Wagon Camper, Ever Seen One?

Saw this ad for station wagon campers on eBay. Has anybody ever seen one in person? Would be a neat accessory for the wagon!

Clark

 

Never seen one. Looks like a good way to dent your roof too.

 

Apparently, they've been around since the late 50's:
http://www.pastpaper.com/List-MechanicsMechIllus.htm

I think those days of feeling that safe with a soft-top are gone. But it sure shows imagination.

 

Oops! That is a metal one. (Read First, Normie! Fewer big toes in mouth!)

Anyway, Plymouth offered a foldable tent-type in 1958, in this 1965 advert:

www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/bulletin/1947-1995/1965/28041965.pdf

 

Ford offered them as a 'factory accessory' since 1956......crap....
...now i gotta scan pictures???!!!...

 

Here is the link http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1966...178080143QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item280178080143

 

It sounds like the unit that Butch is talking about ("Introduce Yourself" section) was specifically designed for the Studebaker Lark, with the sliding roof. It would allow stand-up room inside the space of the vehicle, where other "add-on" station wagon campers would only have the stand-up room hanging out behind the back bumper, or not at all. I had known about the 'regular' add-on wagon campers, but had never heard of the unit for the Stude. If Chevy or Ford had the sliding roof instead of Studebaker, you can betcha there would still be a lot of those units around.

 

With all the sunroof and moonroof seals that have been built since 1965, we'd know how to beef up roofs and modify wagons with drop-down tailgates (mine is hinged on the roof). But that's assuming we can afford to travel.

I like that DIY sketch that 75RivGs posted, but a tent might be easier and the Ford stationwagon 'chuckwagon' setup:


Even a Wagon packing map:


And this tent idea looks OK too:

 

There was actually one on eBay for sale a while back. If I remember correctly it went for only a few hundred dollars.

 

There were only about 5 of the Studebaker units ever made according to a post of a guy who's dad had one.





I am planning on making a miniture model of one to fit in the Matchbox Studebaker Wagonaire.

 

Sliding Roof

GM ALMOST had a sliding roof model station wagon........The 1955 Chevy Nomad was designed to have it. But costs, time, leaking, were problems. Therefore the phony roof ridges in the production Nomad. Plus today RV'ers have to have 40' motorcoaches with everything including the kitchen sink and Wi-Fi.

 

That camper on the Stude is different. I never saw anything like that.

Here is a picture of my family's July 4th 1970 outing. That is a Camp-o-Tel on top of dad's wagon.