the mid-30's at the Ford plant in St. Paul,
Minnesota,
according to an
article in a 1993 "Old Cars" magazine.
Very few
others--perhaps none--remain on the road and certainly
not in such amazing original condition!
When discovered
in a garage under a heavy cover in northern Minnesota
in August of 2001, it had only 19,000 miles on the
odometer and the owner's manual was still in the glove
box in like-new condition!
The RV had
always been garaged and treated with much 'TLC' as a
collector vehicle.
The all wood
lined interior was still the way it appeared in the
'30's complete with framed photos of the original
owner on his travels, mainly to Florida, and his cabin
in the North Woods. It also had other memorabilia from
that era.
The Ford
House-car was built on a '37 Ford Pickup frame and
cowling and was powered by a 60 horse power, flathead
V-8 with aluminum heads. The rear framing is all wood,
with the metal skin wrapped around it. The roof
structure is all wood over which the heavy,
waterproofed canvas top is still very securely fitted.
The structure of the body is solid, appearing to be
all oak hardwood and it's still in a remarkably
unaltered, undamaged condition!
The door frames
are thick, solid oak as are the window frames although
those have been painted over.
This House-car
was a big hit at this campground once we got that
great old 'flattie' V-8 hummin'! Note the expanding
roof (it's that 'extra' roof piece barely visible in
the picture) and the original dark green color, which
has been repainted. All four side windows open while
the back one tilts out in three positions. The
windshield also tilts open at the bottom for 'natural'
AC while driving.
Here are a few
shots of the Ford House-car on the road...
Here's a look at
the interior.
It's a slice
right out of 1930's just as the original owner had
it. All the windows
have curtains for privacy and there are pull-down
shades on the back window, as well as on the driver's
and passenger door windows. Note the wide storage cabinet under the
bed.
The wood
headliner gives the 'cabin' a warm and inviting rustic
feel. You can also see it has a ceiling vent and the
canvas expanding roof portion visible in this picture.
Four wood pieces securely support the expansion when
it's in the 'up' position, while clamps secure it when
it's down while traveling.
Note the cedar
branches hanging in the corners to give the cabin a
natural, north woods aroma. Cabinets and the aluminum
sink, that includes a wooden cover insert, are visible
on the left. All the antiques inside, as well as on
the walls, came along for the ride. Also note the
collapsible table behind the driver's seat.
It's amazing how
simple vehicles were back then! No computerization to
be concerned about, eh?
No virus found in
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04/24/12
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