Vintage Caravan Magazine Issue 36 | Page 38

new aluminum siding that came already painted white from the manufacturer. The door had been built of fiberglass and leaked and was locked by a house doorknob. Ray was able to build a whole new door and Mary found a used Bargeman latch for the door, which he installed. Mary then added a deadbolt lock for extra security. When it came to colors and styling, Mary chose to stick with the original shade of baby blue that was on the trailer when she bought it. “I really liked the blue, so I found the original stock color blue and replicated the exterior colors and design to match the original factory design. Chris Trevisiol at Umpqua Auto Body in Roseburg, Oregon did a fantastic job. He also painted the wheels and propane tanks for me”. Mary also chose to continue the pale blue color scheme on the Shasta’s interior as well. “I had the cushions upholstered in the blue and white and went with a Route 66 theme. My son, Tom Dietrich, and my brother, Ray Perry and their wives and I, had experienced route 66 together and I wanted to use that theme in memory of our trip and adventures, so I made a Route 66 quilt to commemorate our trip which incorporated some photos of our trip as well as some floor mats and place mats made from photos from our trip. The end result of this restoration is a true testament to the skill and dedication of Ray and Mary in bringing Shy Ann back to life. I have to admit that when she rolled in to Graffiti Weekend for her debut show I had to do a double take myself to check if it wasn’t one of the new Shasta Re- Issues as it looks just like it would have if it rolled off the factory floor back in 1959. Mary says she is very thankful for the help of her brother, Ray Perry, as he was the one doing the majority of the construction. “I did as much as possible but mainly did the finish work and insulation. I had to commute to work on my trailer! I would go down with my kitty and stay with Ray and his wife Carol for days on end to work on it. The total process took one and a half years and lots of time and money”. Having taken Shy Ann out on a few more outings since, Mary is now discovering one of the many joys of vintage trailer ownership; the thumbs up as you get as you drive down the road! “I also get lots of curiosity and delight when they find out it is a 1959 model and not a reproduction”, says Mary. “I love the way she looks and how comfortable she is. I have always been a simple camper (think bicycle and teardrop camping) and to me this is the ultimate in luxury!” 36 | vintagetrailermagazine