Cheap Travel Project: 1950 Spartan Royal Mansion
During the 1940s, Spartan Aircraft Co. stayed busy making airplanes for the war effort. However, demand declined dramatically after the final cease-fire, so the company began to look for new ways to utilize its production capabilities. One avenue that brought them success was in the post-war travel trailer business and products like the Spartan Royal Mansion were some of the finest (and most expensive) sold. The seller has one of the earlier Royal Mansions from 1950 and it has some extensive body damage that might suggest repurposing rather than restoring it. Our thanks to “Lothar… of the Hill People” for this interesting tip!
Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Spartan set about to build a range of trailers that would help Americans explore our great and spacious country. They ranged from more simple, single-axle jobs to elaborate huge rollers that the company advertised as “like being at home.” They were streamlined in their appearance (like Airstreams) and came well-equipped with everything you’d want (by 1950s standards, at least).
They were superior to bargain-basement trailers on the market, which may have been Spartan’s ultimate demise. You could spend up to $8,000 on one of these rolling homes back in the day, quite a chunk of change. By 1962, the market had shifted, and Spartan moved on after more than a dozen years. The body of the seller’s 1950 Royal Mansion looks okay until you gander to the left of the unit, where the aluminum body has a significant gash in it (from an accident?).
We don’t know the history of this trailer or how long it’s been sitting. Given the interior photos, it looks like most of the important stuff like appliances have been removed (but are still available). The seller suggests you could go in more than one direction with this project. Besides attempting an expensive restoration, you could cut it down into a smaller trailer or a camper with a patio door. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so you could do as you will at the asking price of $2,000 (can it be pulled the way it is?). This Spartan is available here on Facebook Marketplace in Malone, Wisconsin.
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Comments
As you said these were a very high quality, selling for as much if not more as a residential home. These can sell for up to 6 figures depending on make and model. Saw one of similar vintage that had been a frame-up restoration sold for $150,000 in Bend, OR.
To someone with a good knowledge of metal and wood (as in those who’ve restored older woodies) this could be a bargain.
Lothar and the Hand People were a late-1960s American psychedelic rock band, known for their spacey music and pioneering use of the theremin and Moog modular synthesizer. Wikipedia-
Apparently Lothar has renamed the band and has taken up a new gig spotting Barn Finds.
If you’ve ever done aircraft repair or have built a homebuilt airplane, repairing this is not that big a deal. What looks like a lot of damage will be done by replacing that sheet and other than drilling out about a balizillion rivets it’s not hard, just takes some time. Probably more work to refresh the interior than the exterior damage. I agree, someone with some skill and some time can restore this and will turn a tidy return. It would likely become someone’s prized possession.
Years ago, I worked on a custom vehicle that had an aluminum body with many compound curves and difficult metal work. One day, an older gentleman came in to apply for job. While showing him the project and trying to assess his skill level, he took one look at it and said, “Shucks, I used to put airplanes back together that were shot up way worse than that when I was in Vietnam in the Air Force.” We hired him on the spot.
Would make a really nice park model
once the gash is fixed. That’s where
Metal Supermarket would come in handy. There’s a lot of good metal
workers out there if you have 10 thumbs like I do, but it ain’t gonna be
cheap! Main thing ya’ gotta worry about is water getting in through the
seams in the roof and damaging all
that expensive birch wood that covers
the inside of the trailer. Looks like you’ve got a blank canvas to fix ‘er up
any way you like. I’d make ‘er as near
to original as I could while adding some updates like A/C, a shower, solar panels, and a complete electrical system upgrade to current
specs. In the end, I’d have a really nice place to entertain a young lady or
watch football on Sundays without
disturbing the girls. Great potential
for a tiny house here!
I love these old Spartans. The Spartanette is the more desirable shape for me, but any Spartan would suit me just fine. I’d park it on a grass airfield, next to one of their “Executive” planes.
“…you could cut it down into a smaller trailer or a camper with a patio door.”
That would be a crime.
Damn right, misterlou! 😐
Lots more damage than just the one section. Looks like someone wasn’t the greatest at backing into or pulling out of a spot. There’s numerous dents and tears all along the left side, as well as another gash on the front right.
As was stated before, I’d upgrade to all new electric and appliances, possibly a solar setup, then of course I’d have to buy a new truck to haul it with! If only it was closer…
I’m not a facebooker and couldn’t see the ad.
We have a 33′ Airstream back by the pond and this looks longer.
How long is this?
I do not have a facebook account either and I could see the ad. Click on the FB link and when the small center box comes up that wants you to sign it just hit the X to close that box. Then the original ad is visible.
I’m amazed, Russ, you didn’t mention trailer parks. Were Spartans too hoity-toity they couldn’t be considered permanent homes? For families of limited means, like mine, who couldn’t afford a plot of land, money for a well and septic, and get power run in, trailer parks were the answer. Utilities already run, rent maybe a 60 X 20 lot, and wait until your financial condition improved so you could move out. I guess the late 20th – early 21st century equivalent would be the condo, with less flexibility.
I think that the Spartans were designed to be a “park model” I don’t think that they are equipped with a holding tank. Thia old girl might be to big and heavy to be hauling around like the modern lite weights.
