ChatGPT said:
My husband and I have always loved restoring old things and giving them a new lease on life—from discarded fence posts to century-old homes in downtown Colorado Springs. So, it’s no surprise that our passion eventually led us to vintage camper trailers.
We weren’t exactly searching for one when we stumbled across her on a government auction website while looking for a truck. She wasn’t your typical camper; originally, she had been a U.S. Department of Agriculture field office, spending her life on the job rather than on the open road. But something about her caught our eye, and before long, we’d won the bid and were driving two hours south to La Junta, Colorado, to bring her home.
When we arrived, she looked a little worse for wear—both tires flat, rims shot, and in desperate need of attention. In fact, replacing the tires and rims cost nearly as much as the trailer itself! Once we got her home, we stripped everything down to the framing and aluminum siding. Beneath all that wear, we discovered she was a 1963 Mobile Scout, made in Texas. Somehow, along the way, she became “Lucille.”
Lucille didn’t come with a title or VIN—something we might expect if we’d found her in a field, but surprising for a government trailer. Getting her properly titled was an adventure in itself: first the DMV, then the State Patrol, and finally back to the DMV. On our way home from one of those visits, we looked in the rearview mirror in horror—the aluminum siding on Lucille’s rear end was flapping wildly in the wind, and the back of the trailer was swaying dangerously. We imagined arriving home with nothing but a flatbed! Somehow, she held together, and once the paperwork was complete, Lucille was officially a member of non-government society.
With her legal and ready for a new life, we dove into the renovation. We had planned to restore the birch paneling, but the new sheets wouldn’t fit through the door or windows. My husband—being a talented woodworker—suggested cherry tongue-and-groove paneling instead. After reinforcing the frame, repairing corners, and installing new plumbing, wiring, and insulation, the paneling went in beautifully.
We added a bathroom (strategically placed over the wheel well—it truly is a “throne”), built custom cabinets, found vintage appliances on Craigslist, and created a countertop from a retro 1960s laminate pattern. With cheerful curtains, a convertible sofa bed, and bright cushions around the dining table, Lucille was finally ready to hit the road. The only original parts that remain are her two retro lampshades and the gas light—a nod to her history.
Restoring Lucille was an absolute blast. A few months after taking her out on her first adventure, we found ourselves searching for more trailers to revive. Lucille taught us so much—from where to source tanks, siding, and hardware, to the patience and joy that come with giving old things new life. All that experience is now being poured into our three new vintage trailer projects—and we can’t wait to see where they take us next!
