From its humble commercial beginnings in 1952, the original style of the Shasta camper was that of a small rounded box. Dubbed "canned ham" or "toasters on wheels" by devotees, these first Shasta models came in sizes ranging from 14 to 35 feet. By the late 1950s, Shasta added its signature wings to the back of each model.
By the 1960s, the next style of Shasta arrived: a squarer version of the original design. Shasta kept its trademark wings of adventure and freedom, but changed the shape to ensure a modern image for the brand. This change in design did not affect Shasta's popularity which, in fact, grew through the decade and into the 1970s.
By 1973, the Shasta camper had become so popular that it was sold by nearly 500 dealers across the United States. Also by this time, the different Shasta models each included impressive-looking interior design and a new bold stripe across the exterior. The trademark wings were scaled down but were still part of the Shasta design. The decade made way for the corporate buy-out of the Shasta brand by Coachman Industries in 1976, which continued producing Shasta campers up until 2004.
Although Shasta no longer produces campers, their popularity as vintage American engineering still holds true. People buy Shasta campers to this day, refurbishing them for modern use. Some even build replica models out of toy bricks.
