“Clyde, as we affectionately call him, is a 1968 Frolic,” says Stephan Stewart, co-owner of In Good Spirits mobile bartending that he owns with his wife Shannon. Stephan said “Clyde was named after my grandfather and the name works perfectly with our other glamper named Bonnie”. Bonnie, is a ’61 Shasta Aeroflyte, named after Shannon’s grandmother. “We began on the renovations the day we got home from picking him up. He joined the family officially, on September 10, 2017, Shannon’s birthday. We pulled out the mounds of trash that had accumulated over the years (his home for more than two decades was the middle of a pasture).
“We then gutted the interior, down to the framing. The floor was rotted, so we kept going, down to the metal trailer. Next, we started peeling up the siding and replacing the studs. We removed and replaced all of the sill plates and studs, up to about window height.
A New Life For An Old Camper
“After buttoning him back together, we went to cutting open the serving windows. We knew from the get-go, that we would be transforming the camper into a mobile bar. Each window was custom made or modified to fit the application. We installed running water and a holding tank, plus a 12V system, with an inverter.
“One of the greatest features is the tap system. We can pour from two kegs, if needed. We also have ice bins and recessed lighting. Our running lights are powered by either the vehicle or the on-board battery, so he can really shine at events. We get a lot of compliments on the wallpapered ceilings and walls, plus the reclaimed 5 V groove metal roofing, looks pretty slick, along the back wall.
“The bar is made from yellow pine, stained to match the trim and openings. The floor is commercial grade vinyl composite, but the wood pattern adds a lot of flair. All of the work was done by Shannon and myself, but for some minor welding which was performed by Pedal Driven Cycles, and the exterior paint from Modern Body and Frame.
A Matter Of Time
“We spent 9 months bringing Clyde to where he is today. During that time, I took a two month sabbatical from work to work solely on the renovation. I can only guess at the number of hours that we have invested… more than 1000.
“Clyde was originally sold in South Carolina, which is where we found him. We were initially inspired after working in a camper bar, based out of North Carolina. For a long time, we have bartended at events that we enjoyed. This time, we were volunteering at a bluegrass festival in Athens, Georgia.
The hosts had taken an early ’60’s Shasta and created a mobile bar.
When we finally got home, we looked at one another and, almost in unison said, “We could do that! We looked on Craigslist and two weeks later, came home with a camper!
Piecing The Puzzle Together
“This is our first go at owning a bar. I owned and operated a construction company for 15 years. Shannon spent a number of years running a music venue. The puzzle pieces just seemed to fit. We saw a niche that was not filled. Mobile bars like ours are popular out West, but we are the only one (we know of) in Georgia.
“This project put us to the test, both individually, and as a couple. It was the biggest undertaking that we had ever pursued as a couple. We consider ourselves to be lucky that we survived it, but most importantly, stronger as a unit. There is never a boring moment in Clyde
What’s Next?
“You can expect to see Bonnie soon. But this time, we are creating a photo-booth. The two campers together will look amazing at those special events.”
