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Garage Find: 1963 Shasta 16-SC

When I was young, I can remember my aunt and uncle camping in a small trailer like this one. They aren’t very roomy but certainly beat a tent…especially in Northwest Montana. This one is a Shasta 16-SC from 1963 and it can be found for sale here on eBay with a current bid of over $8,000. Located in Cocoa, Florida, the undercarriage was sandblasted and repainted about a decade ago. Vintage campers are HOT and this one might be right up your alley. Wouldn’t it look awesome behind a color-matched classic truck or sedan?

Here you can see the kitchenette. Again, not much in size, but the function is there. A 3-burner cooktop with an “oven” along with a single sink and small fridge round out the appliance package. Counter space is a minimum, but if kept tidy, there is plenty of space.

The nose of the trailer features the sitting and sleeping area. You can see what is most likely the closet across from the kitchen. There is a lavatory in the rear which is a nice convenience in a small trailer like this. For a single person or couple, this certainly beats tent or car camping.

One of the coolest features of the trailer comes in the form of a collection of vintage stickers on one of the windows. They appear authentic and have a great look. If the trailer has indeed traveled to all of these places, I’m sure it would tell some stories. How about you? Have you ever camped in one of these vintage trailers?

Comments

  1. Avatar Rustytech Member

    When I was a young boy my father and several friends used to caravan around the east coast camping on summer vacations. Dad had a truck camper and one of his friends had one of these. They camped in it with 4 kids. Even then I wondered how they all fit. Brings back many fond memories. This appears to be in great shape, but seem over priced.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Steve R

      It might have been overpriced before this year, but with the pandemic there has been a renewed interest in all forms of camping. As always, the best of a particular model and quality sell at a premium. So far it’s received two bids, with several days left, it’s not likely reached it final price. Being a no reserve auction, it will be going to a new owner.

      Steve R

      Like 2
    • Avatar Last 1LE

      Have you looked at the prices for vintage Airstreams recently?

      Like 2
  2. Avatar Howard A Member

    In the early 60’s, my parents had a 16 ft Shasta just like this. The old man ordered one with no interior, and finished it himself. We would make a yearly trek to Florida for X-mas vacation. It took 3 days from Wis. 1st night, tried to make it to Louisville, 2nd night, somewhere in GA. and the 3rd night was Ft. Myers Beach. Over say a 10 year span, he had a plethora of vehicles to pull it, including, a ’61 Plymouth wagon, a ’61 Mercury wagon, a ’66 Dodge wagon ( that almost burned to the ground on Monteagle Hill) a ’63 Carryall, an IH Travelall, and then Chevy Suburbans, each trip with it’s own set of catastrophies. Mostly 2 lanes back then, and tires, always a tire. From a time when the camper was just a place to sleep or wait out a storm, it was the outdoors we wanted to see. Today, it’s slide-out this and living room that, and folks never leave the camper,,sure has changed.

    Like 34
    • Avatar Mr.BZ

      Great story, Howard, and a lot of similarities to my 60’s childhood. We had 2 different 16 ft camp trailers that were pulled by a ’54 Ford wagon and a ’61 Plymouth wagon. 3 older girls and 3 younger boys with mom and dad, and us guys loved it! My teenage sisters probably did not, and I know for a fact that my dear mom hated it with a passion, but handled it like the trooper that she was.

      Like 6
      • Avatar Howard A Member

        Hi Mr. BZ, you know, my late mom, bless her, I’m not sure she really liked it either, but my dad ruled the roost, and she went with it. They had their specific jobs, just like at home. My dad did all the driving and anything related to the car or camping itself, while my mom did all the domestics. While traveling, it was my moms duty to find a campsite for the night. After lunch on the road somewhere, that mom made, back in the car, out came the “Woodalls”, and usually 3 “W’s” or less for the old man. 1 “W” was little more than an overflow lot, and 3″W’s” had a nearby toilet. 5 “W’s” were like the ones with tennis courts reserved for those snobby Airstream groupies way on t’other side of the campground, far away from us lowly Shasta dwellers. :) More than once, we camped out in a back yard of a service station in Kentucky, while the old man had something fixed on the cars. I don’t mean to be harsh with todays campers, if you can call them that, at least they are getting out.

        Like 4
      • Avatar Jay E. Member

        My Mom must have ruled the roost as she also hated the camper. She said it was twice the work as staying home, and my Dad didn’t feel obligated to do any of it. In later years I realized she was right. We kids were a rolling disaster and it was very hard to keep us clean and fed. So a couple of attempts and it was done. I do love “camping” with our modern trailer, and do without almost everything except a bed, shower, microwave and toilet. In that order.

