When You Really Need A House To Live In: Homemade Trailer From The Past

You have to remember that even the best looking and well built trailers from the 1920’s-1950’s were often ‘Home-Made’ or at least kit trailers with no official ‘brand name’. While commercially built trailers had to be completely built in a factory in less than a day, some companies building as many as 6-15 completed trailer per day, and the average handy man building his own trailer in the back yard could spend weeks or even months on his custom build!

So yes many of the home-made trailers of past were actually built much better and stylish than the factory built trailers. Most of these home-made trailers were built by craftsman in the airplane, engineering, bridge construction, etc… line of trade work so they knew what they were doing! But even with the so called ‘kit’ or boxed trailers you would find a lot of customizing by the owner/builder/buyer. Also take in account that with literally 1000+ official trailer brands in the 1930’s alone, the statistics back then was that 66% of all trailers on the road during that time were Home-Made trailers! That is a lot of ‘no name’ trailers!

Here we have detailed photos (1949) of such a ‘boxed’ trailer that one could order. This was a complete kit where most companies that offered boxed or kit trailers did not supply such parts as the main frame, or siding, or even upholstery/curtains….but this one did offer everything. Even some of the first Airstreams were sold as boxed kits just like this, or you could just buy the Airstream plans and supply your own parts!

h/t: tincantourists