Mobile Scout Serial Numbers Decoded!

Previously I posted about the serial number, but it remains one of the most frequent questions I receive. Jim recently told me additional information about it.

All Mobile Scout trailers had a serial number on the roadside of the A frame. The number would look something like this: 64 MS 17SC 2222 all trailers had this basic format. The number described the year, brand name, floor plan, and number. Number was located on roadside just behind coupler.

(Roadside of the frame means underneath.) 

Another frequent question I receive is, "Is this a Mobile Scout?" Jim provided some very valuable information on this question, as well. The answer to that question is pretty easy to arrive at, based on the body style. While the door is a quick give-away, I've seen Mobile Scouts with replacement doors, and Mobile Scout doors that have made their way onto all manner of other types of trailers. 

The body style remained the same from 1956 through 1964; it's the "canned ham" sort of round front, sloped back that we all know and love. In 1965, a change was made to the shape to add a truck and more head room. That was built on through 1979. When looking at a trailer to see what kind it is, all the details tell the story: what do the sides look like around the wheels? Where are the windows, what size and style are they? 

What fun discovering the past stories of these beauties. 

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Preserving information about the Mobile Scout.

Part of running this blog has been seeking out sources of information in hopes of gathering, saving and offering up information about the Mobile Scout. Imagine my thrill when in February, a gentleman named Jim contacted me... to make a long story short, he was Production Manager for Mobile Scout From 1964 to 1978. 

And he's FULL of information, and has TONS of photographs and... it's awesome, it really is. "I designed every model made from 1964 to 1978." 

YEOW. 

I've not had near enough time this late winter/spring to fully harness his knowledge -- but with summer just around the corner, I think it's time to really start bugging him. LOL. So lots more information coming!

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The history of the vintage mobile scout revealed!

Last year I received a great contact in response to queries I had made from various corners attempting to gain information about the history of Mobile Scout. My queries for information were answered! 

Mobile Scout was indeed a company that built travel trailers years ago. I will give you an update as I know the history. In the late 70s William Dozer Thornton who owned the company sold it to an investor group. It was bankrupted by the new owners in the early 80s. W. D. Thornton received the right to the name in the bankruptcy in exchange for the money that they still owed him.

In 1992 several of us that were involved in the RV industry started a new venture, SunnyBrook RV, Inc, with Tom Thornton being one of the partners. W.D. Thornton was Tom’s father and Tom owned several RV dealerships in Texas at the time. When we started producing units, Tom wanted his units built with the Mobile Scout name on them instead of SunnyBrook. Then several other Texas dealers also expressed interest in having their units built with the Mobile Scout name. So we acquired the right to use the name and have been building units with the Mobile Scout name on them ever since. 

In December of 2010 SunnyBrook was acquired by Winnebago Industries. [...]

Elvie J. Frey Sr.
President
Winnebago Industries

A big thanks to Elvie J. Frey, Sr. who is President of Winnebago Industries for putting all the pieces together for me!

(This information has been on the right sidebar for almost a year, but recent queries are proof that wasn't a good spot for it; people were missing it.)