Heilite Model 161 / 162
Heilite Trailers were built by the Heilite Manufacturing company founded in 1953 in Lodi California. The Founder, Theodore Heil sold the manufacturing company in 1964. The trailers were made of aircraft quality aluminum panels riveted together. The bed had a plywood base as does the trailer storage area. The storage area is accessed by a horizontal door on either side the length of the trailer. The mattress lays, basically,on top of the trailer, and the tent canvas and poles folds up and lays on top of the mattress. A canvas cover snaps around all four sides of trailer and holds everything in place. The snaps are all just above the storage access doors so they can still be opened with everything closed up. Retractable legs on all 4 corners make leveling the trailer simple on uneven ground. The hitch’s are two small trailer hitches that mount to 1 inch trailer balls. The Heilite company built both single and double wheel trailers. Theodore Heil built the original model in 1935, but there is no record showing that he went into production during the 1930’s or 1940’s. On June 6, 1944 (D-Day) he applied for his first trailer patent. While he did not incorporate his business until 1953, some of Heilite’s advertisements from the 1960’s claim production of camping trailers started in 1950, and this is backed up by the patent’s date. Heilite’s first trailer manufactured came with either a standard sized tent (Model 161) or the “Big Tent” (Model 162). Both versions sold for $420 or $456 respectively. Most information taken from the PopUp Camper History website.
Options, and Accessories –
Heilite trailers came with a large number of options. An aluminum, removable kitchenette that in at least one instance, used a Prepo model 208 stove. Wheels on the end of the retractable legs were optional to make moving the trailer simpler, and at some point, a pair of crank down wheels were also optional. It appears the standard was for the tent to open to the passenger side, but optionally the trailer could be ordered with the assembly opening to the drivers side of the vehicle. The canvas tent, and pole assembly were the same for both options, so this spun the entire assembly 180 degrees, and the the mounting holes for the pole assembly were drilled accordingly in order to rearrange the assembly. Moving the trailer assembly opening from the passenger side to the drivers, also spun the door from the back to the front of the trailer. There were also a couple different awning options, and screen options. There was even a Heilite key chain that changes from a closed to open tent as you tilt it.