Sunday, October 11, 2015

Sunday Drive: Curreys and Travel Trailer #3 (Promise Partly Kept*)

When he decided the time had come to buy a new, larger travel trailer in 1952, Dad narrowed his options to Airstream and Boles Aero. Being a "nut and bolts" kind of guy, he wanted to tour both factories to see how they were built but he said Airstream wouldn't let him do that and Boles did. 


 [Boles Factory 1952, from my personal collection] 

So we got a 21' Boles Aero with some modifications: installation of a larger Servel refrigerator (that Dad bought and took up to the factory); the bathroom was replaced with more closet space;** and a 50 gallon water tank put in the back underneath the bed. I'm pretty sure Dad bought it through this dealer in Solana Beach.

[Tuesday, June 24, 1952; Paper: San Diego Union (San Diego, California) Page: 26  
This entire product and/or portions thereof are copyrighted by NewsBank and/or the American Antiquarian Society. 2004.
Source: GenealogyBank.com]

[Servel Ad from Better Homes & Gardens, February 1950, ebay seller Balovel]

I haven't been able to find a photo of the interior of our trailer, but the kitchen layout (including Servel refer) was the same as this one, although our wood paneling was much lighter in color (matching the color of the screen doors). We almost never used the heater (far left, just inside the front door).

[Kitchen of 1953 Boles Aero Ensenada, Source: Boles Aero Pinterest Board by Opuntia Potwell]


Note: On our travels I was allowed to take toys and games that fit in the second drawer on the right. A few books could be fitted into narrow cupboards under the table at the front of the trailer.

By our 1953 trip to South Dakota with the new trailer, the Boles had acquired a canvas awning (red of course, to match the truck). The wagon wheels were destined to grace our rail fence in Encanto.
[Grenfell Ranch, Black Hills of South Dakota, 1953 from my personal collection 
 
[Walt & Alta Shell's Ranch, Black Hills of South Dakota, 1953, from my personal collection]

[Camp near Prescott on Way Home 1953, from my personal collection]

Next summer we traveled to Oregon where we stayed (among other places) at a cherry orchard owned by friends on a hill near Eugene and in Winchester Bay at what is now Fishermans RV Park.

[Trailor at Redingers 1954, Back Door, from my personal collection]

[Winchester Bay Fisherman's Trailer Court, 1954, from my personal collection]

*I'll describe last week's photos later.
**We used a portable chemical toilet instead.



© 2015 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

2 comments:

  1. Took out the bathroom for a closet, nice work..... not. Gorgeous rig. I had a refer like that one, Servel's were wonderful. I'd still have one if you could find it. Cool post. I will forward it to Nick Taylor, I bet there are people in his circle who would love to see that factory. Perhaps you should send some of this to some vintage trailer group.

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  2. Thank you for this post! I'm about to purchase this same model trailer, and seeing historical photos like this are so great to capture the original details! Looks like you had a wonderful time in your Boles. Happy Trails!

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