when discovered in a garage (under a heavy cover) in Northern Minnesota in August 2001, she had only 19,000 miles, and the owner’s manual was actually still in the glove box in like-new condition!
She had always been garaged and treated with ‘Much TLC’ as a collector vehicle.
The interior, all wood lined, was still the way it appeared in the ’30′s and ’40′s, complete with framed photos of the original owner on his travels (mainly to Florida) and his cabin in the North Woods, plus and other memorabilia from the era.
Built on the ’37 Ford Pickup frame and cowling (powered by a 60-hp flathead V8 with aluminum heads), the rear framing is all wood, with the metal skin wrapped around it. The roof structure, too, is all wood, over which the heavy, waterproofed canvas top is still very securely fitted. The structure of the Body is solid, appearing from underneath to be all oak, and still in a remarkably unaltered, undamaged condition. The door frames are thick, solid oak, and oak is visible around the window openings (as on the four side windows in back) — though it is painted over.
She was a big hit at this campground once we got that Great old flattie V8 hummin’! Note her expanding roof and the original dark green color, which had been repainted. I figure the canvas roof was originally painted in reflective silver to keep it from getting too hot inside. All four side windows open, while the back one tilts out to three positions. The windshield also tilts open at the bottom for natural AC while driving.
Here are a few shots of her in August 2001, out on the road in the Chippewa National Forest north of Grand Rapids via: http://saddlebrookesmiles.wordpress.com/page/4
Also Tere the Car Gal posted about this (I forgot!)
http://justacargal.blogspot.com/2010/07/first-ford-motorhome-by-john-de-lorenzo.html
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