Sprite Caravan

[LJ-TJ]

Anybody have any information or know were to get information on Sprite Caravans. Apparently they were built in the States for about two years in the 70's. I think around 1973 and 1974

[LJ-TJ]

If you guys though use Classic Winnebago guys were nuts before this just confirms it. 1974 Sprite Alpine C built in Nappanee Indiana. Just pulled it out of the bush this morning. Looking like a complete gut and restoration. D:oH!

[stanDman111]

she is a beauty

[M & J]

I cant keep my eyes from the pink siding TJ.

[stanDman111]

pink barn board, got to like it

[LJ-TJ]

Well the one thing about having a Pink Barn is everybody in town when giving directions says go to the Pink Barn and turn left, right or go straight through. :)rotflmao Though a few of you might get a kick out of these. Just found them.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Rickf1985]

Considering I have owned, raced, restored or put engines in over a hundred beetles I think I know them quite well and I have to ask, Where in the world do you bolt a hitch with enough strength to pull a trailer?!!!! W% W% i?? i??

Oh, and pink siding! W% N:( N:( N:( N:( N:(

[Oz]

the roof.  Remember the video with the 360 degree turning ability?

[Rickf1985]

Yea, I remember that one. I saw one of those at a camping show in the 60's. It wasn't moving though. Plenty of strength in a bug roof, the window posts are curled in from four sides. I have rolled several of them and never bent a window post! They must have reinforced the roof though since that was just sheet metal.

Here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpwH9WeVEfU

[M & J]

Cant tell if its a super or not. If it is, the bumper shock mounts are solid

[LJ-TJ]

Thought you might like this. Hey Rick there really light. Gross Weight is 2,300 lbs. They were designed to be pulled my and MG. They got quite a history. I'm going to start a restore this old girl. Information on Sprite Caravans is extremely hard to find. I haven't asked Mark if he wants to set a side a spot for post and restoration info on these of not. Hm?

[LJ-TJ]

 D:oH! Found it.

[tmsnyder]

My vintage camper isn't quite that light, it's 3200lb.   It's a 1959 Holley Mascot, 16', all birchwood inside, no particle board!  Tows nice behind my 56 chevy.

[LJ-TJ]

Sweet! Seems up here in Canada the latest fad is to pull these old 50's 60's trailers out of the bush and restore them or go rat rod with them. In my case we have a 4 cylinder Suzuki. We don't take the 75 Winnebago out after the Canadian Thanks Giving and we still like to go camping for a few months after. So we went on the hunt for a trailer light enough that the Suzuki could pull without pulling the guts out of her. We came up with two. The Sprite Caravan and the Thomson Caravan. The Sprite was manufactured  buy Sprite Manufactureing Co. Inc. in Nappanee, Indiana as a Sprite Alpine C in 1974 with a gross trailer Weight of 2300 lbs. There just doesn't seem to be a hole lot of information on her. Classic Winnebago's and RV's has been a great resource for us old Classic Winnebago guys and I'm kind of hoping some of you out there might have some leads on a few of these old girls. Nice combination you have there.

[LJ-TJ]

Great project for somebody with a small car.

https://huntington.craigslist.org/for/6059819580.html

[M & J]

That is only a few miles from me TJ. But I have a lifetime of projects already.

[Rickf1985]

Cant tell if its a super or not. If it is, the bumper shock mounts are solid

Flat windshield and no bumper shocks. If it is a super it would have to be a 71. Does have the later style bumper so has to be close.

[DRMousseau]

I'd luv to see the hitch setup on that little gold bug!
Tire clearance says it's quite a load for it.

[M & J]

I Googled it. A surprising number of hitch options for a Beetle. 100-200 pound tongue weight and 2500 lb draw weight were common.
Staying with the thread, I wonder what the weight of those little campers are?

[LJ-TJ]

  No I don't know what I'm doing BUT if you type in the address below and then click on the 1977 thing a ma bob a PDF comes up with a lot of specs on it on the Sprite Caravan Hm? D:oH! https://www.google.com/#q=1974+sprite+Alpine+caravan+specification&*
1977 CI Brochurehttps://ncbbrochures.s3.amazonaws.com/mainbrochures/1977_CI_Brochure.pdfOptlonal Bunk NO Gross laden Weight lng. 560. Hßdy lßñglll ... Sprite Alpine for its combination of size, style and ... Sprite 400 becoming the first caravan to be towed at over 100 ... Prior to production, sealing of the new Sprite Alpine gets the ...

[Rickf1985]

Interesting info, I guess I was not there the year they ran that at the Baja race. I am guessing yours does not look quite that good inside? They brag about how waterproof they are, was yours waterproof?

[stanDman111]

it would have been if it was stored in a pink barn  for most of its life

[Elandan2]

Hey TJ, where's the pictures of the inside? You of all people know we love pictures.  :)rotflmao

[Rickf1985]

it would have been if it was stored in a pink barn  for most of its life

I am not EVEN going there!

[LJ-TJ]

I'll go out and get more pic's today. She's pretty punky inside. It's going to be a scary project. Wish I lived in Indiana home of trailer builders. I'd like to hunt up the proper front and rear window for it. I'm thinking it's going to be a slow project because parts are hard to find. Everything is rusted up as it sat in the bush neglected for twenty years. I had to tie it to the hitch as I couldn't get it to lock down to bring it home. There becoming really popular in the compact car community because there so light and easy to pull. Well see. Hm?