1970 Shasta LoFlyte Travel Trailer

1970 Shasta LoFlyte Travel Trailer
(Sold May 2008)

We sold the Shasta to nice couple from Springfield, IL on May 17, 2008. We hope that they enjoy this little camper as much as we did. I'll leave this site up for other's to enjoy as long as server space allows. We've replaced the Shasta with a 1986 Sunline T2461 Classic Satellite.

Features:

16' travel trailer
Completely remodeled. Lots of time and money invested.
New interior: framing, paneling, paint, cabinets, fabrics (see below for remodel details)
Full size inner-spring platform bed
All new trailer wiring for lights and brakes
All new 110V electric
New tail and marker lights
New wheels and tires
Refrigerator
New air conditioner w/remote control
New radio/CD player
Stabilizer jacks
Outside kitchen shelf
Lots of storage in front cabinets and under bed
Roof coated and windows resealed during remodel

This travel trailer started out as just another workshop project. But, since we began working on this project, it has taken on a life of it's own...

This is a 16' (14' of interior space) 1970 Shasta LoFlyte travel trailer that we bought from Shari's parents when they upgraded to a newer larger trailer. Shari has a lot of childhood memories of camping in this trailer; so, rather than let it rot away, we decided to rebuild (and remodel) the trailer and put it back to work. I know that a lot of Shasta restorers will hate me for saying it, but the original interior decor and layout just didn't cut it. It was very cramped and very dated. So, we gutted the interior and started over. Of course, removing the interior exposed the strucutral framework, wiring, and thrity plus years of wear, deterioration, and water damage. All of the roof framing and most of the wall framing was rotting and in need of repair/replacement. Luckily, the floor was pretty solid. But, the trailer wiring was shot as was the AC wiring.

Here's how floor plan looked like before:

The interior of the trailer is 14' x 7' (only 98 sq.ft.). The old kitchenette took about about a third of the available floor space and the old seating/dining area took up another third. That left only about 32 sq ft for a bed/bench and walkway! The phrase "Ten pounds of poop in a five pound bag" comes to mind. The layout was very efficient, but with features stacked from floor to ceiling, it was also very claustrophobic. The owner's manual says that the trailer will sleep six. Maybe six children! The main bed was fine for one person, but it was just too small for two adults to be comfortable. The fold down bunk over the bed was only about 18" tall. Again, children only. And, the dinette folded into an additional bed, but was VERY cumbersome. If you crammed six people into that tiny interior, you certainly wouldn't need a heater to stay warm.

Here's how the floor plan looks now:

We completely customized the interior of the trailer. The new floor plan looks nothing at all like the original. We left the interior as open as possible to make the space feel larger than it really is. We've left out most of the original built-in cabinetry because it made the cabin feel very small. There's no built-in sink, no oven or cook top, no closet, and no dining area. Instead, we used the available space for a larger bed, more seating, and more efficient storage. Most of the storage is beneath the bed, beneath the bench, and in the front cabinets. The area forward of the door acts as a kitchenette, of sorts. There's plenty of storage for food, cookware, dishes, etc. and plenty of counter space for food prep; but, most of the cooking is done outside. That keeps the heat and clutter out of the trailer. To further the illusion of space, we left out all of the shelving and cabinetry at or above eye level. The only upper cabinets are those above the "kitchenette" at the front of the trailer. Even though there is only slightly more open floor space than before, now when you enter the trailer, everything feels much more open and airy. The new bed is much more comfortable and has plenty of head room. The long bench will double as a bed for our son. And, best of all, I can stand up without bumping my head on cabinets!

