As promised here is a full recap/tour and better pics of my vintage Shasta camper trailer that I've had made into a mobile art studio.
A few years ago I bought this Shasta with the intent of turning it into a mobile art studio. Insert Happy dance when I first saw her and big thanks to the friend who directed me to her!!
I purchased the 1963 Shasta on the spot and returned a week later to pick her up. My husband and I pulled her slow and easy about 50 miles to our home. My husband, who is a carpenter/builder (thank heavens), slowly but surely over the past couple of years started putting into place the vision I had for my little trailer. The only thing inside was kitchen cabinetry which wasn't all original and what we think was an original closet. That was left for storage and to put in a free standing portable AC unit inside of. This IS Texas after all!
So with a blank slate before us colors were picked and the inside roof and walls were re-skinned. Insulation was added above the new ceiling. I wanted bead board at chair rail height around the insides.
Along the front width of trailer my husband built me a front counter, open underneath so I can use for storage if I need, and I decorated the top of it. This front counter is used as a display area.
An old little mirrored dresser with a broken leg that we fixed I painted over. Painting over wood on an old piece of furniture is not something I would normally do but, the top was a bit damaged so I told myself I was doing it justice with paint. I used the bead board trim color to tie the look together.
This little studio was coming together! Laminate wood planked flooring went in, and the inside was coming along nicely. Electrical wiring was worked on and several silver track lights installed. Not sure I'll ever use them but I like the way they finished out the look and I needed some kind of lighting I figured. Finally it was on to the outside.
New tires and wheels with the baby moon hubcaps were done. Paint for the outside was a topic of discussion but I felt I really wanted to keep her close to her original look. Yes, I may get artsy on her in the future but I really, really like the authentic look to her. Maybe vinyl art so it won't be permanent? Again, good to have a builder for a husband as he did it all! The trailer taped off, I think we did awesome at picking that almost true to original color and she is totally freshened up on the outside. She was almost ready!!!
A rebuild of the door which I'm told is easier said than done, some blackboard paint on part of the inside door and we were down to the final thing necessary before using her. A portable AC unit. It was placed into the closet with an opening for the air to vent through cut exact within the closet door. Looks like it belongs! The AC exhaust needed a custom built chase to go out through to the floor and the drain tube out through floor also. With that it was done, exception being the front eyebrow. The old wood in the eyebrow frame plus a new piece that had been put in has not held up to the elements. Final decision on what to do there has not been made still. Yet in the meantime she made her first trip to a show earlier this month.
So, lastly I'll leave you with pics of her set at the event that I took and a quick partial video tour that I did before the event when I was doing a partial dry run set up for the show. It was really hot, and I mean
really hot so it was quick. I've not edited it and it doesn't show the side of the trailer with the AC and closet but it will give you a look at the inside finishes, along with the pics.
