Reserve Not Met! Don't Miss This Classic 1962 Holiday House With a Starting Bid of "$1"

Sadly, we missed the moment when we could have gotten our hands on a 1962 Holiday House for just $1; I missed it by just a couple of days. But that's not really the whole truth: Around 50 bids later, this bugger closed for a cool $51K. Nonetheless, we can still admire all that this auction had to offer, and, even more importantly, we'll know where to look next time.

Now, my journey into this $1 deal started as I was looking around for new and fresh travel trailers. However, this time around was different: I hadn't had my coffee and wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing. That's how I arrived at Vintage Camper Trailers.

It was here that I had to double, even triple-check, what I was seeing; I really thought it was just a typo. Heck, once I even spotted that the buyer was responsible for shipping, all my bells and whistles started going off; what's the catch!?

Well, there really is a catch, and it's only revealed upon following the breadcrumb trail. This time, it led to a website from where we've inspired our minds for camper articles before, Bring A Trailer, an auction website that focuses on all sorts of automotive machines, including some very juicy four-wheeling classics.

In short, this 1962 Holiday House was simply put up for auction, starting at $1, but even after closing at $51K, this unit still had some room to bring in more bucks. Comments from connoisseurs and RV lovers alike mention that these babies are valued at around $70K easily, assuming they're in healthy shape.

As for what we missed, we have a few images in the gallery, but Vintage Camper Trailers also posted a video tour achieved by Kelli Ward (prior owner) of this unit, probably before it sold. Be sure to check that video out, and as you do, take note of all the little classic elements and how they've been brought back to life with some rather modern touches.

For example, the exterior is completed with an of-era look, including that polished aluminum lower half, helping reflect the local surroundings like a mirror, and with that sky blue top half, if you position your unit just right, with the horizon meeting the central line, it could very well disappear into the local settings. A damn cool effect, if you ask me!

Now, this unit was acquired back in 2020 and, since then, has been completely refurbished. But, the layout has also been modified, which, if you ask me, isn't so bad because the interior now reflects a more modern look and feel.

One notable space we need to look at is the forward lounge and bedding area. It's here that we can spot a beautifully arranged lounge sitting in the backdrop of 270 degrees of viewing glass. Picture yourself sitting here in the morning on a sunny and even rainy day, with a cup of coffee in hand, just admiring the local surroundings. What a way to start the day.

Once you're nice and ready to explore the rest of this unit, we turn our attention toward the rear, and as we do, everything we need to live the on-road life is in place. On the port side of the camper, a galley block is in place with a two-burner top and stainless steel sink, while the opposite way includes a remodeled bathroom fit with separate features for the utmost space.

At the very rear of this classic beauty, the previous owners remodeled the bedroom, breathing new life into the space but keeping it as vintage as possible. Two guests can lay their heads here, and with a window next to the bed, you'll wake up to the sounds of birds and the rays of a new dawn.

Guess what? That's not the end of this story. Since we're living in modern times and most folks aren't looking to take on a DIY project of any kind, the previous owners, William and Kelli Ward, decked out this machine with the goods to fully immerse themselves in the modern glamping scene.

For starters, Dometic is the crew called upon for most of the systems in place, including the cooktop, toilet, AC, and heat pump, but there's also a 100 W solar panel setup with an MPPT charge controller and an Optima house battery, not to mention 25 gals (95 l) of fresh water. A memory foam mattress is what you'll be resting your bones on each night.

As for what a lucky future owner will be towing along, this mobile unit comes in with a weight of around 4,8000 lbs (2,177 kg) and is 20 ft (6 m) long and 8 ft (2.4 m) wide. So, it's not too big, not too small, maybe just right. Considering how this thing turned out after the complete rebuild, I, too, can say it's worth every dang penny, all 100 of them! Maybe we can catch the next amazing classic RV auction before it happens.

But all is not lost. According to Bring A Trailer, the reserve price for this beauty wasn't met. This means that you and I can still get our hands on it, assuming none of the other 22K people who kept their eyes peeled on this auction didn't get ahold of Kelli or William first.