She is comfortable in her own skin and proudly shows her age, and attributes her youthful appearance to exfoliation and endless hours of polishing.
The vintage camper trailer hobby began for Craig Thomas and his wife, Diana, when they purchased a 1956 Airstream Flying Cloud. It was only a shell, yet Diana was excited about the possibilities of bringing it back to life. Around the same time, they came across a 27-foot 1951 Spartanette Tandem. Craig was instantly drawn to it, recalling childhood memories of spending time in one in the mountains of New Mexico. With that emotional connection, the Thomas family decided to restore the Spartanette first. It was a major undertaking—the trailer needed a complete restoration.
Fast-forward a couple of years, and the Spartanette has been fully completed. The Thomases have also added a 1962 Streamline Countess to their fleet of backyard mobile mansions. We caught up with them at the Trailers in the Trees Rally in Felton, CA. Amazingly, Craig and Diana have done it again—turning out another incredible, classic trailer that honors its era while incorporating thoughtful modern design elements and amenities.
Gold-fleck automotive paint serves as the backdrop for the backlit wooden feature running the length of the ceiling, housing the controls for the roof-mounted air conditioning. The Jetsons-style “control center” in the kitchen looks straight out of the space age, though it was purely Craig’s imagination at work. The living area is anchored by a booth-style seating arrangement that hides the mechanism allowing the flat-screen TV to rise from the side table—a modern touch that disappears when not in use. You won’t want to miss seeing this inspiring trailer in person if you get the chance.
When he first began restoring trailers, Craig—a visual effects artist—knew very little about the process but was eager to learn. He relied on the internet and countless YouTube videos to develop the wide range of skills needed to complete a restoration. Craig noted that restoring a trailer requires mastering several disciplines, but all are achievable. While the Thomases’ trailers look authentically vintage at first glance, Craig’s design background allows him to cleverly hide modern systems throughout. Their Spartanette is even featured in the Vintage Camper Trailers book.
With their shared love of antiques, the vintage trailer hobby was a natural fit for Craig and Diana. Diana, a natural hostess, enjoys sharing their restored trailers with friends and family. In addition to the trailers already mentioned, they’ve added a 1960 Holiday House and a 1964 Kenskill to their collection. They hope to add a period-correct teardrop next—which will no doubt receive their signature custom touches. Craig and Diana continue to enjoy the deep satisfaction that comes from creating something classic, beautiful, and usable once again.