        Like 3
  3. Avatar unclemymy Member

    Went on a fishing trip with my cousins on a camper just like this. Three grown men and elderly uncle. My greatest fear while squeezed into the top bunk was to wake up with urinary tumescence. They’d have had to use a can-opener to get me out. Speculations like that one, as well as some of the best fishing of my life, made the trip one of my fondest memories! R.I.P. Uncle Milt. Thank you for blessing our hooks.

    Like 7
    • Avatar Skorzeny

      Definitely the first time I’ve seen ‘tumescense’ on Barn Finds!

      Like 11
      • Avatar Solosolo Member

        Or anywhere else actually.

        Like 4
      • Avatar Mountainwoodie

        “Muffler” tumescence might have been more accurate. At least for my smitty.

        Like 2
  4. Avatar Svan7040@gmail.com

    I live in the area and saw this parked at a garage on A1 for a while, it’s a very nice little camper. If I didn’t just buy a new house I’d be all over this!

    Like 4
  5. Avatar ChingaTrailer

    Love those tailfins! Why I thought I was lookin’ at a ’61 Mercedes!

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Jcs

    t
    This one whole lots better than that fancy ass Shasta listed elswheres, being as how it has three burners and all that. And a oven too, dang! This ones a deal, Margaret.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Angel Cadillac Diva Member

    Just the other day, I was searching old photos looking for one of my parents first trailer. I’m not sure of the brand, but it was a 13′ teardrop, and nothing like the teardrops of today which are only a queen size bed and a “kitchen” outside.
    Their trailer slept 3 comfortably. A double mattress at the rear and the dinette folded into a single.
    Between the two beds was a kitchen with the 3 burner stove. Sink and fridge. No bathroom! You basically had 2 square feet to move around in. Took it to Arizona from New Jersey twice. Our ’64 Ford Fairlane pulled it once and the ’70 Checker Marathon pulled it the second trip. Also a few trips to Florida towing it behind us.
    After that trailer, we got an 18′ Shasta, similar to this one. Complete with the “wings”.
    I was looking for the photo because I wanted to get a trailer like our first one. Now I’m thinking maybe a 18′ Shasta would be better .

    On a different note, how do you post a picture in the comments section?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Solosolo Member

      Becoming a member is the only way Angel.

      Like 1
  8. Avatar chrlsful@aol.com

    “…Have you ever camped in one of these vintage trailers?…”
    actually LIVED in one. Could not straighten out legs in bed as it stretched across the back.
    As grad student in WVA I was glad my girlfr wanted me over most nites. The park it was in had double wides (2, 3 on crest of the hill) down to my lill thing way down the bottom end in the dark. Owner’n her girl friend lived at the top in the house. The bath rm, in the middle, hada toilet in the shower. Turn the handle 1 way flush, the other shower time.
    8^0

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Angel Cadillac Diva Member

    Solosolo, thanks, but I am a member.
    Maybe I’m just not computer literature enough? Or because I don’t use a laptop, just my smartphone.
    I wanted to post a picture of my parents teardrop trailer.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Mike

    My Dad bought a used 13′ Santa Fe trailer from a friend. It slept the 5 of us….3 across a large dinette and two in the pull down bunk. My mom also was not too enthused, but went along with a good attitude. We would take our minibikes and trail bikes too. It was great fun! When I was in high school, Dad modified it so I could use it for the extra bedroom we needed. Slept in it all through high school and college. Fond memories🤓

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Gary Rhodes

    My paternal grandparents had the exact same camper. We covered alot of moles pulling it behind Gramps 59 Olds. Traded for a much larger one in 66. Great memories.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Gil Davis Tercenio

    After my divorce, I lived in one for about 9 months, parked next to my friend’s single wide mobile home. We worked different shifts and I was able to use his bathroom during the day, as the Shasta didn’t have one. I would stop at the truck stop on the way home at night to use their facilities. I wedged a good twin mattress and box springs into the bed section. Before that, the thin foam killed my back.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Solosolo Member

    I loved my times as a caravaner in the mountains while the kids were growing up. After an early breakfast of cereals they would grab their bicycles and take off until lunchtime, then as soon as they were full, off they would go again giving Mum and Dad some “leisure time” before appearing in time for supper, which was my main job as it was a barbecue every night. We all loved it until they grew into teenagers and the caravan became a trifle small so then we bought a time-share in the same area. Then we had the children and the grandchildren as one big happy family and enjoyed it for over 20 years before we retired. Really great way to appreciate your family. Ken Tilly UK.

    Like 5

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