PDA

View Full Version : Camping in the 70's


Radio
04-02-2017, 06:09 PM
Have a look at these:

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/vintage-photos-rving-camping-1970s/

My brother had 2 or 3 different VW camper vans. Way underpowered, but cool, especially if you liked it when hippies would walk over to check the thing out.

I prefer my 5th wheel. Old geezers that used to be hippies will sometimes come over to check the thing out.

Check out the little stove/cook kit in picture #6. The SVEA 123 white gas stove inside the aluminum enclosure was NEVER meant to be in an enclosure of any kind. EVER. ALL SVEA 123 stoves that were used this way eventually overheated and exploded in a massive fireball.

:fireman:

All of them. Every one. Including mine. That's how I know. But that's how it was done when I first went out on the trails

Radio
04-02-2017, 06:20 PM
I still have that stove. Had it repaired and carried another 100 miles or so. Recently gave all my vintage backpacking gear to my son and his wife.

Except the stove. He let me keep that. He remembered!

coupevillefish
04-02-2017, 08:21 PM
We are going retro, selling our Georgetown and downsizing to a 1970 Trails West Campster. It will also be my Go Box for the radio. I have VHF/UHF now and working on HF.

Solar 12v and shore power 120v
Hand pump water (12 gal)
No propane at all
One burner butane stove
120v dorm fridge
Porta potty
2 single beds
1700 pounds

That's about it.

W7DAF

NN5I
04-03-2017, 07:23 AM
Check out the little stove/cook kit in picture #6. The SVEA 123 white gas stove inside the aluminum enclosure was NEVER meant to be in an enclosure of any kind. EVER. ALL SVEA 123 stoves that were used this way eventually overheated and exploded in a massive fireball.

OK, I give up. What aluminum enclosure? Looks to me like it's out in the weather on a picnic table.

Radio
04-03-2017, 05:03 PM
That round thing.

That is a "cook kit" that encloses the stove in a round aluminum wind shield that also supports whatever pot is on top of the stove. Made efficient use of heat, protected the stove from wind and weather when cooking. And, caused the stove to overheat. And then go WHOOOOSH!

The stove inside there is exactly like the one pictured above. It is so enclosed all you can see is the burner, about the size of a golf ball, sticking up.

It was a nice kit, too. Had two pots and a frying pan that doubled as a lid when it was all nested together. Too bad it was dangerous as hell.

Radio
04-03-2017, 05:06 PM
We are going retro, selling our Georgetown and downsizing to a 1970 Trails West Campster.

Love to see the inside. It looks really clean, was it kept clean or has it been restored?

coupevillefish
04-03-2017, 06:43 PM
Love to see the inside. It looks really clean, was it kept clean or has it been restored?

It has had some refurbishing. There's not much history on these but a prior owner removed the propane cook top and extended the tongue by 2 feet. He put a dorm fridge in the cubby where there was originally an ice box and added a solar panel to the roof. It was garaged and rarely used before I picked it up in August. I am able to store it in my carport. I'll post a couple of more pictures.

coupevillefish
04-04-2017, 05:53 PM
Love to see the inside. It looks really clean, was it kept clean or has it been restored?

Here are some inside pics. The yellow at the top is the canvas curtain for the pop up giving 6'4" headroom in the kitchen area. The red glow under the table is the controller for the solar panel. There's pretty good storage under the curb side bunk and less under the driver's side because of the 12 gallon, yes 12, water tank.

The bed could be a king size with a center cushion but we plan to use it as is. The dog can just sleep on the floor.

Inside dimensions are about 6.5 wide and 8.5 feet long.

Sorry about the side pics. I couldn't get them to rotate and post correctly.

I've used it once as a net control station for a bike ride. We had 5 or six inside at one point, only two working.