1936 Bowlus Road Chief

Designed from an aircraft fuselage by the visionary Hawley Bowlus, the Bowlus Road Chief became the world's first aluminum travel trailer. Airstream went on to use the design, making the aircraft constructed, lightweight, and aerodynamic Aluminum travel trailer, iconic down to modern times.

This 1936 Bowlus is one of seven mid-kitchen Bowlus Road Chiefs ever made. The mid kitchen separates the front lounge from the rear lounge giving the trailer an intimate and cozy feel. It has undergone a full frame off restoration. We have walk thru videos posted on YouTube and via the Flyte Camp website.

There are a few original features UNIQUE to this 1936 Bowlus:

There is an original toilet room in the very front of the trailer to the right-hand side as you enter the front door. The original towel hook and light have been restored, and the trailer is ready for the toilet or porta potty to be installed, or to be used as a closet depending on the new owners wishes.
The original mid kitchen has floor to ceiling walls between the front lounge area and the rear dinette area. Both areas convert to sleeping areas as well.
The original roof rack has been restored, allowing for a double-sided awning.
This trailer was painstakingly restored over the last year with no expense spared. This Bowlus road chief is 18 1/2 feet long, with an interior height of 6’1” and came out of the factory weighing just about 1100 lbs, so it is easily towed and can even be maneuvered by hand. This is the 5th Bowlus restored by Flyte Camp and features Walnut interior woodworking, walnut hardwood flooring with aluminum detailing, copper screening, luxury drapery, and upholstery fabric. All aluminum has been polished.

There are two dinettes in the trailer with stunning solid hardwood tables. The base cabinets and kitchen cabinets are polished aluminum.

A period 3 burner cooktop is mounted on passenger side of the kitchen. There is a custom aluminum cover, an original Bowlus design, securing and hiding the cooktop while not in use. There is generous storage below the cooktop including an original cutlery drawer.

On either side of the kitchen there are outward opening windows providing additional light and good cross ventilation.

The driver's side of the kitchen has riveted and polished aluminum countertops and the original sink with both a vintage city water faucet as well as the original brass hand pump that has been beautifully restored. Below the sink cabinet is the original icebox. Next to the icebox and below the sink there is ample storage above the wheel well. Both sides of the kitchen feature open walnut shelving and the original 12-volt light fixtures with fabric wiring and Bakelite outlets.

A vintage travel trailer is not complete without a magazine rack and this Bowlus has two, one on each side of the rear dinette, making it the coziest reading nook ever. Behind the rear table is a roomy closet, perfect for bedding and a cabinet storage compartment above.

The handmade copper screened 12-volt light fixtures are mounted throughout the trailer and add to the ambiance - just one of many details making this trailer the epitome of refined luxury.

The gorgeous hardwood floor was custom milled and installed with a Stainless-Steel detail between each plank and finished with brass screws. This attention to detail pulls together the aluminum cabinetry and the brass accents throughout the trailer.

Luxurious wool plaid upholstery and high-density foam help to create the timeless look of the interior and contributes to a comfortable, cozy and campy feel.

All the materials used in the restoration from the real walnut to the aluminum to the quality wool upholstery and window coverings were designed to create an elevated camping experience. Complementing the beauty of the great outdoors.

Across from the forward dinette is a small sofa that makes this lounge a great conversational area and allows for sleeping of a third person.

Just to the right of the front door is a generously proportioned closet that could be used as a hanging closet, or shelves could be added for general storage.

The open nook above the closet makes this the perfect place to display your vintage collectibles. On the rear facing side of this closet is a bank of beautiful solid hardwood walnut drawers.

To the left of the front door is an original water closet with an original shelf and light fixture. A self-contained toilet could be placed here, or this finished and lit closet could be used for additional storage.

The upper vents are easily opened with a locking slide and there is aluminum trim detailing along the ceiling. The forward, entry vent opens independently of the main galley vents.

The draperies are made of a rich wool fabric and fully lined. The windows slide open with custom fabricated aluminum pulls.

A few final details of this build: As original, the trailer is self-contained with a small freshwater tank and hand pump, and the light fixtures all run on a 12-volt battery and charger. The trailer is wired so that the exterior lights work with a flip of a switch while camping and not hooked to a vehicle. The cooktop runs on propane with a quick connect. There is a double-sided awning that comes with this trailer. The awning drapes over the extremely rare original roof rack and is secured to either side of the trailer with original mounting hardware.

The trailer is Simple and elegant and would make a stunning addition to a classic car collection.

This is not only a phenomenally beautiful trailer, but also a collectible piece of American travel history.

Condition:
Fully restored from the frame up. We have used as many original elements as possible of this historically significant trailer. We have saved as many of the exterior panels as possible with every small imperfection preserving and telling the story of the "life" of the trailer. While the trailer exterior has been polished to a shine, there are minor blemishes and dings as would be expected on a 90-year-old trailer in excellent barn find condition.