| SERRO SCOTTY CAMPER ENTHUSIASTS BUMPERS BY BOB CLARK |
Facts and theories on Scotty bumpers
by Bob Clark
An often asked question to the group is what did the bumper look like on my 19XX
Scotty? The typical answers have mentioned the variances Serro had are often
unpredictable, translated as "With Scotty's, who knows?"
We also know that pictures tend also to be unreliable documentation given owners'
modifications, so with what are we left in answering the question based on facts.
Here are some facts gleaned from actual Serro publications.
Based on a brochure from 1963, there is no mention of any bumper on any model,
nor do any of the brochure pictures show any bumpers. A 1964 article from Mobile
Home Journal with a very complete test review of the HiLander mentions many
options but not a bumper, nor do the pictures show one. Then in 1965, 1966 and
67 brochures, they mention a rear bumper as an option on the 13' Tonga and
Gaucho, the 15'Scotty regular and HiLander models. By 1973, the ad for the new
18' trunkback shows a 4" round rear bumper as standard. Based on brochures in
1979, a 4" square steel bumper is mentioned as standard on all Scotty's. From
this date on, the 4" square bumper was standard on all models except the 1981
14' HiLander, on which it was optional, but standard on the 15' HiLander as well as
the smaller models. On the larger Scotty's at that time a 4 1/2" square bumper was
standard. This appears to then be the pattern on all Scotty's after 1981.
Here are some theories I have as to what bumpers were like prior to 1979, based
on my research, pictures and anecdotal stories from original owners and
descriptions of their Scotty's. I theorize that starting in 1965, Serro made bumpers
an option, but they were dealer installed options, not from the factory. Dealers
then could choose a bumper style of their own and install it using perhaps a
factory recommended approach. Based on pictures from owners, I theorize there
were three types of dealer installed officially “optional” bumpers, A: 4" round
plastic or metal tubular bumper, B: channel type bumper and C: rectangular tube;
see pics. I cannot theorize if these were regional or simply local option styles, but
are seen consistently enough that the theory that there were three distinct types
makes sense to me.
by Bob Clark
An often asked question to the group is what did the bumper look like on my 19XX
Scotty? The typical answers have mentioned the variances Serro had are often
unpredictable, translated as "With Scotty's, who knows?"
We also know that pictures tend also to be unreliable documentation given owners'
modifications, so with what are we left in answering the question based on facts.
Here are some facts gleaned from actual Serro publications.
Based on a brochure from 1963, there is no mention of any bumper on any model,
nor do any of the brochure pictures show any bumpers. A 1964 article from Mobile
Home Journal with a very complete test review of the HiLander mentions many
options but not a bumper, nor do the pictures show one. Then in 1965, 1966 and
67 brochures, they mention a rear bumper as an option on the 13' Tonga and
Gaucho, the 15'Scotty regular and HiLander models. By 1973, the ad for the new
18' trunkback shows a 4" round rear bumper as standard. Based on brochures in
1979, a 4" square steel bumper is mentioned as standard on all Scotty's. From
this date on, the 4" square bumper was standard on all models except the 1981
14' HiLander, on which it was optional, but standard on the 15' HiLander as well as
the smaller models. On the larger Scotty's at that time a 4 1/2" square bumper was
standard. This appears to then be the pattern on all Scotty's after 1981.
Here are some theories I have as to what bumpers were like prior to 1979, based
on my research, pictures and anecdotal stories from original owners and
descriptions of their Scotty's. I theorize that starting in 1965, Serro made bumpers
an option, but they were dealer installed options, not from the factory. Dealers
then could choose a bumper style of their own and install it using perhaps a
factory recommended approach. Based on pictures from owners, I theorize there
were three types of dealer installed officially “optional” bumpers, A: 4" round
plastic or metal tubular bumper, B: channel type bumper and C: rectangular tube;
see pics. I cannot theorize if these were regional or simply local option styles, but
are seen consistently enough that the theory that there were three distinct types
makes sense to me.
