by Maarten Bellaard
I have been reading your blog for a few months now and every new post inspires and surprises me. The whole idea of utilizing and experimenting with small spaces is really fascinating. Considering most of your blog posts have an American/Canadian touch to it, I believe that my story could be a fresh view on camping!
My girlfriend used to go camping with her parents in this beautiful classic caravan. Last summer we took it to Switzerland and France and this summer we took 4 weeks to completely restore this 50 year old caravan.
The caravan is a Wa-Wa 180 Sport. The original manufacturer doesn’t exist anymore, but they used to build a lot of wooden caravans and trailers. This Wa-Wa was created for recreational use on campsites but considering its weight of 300 kg’s even people with a small, not so powerful car could take this caravan and travel around with it. Besides the chassis and the rear window, the whole caravan is made of wood. Inside there is room for a small kitchen – with a refrigerator, sink and a gas cooker – and a large twin bed that can be removed and replaced by two small benches and a table. Originally the caravan was designed so it could fit 6 people! The caravan surface is only 2 x 3 meters so in practice nobody used it that way.
The Wa-Wa caravan is even more special because of its roof. The wooden roof is set up when you are camping in it and can be fold down so it is barely higher than a small car. This saves a lot of gas money and creates a stronger structure when you are driving with it.
On the pictures you can see the blue tent that was specially made for this caravan.
This caravan has a big history and is pretty unique; only a few of them are still alive these days.
Maarten Bellaard
The Netherlands
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Love it!! Thanks for sharing it with us!!
It is beautiful and similar to something I am building (my wife says not).
Love it! Wonderful to restore something to its original dignity.
That is the nicest teardrop trailer I’ve ever seen — it’s really elegant and I love that it’s light enough to be towed by a subcompact. It’s a shame these aren’t being made any longer. You two did a great job restoring the caravan, it looks new.
Many thanks for sharing!
Brilliant! I have a teardrop trailer, but it is smaller than this. I would love to get a tent extension to go on the side. I wonder if it is attached to the trailer or is merely erected next to it?
I love teardrops. What an interesting and enjoyable story and pics. Kent, feel free to always bring us more teardrops.
Love the WaWa. Anyone have any plans for anything like this?
looks like an Alto. similar shape and telescoping roof
http://www.safaricondo.com/alto/1713/indexeng.php
We recently bought a wa-wa 200 caravan in the UK.
We are restoring it, it will take a lot longer than 4 weeks 🙁
I have been admiring your lovely awning. Hope you don’t mind me asking where did you get it from?
Hi mrs moose. I have just bought one of these to restore. How did or are you getting on.
Davidb59@googlemail.com
I have just managed to buy one of these on the uk to restore. Anyone still looking at these pages that can help me?
David
Thanks for sharing! Born in Belgium (where the Wa-Wa is originating from) in 1954, my parents took us (brother and me) to the south of France and Spane from the mid 60’s to the late 60’s in this fantastic Wa-Wa. My bed was the sort of hard hang bed under the telescopic roof. If I had a Wa-Wa today, I would nurse it well and take it out on trips. I truly miss it! This is pure nostalgia for me, so thanks a million for sharing! – Didider Geers