Sad Day

[OurStuff4You]

(sighs) My little Benroy went away today to head for its new owner's home. I'm VERY sad to see it go. Anyone know of a used teardrop for sale in Michigan?

Rhonda

[beverlyt]

Rhonda,
I sure hope you find one here in Michigan. I have NEVER seen one in this State except for ours, though I know they are around.

Two have went up for sale since I first became interested, one in Grand Rapids and one in Muskegon.

I'll be on the lookout for one!

Bev

[Guest]

Rhonda,
Two Questions:
Why did you sell it?
Is that an original Benroy?

[Frank]

Rhonda, Might try Lake Orion in about a month, after the weekender is finished. Course if you don't like what's on hand, just wait another month, one more may be added to the selection. Heard that there was a new dealer there!

[mikeschn]

Yea... didn't he go by the name of Baja Bucks or something like that?

Mike...

P.S. I build Weekender mockups real cheap if you want one of those!!!

[OurStuff4You]

Dean,

Yes, that was a real Benroy. Bennett Peterson's family (he's the guy that built them) bought it from us. The family didn't own one at all and bought Nick's (on this forum). He told me to contact the family when I mentioned we were considering selling it. They bought it immediately - I think mine will end up with Ben's grandson.

We sold it because it was going to Ben's family. My husband wants something slightly larger so the kids can sleep inside with us. I wanted to keep it because I can pull it with my Nash Metropolitan (within the state of Michigan - I wouldn't go farther than that). We had purchased it with the intention of modifying it, but when we researched it and realized what we had we just couldn't bring ourselves to do it. It was so nice it deserved to be repainted back to original and kept that way.

We're looking for a vintage trailer rather than building one because of the vintage car thing. We attend a lot of car shows and couldn't take our trailer if it wasn't vintage. For example, we attend the Motor Muster at Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village. It HAS to be vintage to be allowed on the grounds. If we're on the grounds, we can camp there. Can't tell you how cool it is to be on the grounds of Greenfield Village when everyone else has left. We're also members of Tin Can Tourists, and want to stay vintage to participate in that.

Plus, we're not "builders". I'm not afraid to tackle any project, but we already have a few on our plate and I don't want to put a strain on my marriage. I like my hubby the way he is. We don't need more self-inflicted stress.

Ideally we'll buy 2 trailers. A slightly larger trailer, pref. under 18' and circa 1950s. Then, another small vintage tear that we can modify the way we want. We want to paint it to match the car, add ventilation, etc. so it's more practical to use.

[OurStuff4You]

Yes, word "on the street" has it that a new builder may be opening up just down the road from us. Lake Orion is just a few miles away from White Lake......

[Nick Taylor]

Rhonda,

I didn't have to go through the same feelings that you did, at least at the same level, when I sold my Benroy. It was easier since I already had the new trailer in hand. It is cool that our trailers went to the same family and that they are interested in preserving their family legacy with them. I hope to see them out at some of the meets in the future.

You'll have to let me know what finally happened with the shipping. I tried all kinds of ways to find cheaper shipping for you.

Also, when I was in Ohio this month, I asked my friends there to keep an eye out for any vintage teardrop trailers for sale and to let me know. If I hear of any, I'll pass the information along to you. They are in the Columbus area.

Nick.

[Guest]

Rhonda,
That is just an amazing story and I think what you guys did was just incredible! Someone should give you guys an award!
BTW I restored a 57 Metro once, and kicked myself in the butt after selling it. Of all the cars that I've messed around with, that one was by far, the most fun. They just crack people up! Some of my friends refered to it, as a bathtub with wheels!

[OurStuff4You]

Shipping came to over $1500. Ouch. We tried all sorts of means and methods. We thought we had one person lined up and his Mom went into the hospital. Betsey and Craig of Camp-Inn were going to pull it out, and then that didn't work out. He finally contacted a shipping company he's used before. They had a 75' truck that would have never made it into our subdivision, so we met them in a school parking lot with lots of room for them to get in and out.

I'm so glad it's going to Ben's family. I really hope you get the chance to see both of our trailers restored Nick. That'd be a great photo! I know of another Benroy in our area. It's rough, but restorable. They're asking more for it than I want to pay. I did tell Ben's family about it, but after going through the hassle getting ours shipped they said they'd rather keep looking a little closer to home.

Ben also built a very limited number of small walk-in trailers only 13 feet long. They called it the Benroy Walkin. (original huh?!) Anyway, Ben says one will never be found. The family would LOVE to own one of those too, so if anyone ever comes across them please let Nick or me know so we can let them know. It'd be a thrill to find one for their family.

[mikeschn]

Do you have any info on the Benroy Walkin? Specs, size, photos, brochures, anything?

Mike...

[OurStuff4You]

Not right now Mike. I asked Dennis (nephew of Ben) to forward anything he might have. Ben gave him all his remaining literature, etc. (including the last original label for the Benroy Teardrop) and his daughter and nephew are going to compile all of it onto a CD about the trailers. If anything on the Walkin is in there, he's going to pass it along. I've done some google searches but didn't turn anything up. Outside of knowing that it was 13', that's about all I know.

[Nick Taylor]

Mike,

I've never been able to find any info on the Walkin. In the book "Trailer Travel" there is a snapshot of Benroys being loaded on a rail car and the handwritten caption mentions the Walkin but all I see are teardrops in the photo.

The trailer is not supposed to be very long. I'm wondering if it isn't shaped like the Crosley canned ham. Bennet's nephew Dennis, who bought my Benroy, told me that he remembered playing in the trailers as a kid. The factory was around the corner from his house. He remembers the bigger trailers more than the teardrops.

We're all interested to see one if found.

Nick.

[OurStuff4You]

Nick, do you know the author of that book? I'd love to pick up a copy of it.

[OurStuff4You]

Nick, do you know the author of that book? I'd love to pick up a copy of it.