This 1954 Spartan Royal Mansion Trailer is a retro house on wheels, it can be yours

The Spartan Trailer Company isn’t exactly famous these days, but it’s a name every trailer enthusiast was familiar with in the 1950s. Founded in 1945 by wealthy industrialist J. Paul Getty, the Spartan Trailer Company was reminiscent of Spartan Aircraft, an aviation company. Getty converted the Tulsa, Oklahoma, aircraft factory to build luxury trailers for wealthy clients, and the Royal Mansion, born in 1948, was the first to roll off the assembly line.

The massive trailer was terribly expensive back then, costing as much as a small house with all the options included, but the quality of materials and construction was top notch. Spartan quickly gained a reputation as one of the industry’s leading companies, and the Royal Mansion became the Cadillac of the trailer market.

Almost 70 years later, these trailers are among the rarest. Especially if we are talking about a “double ender” model. Unlike the regular mansion, which has larger windows just to the front of the motorhome, where the living room is located, the “double ender” also has similar windows to the rear. This is where the bedroom is located. Double ender royal mansions are quite rare, and only a few still exist. Spartan has not kept any records, but the owner of this motorhome says he only found three there.

So what makes the Royal Mansion special besides being a massive, sleek and hard to find campervan? Well, it’s a nice and chic place to hang out, even for 2021 standards. It has a spacious bedroom with a large bed, a spacious living room with a large sofa, and a kitchen that can accommodate. up to four people.

There is a stove, sink and refrigerator, while the bathroom includes a modernized shower. All the wooden furniture is still original, testifying to the craftsmanship that Spartan put into this trailer. The original tiling has been replaced with oak, but it does not look out of place. This actually adds more class to the mobile home.

Surprisingly, there isn’t a lot of rust to worry about. The roof has been sealed and the frame has no issues beyond a little surface rust. And apart from a few dents, the aluminum body is in excellent condition. For a 70-year-old trailer, this Royal Mansion still looks out of place.

Purchased by the seller from the original owners in 2006, the motorhome spent its final years as an Airbnb rental location. And it was also very popular, which means it could be a great investment even if you don’t plan on living there full time.

So why is the current owner trying to get rid of it? Well, apparently he bought a property on top of a mountain in California, and the steep hairpin turns are too tight for the camper. This thing is 37 feet (11.3 meters) long, so it’s not exactly suited to winding country roads. Something you should probably keep in mind as well.

The Royal Mansion is currently being auctioned off by EBay seller “sugartide” without reservation. The auction is $ 17,000 with over four days to go, but things could get crazy towards the end as these trailers are scarce and expensive.

In 2019, a fully restored 1951 Spartan with modern features went under the hammer for $ 351,500. Granted, this royal mansion might not be that expensive, but it could cost anywhere from $ 50,000 to $ 100,000.