Camper trailers keep rising

Press, 15 August 1978, Page 18

Camper trailers keep rising

Camper trailers look like being the "in” thing this summer. They are light, low on the road and easily towed by small capacity four-cylinder cars, and when you get to your destination they raise up, pull out, lip open to provide living accommodation for twa to six people.

The increase in the popularity of camper trailers has undoubtedly been assisted by the gradual decline of large capacity six-and eight-cylinder cars. A camper trailer, weighing between 150 kg and 600 kg can be towed easily by a four cylinder car. Even 1200 cc cars will do the job for the smaller camper. This is because camper trailers are low in weight and height. Sitting lower than the tow car, they provide less wind obstruction.

There are now 12 camper trailer manufacturers and all except Cresta Craft (Christchurch) are in the North Island. Between them, they make about 36 different models. Some come with hard tops, some with soft tops; some lift straight up; some fold out at each end, others flip over; some are simply trailers with intriguing living space designed into canvas attachments. Others are specially designed one-purpose living units; they come in wood, aluminium and in fibre glass, a material not used to any great extent by caravan manufacturers

in New Zealand, and they all use canvas.

The small two person camper trailer such as a Tag Rover, White Heather Tourer Trailer or Mini Mobile Camper are car trailers converted to living accommodation by the fitting of wooden, steel and canvas extensions.

They are ingeniously designed and generally very simple ta erect — one acs tion and you have instant living space. Other camper trailers will sleep up to six people in three double or two double and two single beds. This type, such as the Topagee Campa 6 and the Scamper Turtletop have a hard roof which lifts up and end extensions which pull out. The extensions are fitted with squabs which usually form two Of the double beds.

The main body of this type of camper contains surprisingly comfortable day to day living accommodation. Cookers, sinks, optional fridges, are commonplace. They will have a table and seating far at least four.

They will be fitted with 12V and mains electrical wiring and there will be provision for an awning to be fixed to one side. They are much closer to caravans than are the car trailer type and they are more expensive. Fast becoming the most popular type of camper trailer is the straight lift up hard top unit. Exam-

pies of this type is the Sunbird range of four campers, the Sprite Hardtop, Liteweight Playboy, Anglo Cub, Stag, Cheetah and Panther and the Cresta Craft Hard Top. These are the campers favoured by the caravan manufacturers and, in the main they follow caravan design and layout. They are all two-, threeor four-berth campers with table, dinette, cooker, sink, water tank, fridge space (fridges are nearly always optional) and settee.

They all raise straight up by lifting with the help of counte r-balanced springs, or, as in Cresta Craft’s case, by winding. Most models cff this type of camper have been available in 3m size but a recent addition was four campers in the 3.66 m size. A welbknown caravan manufacturer, Anglo has produced models known as the Cheetah and Panther and the United Caravan Corporations’ Sunbird brand has a four-berth 12DD and three-berth 12SD.

This larger type of camper is moving away from the accepted (sophisticated) camper norm pioneered by CI Munro with their phenomenally successful Sprite Hardtop. The larger campers are becoming more and more like caravans with plenty of mod cons and complete weather protection, yet

they still retain their towability — even the 3.6 m versions are easily towed behind a 1600 cc car — and they are cheaper than caravans.