Looks a lot like the trailer in the early 1950s movie “The Long, Long Trailer” starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. You’ll love the Mercury convertible that Desi pulls it with.
@1963Tempest
Yes, I was going to mention that movie myself. First thing I thought of when I saw this ad.
That was a new Mercury Monterey, I think. 1952?
And what was with the electric brakes for the trailer? Does this behemoth have electric brakes? Too bad the interior is in such bad shape, but if your pockets are deep enough it could be updated luxury again.
Hi Angel! The trailer in the movie was
a ’54 New Moon 8×25 and the ragtop
was a ’53. Nice to hear from you again! Say, I’m having trouble emailing you, is your setup working?
Maybe I’m doing it all wrong (What I
know about technology I could put in a pipe and smoke) anyhow, I bet you
have a lot of these old mobile homes
where you live. At least that’s how
they portray it in the movies.
Hi Ken,
Always nice to see you. I don’t know why your having trouble with my email. All lower-case, and one, zero, one.
Maybe try messenger or messenger+. 702-972-0936
As for my car your gonna love this.
As I mentioned, the a/c would cut out after about 10 minutes.
Last week it did overheat. I tried to put more fluid in the cooling system but it was full. Turns out the cooling fans weren’t working. A garage quoted me a price of $750 to fix.
A few days later I jump in the car to go to an appointment and it won’t start. Just clicks when I turn the key. Battery is dead. I take the old battery out, walk down to the auto parts store, pay $230 for a new battery and install it.
Guess what? The a/c works just fine as do the cooling fans.
Appearently the fans and a/c draw too much power from the battery (30 Amp fuses) and with the battery being so weak, the computer shut them down.
These damn cars are so smart.
Out here in the desert batteries only last 2 or 3 years tops. Windshield wipers have to be replaced every year. They dry out fast.
I own a Spartan 53 foot “Executive Mansion” from 1957. A friend of mine pulled it up from Massachusetts to northern Vermont in the early nineties, and put it on 12 acres, built a 20×20 room onto it, and used it as his home. He put in a deep well, septic, and electricity. Nice birch interior, complete with a washer in the kitchen. 2 bedrooms and a small but functional bathroom. Many fun times were had in that trailer.
He went south to Florida in 2009, I bought the property from him, trailer included, and have been renting the trailer to the same person for the last fifteen years! These trailers were high end, and it’s continued use demonstrates how durable and long lasting they are, even in the harshest climates, like here in northern Vermont.
You have done a masterful job of recycling aluminum. Good on ‘ya!
Have to try your email again and see
if I can get it to work at this end. At
nearly 70 years old, (I’ll be that on Friday) I’m somewhat technically challenged when it comes to these new fangled gadgets. As for your car, I’m glad to hear that everything turned
out great for you. Sounds like your
battery trees and in so doing, caused
one giant short. When a battery trees,
a piece of the plate inside the battery
breaks off with a piece of the broken
plate touching another plate, or the
jagged edge of the plate it broke off
from. The end result is a dead short
that’ll keep your car from starting every time. Might wanna have your
alternator checked for any abnormal
wear that short might have caused.
One good way to check an alternator
is to pull the hot wire off the battery
while the car is running. And if the
engine still runs, your alternator is
working as it should. But watch how
you do it, do it wrong, and you’ll get
knocked on your can! Been there, done that and didn’t get a tee shirt.
One time, I was polarizing a generator
on a ’50 GMC truck when I got zapped
and knocked back 3 feet! I’m so glad
that I don’t have to do that anymore.
Now all you have to do is bolt on a new alternator. I was wondering how
everything turned out and I’m glad hear you’re on the road again. My girls
(Niece and SIL) are always telling me to slow down, but why? So long as I’m not feeling my age, I’ll keep on going. If I don’t, my faculties will
deteriorate. That’s why I’ll work at
something as long as I can.
A simple voltmeter is better for testing to see if the alternator is working by watching the voltage at the battery.
My old Sun VAT40 can test volts and amps.
Hi Ken,
That’s right stay active and you will last a much longer time.
Happy Birthday on Friday! 💯💯💯🌹🥂🎉🎊🎂
I turned 71 last month. Still feel and think 19, except for the joints…. they feel 90.
Happy birthday, young lady from a 74 year old kid.
I’m very active and continue road racing. I have NOT slowed down!
The last VA checkup diagnosed a new finger joint problem and called it trigger finger.
Thanks Angel! Can’t afford to take the day off, so I’ll do what I always do-
run circles around the younger folks
that work at my store and out work them too! I don’t have any real joint
problems But I do have sciatica and
A-fib so I do have to slow down some.
I try to find different ways of doing the
work they expect me to do. For instance, I’ll use a dry mop on a ling
pole to clean window sills and walls.
I spray the mop head with Endust and
get down to it. They won’t let me fill
Athe ice machines after my A fib flared up last month so they fixed the
ice maker in the dining room so I wouldn’t have to do that for awhile.
At least until they need ice in the
kitchen machines. And while I don’t
have joint problems, my niece certainly does. That poor child has 3
kinds of arthritis but she works as
A kitchen support at the McDonald’s
across town. Drives Sis nuts getting
us to work on time, but we make it.
Good night Angel ,💋 Gotta hit the
sack as 4:30 comes around before
you know it Night all!