RVs have a rich history, and sometimes in retrospect, what seemed like a good idea at the time was, in fact, not. Below is an excerpt from a story by Christopher Smith at Motor1.com.
An epic idea that didn’t survive, for obvious reasons.
Ah, the 1970s. In this instance we’re talking about 1972, which is when this car-camper contraption hails from. Towing a big camper trailer with a car might seem like a daunting task, but full frames like the one beneath this 1972 Chevrolet Caprice were once common in Americana, and such a platform is plenty strong for such things. Or rather, it is if you attach the trailer to the frame instead of the roof. More on that in a bit.
First, let’s do a proper introduction. This isn’t a one-off creation – you’re looking at a double-axle gooseneck trailer called the Shadow, built by Harmon Industries. Instead of connecting to a bumper-mount hitch, the Shadow used its own mounting system designed to install on the roof of a car. It’s actually a rather slick design because it shortens the combined length of the trailer and tow vehicle, and it’s insanely maneuverable. Even a very long car like this old Chevrolet can actually turn 360 degrees while connected to the trailer. Brilliant, right?
This particular rig was posted to Facebook by Colton Graham, who was kind enough to share the shots with us. We don’t have the backstory on it, aside from both the trailer and the car looking remarkably good for their age. The trailer is decked out inside with the proper 1970’s green/orange color combination, including shag carpeting deep enough for small animals to get lost in. We hope that vintage stereo still works, not to mention the rotary dial phone, though you’ll need an old-school telephone wire to actually use it.
Click here to read the full story from Christopher Smith at Motor1.com.