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Hemmings Motor News has been around since 1954. We're proud of our heritage, but we're also more than the Hemmings full of classifieds that your father subscribed to. Aside from new editorial content every month in Hemmings, we have three monthly magazines: Hemmings Muscle Machines, Hemmings Classic Car and Hemmings Sports and Exotic Car.

While our editors traverse the country to find the best content for those magazines, we find other oddities related to the old-car hobby that we really had no place for - until now. With this blog, we're giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what we see and what we do during the course of putting out some of the finest automotive magazines you'll ever read.

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Sleeping in Cars, Part 2: Rarities, the Pioneers, and the Missed Opportunities

Posted February 03, 2020 12:00 PM by dstrohl
Pathfinder Tags: classic auto sleeper

Last month, we set out to definitively chronicle the history of automakers offering camping packages for their vehicles, either as factory specials, options, or accessories. It was a fun exercise, and as we expected, our knowledgeable readership responded with a few more that are worth mentioning.

We’ll start with reader Lew’s mention of the slide-in camper available for the Studebaker Wagonaire, a camper that looks at first glance like the aftermarket trunk-mounted campers for sedans of the 1950s and 1960s, but that took advantage of the Wagonaire’s sliding roof section. Andy Beckman, the Studebaker National Museum’s archivist, was able to not only turn up the hi-res photo above but also a brief article describing the camper combo, which debuted sometime in early 1965.

Reader picks for the sleeping in classic autos.

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Re: Sleeping in Cars, Part 2: Rarities, the Pioneers, and the Missed Opportunities

02/03/2020 3:24 PM

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Re: Sleeping in Cars, Part 2: Rarities, the Pioneers, and the Missed Opportunities

02/03/2020 9:28 PM

And poking out of the back of the tent as seen towards the left edge of the photo appears to be the top half of an H45 multi-fuel tent heater and stove.

Those would keep a GP Small nice and toasty warm even in the worst winter weather if you had the insulating blanket installed with the tent. Of course we would have to add MOGAS to the diesel to keep it from gelling in the lines and the jerry can. Even in the early 90's we were still using those H45's.

You can see the white insulating liner in the photo I harvested off of Pinterest.

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Re: Sleeping in Cars, Part 2: Rarities, the Pioneers, and the Missed Opportunities

02/04/2020 5:50 AM

I remember that the Nash Rambler had fully reclining seats that would turn into twin beds. A few strategically placed pillows and it was quite comfortable. I don't have any pictures of it but there must be some available out on the internet. It was a way to extend the adventure of travel with the convenience of a ready-made motel combined with the camping experience.

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Re: Sleeping in Cars, Part 2: Rarities, the Pioneers, and the Missed Opportunities

02/04/2020 12:44 PM

I remember a Rambler one of my grandparents had. The front seat back reclined to meet the rear seat cushion making the interior one big flat bed. It was great for drive-in movies but we never camped in it.

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Re: Sleeping in Cars, Part 2: Rarities, the Pioneers, and the Missed Opportunities

02/04/2020 1:59 PM

Take the third-row seat out of a Suburban and leave it at home, fold-down the middle row seats and you have a nice flat 4 ft. by 8 ft. surface on which to place your comfy mattress for a convenient rest stop respite on a long trip.

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Re: Sleeping in Cars, Part 2: Rarities, the Pioneers, and the Missed Opportunities

02/04/2020 4:38 PM

Back in the day road tripping on the motorcycle with just sleeping bags and a pup-tent....feet stuck out the end, but it worked....

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Re: Sleeping in Cars, Part 2: Rarities, the Pioneers, and the Missed Opportunities

02/12/2020 9:22 AM

In the early 90's I drove my Saturn SL2 all over creation.

I had a system of loading the trunks contents into the front seats and then folding the rear seats. With a little pad and window covers it was as good as any big bed.

My 04' 4 runners passenger seat will actually fold completely flat.

Handy if the back is full and Zs are needed.

Car camping is a great way to keep moving!

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