Active Active   Unanswered Unanswered

rare, rare, rare... HELP!

Are you in need of information regarding "the way it was?" Or are you are a walking "who's-who" of Chris-Craft history? Share what you don't know—or do know here.

Moderators: Don Ayers, Al Benton, Don Vogt

dragonfly
Posts: 76
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:59 am
Location: Topping,Va
Contact:

rare, rare, rare... HELP!

Post by dragonfly » Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:42 pm

Good evening everybody, got a stumper for you. The Rocky Mountain Chapter has a unique visual aid to educate folks about classics, antiques and specifically Chris Crafts. We have a 1954 Chris Craft Land Cruiser. Yes a Land Cruiser! Anyway here goes for research; the only part of the camper we don't have are the HUB CAPS!. There are not many of these little rascals left(maybe 4 or 5?). We were thinking baby moon type of caps, but we don't know if they came with the Chris Craft logo on them or not. We have the original packing list and there weren't any listed, but pictures from 1963 and again in 1967 show hub caps. We can't tell if there is a logo or not. ANY help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Peter
1955 18'CC Sea Skiff & 1959 18' Mercury Sabre

farupp
Posts: 832
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 6:25 am
Location: Charleston, SC
Contact:

Post by farupp » Wed Feb 17, 2010 12:56 pm

How about a picture of the Land Cruiser and the hub caps shown in the later pictures? I didn't even know a Chris Craft Land Cruiser was ever made or existed!

I would guess that the axle and wheels were automotive. If you could figure out which company the wheels and axles came from it would be a good start in determining the correct hub caps.

Good luck!
Frank Rupp
1959 22-foot Sea Skiff Ranger
283 Flywheel Forward engine

User avatar
Bill Basler
Posts: 1996
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:48 pm
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA

Post by Bill Basler » Wed Feb 17, 2010 2:29 pm

We wrote about the Land Cruiser in a prior Brass Bell. Go to the archive at www.chris-craft.org/archive

Search for "camper" The issue will be the first search result. Photos of the Land Cruiser show a plain black steel wheel with a non-logoed baby moon hubcap.

The Land Cruiser was a product of the Kit Boat Division, and was offered from the early to mid 50s. Like all products from the Kit Boat Division, there were no hull cards (in this case, Land Cruiser records) so it is a bit hard to research now many were made.

According to the Brass Bell issue...

Chris Smith, grandson of the founder of the legendar y company, speculates that many of the campers existed in their day. While not positive, he thinks the wood parts for the camper were either made at Algonac, MI or at Caruthersville, MO where the kit boats were also produced. The metal parts and wheels were made in Algonac. An old magazine ad for the trailers says, “And when your Land Cruiser is completed, you’ll enjoy the fun of traveling without costly expense. The kit includes highest quality materials; sturdy steel chassis; accurately pre-cut wood parts; aluminum covering with pre-welded roof seams; aluminum ventilating windows with screens; aluminum, electrically-welded, insulated, piano-hinged door including lock and key. Easy to assemble with household tools. Room for double-bed, dinette, stove, refrigerator and storage space.”
Bill Basler

dragonfly
Posts: 76
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:59 am
Location: Topping,Va
Contact:

OK , now thats funny

Post by dragonfly » Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:05 am

good evening all, thank you for the timely responses. Now to the funny. Bill, the picture in the archive of the interior shot of the camper is none other than Chris Smith's daughter Chris, in the camper that I'm tryin' to find the wheel covers for. Now thats funny! I'll keep tryin'! Pete
1955 18'CC Sea Skiff & 1959 18' Mercury Sabre

User avatar
Bill Basler
Posts: 1996
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:48 pm
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA

Post by Bill Basler » Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:05 am

Peter, I figured that we were talking about the same trailer. There are only so many of them around.
Bill Basler

kits
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 12:44 pm
Location: Holland, Michigan
Contact:

Post by kits » Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:24 am

I seem to recall from an advertisement I saw, that rims and tires were not included in the kit; it was up to the buyer to provide them. Later today I will dig out my files and see if I can find a hard copy of that. It will probably be late tonight before I get a chance to post the results, as I will be working at the Water Wonderland ACBS booth at the Grand Rapids boat show this afternoon and evening. Spring is coming!!