When we started the rebuild, Shari and I made a list of the features that we wanted to include. Here's what we had in mind:

Refrigerator
Electric dutch oven
Microwave
Air Conditioning
full size spring matress bed with storage below
Radio
TV/DVD Combo
Seating for four adults

Here's a list of the work that we've done:

Removed the kitchenette, bed, and all of the built-in cabinetry
Stripped the walls and ceiling down to the wooden skeleton and aluminum skin
Replaced rotten wall framing
Replaced old underbuilt roof braces with grid of glued and screwed plywood strips (much much stronger, but still flexible)
Relocated original electrical hook-up recepticle and 2-circuit breaker box to new location below future front cabinets
Installed new metal recepticle and switch boxes in new locations
Installed new AC wiring from breaker box to new outlets and lighting fixtures
Replaced old tail lights and running lights, and license plate bracket
Replaced all original trailer wiring and updated to modern 7-conductor plug
Applied new roll-on rubber roofing
Sealed and reinstalled roof gutters
Resealed all windows, doors and body seams
Closed in original non-opening rear window with new aluminum and beefier wall framing
Installed perminently mounted air conditioner in new rear wall
Removed old cracked and peeling linolium flooring with new vinyl flooring
Framed new bed platform and benches
Framed new front cabinets
Installed new countertop on front lower cabinets
Installed new wanscotting and wall paneling
Removed non-opening rear window
Installed air conditioner in new rear wall
Installed new space-saver radio/CD player under front upper cabinets
Installed fridge and microwave in lower front cabinets
Installed shelf above countertop with three electrical outlets for applicances
Installed cabinet doors and drawers (all with friction catches for traveling)
Installed hat/coat hooks, wall mirror, weather station, and fire extinguisher
Installed cargo box on trailer toungue to hold tools, stabilizers, drop cords, etc.
Painted interior walls, ceiling, trim, and caninets in a slate blue and cream color scheme
Mounted cargo platform rack on rear bumper to haul firewood, etc.
Hung new navy blue privacy curtains over all windows
Built removable outside shelves for cooking, washing dishes, etc.

Here are some pictures from before, during, and after the rebuild:

Before:

The Shasta's New Home

The Interior Before

During:

Removing the Interior	Removing the Interior	Removing the Interior	Gutted Interior	Gutted Interior
New Bed Platform & Benches	New Bed Platform & Benches	New Bench with Storage Beneath	Front Cabinet Framing Begins	New Front Cabinet Framing
New Front Cabinet Framing	New Front Cabinets Complete	Exterior July 2006

After:

The Interior is pretty much finished. All of the trim is installed, everything is painted, and the new curtains are up. We went with light blue walls, a white ceiling and trim, and dark blue fabrics. The light paint brightens up the interior, but the dark curtains block out the light for those all-important afternoon naps. We still have to make the new cushions, but the temporary ones will work in the mean time. I'm sure we'll make a few modifications as time goes on, but we've just about accomplished everything that we planned for the interior. Here are some pictures of how it turned out...

Finished Interior Aug. 2006	Finished Interior Aug. 2006	Finished Interior Aug. 2006	Finished Interior Aug. 2006
Finished Interior Aug. 2006	Finished Interior Aug. 2006	Finished Interior Aug. 2006

Although the exterior isn't finished yet, a couple of the exterior features are, namely, the rear wall with airconditioner, the rear cargo rack, and the outside "kitchen" shelf with built-in towel bars. Here are some pictures that show these features in their finished state.

Rear wall with AC Aug. 2006	Rear Cargo Rack Aug. 2006	Rear Cargo Rack Aug. 2006
Outside Kitchen Shelf Aug. 2006	Outside Kitchen Shelf Aug. 2006

Some pictures of the trailer in its natural habitat (the campsite):

New Salem State Park July 2006	New Salem State Park July 2006	New Salem State Park July 2006	Our Friends' 24' Coachman July 2006
New Salem State Park July 2006	New Salem State Park July 2006	New Salem State Park July 2006	Our Friends' 24' Coachman July 2006
New Salem State Park Labor Day Weekend 2006	New Salem State Park Labor Day Weekend 2006	New Salem State Park Labor Day Weekend 2006	New Salem State Park Labor Day Weekend 2006
My Brother's Shasta 1400 Labor Day Weekend 2006	My Brother's Shasta 1400 Labor Day Weekend 2006