Fireball camper owners

[Old soldier]

It appears the Fireball vintage camper website is closed down since nothing there later than 2014. All existing posts and such disappeared. Another community member confirmed she saw the same. So, the question is: are there any Fireball owners out there interested in communicating? I have a lot of researched info about Fireball (aka Kurmann trailer company and products) to share. That includes fairly important safety items like newspaper clippings about two court findings against Kurmann over wrongful deaths of two children. In both cases children died from electrical shocks from touching nails or screws that penetrated electrical wires. I received a shock in my 1964 Meteor and found two screws holding on the eyebrow that went through the 14/2 gauge wiring harness. In honesty, there are likely the same and other safety hazards in all the different brands of vintage campers! Fireball, according to Mobiltec and other well known restorers and historians, was a better than average manufactured camper. But I am looking for a "few good Fireballers" out there. Please contact me as I appreciate the Kurmann/Fireball campers immensely! Joe Kurmann turned out a very good product and I'm convinced we owners are lucky to have ours!

[Sweet Gypsy Rose]

Hi!!

I just bought my Sweet Gypsy Rose - a 72 Dodge Fireball Class C.  I'd love to pick your brains about Fireballs and be part of your "few good Fireballs community."  I'm hoping to find photos and info on Fireballs so I can figure out the paint scheme, colors and interior.  I want to stick to the late 60s early 70s for my "Rose."  Mechanically she's super solid but she does cosmetically need some love!!  

[Old soldier]

I have a bit of info on the Class B Fireballs, but not a lot.  Most info is on Fireball (Kurmann) Trailer Company.

[Old soldier]

some young fellow recently said he bought one on a GM frame, so perhaps his is similar to yours.  I have tons of Fireball files culled from brochures, news articles, etc.  Joseph and Rosetta Kurmann (company owners 1952-1992) had 3 assembly plants: San Fernando, CA [original home]; Boise, ID (1973-1992 when the company folded); and Wichita, KS.  By the mid-1980s the CA and KS plants closed.  Joseph died in late 1991 which caused trhe company to fold.  They built what I consider an above-average canned ham; Tim Heintz, Juergen Eichermuller, and Larry Walsh (MOBILTEC) say the same.  Campers ranged fro 8’ to 34’; included Travel Trailers, 5th Wheels, Class A and B.  The 33’ Commodore had a built-in speedboat (you could buy the camper with or without the speedboat...your boat simply couldn’t exceed 1,000 pounds) and one model with “tip-out” rooms that increased floorspace without the need for “slides”.  Let me know what type info you want and I will share anything I have.  Not much info on Fireball (Kurmann): it is truly a “stealth” company.   A researcher from the Univ of Idaho, Boise found only 3 newspaper articles for me!  Until this weekend, we never saw another Fireball...in fact, I only found 3 in Missouri.  At the Carthage, MO vintage camper rally a lady stopped to say she has one.  It’s true.  Not sure, but I think it might be a Martian or Astronaut, but not a Meteor like ours.  (The model names evolved into a ‘space race’ theme when we entered the space race.  Looking forward to communicating.  Unfortunately, I don’t do Facebook for security and other reasons...it’s odd to see me on these sites.  Perhaps we can work around that issue.  Tchuss!

[Emily moler-Pascal]

Not sure if Old Soldier or Sweet Gypsy Rose are still active here, but I’m hemming and hawing over the opportunity to buy a 1965 fireball Astronaut (based on the catalog images). It’s actually in very good shape, but needs more work than I’m used to. Since it’s hard to find fireball info I wanted to reach out here and see if it’s hard to find because it’s great and rare?

A majority of the features are original and mint condition. Including the stove, handles, pink bathroom sink and yellow kitchen tile.

[Tom Rust]

I have a 1975 23 1/2 (Mercurian?) that I restored.  I'm a bit of a history buff and would love any information you have on Fireball/Kurmann Trailer Mfg. Co.  Espcially the 1970s vintage.  I know most are in the 1960s and 1970s, but love to know more.  In the remodel I was impressed with the manufacturing of the original.  Anything you have I'd love to learn.  Thx.