Back in the good ole’ days mobile homes were more prone to design innovation and experimentation. With hundreds of mobile home manufacturers competing for sales the first company to come up with bigger and better was more likely to succeed and become a nationally known brand.
A popular design concept was two story mobile homes, aka the bi-level or tri-level mobile home or the double decker. These homes were an answer to a couple of different problems. The first was the issue of width. Until 1954, 8 foot was the maximum width allowed on national highways. The other was space efficiency. Going up allowed more living space and mobile homes that were bigger often sold better.
Here’s the most popular vintage advertisements for two story mobile homes:
Sorry, I’m being lazy with this post – I promise to have lots more about 2 story mobile homes soon and hopefully I can get a very special 2 story Spartan featured soon too. It’s the last week of school and vacation Bible school week so it’s been a little hectic here at home.
As always, thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!
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Are there any companies manufacturing new two story mobile homes?
Hi Scott,
The best we have nowadays is the Park Model Homes but they are classified as RV's so we can't do much with them. They are relegated to campgrounds and off-grid situations where land use laws don't apply. Click here for our articles on Park Models.
Thanks for reading!
hi Crystal I don't own a mobile but have lived in a few. I am in the mist of building a tiny home on wheels and in my searching I fell in love with the Spartans and especially the "Lighthouse DuPlex two story" do you know where I can get anymore information on it ? I am looking for floorplan, construction framing ,construction layout pipes, electrical etc. thank you sincerely deb bushee in VT. ps. love you site!!
Hi Debra,
Spartans are my all-time favorite mobile homes! The Lighthouse brand isn't associated with Spartans as far as I know but I think they were inspired by them. Unfortunately, information on vintage mobile homes is hard to find. There are a few mobile home restorers on Facebook that you can find easily (searching for vintage mobile homes should pull them up)- he may be able to help you (I saw it just the other day but I cannot remember his name, sorry). You may luck up finding an old brochure or sales ad. Finding info is one of the more maddening aspects of vintage mobile homes.
Good luck!
I am desperate for a double decker vantage trailer. Need one desperately. Please call me. 530 401 5283.Jackie
Can you still find 10 wide ?
Yeah, there are a lot of older mobile homes on Craigslist that are 10'. Our 1978 single wide is 12' x 58' and that's a good size for a small family (2 adults and a child).
Oh wow Crystal! These are so cool looking. I wonder if there are any still in use today? So incredibly cute.. My little brain is thinking of all kinds of decorating ideas I would do with one of them.. Thanks for another great article..
Hi Karen!
Glad you enjoyed it! There are a few around. I've been fortunate enough to get to share a couple of them on here: https://mobilehomeliving.org/1954-pacemaker-tri-level-mobile-home-remodel/
and here: https://mobilehomeliving.org/vintage-mobile-home-series-stewart-bi-level-mobile-home/
Thanks so much for reading MHL!
Why don't they make the double high mobile homes anymore?I love them
Hi Kellie,
They do, they're just called Park Models now and are classified as a recreational vehicle. These have the 'second' story bedroom and usually a master bed and bath downstairs. Because of their classification a lot of local codes prohibit them to be installed within city limits so they are mostly put on private lands and campgrounds.
Here are a few that we've shared: https://mobilehomeliving.org/?s=park+models
Hello! Love looking at at the ads and pics of the old mobile homes. My parents owned 2 of them back when I was born 1968 and they loved them. Just curious if there are any of these mobile homes still alive to this day? In a park, a museum or something? They make museums for cars so just thought. Lol
Would love to see some and go back in time just for a day!!!
Thanks and keep them coming!!!
Chris.
Hi Chris!
You can click on the Vintage link on the menu and follow us on Instagram, I just started the account but I've scheduled over 160 vintage mobile home images to be shared over the next 30-45 days. Dozens are already up! Here's the link: https://www.instagram.com/mobilehomeliving/
You can also follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MobileandManufacturedHomeLiving/?ref=settings (*there's a few albums that you may like!)
Hi Crystal,
I have such a good time every time I visit your site! I manage a mobile home community, and love mobile home living. When I was a little girl my dad started a love in me for the "home in a box" by attending the Indiana State Fair very year. I was amazed at what could be put in a rectangle and pulled by a car - a home on wheels!! At the time, I had no idea that there were mobile home parks that people could actually live in or the artful design of the old classic mobile trailers that were multi level! Fast forward some 50 years, and over the last 10 of those years, I've fallen in love with the resourceful life style of living in one of this treasures! My home is a 1983 Skyline, and absolutely beautiful. It's hard to find one of these old beauties, but when we do it's priceless to say the least. Thanks to these interesting and almost obselete dinosaurs we now have renewed interest in revamping them, and moving forward into the latest craze of the tiny house movement. Personally I'd take a revamped mobile home any day! Thanks for your passion regarding mobile homes, and for giving us such great stories and insights into others just like us - their rehabs and design techniques foster a whole lot of soulful joy! Here's a "High Five" for the simple resourceful lifestyle that so many of us love and cherish!!
Hi Natalee,
Your comment means a lot to me, thank you so much for taking the time to write it! I appreciate you!
How entertaining to see these ads. What a time it was. Takes me back to Tucson back in the 50's even though I wasn't born until '64! I would like to know of anyone knows of a certain mobile home sold in the Ohio Valley back in the 1979-'81 era that had a huge raised front end which had a kitchen just behind its tongue and a storage door underneath? I realize it sounds corny looking but they were absolute babes. They were most likely 14x70 in size. I remember one being yellowish and another having a lot of brown on its exterior. Anyone know of their brand names and manufacturer? I do not have Facebook.
I have been trying to find info on a trailer I owned in the 1980's. The trailer was 2 stories and 38' long and made in 1956. I can't remember the name but I remember it was built in Elwood. Ind. The two bedrooms were upstairs over the kitchen and bathroom, with the stairs going up from the center and between the kitchen and Bath. The bathroom was a step down and had a sink, tub/shower, toilet and a front load washer and dryer. It looks similar to the Ventoura, but the roof line was level from the back to the front bedroom then sloped from there to the front. The Living room ceiling was over 8' high.
Any ideas what maker this was? We lived in it the first year we were married and now that we are done raising children would like to downsize to something like this in the future.
Hi Kevin!
Check this album out on our FB page and let me know if any of them looks familiar: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.409918022417078.93982.171940309548185&type=3
Thanks so much for reading MHL!
Wow Crystal that was just so much fun!!I loved all the pictures and comments!I've never lived in a mobile home but think I would have enjoyed some of these.
I just happened to be watching Tiny House on HGTV at the same time as reading this .I'd bet some of those builders got some of their design ideas from mobile homes. I love how both make the most of every inch of space.I've always been drawn to small spaces going back to building tree houses as a kid .And I love really small boxes and containers etc.maybe that comes from growing up in a two bedroom house with parents and three siblings! Although you'd think that would be a great reason to want more space.! Needless to say we spent a lot of time outdoors (building tree houses.haha)
Again thanks for the "tour" I'll look forward to seeing more pics and articles.????????????????
One other thing... While traveling to the Blue Ridge Parkway several years ago I saw some two story mobile homes that were colonial in style., big white columns and all! Very odd .I wasn't the driver so I didn't get a chance to tour one.have you ever seen any like that?