Wisconsin's Rollohome Corporation rolled out some of the industry's first 14-wide rigs for the 1967 model year. One of these extra-wide homes, a unit in the EXECUTIVE series, is depicted here. Manufacturers were striving to make the typical trailer look more like an actual house than ever before. This rig featured a house-type peaked roof, house-type wooden front door and simulated brick chimney.
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On the inside, this Rollohome EXECUTIVE series 14-wide featured deluxe carpet in its living room, with a more standard weave covering bedroom floors. Walls were clad in 1/4 hickory and pecan paneling. There was an abundance of counter space and closets, as well as a spot -in the bathroom- for a side-by-side washer & dryer.
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By the late '60s, Marlette Homes, Incorporated was operating manufacturing facilities in Michigan, Georgia, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Ontario. For the 1968 model year, thirteen different floor plans were being offered...all in widths of 12 feet. A 60-foot rig is depicted in this drawing.
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The rig's "artistically-styled interior" included full-length drapes, "luxurious" wood paneling and fine cabinetry. The back end bedrooms and bath were accessed from a front-side hallway. A more-or-less standard house trailer design in 1950s rigs, front hallways were not seen as much in newly-built, late '60s units. By this time, the more trendy trailer would have had the hall, and second exterior door, in back.
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For the 1969 model year, Marlette Homes offered "THE DM1," which was a double-wide unit. When set up, this 19' by 47' trailer offered over 890 square feet of living space. Some of its exterior features were "color-coordinated" window shutters and a recessed, house-type main entry with storm door.
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We've just seen late '60s rigs built by Marlette, one of the more high-end trailer manufacturers of the era. On the other side of the coin would be an early 1970s MasterCraft unit. The 14' by 70' trailer depicted above would have set one back $9,000.
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Our MasterCraft mobile home was a far cry in quality and craftsmanship from most of the other rigs on our (virtual) Trailer Sales Lot. Floors were covered in the cheapest grades of "shag" and "indoor-outdoor" carpeting. There were no linen closets to be found. The furniture was of extremely low quality and the kitchen came with a 10 cubic foot (non-frost-free) refrigerator and stripped-down model cook stove.
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