The Station Wagon
In the Fall 1949 catalog, another single-wheel trailer was added to the lineup. The two trailers seemed to share identical frames and load carrying capacity. They differed only in their cargo boxes. The new trailer was what Sears called a “station wagon” version, with two-piece sides. (A similar two-wheeled trailer had been made by Dunbar Kapple since around 1946.) The upper side-pieces were cut in a “streamlined” teardrop shape, separated from the lower pieces by a small gap. This body was varnished instead of painted, leaving the wood grain visible; the other body was painted blue. One of these trailers was probably the model 231-508 (“Formerly Model Nos. 249.8074, 249.8075 and 327.6215”) described in a parts list ca 1951. It’s the standard version, not the “station wagon” version. The spring 1953 catalog shows the same two trailers. The prices are now $66.50 and $71.50 for the older and newer versions, respectively. In the Fall 1953 catalog, only the prices have changed, each model now costing a dollar more. (Written and research provided by John LaTorre – A Short History of Allstate Single-Wheel Trailers)