ELKHART, Ind., — The RV/MH Hall of Fame Museum in Elkhart, Indiana, recently received a collection of historic Fleetwood RVs from the early days of now out-of-business Fleetwood Enterprises of Riverside, California, according to Darryl Searer, president, RV/MH Hall of Fame (Hall).
These RVs, now on display in the museum, include a 1950 12-ft. Fleetwood Sporter that was the very first trailer built when Fleetwood grew out of Coach Specialties Company, a builder of venetian blinds for trailers; a Fleetwood Sportster, a later version of the same trailer; a 1969 Pace Arrow that was the first motor home produced by Fleetwood; and John Crean’s 1985 working prototype for the iconic 1986-87 Bounder which introduced the basement model concept to RVs.
Searer said, “Andy Crean, son of Fleetwood founder and Hall of Fame member John Crean, acquired these RVs from the bankruptcy of Fleetwood Enterprises, specifically to present to the RV/MH Hall of Fame in his father’s memory.”
Accompanying the early RVs is an extensive collection of Fleetwood documents and memorabilia from the company’s early days which will be added to RV/MH library collections.
Searer added, “After learning of the Crean Foundation’s gift, we faced the problem of the costs of transporting the collection from California to the museum in Indiana. That problem was solved when Wilbur Bontrager (Jayco, Inc.) and Joel Pladson (Starfleet, an RV transport company) agreed to underwrite the expense and bring the collection to Elkhart.
“This collection of early Fleetwood RVs adds a new dimension to museum’s extensive inventory of historic RVs, thanks to the generosity of the Crean Foundation as well as Wilber Bontrager and Joel Pladson.”
In addition to the Fleetwood collection, the RV/MH museum received a 1947 Westcraft 24-ft. Westwood Coronado from its original owner, John Culp, who purchased it in ’47 upon his return from duty with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He used it continuously for 65 years travelling throughout the U.S. and snowbirding each winter in Florida. John, a charter member of the Tin Can Tourists vintage trailer club, and his trailer appeared in many TV documentaries on vintage trailer life.
The Westcraft trailer is displayed on the large patio in front of the Hall of Fame building where it is seen by all who pass by.
