In the comments section of that webpage that had the picture was an interesting link to "camp cars":� 

http://books.google.com/books?id=P4FXI4mlPWIC&pg=PA44&dq=mobile+mansions+samuel+lambert&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4td0UfGfJuKdiAKuxoG4Cg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=mobile%20mansions%20samuel%20lambert&f=false

The "Mobile Mansion" book covers all kinds of car camping contraptions, including mention of our beloved Vanagons on page 35.

Rich

--- On Tue, 4/23/13, Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET> wrote:

From: Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: early Vanagon type camping picture
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 8:49 AM

Noticed he's got a light bulb hanging in campsite, powered from his "van"; and that fold-up table is pretty cool too, as is the Dr.'s camp chair.� Everybody looks pretty happy and content.� As it is even today.� Great photo, thanks!

Rich
San Diego

--- On Tue, 4/23/13, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET> wrote:

From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: early Vanagon type camping picture
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 8:36 AM

Well, it's not a Vanagon (there weren't any then), but it suggests the Vanagon camping life and shows that this way of camping has been about for a while:

http://www.shorpy.com/node/15126#comments

David McNeely