Ever seen a Tuk-A-Way?

[thisoldcamper]

I found this camper described in an old book (1962) and was curious if anybody had ever seen one or knew anything about them. It looks like an Alaskan copy with cables and winch instead of hydraulics. Anyway, I thought that you might enjoy seeing another old popup truck camper.

 

[billy bee]

Precursor to an Alaskan? It would be interesting to know the history.

bb

 

[PhilipE]

I talked to a guy in the late 60's that had one. The nylon rollers were a problem. When they got some wear on them from the steel cables. The cables would start jumping off. The cables didn't have much in the way of guides built into the design. It had problem with side loads causing the wear problem on the rollers.


When a cable popped off it took a couple of people holding that corner up and a person inside restringing the cable. That's why I know a little about them. He camped next to us. When he tried to setup a cable popped loose. That was around 68 or 69 can't remember for sure.

 

[haven]

Here's a Tuk-a-Way camper and trailer brochure, available for purchase on eBay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Tuk-a-Way-Dodge-Pickup-Camper-Brochure-r2649-CM25NA-/370778287947

 

[thisoldcamper]

Thanks for the update, guys. I've never seen or heard of the trailer pictured in the Ebay ad either (posted a picture below). The only information that I found out about the brand was about the owner: from 6/11/61 Torrance, CA “The Press” page B-8
Salvador Perez, owner of Tuk-A-Way Trailer Co. , 1015 W. 182nd St., Torrance, was installed as the new president of the North Torrance Lions Club at a dinner held at Hiatt House, Aviation and Century, last week. Perez, a well known local sportsman, builds a telescopic camper for pickups, which lowers while driving, then telescopes up for camping.



If anybody has any other information or experiences with this brand, please post it. I'd love to find one of these old campers and revive it. Thanks again, Bob

 

[thisoldcamper]

Hi-Lo made a hard sided pop-up truck camper also. In 1963, they were special order (you had to buy the truck, too), and then without the truck in 1969. The company Snyder Hi-Lo started building pop-up camping trailers in 1956. Here are some links to their brochures and a couple of pics:

http://www.hilotrailer.com/pdfs/1963.pdf

http://www.hilotrailer.com/pdfs/1969-truck-camper.pdf

 

[thisoldcamper]

Here's another hard sided pop-up truck camper made by Rolite in 1964