1946 Spartan Manor #830

This is a 1946 Spartan Manor. It was #830 off the assembly line the first year they were made. Originally the Spartan Aircraft Company built airplanes (go figure) but at the end of WWI the aircraft business wasn’t so good. Spartan Aircraft, under the ownership of J.P. Getty, retooled and began making very high end travel trailers. This one, which we call “Little John” is no exception.
Amazingly, Little John’s interior is about 90% original. Though some panels have had to be replaced, much of the paneling is the original ribbon mahogany and stained birch. We have added a few modern conveniences such as a new fridge, a new toilet, aluminum shower stall, and an on demand hot water heater. It is a step back in time when our country was healing and ex-soldiers in Tulsa were putting their minds and hands to work making luxurious camper trailers…pulling triggers on rivet guns instead of Tommy guns. This camper was originally purchased by a rancher in Wyoming for the purpose of being a fishing and hunting cabin for guests. After being delivered, the axle was removed and it stayed there for the next 72 years. Trees grew up around and beside it. In 2018 the land owners decided it had to go and were planning on destroying it when a mother and daughter learned of its pending demise. It (and a 1949 Royal Mansion) was rescued and “surgically” removed from the surrounding trees. The only body damage, though minimal, has been that of the odd branch falling on the roof during it’s long life, and that incurred during it’s amazing rescue and extraction. The mother and daughter had a new torsion axle put on and pulled Little John home. We bought him in 2019.

As you can imagine there was work to be done and without compromising on the originality, here is what we did:

• Made new sill and some paneling
• New front windows
• Installed a Dometic gas/110 volt Fridge
• Buck riveted aluminum shower
• Toilet and black water tank
• On demand hot water
• New wiring
• New 30A WFCO power center
• New pex water piping
• Solar charger
• Twin 6v AGM batteries
• Inverter
• Installed a new gas heater
• Installed a custom drop down table

Gave it a very good polish


Original parts that we love and kept:

• Aluminum double sink
• Aluminum counter tops
• Cabinet pulls and latches
• Original Venetian wood blinds
• Cabinetry
• Mahogany paneling
• Wood and bronze screen doors
• Sconce for light
• The cone style wall lights
• Stove
• Shaving sink
• Original steps
• Mirror

And here is what we did not do:

After some consideration, we decided not to extend the tongue, as many do. Instead we purchased an extended hitch for the truck. It worked perfectly on our maiden voyage from Colorado Springs to Kalispell MT and back.

We did not install a gray water tank, but opted to either run this either directly onto thirsty ground or catch it in a portable gray water tank.