The Del Rey Sky Lounge puts a Vista Dome—a railroad car with a dome roof and panoramic view—on a slide-in camper - opens in new window or tab.. It was innovative in the ’60s. Now, it’s a highly collectible piece of recreational vehicle history. This 1963 Sky Lounge, paired with a pumped-up 1963 Ford pickup, was recently sold on eBay in Troy, Mich.
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The King of Campers
In 1957, Bill Overhulser founded Lil’ Sports Coach in Elkhart, Ind. He turned his family garage into a Wonka-esque workshop for travel trailers.
Overhulser knew a trend when he saw one. Americans had free time and disposable income in the boom years following World War II. By 1959, he shifted focus to making slide-in campers for pickup trucks. The company later became Del Rey Industries, Spanish for “of the king.” By the late 1960s, Del Rey was the largest manufacturer of truck campers in the US.
The Sky Lounge was one of Overhulser’s many RV innovations. (He also invented the camper jack and safer ways of attaching campers to trucks.) Brochures touted the Sky Lounge’s accommodations for up to eight people “in home-like comfort,” a kitchen that would “delight the most discriminating hostess,” and “hardwood interiors that will polish like fine furniture.”
Claustrophobic to Airy
The Plexiglas wraparound front windows were the best seats in the house for cross-country travel. Remember, in those days, passengers could ride in a camper. The windows also turn what is usually a confining over-cab bunk into an airy bedroom.
The photos provided with the eBay listing illustrated bright and spacious sleeping quarters. They also showed off the camper’s amenities:
- Three-burner stove with oven
- Refrigerator
- Plentiful storage cabinets
- Dinette with a table that converts into a bed
The interior looked immaculate. The camper’s exterior appeared to be in excellent condition, too. It gleamed with no visible oxidation, dings, or dents.
Pulling Power
The Del Rey Sky Lounge camper and the Ford F-100 - opens in new window or tab. pickup were made in 1963. The vibe is mid-century, but the truck’s working parts included a 1977 Ford F-250 frame, 460-cubic-inch V-8 - opens in new window or tab., automatic transmission, and four-wheel-drive running gear. Anyone wanting to road trip the Sky Lounge will appreciate the ¾-ton stability and pulling power.
Detailed photos showed a nice but well-used truck with a clean undercarriage and straight sheet metal. Interior upgrades included what looks like the F-250’s steering wheel and column, aftermarket gauges, and a new-ish radio. The only visible flaws were duct-tape repairs to the upholstery.
Overhulser, a founding board member of the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), sold Del Rey Industries in 1969. He retired at 42 and, among other things, became a self-financed relief worker. According to the RV Hall of Fame, Overhulser served as a bush pilot in Guatemala, where he flew relief supplies and personnel for the government and other organizations after the 1976 earthquake.
Del Rey Sky Lounge truck campers - opens in new window or tab. and trailers are now prized collectibles. Overhulser’s son, Jim, administers an active Facebook page - opens in new window or tab. for Del Rey enthusiasts called the Del Rey Tour Club, named for Del Rey camper owners who vacationed together in the 1960s.
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