Photo: Mecum Auctions
As the recreational trailer market took off after World War II, many companies chose to abandon their previous endeavors to jump on the camper bandwagon. Spartan Aircraft was one of them. Led by wealthy industrialist J. Paul Getty, it morphed into the Spartan Trailer Company and started making trailers in the 1940s.
Unlike most trailer businesses of the era, Spartan focused on lavish features and created some of the most exquisite campers out there. Often referred to as the Cadillac of trailers, the Spartan was also quite expensive, costing more than $4,000 a pop. At a time when an average home cost about $8,000!
Even so, Spartan sold over 40,000 trailer homes until the company was dissolved in 1961. Come 2022 and these trailers are quite rare, especially in unrestored and unmolested form. This 1946 Manor, for instance, went through a complete makeover inside and out. And even though its interior is no longer original, it's a fitting modern tribute to the luxurious Spartan trailers of the 1940s.
The result of a nut-and-bolt restoration, this Manor still looks pretty original on the outside. But that polished aluminum shell hides a full-blown 21st-century interior with all the modern amenities you can wish for.
It includes a fully equipped, full-size bathroom, a modern kitchen with new plumbing, and a sleeping area that looks comfortable enough for two people. Not to mention that the furnishing puts many hotel rooms to shame.
But that's not all. The trailer also features a new electrical system with a modern fuse box, 12- and 110-volt sockets, a modern heat pump, and an on-demand water heater. There's also an integrated stereo system, new cook plates, and a microwave oven. Oh, and it's also set up for cable TV so you won't miss your favorite shows or games while on the road.
All told, this Spartan Manor is a mini apartment on wheels and a fancy take on traveling and maybe even short-term off-grid living.
Offered with more than 250 photos that document the restoration process and a clean Louisiana title, the Manor is set to go under the hammer at Mecum's Orlando 2022 auction event on July 6-9. There's no estimate for this auction just yet, but expect it to fetch well in excess of $200,000.
Even so, Spartan sold over 40,000 trailer homes until the company was dissolved in 1961. Come 2022 and these trailers are quite rare, especially in unrestored and unmolested form. This 1946 Manor, for instance, went through a complete makeover inside and out. And even though its interior is no longer original, it's a fitting modern tribute to the luxurious Spartan trailers of the 1940s.
The result of a nut-and-bolt restoration, this Manor still looks pretty original on the outside. But that polished aluminum shell hides a full-blown 21st-century interior with all the modern amenities you can wish for.
It includes a fully equipped, full-size bathroom, a modern kitchen with new plumbing, and a sleeping area that looks comfortable enough for two people. Not to mention that the furnishing puts many hotel rooms to shame.
But that's not all. The trailer also features a new electrical system with a modern fuse box, 12- and 110-volt sockets, a modern heat pump, and an on-demand water heater. There's also an integrated stereo system, new cook plates, and a microwave oven. Oh, and it's also set up for cable TV so you won't miss your favorite shows or games while on the road.
All told, this Spartan Manor is a mini apartment on wheels and a fancy take on traveling and maybe even short-term off-grid living.
Offered with more than 250 photos that document the restoration process and a clean Louisiana title, the Manor is set to go under the hammer at Mecum's Orlando 2022 auction event on July 6-9. There's no estimate for this auction just yet, but expect it to fetch well in excess of $200,000.
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