Thommyboy
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:11 pm
Location: Minneapolis
Contact:

Post by Thommyboy » Fri Feb 19, 2010 7:20 pm

I have a brochure for the Land Cruiser. I assume it's from 1954 - the code on the back is "11354M50M".

I can see baby moon hubcaps in the pictures. I do not think there is a logo on them. But it's difficult to tell fer sure.

The photo of the loose compnents shows axel, wheels, and hubcaps, but no tires.

20 years before Chris-Craft came out with a camper, Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. had their own version! It was not a kit, but fully assembled at the factory.

Andreas

kits
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 12:44 pm
Location: Holland, Michigan
Contact:

Post by kits » Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:57 pm

The October 1953 issue of The Rudder carried the following announcement on page 67:

House Trailer Kit

"In a move to put Chris-Craft on the highways as well as the waterways, Wayne Pickell, General Sales Manager, today unveiled a new house trailer in kit form for home assembly.

'By applying the same principles of mass buying and volume prefabrication that have brought boating within reach of thousands through the economy of Chris-Craft Boat Kits, we are now able to offer, for the first time, a full-fledged mobile home that will provide year 'round housing or vacation fun at a price far below that of factory completed trailers', Pickell stated.

'Many trailer owners like to plan and install their own interior furnishings,' Pickell continued, 'and Chris-Craft will therefore market the first of their new kit trailers with this in mind and include several suggested interior layouts but leave the actual selection of furnishings to the individual owners.' Birch paneling for the interior is supplied, however, so tht buyers need install only what extra equipment they desire. The Land Cruiser has more than ample headroom for the average vacationer and room for dinette, galley, wardrobe and berths to accomodate four.

High gloss aluminum sheets will be supplied for the exterior and the door and windows will come already installed in rigid frames so that they can be easily fitted in place and fastened.

Torsion springs on specially designed axles provide stable and soft riding and the rugged trailer chassis of welded steel construction affords even load distribution. The tongue is an integral part of the chassis and has an elevating wheel stand to keep the trailer on an even keel when uncoupled from the car.

All parts except tires and tubes are included in the new Chris-Craft Land Cruiser Kit. Illustrted instructions assure quick and easy assembly. The first of the new trailer kits, already in production, will soon be available from local dealers. Full information obtainable from Chris-Craft Corp., Algonac, Mich."

A photo of a completed tailer, showing baby moon hubcaps accompanied the announcement.

[email protected]
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2019 12:30 pm
Contact:

Re: rare, rare, rare... HELP!

Post by [email protected] » Sun Jan 20, 2019 1:42 pm

I am responding to an OLD post from 2010, but am looking for any 1954 Chris Craft Camper Kit owners. I only know of three and of one other one out west (Colorado) painted white and sold a few years ago. It may be the person mentioned in the Rocky Mountain Chapter. I actually had the same question about the moon cap hub caps, but also need the six bolt rims with clips. Here is information on my acquisition:

Over the holidays, our family found my next “project” in the back yard next to our fire pit. This is a 14’ 1954 Chris Craft Land Cruiser, one of only 4-5 known to still exist. The sellers, Mike Teusink and Kirk Wingard from the Wooden Runabout Company in Holland, Michigan, a mere 50 minutes from home, restored a similar one and have documented the restoration well. They are super nice and really have given me some excellent advice to get started. The plan is to get it presentable this winter and use it a bit next summer. Next fall, I will remove the body and redo the frame and install a new marine plywood floor.

Are there any retirees that any of you know of that are still around and might have been working Chris Craft when this kit was sold? It was only offered for six months and then existing inventory was sold at a discount. I believe the kit was manufactured in Algonac but there was mention that it might’ve also been manufactured at a plant in Tennessee?

I have questions....

Some photos are here on the ACBS Michigan Chapter site:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/acbsmic ... 083496727/

PS: I also have obtained a 40+ page instruction manual that no other owner has found from the Algonac HIstorical Society and happy to share. See attached.
1-15.pdf
(633.76 KiB) Downloaded 175 times
16-27.pdf
28-41.pdf
42-51.pdf
(625.72 KiB) Downloaded 262 times
I have already shared it with known owners and the Mariners Museum collection.

Thank you,

David Irvine
West Michigan and occasionally Algonac in the summer
[email protected]
Attachments
28-41.pdf
(390.64 KiB) Downloaded 177 times
16-27.pdf
(397.59 KiB) Downloaded 156 times

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests