A little Shasta History...

The Shasta Trailer Company started out in 1941 by building mobile home trailers for the US Armed Forces in a Los Angeles, California plant. After WWII, they sold mobile homes under the Cozy Cruiser brand. 1952 was the first year for the Shasta brand to roll off the assembly line in Van Nuys. Models from 14' to 35' were offered. The boom in mobile homes and travel trailers was in full swing and the public couldn't get enough of the Shasta brand. In April of 1958, Shasta opened the Goshen, Indiana plant to keep up with demand.

The distinctive wings were added to the Shasta line in the late 50's and continued on the trailers and even some motorhomes until the early 80's. During this time, the Shasta brand was the best selling trailer brand in the US. That is why, after all this time, "Vintage" Shastas are still so popular and available everywhere.

By early 1963, Shasta had added another production plant in Leola, Pennsylvania and was up to 5 different models of trailer. Later in that same year, the all-new model 1500 was offered to 5-star reviews. Again proving to the public, that the value that was built into the Shasta brand was well worth the low price!

In 1964 came the first of the "square-ish" Shastas with the introduction of the redesigned Compat model. It's leaner, cleaner lines were a sign of things to come and was very well received by the general public. By late 1966, all of the Shasta trailers would be designed with the more modern look. Production plants were also added in Grapevine, Texas and Battle Ground, Washington.

During 1969, the brand new Loflyte was being offered and was a big hit with the RVing public. A sixth plant was added in Columbia, South Carolina as the Shastas were in great demand. And by 1973 there were nearly 500 Shasta dealers throughout the U.S. offering all new models with stylish interiors and all-new exterior styling with bold striping along the sides. The wings were smaller than before, but they were still there!

Coachman Industries bought the Shasta brand in 1976. They continued making Shasta trailers and motorhomes until as recently as 2004. At one time during the early 1980's, the Shasta name was on nearly every conceivable type of RV...Motorhomes, 5th-wheels, travel trailers, and even some pop-up campers.

The Shasta brand seems to have disappeared with no goodbye and no fanfare. Not really a fitting end to such an amazing part of American history. Until it's disappearance, Shasta had been the longest continuous producer of trailers in the United States.

Although many of the parts and Shasta specific items are no longer available as new, with some research, good used or reproduction parts and/or some improvising, these Shastas can be easily restored, or kept up. These great "vintage" trailers will be around for a long time to come. It's up to us to keep the Shasta legacy alive!